Atherigona lamina, Deeming, 2019

Deeming, John C., 2019, Atherigonini (Diptera: Muscidae) from Madagascar, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 66 (4), pp. 87-98 : 96-98

Atherigona (s.s.) lamina sp. nov.

Figures 5–6; Photo 2.

MATERIAL. — HOLOTYPE:

Male (dry-mounted and in good condition) labelled MADAGAS-

CAR: Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana, Vohipara, at broken bridge, 21̊13.57′S

47̊22.19′E, alt. 1110m, 25.v.-

4.vi.2002, Malaise trap in high altitude rainforest, R. Harin’

Hala, Code MA-02-09A-30,

CASLOT 020400. Deposited in the California Academy of Sciences. PARATYPES: Fiarantsoa

Prov., Parc National Ranomafana, radio tower at forest edge

21̊15.05′S 47̊4.43′E, alt. 1130m,

15-21.xii.2001, Malaise trap in mixed tropical forest, R . Harin’Hala, MA-02-09B-07, CAS

LOT 020383 . 48 males . 26-

31.iii.2002, MA-02-09B-22,

PHOTO 2 . Atherigona lamina sp. nov . NMW: Paratype; Male; Desig. J C. CASLOT 020409. 6 Males .

Deeming; ' Madagascar: Fianarantsoa Prov., Ranomofana Nat. park, Belle Vue Fiarantsoa Prov. , Parc National at Talatakely' ; 1020m; Coll.: R. Harin 'Hala; Date: 26.ii-4.iii. 2002; Malaise Ranomafana, Vohipara, at broken trap bridge, 21̊ 13.57′S 47̊22.19′E, alt 10. m 11, 25.v.-4.vi.2002, Malaise trap in high altitude rainforest ,

R. Harin’Hala, MA-02-09A-30, CASLOT 020400.1 Male. 16.x-8.xi.2001, MA-02-09A-01, CASLOT 020396. 2 Males. 19-26.ii.2002, MA-02-09A-17, CASLOT 020374. 1 Male. Parc National Ranomafana. Belle Vue at Talatakely, 21̊ 15.99′S 47̊25.21′E, alt. 1020m, 26.ii-4.iii.2002, Malaise trap in secondary tropical forest , R. Harin’Hala. MA-02-09C-18, CASLOT 020376.

3 males. Tulear Prov. , Andohahela Nat’l. Park, Tsimelahy, Parcelle II, 24̊6.21′S 46̊37.60′E, alt. 180m, 28.i-12.ii.2004, Malaise trap in transitional forest, M. Irwin, F. Parker and R. Harin’Hala, MA-02-09C-18, CASLOT 020376 . 3 Males. 15-28.i.2004, MA-02-20-52, CASLOT 020397.

2 Males. In California Academy of Sciences with some paratypes in National Museum of Wales .

DESCRIPTION. — Colouration: All setae and setulae black. Head, inclusive of antenna, black, yellow on inferior orbits, face, parafacialia, gena, palpus and suffusedly on lower occiput, the black parts greyish dusted, appearing deeper black on median third of occiput, the yellow parts yellow dusted. Thorax black, yellow on postpronotal lobe, prosternum, and anterior one third of anepisternum, the scutum and scutellum grey dusted, the former with faintly visible darker medial and dorsocentral vittae; pleura yellow on prosternum and anterior one third of anepisternum and with darker parts yellowish grey dusted. Legs, including coxae yellow, the fore leg infuscate on apical two thirds of length of tibia and on tarsus. Wing hyaline with yellowish brown veins, the base up to basicosta clear yellow; squamae pale with yellow margins; haltere white with a yellow stem. Abdomen yellow, tergite 3 with a pair of long rectangular black markings occupying all but its apex; tergite 4 with a pairs of oval; black spots occupying one half of its length; trifoliate process black throughout.

Head: Fronto-facial angle slightly more than a right angle; parafacialia at narrowest part linear, no wider than the vibrissa.

Thorax: Proepisternum with two strong setae, one twice the length of the other; two very short and weak proepimeral setulae; katepisternum with the three large setae forming an isosceles triangle, the lower seta situated equidistant to the two upper setae.

Legs: Fore tarsus lacking specialized structure or chaetotaxy.

Wing: Not unusual in any way.

Abdomen: Hypopygial prominence (Fig. 5) consisting of a broad truncate apex that is roundedly trapezoid in shape, which in dorsal aspect is nearly three times as broad as the stem and which in profile extending dorsally above the stem. Trifoliate process (Fig. 6) with lateral lobes somewhat incurved apically, in profile the medial lobe seen as broad, especially so at base, and bearing a few short apical setae.

Length: c. 2.3mm, of wing 2.2mm.

Female: Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY. — The name is derived from the Latin lamina , a sword blade.

AFFINITIES. — This species would trace to A. longifolia van Emden in Dike′s 1989 key, differing from it in the structure of the hypopygial prominence and trifoliate process. In A. longifolia the hypopygial prominence is truncate knob-shaped and is scarcely wider at apex than it is at base. Also the lobes of the trifoliate process are all long and slender, the median lobe being boomerang-shaped when viewed in profile. The trifoliate process of A. lamina has a similar appearance to that of another Madagascan species, A. alaotrana Dike , the lateral lobes converging towards their apices, but that species has the median lobe in profile almost straight, the hypopygial prominence is a simple knob, extending longer ventrally than dorsally, so that the apical surface is of an inclination of about 45̊ (see Dike 1989:547, figs. 1 and 2) and its fore leg black only on tarsus.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am indebted to Drs. M.J. Ebejer (Cowbridge), A. Leviton (San Francisco), Dr. V. Michelsen (Copenhagen), and two anonymous reviewers for their kind suggestions and useful advice in the preparation of this paper.

REFERENCES

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