Dacus (Lophodacus) transversalis, 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 : 36-38

Dacus (Lophodacus) transversalis sp.n.

Figures 91 – 96 .

Diagnosis. Differs from other Dacus spp. in lacking microtrichia in the narrow subbasal section of cell br, combined with the lack of a facial spot (fig. 93) and presence of a notopleural xanthine (fig. 91). It also has an unusual wing pattern (very broad dark band from sc to behind Cu1; fig. 96), a dark triangle marking covering most of the scutellum (fig. 91) and the male lacks a pecten.

Description. Size. Small, wing length, 4.6 – 4.8 mm. Head (fig. 93). Pedicel+first flagellomere not longer than ptilinal suture. Face, antennal furrow without a dark spot. Frons, frontal setae 2, orbital setae 1. Thorax (figs 91, 94). Scutum black; postpronotal lobe bicoloured (yellow confined to posterior third); notopleural callus yellow; notopleural xanthine wedge shaped (connected to notopleural callus); lateral and medial postsutural vitta absent. Scutellum with a basal black triangle, leaving only narrow yellow margin. Anepisternum with a very narrow yellow stripe from notopleural callus to (or almost to) katepisternum; not extended onto katepisternum. Lateroterga without a xanthine. Thoracic setae. Anterior notopleural seta present; anterior supra-alar seta absent. Wing (fig. 96). Basal cells bc and c without a complete covering of microtrichia; cell bm without microtrichia. Narrow subbasal raised section of cell br without microtrichia. Crossvein R-M beyond middle of cell dm. Costal band absent (reduced to a small apical spot). Anal streak absent (at most with a trace of colour confined to cell bcu). Cells bc and c hyaline. Crossbanding; broad crossband on R-M which continues across cell dm. Legs (fig. 95). Femora brown. Abdomen (fig. 92). Predominantly black, except sometimes for a red-brown submedial area on tergite V (one specimen lacks this). Tergites I – V all fused. Male. Tergite III without pecten; no dense microtrichia adjacent end A1+Cu2; no hindtibia preapical pad. Female. Unknown.

Etymology. Descriptive name for the broad crossband that traverses (transversus) most of the wing.

Material. Holotype male, paratype male, MALAWI: Chitipa Distr., Jembya Resv., 18km. sse. Chisenga, 1870m., 10o8’S, 33 o27’E, 11 – 20.i.1989, J. Rawlins, S. Thompson (authors borrowed from TAU; expected to be returned to CMP by collection manager of TAU).

Remarks. The complete lack of microtrichia in the narrow subbasal section of wing cell br places this species in sg. Lophodacus . It is similar to members of the Triater group (no face spot, triangular mark on scutellum, no male pecten) except in having the notopleural xanthine connected to the callus. The xanthine is medially narrowed, not in the form of a distinct wedge (as in Brevis group), which suggests doubtful homology. However, no species of sg. Lophodacus is known to have an isolated notopleural xanthine. Its unique wing pattern makes it an easy species to recognise.

Figures

FIGURES 91 – 96. Dacus (Lophodacus) transversalis sp. n., holotype male. 91. Mesonotum, dorsal view. 92. Abdomen, dorsal view. 93. Head, anterior view. 94. Thorax, left lateral view. 95. Legs, left lateral view; fore, mid, hind. 96. Wing, dorsal view. Scale lines = 1 mm.