Microgephyra madagascariensis, Hauser & Irwin, 2005

Hauser, Martin & Irwin, Michael E., 2005, The subfamily Xestomyzinae (Diptera: Therevidae) new to Madagascar, with the description of four new species, African Invertebrates 46, pp. 181-202 : 191-192

Microgephyra madagascariensis sp. n.

Figs 1G, 1H , 2G, 2H , 3G, 3H , 4G, 4H , 5G, 5H , 6D , 7D , 8D

Etymology: The species is named after the island of Madagascar.

Diagnosis: This species is the biggest and darkest of all the known Xestomyzinae in Madagascar. It can be distinguished by the broad, black, transverse bands on the wing ( Fig. 7D ), the completely black body and legs, the dull female frons with very narrow silver pubescent bands along eye margin ( Fig. 1H ) and the male terminalia ( Figs 3G, 3H ).

Description:

Male.

Head: Ocellar tubercle polished black with sparse short, black setae. Eyes dichoptic, separated by width of ocellar tubercle, ommatidia homogeneous ( Fig. 1G ). Frons cuticle black with narrow band of silver pubescence along inner eye margin, with few black setae, as long as diameter of ocellus. Lower frons lacking pubescence, dull because of longitudinal striations. Parafacial white pubescent, without setae. Gena with sparse, brownish setae. Lower face densely white pubescent.Antenna slightly longer than head, black with faint white pubescence. Scape twice as long as broad with short, black setae. Pedicel brown, nearly square with few black setae. First flagellomere four times longer than wide, covered with white microsetae. Second and third flagellomere small, square with stylus ( Fig. 2G ). Maxillary palp black, long, constricted in middle, with many appressed, brown setae. Proboscis as long as head.

Thorax: Mesonotal and pleural cuticle black to dark brown. Mesonotum, scutellum and pleuron weakly silver pubescent. Mesonotum with sparse, short, black setae. Pleuron lacking setae, katatergum with few long, yellow and black setae. Wing membrane translucent brownish-grey, covered with microtrichia except apical part of cell cu-p; two dark bands. Pterostigma black. Halter dark brown. Legs dark brown to black, light silver pubescent. Hind coxa with intense silver pubescence. Fore coxa with one, mid and hind coxa with two black macrosetae; hind coxa with dorso-lateral macroseta.

Abdomen: Cuticle dark brown to black, polished, with sparse, short, black setae. Gonocoxite with many black setae laterally ( Figs 3G , 4G ). Epandrium with corners folded inwards over nearly a third of width of epandrium; subepandrial sclerite with setae only in most apical part ( Fig. 4H ). Gonostylus spoon-like with pointed lateral extension ( Figs 3G, 3H , 4G ). Inner margin of gonocoxite straight. Hypandrium with four setae ( Fig. 3G ). Aedeagus with apical cap broad, slightly notched ( Fig. 5G, 5H ). Ejaculatory apodeme in ventral view apically broadened ( Fig. 5G ).

Body length: 8 mm. Wing length: 5.7 mm.

Female similar to male except as follows:

Head: Frons lacking silver pubescence beneath frontal ocellus. Maxillary palp broader apically than in male ( Fig. 2H ).

Thorax: Wing membrane generally more infuscate and darker than in male ( Fig. 7D ). Abdomen: Sternite 8 black with 15 long, dark brown, irregularly arranged macrosetae. Furca as in Fig. 6D .

Body length: 9.5– 10 mm. Wing length: 7.8– 8 mm.

Holotype ( CASC type number: 18072): MADAGASCAR: Tamatave Province : Andasibe, Reserve Speciale Analamazaotra, [18.931, 48.418], 940 m, 7.xi–16.xii.2001, MTr, RHH, MI, 1ơ (149908, CASC).

Paratypes: MADAGASCAR: Andoranomay Province: 11.5 km SE Anjozorobe, [18.473, 47.96], 1300 m , 5–15.xii.2000, hand netted, B.M. Fisher, 1^ (125620, ZMUC) , 1^ (146519, MEI); Antanarivo Province: Ambohitantely Forest Reserve , 46 km NE Ankazobe, [18.198, 47.282], 700 m , 17.x–24.x.2003, MTr, RHH, Rambeloson, 2^ (165106, MNHN), (165111, MEI) ; 7–15.xi.2003, MTr, RHH, Rambeloson, 1^ (165123, MEI) ; 15–22.xi.2003, MTr, MI, RHH, 2^ (166242, 166243, MEI) ; 20–28.xii.2003, MTr, RHH, Rambeloson, 3^ (165100, 167198, 167199, MEI) ; 28.xii.2003 – 10.i.2004, MTr, MI, RHH, 1^ (166241, MEI) ; 20.i– 1.ii.2004, MTr, MI, RHH, 1^ (166239, MEI) ; 5–19.iii.2004, MTr, MI, RHH, 1^ (166247, MEI) ; Tamatave Province: Andasibe, Reserve Speciale Analamazaotra , [18.931, 48.418], 940 m , 24.xii.2001 – 10.i.2002, RHH, MI, 1^ (148829, INHS) ; 10–21.i.2002, MTr, RHH, MI, 1^ (148828, USNM) ; 16–27.ix.2002, MTr, RHH, MI, 1^ (148830, SMNS) ; 7 km SE Andasibe National Park , [18.961, 48.45], 920 m, in rainforest , 22.i– 9.iii.2001, MTr, RHH, MI, 1^ (154298, MEI) ; Toamasina Province: Parc Nacional Andasibe (Perinet), 19 km E Moramanga, [18.933, 48.371], 1000 m, in forest , 5–14.xii.1999, MTr, MI, E.I. Schlinger, 3^ (122883, CASC), (122884, NMSA), (124398, MEI) ; 5.xii.1999, MI, E.I. Schlinger, RHH, 1^ (122885, BMNH) ; Biology: This species has been collected from October to March in Malaise traps in the rainforest.

Figures

Fig. 1 A–H. Heads frontal; left column males, right column females: (A, B) Microgephyra chrysothorax sp. n.; (C, D) Microgephyra falx sp. n.; (E, F) Microgephyra elegans sp. n.; (G, H) Microgephyra madagascariensis sp. n. Scale bar = 1 mm.

Fig. 2 A–H. Heads lateral; left column males, right column females: (A, B) Microgephyra chrysothorax sp. n.; (C, D) Microgephyra falx sp. n.; (E, F) Microgephyra elegans sp. n.; (G, H) Microgephyra madagascariensis sp. n. Scale bar = 1 mm.

Fig. 3 A–H. Gonocoxites; left column ventral, right column dorsal: (A, B) Microgephyra chrysothorax sp. n.; (C, D) Microgephyra falx sp. n.; (E, F) Microgephyra elegans sp. n.; (G, H) Microgephyra madagascariensis sp. n. Abbreviations: gc – gonocoxite, gr – gonocoxal ring, gs – gonostylus, h – hypandrium, spa – spiculose area. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 4 A–H. Male terminalia; left column gonocoxites (lateral), right column epandria (ventral): (A, B) Microgephyra chrysothorax sp. n.; (C, D) Microgephyra falx sp. n.; (E, F) Microgephyra elegans sp. n.; (G, H) Microgephyra madagascariensis sp. n. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 5 A–H. Aedeagi; left column ventral, right column lateral: (A, B) Microgephyra chrysothorax sp. n.; (C, D) Microgephyra falx sp. n.; (E, F) Microgephyra elegans sp. n.; (G, H) Microgephyra madagascariensis sp. n. Abbreviations: ac – apical cap, da – dorsal apodeme, ea – ejaculatory apodeme, lds – lateral distiphallus sclerite, va – ventral apodeme. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 6 A–D. Furcae, dorsal view: (A) Microgephyra chrysothorax sp. n.; (B) Microgephyra falx sp. n.; (C) Microgephyra elegans sp. n.; (D) Microgephyra madagascariensis sp. n. Abbreviations: ag – accessory gland, f – furca, sr – sclerotized ring, ss – spermathecal sac, ssd – spermathecal sac duct, st – spermatheca, std – spermathecal duct, S10 – sternite 10. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 7 A–D. Right wings: (A) Microgephyra chrysothorax sp. n.; (B) Microgephyra falx sp. n.; (C) Microgephyra elegans sp. n.; (D) Microgephyra madagascariensis sp. n.

Fig. 8 A–D. Distribution maps: (A) Microgephyra chrysothorax sp. n.; (B) Microgephyra falx sp. n.; (C) Microgephyra elegans sp. n.; (D) Microgephyra madagascariensis sp. n.