Atherigona capitulata, Muller, 2015

Muller, B. S., 2015, Illustrated key and systematics of male South African Atherigona s. str. (Diptera: Muscidae), African Invertebrates 56 (3), pp. 845-845 : 862-863

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5733/afin.056.0301
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039387FE-FFCC-E00D-FE0A-FC25FE47FBD2
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Atherigona capitulata
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Atherigona capitulata View in CoL sp. n.

Fig. 14 View Figs10–18

Etymology: From the Latin capitulatus (ending in a small head), referring to the size of the apex of the median piece in comparison to the rest of the structure when viewed in profile.

Diagnosis: This species is most similar to A. griseiventris van Emden, 1940 , and also keys to it in Deeming (1971) and Dike (1989 a). The median piece ( Fig. 14a, b View Figs10–18 ) of the trifoliate process looks quite similar in profile to that of A. griseiventris ( Fig. 13a, b View Figs10–18 ), but lacks the apical dilation when viewed posteriorly; the lateral plates are also shaped entirely different, appearing twisted ( Fig. 14b View Figs10–18 ) compared to that of A. griseiventris ( Fig.13a View Figs10–18 ). Furthermore, the hypopygial prominence of A. capitulata is without any apical emargination, compared to A. griseiventris .

Description:

Male.

Measurement s: Body length: 3.844 mm; wing: 3.344 mm; rm crossvein ratio: 0.392. Head: Ground colour dark. All head setae and setulae infuscated. Occiput silver-grey dusted posteriorly and laterally with narrow median part glossy. Ocellar triangle silver-grey dusted. Frontal vitta infuscated. Frontal plate silver-grey dusted with three pairs of proclinate frontal setae and two pairs of orbital setae. Parafacial silver-grey dusted on upper and gold dusted on lower half, slightly wider than aristal base. Scape and pedicel infuscated with ferruginous margins, postpedicel and arista entirely infuscated. Palpus entirely infuscated; apex truncated and dilated, with hyaline hairs and yellow vertex.

Thorax: Ground colour dark. Postpronotal lobe gold dusted, with three setae and 10 setulae. Pleura silver-grey dusted. Proepisternum inconspicuous, gold dusted. Scutum grey dusted, with three 2-4 dorsocentral vittae, stopping before scutellum. Scutellum grey dusted; one pair of basal setae, one pair of discal setae and 8 discal setulae, one pair of subbasal setae, being 0.75× the one pair of apical setae.

Legs: All legs yellow except for foreleg with apical half of tibia and entire basitarsus infuscated.

Leg chaetotaxy: Fore tarsi with apical three segments having erect setulae on dorsal surface.

Wings: Hyaline. Veins brown. Halteres white. Calypters white.

Abdomen: All tergites yellow; tergite 1+2 with dark wide marking taking up most of dorsal surface; tergite 3 with two medium sized dark-brown marks taking up just over two thirds of dorsal surface; tergite 4 with two small round markings, taking up a third of dorsal surface; tergite 5 immaculate. Hypopygial prominence knoblike. Trifoliate process stem 2.8× the length of the apical process; entire trifoliate process infuscated; median piece linear in posterior view, very broad in profile, almost shaped like an axehead, much wider than lateral plates; lateral plates without inner lobe, narrow in both posterior view and profile. Surstylus with dark markings at base dorsally.

Female. Unknown.

Holotype ♂: SOUTH AFRICA : KwaZuluNatal: Louwsberg , iGwala Gwala, 27°34'S 31°17.9'E, 1090 m, 2–3.vi.2005, M.B. Mostovski, YPT [yellow pan trap] ( NMSA; Type no. 2503). GoogleMaps

Paratypes: 13♂ same data as holotype ( NMSA; Type no. 2503) GoogleMaps .

Other material examined: 1♂ same data as holotype and paratypes ( NMSA) GoogleMaps .

Distribution: South Africa.