Paradelia palpata ( Stein, 1906 )

Michelsen, Verner, 2007, Taxonomic review of Eurasian Paradelia Ringdahl (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 1592, pp. 1-44 : 10-11

4. Paradelia palpata ( Stein, 1906)

Figs. 3 , 34–38 .

Pegomyia palpata Stein, 1906: 101 .

Pegomyia trigonalis Karl, 1928: 140 . Synonymized by Griffiths (1987: 766). Pseudonupedia trigonalis (Karl) ; Hennig 1972: 440, text fig. 388B, plate figs. 687, 706, 715. Pegomya palpata Stein ; Hennig 1973: 608.

Paradelia (Paradelia) palpata (Stein) ; Griffiths 1987: 766, figs. 912–918. For further references and synonymy see Hennig (1973: 608) and Griffiths (1987: 766).

Taxonomic remarks. When examining the female holotype of Pegomyia palpata Stein in 1984 I noticed the presence of marginal setulae on the prosternum, an unusual character not mentioned in the existing descriptions. Earlier, I had collected a series of male anthomyiids in Denmark that, according to Hennig (1972), certainly belong to Pseudonupedia trigonalis (Karl) . I also noticed that these males possessed setulae on the prosternum, an observation that made me compare the two taxa and conclude that palpata Stein and trigonalis Karl are synonyms based on the female and male sex, respectively. This synonymy was accepted and first published by Griffiths (1987).

Description. Medium-sized (WL 5.0–6.2mm; n=11).

Male ( Fig. 3 ). Cuticle mainly dark brown to black, except mid and hind tibiae more or less yellow ochre and abdomen translucent red ochre. Thorax densely olive-grey dusted; dark striping pattern weakly indicated on anterior mesonotum. Wing membrane tinted with brown, wing base, calyptrae and haltere yellow ochre. Abdomen lightly grey-dusted, in hind views revealing a darker pattern consisting of a narrow mid-dorsal stripe interrupted posteriorly on tergites and narrow bands anteriorly on tergites; caudal segments with a distinct shine through sparse dusting.

Upper frons narrower than diameter of anterior ocellus; linear parafrontals widely contiguous. Frontal setae 3–4 pairs confined to lower half of frons. Pair of interfrontal setulae on middle of frons present. Genal setae few, arranged in a single row. Parafacial in middle narrow, equal to basal width of fore tibia. Prealar seta of same length as posterior notopleural seta. Proepisternals 2; proepimerals 6–11. Prosternum with 1–2 pairs of marginal setulae, exceptionally bare. Vein C on dorsal and ventral surfaces extensively setulose. Mid femur with longish pv setae on basal half standing in single row. Hind femur with row of pv setae interrupted on most of distal half. Tergite VI free. Sternite V ( Figs. 34, 35 ): long upraised posterior lobes each with a prominent, bare angular lamella followed by a blunt apical part bearing a brush of flattened setulae. Hypopygium ( Figs. 37, 38 ): epandrium strongly convex on dorsal part; surstyli stout, cerci moderately convex in lateral aspect. Gonites ( Fig. 36 ): pregonite with 0 submedian but usually 2 or more apical setulae.

Female. Anterior parts of head and palpal base yellow ochre; frontal vitta extensively orange yellow. Thorax dark, covered in grey dusting, with traces of narrow brown stripes on mesonotum. Legs, apart from blackish tarsi, yellow ochre, more or less infuscated on tibiae and femoral apices. Abdomen yellow ochre, with a matt shine through thin light grey dusting.

Antenna with enlarged postpedicel reaching margin of face. Palpus enlarged, exceeding length of haustellum, apically distinctly spatulate and sparsely setose. Narrow parafrontals only about one-sixth as wide as frontal vitta. Frontal angle strongly projected beyond facial angle. Parafacial narrow in middle, equal to basal width of fore tibia. Genal setae few, uniserial. Prosternum with 1–2 pairs of marginal setulae. Proepisternals 2; proepimerals 6–9. Vein C on dorsal and ventral surfaces extensively setulose. Oviscapt not examined.

Material examined. DENMARK [ ZMUC]: NW Zealand: Jyderup, 6 males 25–30.vi.1977 (V. Michelsen). FRANCE [ BMNH]: Htes Pyrénées: Barèges to Montagne Fleurie, 1200–1800m, 1 male 7.viii.1985 (A.C. Pont). MONGOLIA [ MHNG]: 1 male 1968 (Exp. Z. Kaszab) [no further data, because vial with male terminalia in glycerol inadvertently placed on a pin with a specimen of Botanophila Lioy ]. POLAND [ MNHU]: Pommern [= Pomerania]: 1 female (holotype of Pegomyia palpata Stein ), Rügenwalde [= Dar l ówo] (M.P. Riedel). RUSSIA [ FMNH]: Regio viburgensis: Terijoki [= Zelenogorsk], 2 males 26.vii.1938 (L. Tiensuu). SWEDEN: Skåne [ MZLU]: Ystad, 1 female 22.vi.1916 (Ammitzböll). Uppland [ BMNH]: Ledsundet W of Öregrund, 1 male 15–16.vii.1980 (A.C. Pont).

Distribution. A widespread but rarely collected species in boreal and elevated parts of the Holarctic Region. In Europe only known with certainty from Denmark, Norway, Poland, Russia (Regio Viburgensis) and Sweden. A recent record from Germany based on a female ( Franzen et al. 1996) needs verification because of possible confusion with P. hedgreni . Elsewhere in Eurasia recorded from China ( Fan et al. 1988) and Mongolia. The distribution in North America is outlined by Griffiths (1987).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Paradelia spp. 1. P. hedgreni, female. 2. P. hedgreni, female head. 3. P. palpata, male. 4. P. hedgreni, female, detail of left wing. 5. P. intersecta, female, detail of left wing. Same scale for 1, 3 and 4, 5 respectively.

FIGURES 34 – 38. Paradelia palpata, male. 34, 35. Sternite V, lateral and ventral views. 36. Pre- and postgonites, lateral view. 37, 38. Hypopygium, lateral and caudal views. Same scale for 34, 35 and 36 – 38 respectively. See text for explanation of arrows.