Lejops barbiellinii ( Ceresa, 1934 )

Morales, Mírian Nunes & Marinoni, Luciane, 2008, Immature stages and redescription of Lejops barbiellinii (Ceresa) (Diptera, Syrphidae) found in bromeliads in Brazil, Zootaxa 1830, pp. 37-46 : 40-45

Lejops barbiellinii ( Ceresa, 1934)

Quichuana barbiellinii Ceresa, 1934: 383 . Description. Type-locality: Brazil. São Paulo, São Sebastião; Syntypes male and female (Museo Civico di Storia Naturale “ Giacomo Doria ” - MSNG).

Habromyia barbiellinii ; Hull 1946: 14 (combination, notes); Fluke 1957: 126 (catalogue); Thompson et al. 1976: 100 (catalogue).

Lejops barbiellinii ; N. comb.

Description. Third Instar larva ( Figs. 1–14)

Shape and dimensions. Body length 15–18 mm (anterior fold to sensilla four of seventh segment); tail length 21–33 mm (sensilla four of seventh segment to tip of posterior respiratory process); maximum width 4.02 mm. A long-tailed larva with anterior spiracles retractile into inverted integumental pockets on the prothorax ( Fig. 14). Subcylindrical in cross-section, truncate anteriorly and tapering posteriorly ( Figs. 1–3). Dorsal body surface coated in fine and well-developed pubescence. Anterior fold with a band of spicules which become progressively shorter posteriorly ( Figs. 4–5). Ventro-lateral margin of abdominal segments bearing long setae (0,7–1,0 mm). Mesothorax and abdominal segments 1–6 with prolegs ( Fig. 6) bearing three rows of crochets ( Fig. 7). Head. Mandibles and mandibular lobes internal, mandibles supporting the expanded mandibular lobes. Feeding channel present. Dorsal lip broad, lacking a medial groove and covered with a conspicuous tuft of setae. Antennomaxillary organs divided to the base ( Fig. 5).

Thorax. Lateral lips rounded and well developed, coated in long and fine setae ( Fig. 5). Dorsal surface of the prothorax with longitudinal grooves. Anterior fold coated with a band of sclerotized spicules, which become progressively shorter posteriorly ( Fig. 4). Dorsal surface of the prothorax with a pair of four times longer than broad anterior spiracles sclerotized, light brown in color, with pointed slightly recurved tips ( Figs. 14, 19–20). These spiracles retractile into inverted integumental pockets ( Figs. 1–2). Spiracular openings on a flat semicircular area of the ventral surface ( Figs. 19–20). Mesothorax with one pair of well-developed mesothoracic prolegs with approximately 60 crochets arranged in rows. Abdomen. Prolegs well developed on segments 1–6 ( Figs. 3, 6). Crochets in three semicircular rows, below which are several rows of spicules. Between the sixth pair of prolegs appears an incomplete spicule row. Ventro-lateral margin of abdominal seg- ments 1–7 with long setae. Abdominal segments 5–7 with setae longer and more densely aggregated than segments 1–4. On the seventh segment, these setae turns inward across the posterior part of the segment just anterior to the anal opening. Anal segment extended as in long-tailed larvae, with three pairs of weakly developed and equidistant lappets with sensilla ( Fig. 8). Maximum width of the “tail” is approximately 3X the distance between the first dorsal sensilla of the seventh abdominal segment. Posterior respiratory process lustrous, sclerotized, and brown in color ( Figs. 10–13). Apical tip with four pairs of spiracular setae ( Fig. 11). Chaetotaxy. Distribution and number of sensilla following pattern of other syrphid larvae ( Rotheray & Gilbert 1999). Prothorax with twelve pairs of sensilla; mesothorax and metathorax with nine pairs; abdominal segments 1-7 with ten pairs; anal segment with three pairs of sensilla.

Puparium ( Figs. 15–23). Subcylindrical in cross section. Anterior end truncate, tapered posteriorly and flattened ventrally. Beige in color. Pupal spiracles projecting from middle of upper part of operculum, separated by distance similar to the length of one spiracle. These processes are subcylindrical structures, approximately 1.6 mm in length, forward sloping and slightly twisted. Dark brown in color. ( Figs. 15–18). Apical surface bearing irregularly spaced and circular-shaped tubercles ( Figs. 21–23). These tubercles are not reaching the ventral surface. Each tubercle has from 5 to 6 oval openings ( Fig. 23). Entire surface reticulated, except the 1/6 basal and 1/6 apical granulated ( Fig. 21).

Redescription – Adult, male ( Figs. 24–32). Length, 8–12 mm.

Diagnosis. Male. Head. Face black, white pollinose except shiny medial vitta, with yellow tomentose pile. Gena black, shiny on anterior half, white pollinose. Lunule black; frontal triangle black, with yellow tomentose pile on the margin. Basoflagellomere elongate, about twice as long as broad, anterior margin slightly concave ( Fig. 26); arista yellow and pubescent. Eye bare, slightly holoptic. Occiput black, grayish white pollinose, black pilose superiorly and yellow tomentose pilose laterally. Thorax. Black. Scutum short black pilose, with two bands of yellow tomentose pile anteriorlly and on the transverse suture ( Fig. 24–25). Prescutellelar margin with two triangular macule of yellow tomentose pile. Postalar callus, notopleuron, posterior anepisternum and anterior anepimeron with yellow tomentose pile. Pleuron grayish pollinose; dorsal and ventral region of the katepisternum, katatergum and metasternum white pilose; plumula beige; spiracular fringe beige; halter yellowish; ampula black. Legs. Coxae and trochanters black, grayish pollinose. Femora black, except becoming brownish to orange on apex. Tibiae orange, protibia brown apically. Tarsi orange to brown. Wing. Completely microtrichose. Cells C, Sc, R 1 and R 4+5 densely microtrichose ( Fig. 28). Tegula with yellow tomentose pile. Abdomen. Black, black short pilose. Second to fourth terga with yellow tomentose pile on lateral margin. First tergum with a pair of medial bands of yellow tomentose pile. Second tergum with a medial pair of arc-like line of yellow tomentose pile. Genitalia. Hypandrium straight ( Figs. 29, 30). Surstylus broad and triangular-shaped in lateral view, outer margin and inner margin curved, concave, coated with short pile, with postanal process ( Fig. 31). Cercus rounded in lateral view ( Fig. 32).

Female. Similar to the male, except for normal sexual dimorphism and: basoflagellomere more elongated and narrow, with anterior concavity more accentuated ( Fig. 27); dichoptic; frons yellow pilose and yellow pollinose on eye margin; fifth tergum with yellow tomentose pile on lateral margin.

Remarks. The metafemur very swollen, the metatibia with apical spur and a sharp ventral carina which runs from base to apex clearly places this species in Lejops sensu Vockeroth & Thompson (1987) . Lejops barbiellinii is easily recognized among neotropical Eristaliini by the two triangular macule of yellow tomentose pile anterior to the scutellum.

Material examined. BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Conceição da Barra , 26.vi.1969, C. T. & C. Elias (leg.) 1 female (200310) ( DZUP) ; Serra, N. Almeida , 25.ii.1967, C. Elias & C. T. Elias (leg.) 1 female (200309) ( DZUP) . Paraná: Matinhos, Pq. Estadual do Rio da Onça , 10.iv.2007, L. Marinoni (leg.) 1 male (200305) ( DZUP) ; idem, 04.ix.2007, L. Marinoni (leg.) 1 male (200308) ( DZUP) ; idem, 04.ix.2007, L. Marinoni (leg.) 1 male (200307) ( DZUP) ; idem, 12.ix.2007, L. Marinoni (leg.) 1 male (200306) ( DZUP) .