Genus Plecia Wiedemann, 1828

In the 19th Century, fossil Plecia species were mostly placed in the genus Protomyia Heer, though many Penthetria species were also included in this genus.

Plecia assonensis Gentilini, 1993 (Figs. 19, 107 – 109)

Plecia assonensis Gentilini 1993: 161 .

Possibly a synonym of Plecia livida, but the pointed gonostylus might be diagnostic together with the straight, oblique vein R2+3 and the indistinctive pterostigma.

Material examined. (RGL) Dauphin 33, Bois d’Asson 34, Bois d’Asson 81

Localities. Bois d’Asson

Diagnosis. A small Plecia (wing length approximately 5 mm). Antennal flagellum 9-segmented. Vein R2+3 straight and oblique. Male gonostylus stout digitiform.

Redescription. Male: Total length 5.0– 8.5 mm (N=2, the former specimen obviously shrunk)

Head: Length 0.81 mm (N=1), width 0.86 – 1.21 mm (N=2). Antennal flagellum 9-segmented according to Gentilini (1993: 161), not possible to see in the specimens at hand.

Thorax: Length 1.7 – 2.9 mm (N=3), width 1.7 – 2.2 mm (N=2). Brown. Haltere pale.

Wing (fig. 107): Length 5.1 – 5.7 mm (N=3), width 1.7 – 2.5 mm (N=2), length/width = 2.31 – 3.01 (N=2). Pale brownish, almost hyaline, veins brown, slender, R-veins not notably stronger than posterior veins. Costa extends to a little beyond apex of R4+5. Subcosta fine, terminates approximately at fork of M, humeral vein present. Vein R 2+3 short, nearly straight and oblique, R4+5 slightly curved. Pterostigma small, light brown, indistinctive. Wing vein measurements in Table 2.

Legs: Light brownish, getting darker apicad. Hind femur apparently pale with darker apex.

Abdomen: Length 2.9 – 5.8 mm (N=3), width 0.9 – 1.4 mm (N=3). Brown, relatively broad.

Terminalia (figs. 108–109): Hypopygium 0.70 – 0.77 mm (N=3) wide, broad and robust. Gonostyli 0.35 – 0.46 mm (N=3), short, robust, apically pointed. Epandrium mesally with a shallow, V-shaped cleft.

Female unknown.

Fig. 108. Male, terminalia, dorsal. RGFL Bois d’Asson 81. Fig. 109. Male, terminalia. RGL Bois d’Asson 34.