Ectyphus pinguis Gerstaecker, 1868

Lyons, Kathleen M. & Dikow, Torsten, 2010, Taxonomic revision of Ectyphus Gerstaecker, 1868 and Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 with a key to world Ectyphinae (Insecta, Diptera, Mydidae), ZooKeys 73, pp. 25-59 : 36-41

Ectyphus pinguis Gerstaecker, 1868 Figs 20-22, 29313745

Ectyphus pinguis Gerstaecker 1868: 92; Bezzi 1924: 196; Hesse 1969: 369; Bowden 1980: 326.

Ectyphus pinguis var. litoralis Hesse 1969: 372. unavailable name Ectyphus pinguis var. karooensis Hesse 1969: 374. unavailable name Ectyphus pinguis var. ceramiiformis Hesse 1969: 375. unavailable name Ectyphus bitaeniatus Hesse 1969: 380. syn. n. Ectyphus flavidorsalis Hesse 1969: 378. syn. n.

Diagnosis:

The species is distinguished from congeners by the enlarged yellow facial gibbosity, the yellow posterior margin of the abdominal tergites that are widened laterally and interrupted medially, and the distinctly yellow metepimeron.

Re-description male:

Head: black, facial gibbosity yellow, in general lightly silver pubescent; width distinctly greater than thorax, interocular distance on vertex larger than at ventral eye margin, vertex between compound eyes slightly depressed, parafacial area very narrow, facial gibbosity nearly touching median eye margin; facial gibbosity distinct, well-developed and discernible in lateral view; mystax white, covering only lateral facial gibbosity (asetose medially); frons medially apubescent, laterally grey pubescent, vertex apubescent, postgena lightly silver pubescent; setation: vertex white, frons white, ocp setae white, pocl setae white; ocellar triangle apubescent; proboscis light brown, short, about ½ length of oral cavity; labellum small, as wide as prementum, as long as prementum, unsclerotised laterally; maxillary palpus cylindrical, brown, longer than ½ length of proboscis.

Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel white and yellow setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½, symmetrically bulbous in distal ½, ≥ 8.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like‘ sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.

Thorax: dark brown to bluish-black, predominantly grey pubescent; scutum medially brown, laterally dark yellow, surface entirely smooth, lightly grey pubescent, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of short dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; dc setae pre- and postsuturally white, acr setae absent, lateral scutal setae white, npl, spal, and pal setae absent; postpronotal lobe yellow, partly white pubescent; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobe long white setose; scutellum apubescent, asetose medially, laterally yellow setose, apical scutellar setae absent; mesopostnotum, anatergite, and katatergite silver pubescent, asetose; katatergite elevated and smoothly convex; anterior anepisternum asetose, supero-posterior anepisternum asetose; posterior anepimeron long white setose, katepimeron asetose; metepimeron evenly elevated, yellow, lightly silver pubescent, asetose; metepisternum silver pubescent, asetose.

Leg: light brown, setation predominantly white; pro, mes, and met coxa apubescent, long white setose; met trochanter macrosetose medially; femur brown, met femur evenly clubbed in distal ¾, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; pro, mes, and met tibia straight, met tibia cylindrical with distinct ventral keel terminating into a sharp spine; pro and mes tarsomere 1 longer than tarsomere 2, but less than combined length of tarsomeres 2-3, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3; pulvillus well-developed, as long as well-developed claw, and as wide as base of claw; empodium absent.

Wing: length = 10.2 –13.3(– 14.2) mm; hyaline throughout, slightly brown stained along veins, veins light brown, microtrichia absent; cells r1, r4, r5, m3, + cup closed; C well-developed, around entire wing; R4 terminates in R1; R5 terminates in R1; stump vein (R3) at base of R4 present, long but not reaching R2; R4 and R5 widest apart med ially; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein; M1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M1 (or M1+M2) terminates in C; CuA1 and CuA2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m3 narrow proximally); M3+CuA1 terminate together in C; A1 undulating, cell a1 wide, A1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally; alula well-developed; halter light yellow.

Abdomen: brown; setation comprised of scattered white setae, surface entirely smooth; T1 brown, narrow yellow posterior margin, T2-7 brown, broad yellow posterior margin, expanding antero-laterally particularly on T2-3; T1 long white setose, T2-3 sparsely white setose; T predominantly apubescent; S1 yellow, S2-7 yellow with brown areas medially and laterally; S1-3 asetose; S predominantly apubescent; T2-4 parallel-sided and not constricted waist-like; bullae on T2 black, transversely elongate, surface entirely smooth, T2 surface anterior to bullae smooth.

Male terminalia: T1-7 well-developed, entirely sclerotised, T8 postero-medially weakly sclerotised, with anterior transverse sclerotised bridge connecting lateral sclerites; T7-8 anteriorly with 2 lateral apodemes; S6 regular, without any special setation postero-medially, S8 well-developed and simple, fused to T8 dorso-laterally, entire (undivided) ventro-medially; epandrium formed by single sclerite (fused medially ± entirely), pointed postero-laterally; subepandrial sclerite without lateral or median protuberances; hypandrium ± flat, rectangular to square sclerite, entirely fused with gonocoxite, forming a gonocoxite-hypandrial complex; gonocoxite dorso-ventrally flattened in distal ½, higher in proximal ½, with palp-like lateral appendage, gonocoxal apodeme present, short (at most slightly extending hypopygium anteriorly); 1 functional aedeagal prong, aedeagal epimere absent; lateral ejaculatory process absent; ejaculatory apodeme formed by single dorso-ventrally oriented plate; ventro-median margin of dorsal aedeagal sheath heavily sclerotised (appearing entirely closed); dorsal aedeagal sheath long, sperm sac entirely covered; sperm sac appearing ± heavily sclerotised.

Re-description female:

Head: brown, facial gibbosity yellow; mystax white, sparse short setae covering entire facial gibbosity; vertex predominantly apubescent, only lateral margin grey pubescent; maxillary palpus light brown.

Thorax: brown; scutum surface entirely smooth, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of long dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae.

Leg: femur light brown.

Wing: length = 12.0-13.7 mm.

Female genitalia: densely arranged anteriorly directed setae absent, only few on T7-8 and S7-8; T8 with broad anterior rectangular apodeme; T9 formed by wide, rectangular sclerite with median protuberance; T9+10 entirely fused, T10 divided into 2 heavily sclerotised acanthophorite plates, 11 acanthophorite spurs per plate; 3 spermathecae, all equally large, formed by ± expanded weakly sclerotised ducts; individual spermathecal duct long; S9 (furca) formed by 2 sclerites, separated anteriorly and posteriorly, anterior furcal apodeme present, 2 lateral projections forming divided apodeme, lateral furcal apodeme absent, median furcal bridge absent.

Material examined:

South Africa: 1♂ 'Africa australis‘, Drège (lectotype, ZMHB); 1 F‚ Capland‘, Drège (paralectotype, ZMHB); Eastern Cape Province: 1♂ Cuylerville, 31 °47'00"S; 26°56'00"E, 20.xii.1920, H. Cronwright (AAM-003522, SAMC); 1♀ Resolution, 33°10'00"S; 26°37'00"E, 23.xii.1927, A. Walton (holotype Ectyphus bitaeniatus , NMSA); 1♂ Willowmore, 33°17'00"S; 23°29'00"E, -.-.-, J. Brauns (holotype Ectyphus pinguis var. ceramiiformis, NMSA); 2♂ Willowmore, -.-.-, J. Brauns (holotype and paratype Ectyphus pinguis var. karooensis, NMSA); 1♀ Willowmore, -.-.-, J. Brauns (AAM-003492, USNM); 1♀ Willowmore, 20.xii.1909, J. Brauns (paratype Ectyphus flavidorsalis , NMSA); 1♀ Albany District, 33°24'00"S; 26°32'00"E, -.xii.1949, R. Phillips (AAM-003473, BMNH); 1♀ Georgida, 33°27'00"S; 23°17'00"E, 5.i.1927, J. Brauns (holotype Ectyphus flavidorsalis , NMSA); 1♀ 1♂ Dunbrody, 33°28'00"S; 25°33'00"E, -.-.1897, O‘Neil (AAM-003509-AAM-003510, SAMC); 1♂ Kleinemonde, 33°31'39"S; 27°03'00"E, -.-.-, J. Cooper (AAM-003487, SAMC); 2♂ Kleinemonde, -.i.1891, M. White (AAM-003520-AAM-003521, SAMC); 1♀ Port Alfred, 33°36'00"S; 26°54'00"E, 17.ii.1955, F. Junor (paratype Ectyphus pinguis var. litoralis, SAMC); 1♂ Port Alfred, 9.i.1971, J. Londt (AAM-003503, AMGS); 1♀ Port Alfred (AAM-003508, SAMC); 1♀ 2♂ Riet River mouth, 33°36'00"S; 26°54'00"E, 17.xii.1971, D. Greathead (AAM-003470-AAM-003472, BMNH); 1♀ 3♂ Rietrivier mouth, near Port Alfred, 17.xii.1974, F. Gess (AAM-003493-AAM-003496, AMGS); 5♂ Rietrivier mouth, near Port Alfred, 29.xii.1973, F. Gess (AAM-003497-AAM-003501, AMGS); 2♂ Algoa Bay, 33°41'34"S; 25°56'39"E, 15.xii.1892, J. Brauns (ZSMC); 2♀ 2♂ Swartkops, Algoa Bay, 33°51'49"S; 25°36'06"E, 25.xi.1921, J. Brauns (AAM-003447, AAM-003459-AAM-003461, NMSA); 1♂ Swartkops, Algoa Bay, 25.xi.1921, J. Brauns (AAM-003466, MZLU); 1♂ Swartkops, Algoa Bay, -.i.1919, B. Krüger (DEIC); 3♀ Swartkops, Port Elizabeth, 20.xi.1919, B. Krüger (AAM-003448, AAM-003462-AAM-03463, NMSA); 1♀ Swartkops, Port Elizabeth, -.ii.1919, B. Krüger (AAM-003465, NMSA); 1♂ Swartkops, Port Elizabeth, 25.xi.1919, B. Krüger (AAM-003464, NMSA); 1♀ 1♂ Swartkops, Port Elizabeth, 25.xi.1919, B. Krüger (AAM-003467-AAM-003468, ISNB); 4♀ 6♂ Gamtoos River Mouth, Papiesfontein, 33°57'47"S; 25°01'46"E, -.i.1960, SAM Museum Staff (paratype Ectyphus pinguis var. litoralis, SAMC); 1♂ Van Staden‘s River Mouth, 33°58'00"S; 25°13'00"E, -.i.1960, SAM Museum Staff (paratype Ectyphus pinguis var. litoralis, SAMC); 1♀ 1♂ Port Elizabeth, 33°58'00"S; 25°35'00"E, 1.ii.1950, A. Brown (AAM-003450-AAM-003451, NMSA); 1♀ Port Elizabeth, 1.i.1971, M. Strydom (AAM-003034, SANC); 2♀ 3♂ Port Elizabeth, Cape Recife area, 34°01'14"S; 25°40'60"E, 22-27.xii.1985, J. Londt (AAM-003442-AAM-003446, NMSA); 1♂ Jeffrey‘s Bay, Humansdorp, 34°02'00"S; 24°46'00"E, 23.xii.1922, J. Brauns (AAM-003469, BMNH); 1♀ The Willows, Port Elizabeth, 34°02'00"S; 25°36'00"E, 28.xii.1970, M. Strydom (AAM-003489, SANC); 1♂ Jeffrey‘s Bay, 34°03'00"S; 24°55'00"E, 19.xii.1922, (DEIC); 9♀ 3♂ Jeffrey‘s Bay, -.i.1960, SAM Museum Staff (holotype and paratype Ectyphus pinguis var. litoralis, SAMC); 1♀ 1♂ Jeffrey‘s Bay, -.i.1960, SAM Museum Staff (paratype Ectyphus pinguis var. litoralis, ISNB); 1♀ 1♂ Jeffrey‘s Bay, -.-.-, (AAM-003828-AAM-003829, SMNS); Western Cape Province: 1♀ Tulbagh, 33°17'00"S; 19°09'00"E, 10.xii.1924, J. Brauns (AAM-003449, NMSA); 1♂ 'Cape of Good Hope‘, 33°48'03"S; 19°00'36"E, -.-.1835, J. Verreaux (MNHN).

Type locality, distribution, and biodiversity hotspots:

The original type locality is 'Africa australis‘ (South Africa). Following recommendation 76A.1.4. of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (4th edition) a new type locality is selected from within the range of the species. We hereby designate the Riet River mouth (33°36'00"S; 026°54'00"E), near Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa as the new type locality. Cape Floristic Region and Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspots.

Remarks:

Specimens identified as belonging to the three varieties of Ectyphus pinguis were examined, including a large series of paratypes of Ectyphus pinguis var. litoralis. These specimens were determined to represent colour and vestiture variation in Ectyphus pinguis , rather than belonging to distinct subspecies. The three names, Ectyphus pinguis var. litoralis, Ectyphus pinguis var. karooensis, and Ectyphus pinguis var. ceramiiformis, were proposed by Hesse to delimit infrasubspecific entities. Because these names were never adopted as valid for a species or subspecies, as was already pointed out by Bowden (1980: 326), the names are unavailable following the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (4th edition, Article 45.6.4. and 45.6.4.1.). The unique female holotype of Ectyphus bitaeniatus and the two female type specimens of Ectyphus flavidorsalis were also examined. These specimens represent Ectyphus pinguis in our view and are here synonymised with this species. Similar colour variation as exhibited by these two species was observed in female specimens of Ectyphus pinguis and therefore does not characterise distinct species. Hesse (1969: 372) mentioned the ♀ specimen from Tulbagh in the Western Cape as probably being mislabelled. We have studied the specimen and agree with his identification as Ectyphus pinguis , but cannot add any information whether the locality is correct or not. This locality is far removed from any other locality in the eastern Western Cape and in the western Eastern Cape provinces (Fig. 45).