Leptocera inconspicua, Papp, 2012

Papp, L., 2012, A Review Of The Afrotropical Species Of Leptocera Olivier (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 58 (3), pp. 225-258 : 236-238

Leptocera inconspicua sp. n.

( Figs 24–33 )

Holotype male ( NMSA): KENYA: W Kakamega, #73, Kakamega Forest Reserve, 00°22’N, 34° 53’E, 1620 m, 24. xi. 1992, A Whittington & J Londt. Indigenous forest paths.

Paratypes: 1 male, 2 females ( NMSA) , 1 male ( HNHM, abdomen and genitalia prepared and preserved in a plastic microvial with glycerol): same data as holotype .

Measurements in mm: body length 2.13 (holotype), 2.06–2.23 (paratypes), wing length 2.10 (holotype), 1.85 –2.16 (paratypes), wing width 0.89 (holotype), 0.78 –0.91 (paratypes).

Body brown, with weak grey microtomentum, legs (incl. fore coxa) yellow or ochre. Anterior half of frons and facial plate yellow, anterior part of gena yellowish grey.

Three pairs of interfrontal setae, anterior pair as long as antenna (much longer than in L. nigra ). That anterior ifr seldom preceded by a minute ifr. Arista reddish. Aristal cilia long (0.04 mm), about as long as longest cilia on first flagellomere. Genal seta relatively short, only third as long as vibrissa (in L. nigra half as long). Anterior fronto-orbital only half as long as posterior one.

Acrostichal macrochaetae short, at most 2 times as long as acrostichal microchaetae. Acrostichal macrochaetal rows with 1–2 short setae between them. 1+3 dorsocentral pairs as in other species, anterior pair well anterior to suture, first postsutural pair maybe weak. Anterior katepisternal seta only 0.075–0.08 mm long. Wing greyish, veins pale yellowish. Costal index 0.75 mm / 0.51 mm, i.e. 1.47. Discal cell appendiculate posteriorly,with appendage rather faint and very short. Distance between r-m and dm-cu 0.29 mm, dm-cu crossvein 0.125 mm long. Mid tibia with 2 pairs of antero- and postero-dorsal setae at 1/5–11/50, 3/10–18/50, antero-dorsal at 16/25, a dorsal at 41/50; distal postero-dorsal (actually posterior) at 33/50, perpendicular to tibia and 0.10 mm long. Other (shorter) and 0.2 mm for Fig. 25 , respectively, 0.1 mm for Figs 23, 26–27

antero-dorsals at 1/10, 18/25, 23/25. Posterior subapicals: a more dorsal of 0.09 mm and a more ventral of 0.15 mm. Mid tibia apically with 2 setae: a very long and thick more ventral one and a distinct (at least half as long) more dorsal one. Mid basitarsal seta thick and 0.18 mm long (holotype). Mid trochanter with 0.24 mm long seta. Anterior setal row on mid femur along its apical 1/3 strong.

Male abdominal tergites 4 and 5 each with extremely long latero-caudal pair of setae (much longer, c. 1.5 times as long as tergite). Male sternite 5 ( Figs 24–25 ) large, without a pair of caudal lobes. Medio-caudal part desclerotised and microtrichose, laterally with long setae. Sternite 6 ( Fig. 24 ) medially rather long, perpendicular to abdominal axis (and broadly joined to sternite 5). Hypandrial arms curved, apodeme strong and as long as phallapodeme ( Fig. 27 ). Subepandrial sclerite ( Fig. 26 ) small, not higher than 0.05 mm. Cercus stub-like with 2 long setae ( Fig. 26 ). Anterior part of surstylus ( Fig. 28 ) with anterior part long and broad, directed ventrally, posterior part developed as a broad (but not very prominent) rounded lobe. Posterior part of surstylus ( Figs 26 , 28 ) short with numerous long setae and with very long apical bristle (slightly longer than surstylus itself). Phallapodeme ( Fig. 27 ) thin 0.27–0.31 mm long and almost straight. Distiphallus short, 0.12 mm only, without peculiarities. Postgonite ( Fig. 29 ) very long (0.24 mm), basal part broad and curved, distal portion very long, almost straight, apex finely spiculate ( Fig. 29 ). Ejaculatory apodememe ( Fig. 27 ) discernible but less strongly sclerotised than in its congeners.

Female terminalia. Tergite 8 short ( Fig. 31 ) with thick setae on caudal margin. Sternite 8 ( Fig. 32 ) with very wide posteromedial and small latero-caudal lobes; there are 2 pairs of setulae between them: a short one and a minute one; a broad medial part of sternite 8 darker than rest of sclerite. Tergite 10 completely fused to cerci; only 1 pair of dorsal setae long, other setae short and thin. Spermathecae ( Fig. 30 ) elliptic with short sclerotised ducts, spicules on surface restricted mostly to basal third.

Etymology. Named ‘inconspicua’ (= not readily visible, not prominent) because of its plain, non-descript external appearance (unlike the genitalia, which are characteristic).

Figures

Figs 23–27. Leptocera spp., male postabdomen: 23 = L. elgonensis (RICHARDS), anterior and posterior parts of surstylus, lateral view. 24–27. L. inconspicua sp. n., paratype male: 24 = sternite 5 and contours of ventral part of synsternite, ventral view, 25 = caudal part of sternite 5, ventral view, 26 = subepandrial sclerite, cercus and posterior part of surstylus, caudal view, 27 = phallus, phallapodeme, ejaculatory apodeme and medial part of hypandrium, left lateral view. Scale bars: 0.4 mm for Fig.24

Figs 28–33. Leptocera inconspicua sp. n., male and female genitalia:28 = anterior and posterior part of surstylus, lateral view, 29 = postgonite, left lateral view, 30 = spermathecae, 31 = female tergite 8, lateral view, 32 = sternite 8, ventral view, 33 = tergite 10 fused with cerci, dorsal view.Scale bars:0.2