Megaselia sognensis, DISNEY, 2020

DISNEY, R. Henry L., 2020, Scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) from the canopies of ash trees in Norway, with six new species, Fragmenta Faunistica 63 (1), pp. 29-45 : 36-37

Megaselia sognensis n. sp.

( Figs 36–43 )

The single specimen is somewhat damaged.

Diagnosis (male). In the key to the males of Megaselia from the British Isles ( Disney 1989) it runs to couplets 192, 193, 219 or 222 but its hypopygium differs from all the options. Likewise with 3 subsequently described species. In Borgmeier’s (1964) key to Nearctic species of Group VII it fails to key out. Likewise for the rest of the world fauna.

Male. Frons ( Fig. 36 ) with dense but very fine microtrichia. Cheek with 5 bristles and jowl with 3. Postpedicels, with many small spots but no SPS vesicles ( Fig. 38 ), palps and proboscis as Fig. 37 , the labella large and ventrally as Fig. 39 . Thorax brown. 3 notopleural bristles and no cleft in front of these. Mesopleuron bare. Scutellum with an anterior pair of small hairs and a posterior pair of bristles. Abdominal tergites brown with small hairs that are only a little longer at rear of T6 and at most as long as those on epandrium, cerci and proctor, but those on the epandrium more robust than the rest. Anal tube about 1.3 times as long as the dorsal edge of the epandrium. Venter gray with hairs on segments 3–6 that are about as long as those at rear of T6. Hypandrium with posterior lobes vestigial and as Fig. 40 . Legs yellowish brown to yellow. Front leg ( Fig. 41 ) with posterodorsal hair palisade on segments 1–5 and 5 clearly longer than 4. Dorsal hair palisade of mid tibia extends about 0.68 times its length. Hairs below basal half of hind femur longer than those of anteroventral row of outer half ( Fig. 42 ). Hind tibia ( Fig. 42 with a dozen differentiated posterodorsal hairs, without anterodorsals, and spinules of apical combs simple. Wings ( Fig. 43 ) 1.96 mm long. Costal index 0.50. Costal ratios 2.82: 1.83: 1. Costal cilia (of section 3) 0.15 mm long. Vein 3 hair 0.04 mm long. 3 axillary bristles, the outermost being 0.14 mm long. Vein Sc not reaching R1. Haltere knob pale ( Fig. 44 ).

Material. Holotype male, Norway, Sogn & Fjord : Stryn , 61.8605º N, 6.3401º E, 12 Jul 2018, J. Svetlik & L. Børjia (10, UCMZ, 39–91 ).

Etymology. Named after the type locality.

Figures

Figs 36–40. Megaselia sognensis n. sp. male. 36 – frons; 37 – postpedicels, palps and proboscis; 38 – postpedicel; 39 – proboscis ventral view; 40 – hypandrium from below.

Figs 36–44. Megaselia sognensis n. sp. male. 41 – front leg; 42 – hind femur and tibia; 43 – wing; 44 – haltere.