Borophaga (L.) rufibasis Beyer, 1959

Mostovski, Mike B., 2004, New records of scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) from South Africa, with description of a new species and hitherto unknown males, African Invertebrates 45, pp. 125-125 : 130-131

Borophaga (L.) rufibasis Beyer, 1959

Fig. 5

Borophaga rufibasis Beyer, 1959 c: 2 , figs 1d, 2. (Type locality: Tanzania) Latiborophaga rufibasis: Brown 1992: 40 .

Description: Male. Frons dark brown, third antennal segment brown, palpi yellowish brown; thorax brown with reddish tint, pleura paler, fore and hind coxae yellow,

middle coxae brown, rest of legs mainly yellowish brown, fore legs a little paler, hind tibiae and tarsi darker, dorsal edges of hind femora brown; abdominal tergites brown to blackish brown, each tergite with whitish yellow stripe along rear margin; hypopydium brown. Frons with sant, po, oc, al, ml, pl, and numerous hairs; ml inserted halfway between al and pl, po form almost straight line with ml and as far apart as distance between po and ml. Ocellar triangle distinct, its posterior margin can be slightly elevated. Third antennal segment semiglobular, with subapical arista. Palpus with 1 ventral and 6 ventrolateral, subapical and apical bristles; subapical bristle longest and two apical bristles shortest. Propleuron with 2–5 bristles along its ventral margin and in posteroventral corner and 2 bristles at posterior margin. In addition to that, each side of thorax with 1 h, 3 npl (foremost npl about twice as long as rearmost npl), 1 sa, 1 pa, and 1 psc. Scutellum with posterior pair of strong bristles and anterior pair of weak setae, which almost as long as those on scutum. Mesopleuron in upper two thirds with 25–60 hairs, those along posterior margin longer. Wing length 1.9–2.5 mm. Costal index 0.50–0.54, costal ratios 0.8–0.98:1. Costa moderately thickened before and around R 1 tip. Sc complete, but weakly pigmented. Rs unforked, not deflected at mid­length, with 8–12 minute setae in basal half or basal two thirds. First thin vein gently arched at base, then straight; second thin vein almost straight; third thin vein slightly sinuous. Axillary ridge with 5–6 bristles. All veins brown, wing membrane yellowish or brownish. Haltere with deep black knob and brownish yellow stem. Fore tibia with no palisades and with one dorsal bristle just before its midlength; tarsomeres not modified, longer than wide, metatarsus with short but distinct ventral bristle in basal quarter. Mid tibia in basal third with long anterodorsal and posterodorsal bristles separated by complete dorsal palisade. Ventral spurs in fore and mid tibiae as long as metatarsi. Hind tibia with one anterodorsal bristle before its midlength and with two palisades, i.e. straight dorsal and deflected posterodorsal; apically with four or five complete setal combs. Ventral spur of hind tibia half long as hind metatarsus. Abdominal tergites with scattered short hairs, arranged mainly laterally and in posterior half of each tergite. Abdominal venter with setae arranged in rows, setae on fifth segment longest. Left side of epandrium with isolated short hairs just before anal tube and several longish hairs along posterior and ventral margins ( Fig. 5 ). Right side of epandrium with several hairs around anal tube and along posterior and ventral margins; those on ventral margin clearly longer. Anal tube very short.

Material examined: Holotype and paratype: females labelled ‘[Tanzania] Msingi, 1–19.v.1952, D. O. Afrika Exp. ’ ( SMNS). SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: 1 _, Southern Drakensberg , Sani Pass , border police station, 4.iii.2004, yellow pan traps, V . Kolyada & M. Mostovski; 11 _, Impendle, Nhlosane Farm (29º35'S: 29º58'E), 1700–1900 m, 24.xi–8.xii.1993, pitfalls, J. Kotze; 28 _ 2^, same data except 22.xii.1993 – 5.i.1994; 6 _ 2^, same data except 2–15.ii.1994; 9 _ 1^, same data except 16.ii–1.iii.1994; 1 _ 1^, Pietermaritzburg, Hilton (29º32'30.7"S: 30º18'18.4"E), 1131 m, 14–27.x.2003, Malaise trap, M. Mostovski ( NMSA) .

Distribution: Tanzania, South Africa. This is the first record of this species in South Africa.

Figures

Figs 5–9. Poorly known and new species of South African scuttle flies. 5. Borophaga rufibasis Beyer, left side of epandrium. 6–8. Phlebothrix judithmastersae sp. n. 6, 7. Left and right sides of epandrium. 8. Female palpus. 9. Phlebothrix cochlearipalpis, female palpus. Scale bar 0.1 mm.