Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) hellenica

Whitmore, Daniel, 2011, New taxonomic and nomenclatural data on Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), with description of six new species, Zootaxa 2778, pp. 1-57 : 5

Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) hellenica nom. nov.

( Figs 1–2 )

Heteronychia vervesi Povolný, 1996: 99 . Type locality: Greece, Macedonia, Pindos Mts, Vikos Aoos. [Junior secondary homonym of Kozlovea vervesi Nandi, 1993 .]

Type material examined. Fourteen type specimens: 5 3: [ Greece, Makhedonia] Pindos, Aoos, 20.6.91 [leg. Povolný] ( MMBC); 2 3: same locality, 22.6.91 [leg. Povolný] ( MMBC) [one with terminalia dissected and coated for SEM examination and preserved in ZMUC]; 3 3: [ Greece, Paralia] Skotina, 27.5.92 [leg. Povolný] ( MMBC); 1 3: same locality, 4.9.92 [leg. Povolný] ( MMBC) [terminalia dissected for ESEM examination]; 1 3: [ Greece, Thessalia] Meteora, 2.6.92 [leg. Povolný] ( MMBC); 2 3: [no locality label] ( MMBC) [both with their terminalia dissected and placed in glycerin in a microvial pinned beneath the source specimen]. [All as “ Heteronychia vervesi det. Povolný”.]

Remarks. In the original description, Povolný (1996: 99) mentioned a type series consisting of the holotype and 20 paratypes (four of which donated to ZSM and YVC). Two additional paratypes are illustrated in Povolný’s figs 11 and 12: one from “Pindos-Gebirge, 18.6.1991 ” and one from “Meteora, 2.6.1992 ”; these are probably the two specimens without labels and with dissected terminalia listed above. Of the 19 type specimens stated to be preserved in MMBC, only 14 were found. Povolný (1996: 99) wrote: “ Holotypus: 3, Griechenland: Makhedonia, Pindos-Gebirge, Vikos Aoos, 1600 m, 20.6.91 (coll. Povolny, MMB)” and “ Paratypen: 73, dtto;”. None of the five specimens labelled “Pindos, Aoos, 20.6.91 ” in MMBC carry any indication of being the holotype, and no information that could help to unambiguously identify the holotype can be found in the description. As no other type specimens were found in MMBC (I. Malenovský, pers. comm. 2007), the holotype is either one of the above five specimens from “Pindos, Aoos, 20.6.91 ”, lost (in which case all five of these specimens would be paratypes), or located outside of Povolný’s sarcophagid collection. Since all the type specimens examined are conspecific, there is little likelihood that the holotype belongs to a different species.

Additional material examined. [ Greece, Makhedonia] Pindos, Aoos, 20.VI.1991, D. Povolný leg., 1 3 ( MMBC); same locality, 21.VI.1991, D. Povolný leg., 1 3 ( MMBC); Meteora, 2.6.1992, D. Povolný leg., 1 3 ( MMBC, as “ Pandelleana protuberans ”).

Diagnosis (3). A medium-sized to large (8.5–11.0mm) species of Heteronychia , similar and possibly closely related to S. (H.) siciliana ( Enderlein, 1928) . Frons at its narrowest point about 0.5–0.6 times as wide as an eye; lower facial margin visible in lateral view; scutellum with a pair of apical setae; mid femur with a subapical posteroventral comb; setae on hind trochanter only slightly shortened, not thickened; wing vein R1 bare on dorsal surface; microtrichosity of abdomen: lateral black markings covering whole length of tergites 3−4 in posterior view; abdominal tergite 3 without median marginal setae; epandrium red; cercus ( Fig. 1 ) entirely covered with tightly-spaced setae; pregonite short, with a blunt tip narrowing apically, and with numerous long, fine setae on dorsal surface except on tip; distiphallus ( Fig. 2 ): distal part of harpes continuous with proximal part, apical process flattened, tapering and directed ventrally; juxta short, with a short, blunt lateral process directed latero-dorsally.

Distribution. Greek mainland.

Etymology. A Latin adjective referring to the ancient name of Greece, Hellas.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. 1 – 2. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) hellenica nom. nov., paratype from Greece, Pindos, Aoos (MMBC), scale bars 0.1 mm. 1. Cercus and surstylus. 2. Distiphallus (lateral). 3 – 5. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) tangerensis nom. nov., paratype from Morocco, Tanger (UCME), scale bars 0.1 mm. 3. Cercus and surstylus. 4. Pregonite. 5. Distiphallus (lateral).