Aphaniosoma flavescens, Ebejer, 2009

Ebejer, Martin J., 2009, A revision of Afrotropical Chyromyidae (excluding Gymnochiromyia Hendel) (Diptera: Schizophora), with the recognition of two subfamilies and the description of new genera, African Invertebrates 50 (2), pp. 321-321 : 396-397

Aphaniosoma flavescens sp. n.

Figs 41 , 42

Etymology: From Latin flavus (yellow), and refers to entirely yellow colour of the body and postabdominal structures of this species.

Diagnosis: Entirely yellow species, with distance between crossveins on wing about as long as posterior crossvein and length of apical section of vein Cu a little more than 3× length of posterior crossvein; male postabdomen also yellow with broad surs clearly visible and large psg truncate at tip in lateral view.

Description:

Male.

Head: Entirely yellow, including oc triangle, fr broad but converging anteriorly so that at level of antennae it is about 0.7 as wide as at level of anterior oc, face small, depressed and with distinct, narrow but low facial carina, eye oval lying oblique, gena yellow, at middle about 0.5 height of eye and having numerous golden yellow setulae that are longer than is usual in this genus, in this species longer than orb, 2 short setae at vibrissal corner, mouthparts yellow, 2 setulae on fr with 1 pair of longer setulae in front of oc triangle, 4 short orb getting progressively shorter from back to front, 1 vti and 1 vte, pvt distinct and convergent, ocellars long, divergent, antenna yellow, most of second segment of arista dark.

Thorax: Scutum, s cut, pleura and mtn entirely yellow. Chaetotaxy: 1 pprn, 1 posthu, 1 ihu, 2 ntpl, 0–1+2–3 ia, 1+5 acrs, 4+4 dc only the posterior one well-developed, prpl short, 1 pa, 2 pairs of marginal scut, 1 katepisternal with several setulae on anterior part of sclerite, 1 anepisternal, all setae pale yellow to pale brown.

Wing: Hyaline and uniformly microtrichose, veins yellow, distance between R 2+3 to R 4+5 on costal margin about 0.4 that between R 4+5 and M 1+2, distance between crossveins about 0.9× length of posterior crossvein and length of apical section of Cu about 3.2× length of posterior crossvein. Haltere yellow.

Legs: Entirely yellow and fine yellow setulose.

Abdomen: Entirely yellow.

Postabdomen: Yellow with relatively broad surs clearly visible.

Female.

As male, but tarsomere 5 darkened and several specimens have tarsomeres 3 and 4 also darkened. Postabdomen: tg 8 divided into two lateral sclerites; st 8 membraneous; hypr not recognizable; spermatheca with short sclerotized section of duct.

Length: ơ body 1.1 mm, wing 1.4 mm; ^body 1.4 mm, wing 1.5 mm.

Holotype: ơ NAMIBIA: Skeleton Coast Park , Kunene R. mouth, 17°15'97"S:11°46'83"E, sweeping marginal grasses and reeds on flood plain, 17–18.iii.1998, A.H. Kirk-Spriggs ( NMNW).

Paratypes: NAMIBIA: 7ơ 1^same data as holotype ( NMNW) ; 12ơ 3^same data (in alcohol, NMNW) ; 5ơ 1^same data (in alcohol, NMWC) ; 2ơ 5^nr Onseepkans, Orange R. banks, 8–10.i.1972, Southern African Expedition (W1) B.M. 1972–1 ( BMNH) ; 1ơ 4^Walvis Bay, 25–26.i.1972, pool edge in dunes, Southern African Expedition (W24) BM 1972–1 ( BMNH) ; 1ơ Khorixas District , Gai-As spring, 20°46'01"S: 14°01'12"E, 22.x.1998, A.H. Kirk-Spriggs & E. Marais ( NMNW) ; 1ơ 4^Khorixas District, Huab R. at Krone , 721, 20°37'09"S: 13°54'31"E, sweeping grasses and sedges, 23–26.x.1998, A.H. Kirk-Spriggs ( NMNW) ; 1ơ Skeleton Coast , Kunene R. mouth, 17°16'S: 11°47'E, 20–22.iv.1994, yellow tray (water trap), E. Marais (in alcohol, NMWC) ; 1^Omaruru District, Ugab R., 2 km W Brandberg Wes, 20°58'05"S: 14°06'36"E, 22–24.x.1998, Malaise trap, A. Kirk-Spriggs & E. Marais (in alcohol, NMWC) ; 3ơ 1^Walvis Bay , alt. 5 m, 22°60'S: 14°28'E, 6.ix.2003, A. Freidberg ( TAUI) ; 1ơ Gobabeb , Kuseib R., 23°34'S: 15°03'E, 5.ix.2003, A. Freidberg ( TAUI) .

Figures

Fig. 41. Aphaniosoma flavescens sp. n., ơ: (a) hypopygium, lateral; (b) psg, posterior. Scale bar = 0.15 mm.

Fig. 42. Aphaniosoma flavescens sp. n., ^postabdomen: (a) posterior, (b) lateral, (c) spermatheca. Scale bar = 0.15 mm.