Dacus (Leptoxyda) yaromi, White, Ian M. & Goodger, Kim F. M., 2009

White, Ian M. & Goodger, Kim F. M., 2009, African Dacus (Diptera: Tephritidae); New Species and Data, with Particular Reference to the Tel Aviv University Collection, Zootaxa 2127, pp. 1-49 : 18

Dacus (Leptoxyda) yaromi sp.n.

Figures 33 – 38 .

Diagnosis. As D. attenuatus Collart, 1935 , except: Wing. Costal band apically expanded into a spot which only reaches about mid-depth of cell r4 +5 (fig. 38). Legs. Femora bicoloured (fig. 37). Abdomen. Predominantly dark red-brown (fig. 34).

Description. Size. Small, wing length, 5.6 mm. Head (fig. 35). Pedicel+first flagellomere not longer than ptilinal suture. Face, antennal furrow with a dark spot; slightly taller than broad, almost filling width of furrow. Frons, frontal setae 2, orbital setae 1. Thorax (figs 33, 36). Scutum red-brown; postpronotal lobe concolorous with scutum; notopleural callus red; notopleural xanthine wedge shaped and red (connected to notopleural callus); lateral and medial postsutural vitta absent. Scutellum without any dark patterning (except for basal red-brown margin). Anepisternum with a red subparallel stripe from notopleural callus to katepisternum; extended onto katepisternum. Laterotergal xanthine barely differentiated from red-brown body colour; confined to katatergite. Thoracic setae. Anterior notopleural seta present; anterior supra-alar seta absent. Wing (fig. 38). Basal cells bc and c without an almost complete covering of microtrichia; cell bm without microtrichia. Narrow subbasal raised section of cell br with extensive covering of microtrichia. Crossvein R-M beyond middle of cell dm. Costal band complete; shallow, not extending below vein R2+3 before wing apex; apically expanded into a spot which reaches about mid-depth of cell r4+5; and starts before end of vein R2+3. Anal streak present (colour extending beyond cell bcu). Cells bc and c hyaline. Without any crossbanding. Legs (fig. 37). Femora bicoloured (pale basally, brown to black apical third to two-thirds). Abdomen (fig. 34). Syntergosternite I+II red-brown; terga III – V dark red-brown with a barely differentiated blackish medial stripe; shape similar to D. attenuatus . Tergites I – V all fused. Male. Tergite III with pecten, dense microtrichia adjacent end A1+Cu2, and hindtibia preapical pad. Female. Unknown.

Etymology. Patronym for Dr. (Mr.) I. Yarom, who collected the holotype.

Material. Holotype male, ETHIOPIA: Gamo, Gofa, Arba Minch Springs, 1300m., 5.ii.2000, I. Yarom & A. Freidberg ( TAU).

Remarks. This species shares with D. attenuatus the unusual feature of red xanthines and differs only in having a very much smaller costal band apical spot and a less extensively dark midfemur. There is a remote possibility that this is merely the dimorphic male form of D. attenuatus . It should also be noted that reddish xanthines are a known variant of some more common species.

Figures

FIGURES 33 – 38. Dacus (Leptoxyda) yaromi sp. n., holotype male. 33. Mesonotum, dorsal view. 34. Abdomen, dorsal view. 35. Head, anterior view. 36. Thorax, left lateral view. 37. Legs, left lateral view; fore, mid, hind. 38. Wing, dorsal view. Scale lines = 1 mm.