Parapachycerina bispina, Davies & Miller, 2008

Davies, Gregory B. P. & Miller, Raymond M., 2008, Revision of the Afrotropical species of Parapachycerina (Diptera: Lauxaniidae), African Invertebrates 49 (2), pp. 131-131 : 140-142

Parapachycerina bispina sp. n.

Figs 17 , 23 Etymology: From Latin bis (twice) and spina (thorn, spine, spike); refers to the two stout setulae on the apex of the surstylus, which are characteristic of the species.

Diagnosis:

P. bispina is broadly sympatric over much of Africa with P. munroi , and can be separated from that species by: (1) the black ocellar spot not extending back to touch the postvertical setae; (2) wing with light brown infuscations, shading the outer 3/4 of the costal cell, most of the marginal cell and anterior portion of the submarginal cell, anterior and posterior cross-veins (r–m; m–m) and also M 3+4 (vein 5) ( P. bispina is the only Afrotropical species in the genus with marked wings, apart from the Malagasy P. talea ); (3) the paired, black spines on apex of epandrial process; and (4) pale orange-yellow cerci (dark brown in P. munroi ). P. bispina is also sympatric in areas with P. infuscata , but the deep yellow-orange coloration, gently rounded vertex, black ocellar spot and absence of a ctenidium distinguish P. bispina .

The wing illustration purportedly of P. munroi in Stuckenberg (1971: fig. 42) is in fact P. bispina (as it shows infuscation of the cross-veins and anterior portions of the wing). This specimen is noted as a P. munroi paratype in the legend, but no specimen bearing these wing characteristics can be found in the P. munroi paratype series (NMSA), and evidently there was some mix up in the preparation of that figure.

Description:

Colour: Viewed with naked eye and under low magnification, impression is of uniformly rich yellow-orange fly. Occiput yellow. Ocellar spot deep black. Scape, pedicel and postpedicel all yellow, slight darkening at base of arista; pedicel may have orange tinge. Maxillary palpus yellow-orange. Thorax yellow-orange with two orange longitudinal stripes (vittae) on scutum (faint in some specimens), stripes are placed slightly mesad of dorsocentral bristles. Scutum sometimes shows darkening on humeral callus and along border of notopleuron and mesopleuron. Postnotum and postscutellum yellow-orange. Scutellum yellow with broad orange medial stripe. Mesopleuron, pteropleuron, sternopleuron, pleurotergite and meropleuron all yellow-orange. Haltere pale yellow. Legs yellowish. Abdomen yellow-orange to dark brown (generally the former).

Head: Postfrons fairly strongly sloping, wider than long (3:2). Orbital plates weakly differentiated from surrounding postfrons. Postfrons ending in narrow lip over proximal portion of scape. Prefrons very weakly tumid. Ocellar triangle large and expanded (relative to other Afrotropical Parapachycerina species), anterior ocellus nearly reaching level of posterior fronto-orbital bristle; ocellar spot encloses all three ocelli.

Thorax: Five or 6 longitudinal, rather irregular rows of setulae between dorsocentral bristle rows. Posterior pair of acrostichals ca 0.5× length of posteriad dorsocentral bristles. Anterior dorsocentral bristle ca 0.5× length of posterior dorsocentral; middle dorsocentral intermediate in length. Weak, barely visible pruinosity on scutum. Two sternopleural bristles, posterior bristle more robust and longer (area around bristles generally bare of setulae; ventrally usually a patch of ca 20 setulae). Pteropleuron, meropleuron, pleurotergite and prosternum bare of bristles and setulae.

Legs: No ctenidium on profemur, in that area ca 8 widely-spaced, weak setulae. Profemur posteriorly with ventral row of ca 3 strong, widely-spaced setae and dorsal row of ca 6 equally strong setae. 2 short spurs on posterior, distal edge of protibia, outer spur is ca 2× length of inner spur. Procoxa has ventral row of ca 4 or 5 setae and few scattered setulae. Mesocoxa has fan of ca 6 setae (no setulae visible). Mesofemur strong, anteromedial row of 5 robust, proclinate setae, posteriorly largely bare. Metacoxa largely bare, but 2 strong setae on opposite margins of coxa. Metafemur with unexceptional vestiture of ca 6 irregular rows of setulae on anterior face.

Wings: Mostly hyaline, but distal 3/4 of costal cell, most of marginal cell and anterior section of submarginal cell, anterior and posterior cross-veins (r–m, m–m) and M 3+4 (vein 5) light infuscated (in some specimens infuscation very pale and requiring careful discrimination).

Male terminalia ( Figs 17 , 23 ): Protandrium roughly ring-shaped in transverse view, having small ventral processes, in lateral view fairly narrow dorsally and tapering laterally (slightly less so than in type species, P. munroi ). Epandrium moderately broad dorsally, expanding posterolaterally, before tapering to small, rounded epandrial extension, at apex of epandrial extension characteristic stout, paired, black setae, in extracted genitalia inclinate, interdigitate with opposing pair, lower seta of each pair is longer than upper seta (upper seta is ca 0.8× length of lower seta). Surstylus hidden in lateral view, fused to inner medial margin of epandrium. Surstylus relatively large (in relation to aedeagus), flattened dorsoventrally, blade-like, tapering posteriorly to acute point and with mediolateral mucro. Surstyli closely associated with aedeagal complex (could on initial examination be considered to be gonopods). Cerci pale yellow. Hypandrium composed of broad ‘transverse band’, short, weakly lateroclinate anterior arms and longer, inclinate posterior arms that curve upward to terminate near base of gonopods and lateral edges of aedeagus (in ventral view, hypandrium resembles a ‘wobbly’ H). Hypandrial ‘transverse band’ broader than ‘aedeagal tube’.Aedeagal apodeme approximately same length as aedeagus, bifurcating beneath ‘dorsal arch’ of aedeagus. Aedeagus composed of two halves (‘wings’) that taper posteriorly, halves meet anteriorly in ‘dorsal arch’; posteriorly each ‘wing’ is bifurcate, subapically each half (wing) has ventrolateral mucro. Medially, aedeagus is membranous. Gonopods are blade-like, lightly sclerotised, broad basally, emarginate subbasally, widening medially and tapering to acute apex.

Measurements: total length – ^(n=7) 3.6 (3.2–4.1), ơ (n=2) 3.2 (2.9–3.5); head height – ^(n=7) 0.7 (0.6–0.8), ơ (n=2) 0.7; head width – ^(n=5) 1.1, ơ (n=1) 1; head length – ^(n=7) 0.5 (0.5–0.7), ơ (n=2) 0.6, thorax length – ^(n=7) 1.4 (1.3–1.5), ơ (n=2) 1.4, wing length – ^(n=5) 3.3 (3.0–3.7), ơ (n=2) 3.0; abdomen length – ^(n=7) 1.7 (1.3–2.1), ơ (n=2) 1.3.

Holotype: ơ SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo: Kruger National Park, Pafuri , near Luvuvhu R., 22–23.iv.1981, R.M. Miller & P. Stabbins ( NMSA).

Other material examined: CAMEROON: 2^Baigom , Bamoun, no date ( MNHN) ; 1ơ Lake Barombi (near Kumba), 1939 ( MNHN) . DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 1^Walikale (39 km S of), 25.xii.1957, E. Ross & R. Leech ( CASC) . GUINEA: 1ơ Mount Nimba , M. Lamotte and R. Roy, vii–xii.1951 ( MNHN) .

IVORY COAST: 1^Lamto, Bandana , 22.xii.1971, D. Lachaise ( MNHN) . KENYA: 1ơ Kakamega Forest, Isecheno Station , 22.vi.1995, Earthwatch Team ( NMSA) . NIGERIA: 1ơ 1^Bauchi State, nr Tilden Fulani, Kogin Salla , 9.iii.1997, J.C. Deeming ( NMWC) . SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo: 1ơ 2^same data as holotype ( NMSA) . Mpumalanga: 2ơ 1^Nelspruit (20.5 km S of), Noordkaap R., 1–2.xii.1976, R.M. Miller & P. Stabbins ( NMSA) . KwaZulu-Natal: 1^Pietermaritzburg, Ukulinga Research Farm , 13.viii.2007, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 1ơ 1^same data except 22.viii.2007 ( NMSA) ; 1^Pietermaritzburg , 10.x.1985, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 1^Ndumo Game Reserve , 1–10.xii.1963, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) . TANZANIA: 1ơ 1^Matengo Highlands , WSW of Songea, xii.1935 – i.1936, Zerny ( NMSA) . UGANDA: 1^Budongo Forest , 14.xi.1972, H. Gønget ( UZMD) ; 1^Kampala, Tank Hill , 22.xii.1970, H. Gønget ( UZMD) ; 4ơ 1^Semliki Forest , 27.viii–3.xi.1952, Fletcher ( BMNH) ; 1^Ankole, Kalinzu Forest , 6–15.ii.1973, H. Gønget ( UZMD) ; 1 (sex unknown) Segibwa Falls , 29.iii.1935, E.G. Gibbins ( BMNH) ; 2^Mujenje , viii–ix.1913, K. Kittenberger ( HNHM) .

Distribution: Throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. From KwaZulu-Natal ( South Africa) in the south, northwards to Guinea in West Africa and Uganda in East Africa.

Remarks: 1ơ 3^Amani, East Usambara Mts, 27.i.1977, H. Enghoff et al. ( UZMD) are notable for their expanded ocellar triangles and may potentially represent a new species.

Figures

Figs 16–19. Lateral views of outer ơ terminalia: (16) P. munroi Stuckenberg, (17) P. bispina sp. n., (18) P. infuscata sp. n., (19) P. lalitra sp. n. (protandrium of P. lalitra not illustrated). Abbreviations: cer – cercus, epa – epandrium, pro – protandrium, sur – surstylus.

Figs 20–24. Inner ơ genitalia: (20–22) P. munroi Stuckenberg in dorsal (20), oblique dorsal (21), and ventral (22) views; (23) P. bispina sp. n. and (24) P. infuscata sp. n. in dorsal view.