Manota natalensis Jaschhof and Mostovski, 2006

Hippa, Heikki, 2008, Notes on Afrotropical Manota Williston (Diptera: Mycetophilidae), with the description of seven new species, Zootaxa 1741, pp. 1-23 : 19-21

Manota natalensis Jaschhof and Mostovski, 2006

( Figs 1 A, 11 A, B, C)

New records: 4 males and 1 female, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, Cape Province, Tsisikama Nat. Park, 29. IV.–17. V. 1995, Malaise trap in moist coastal forest with Podocarpus, leg. John Allen (in SMNH). 3 males, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, Cape Province, Bloukrans Pas, at Varkrivier, (S 33o57’ E 23o38’). Malaise trap 14–19.X.1994. Coastal rainforest in ravine. Leg. Michael Söderlund (in SMNH).

Remarks. The species has previously been found at several localities in KwaZulu-Natal ( Jaschhof and Mostovski 2006). Jaschhof and Mostovski (2006) noted that M. natalensis differs from other Manota by lacking the curved sensilla on palpomere 3. So far as I can see, the thumb-like apicomesial lobe bearing these sensilla is lacking on the palpomere in all my material. Unfortunately, the detailed palpal structure is known for only some of the described Afrotropical species. I have recently seen an undescribed species from Sumatra which has the palp similar to that in M. natalensis , but otherwise the species are very dissimilar. In its hypopygium, M. natalensis is similar to M. furcata Söli , known from the Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. In both species, the megasetae at the dorsal mesial margin of the gonocoxa arise from a large posteriorly-directed lobe, one of the juxtagonostylar megasetae is branched, and the gonostylus is basally narrowed, clavulate. In M. natalensis the branched juxtagonostylar megaseta has a bowl-like basal part with the narrower branch seemingly arising from inside it, whilst in M. furcata the megaseta is more simple in having a long flattened axis with the branch arising from its side. In M. natalensis the gonostylus is slightly shorter than in M. furcata . I would not be surprised if M. furcata has a palp similar to that of M. natalensis , even though it was not mentioned in the original description ( Söli 1993).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Apical part of female abdomen (D) and female tergite 9, cercus and apical part of sternite 10 (A, B, C and E), lateral view. A. Manota natalensis Jaschhof and Mostovski (South Africa). B. M. clinochaeta sp. n. (Madagascar). C. M. cultrigera sp. n. (Madagascar). D, E. M. edentula sp. n. (Mauritius). Scale 0.10 mm.