Zumba antennalis (Villeneuve)

Rognes, Knut, 2013, A new species in the genus Pseudorhyncomyia Peris, 1952 and the identity of P. deserticola Zumpt and Argo, 1978 (Diptera, Rhiniidae), Zootaxa 3736 (3), pp. 249-264 : 260-262

Zumba antennalis (Villeneuve)

Figs. 29–43 .

Rhyncomyia antennalis Villeneuve, 1929: 185 . Lectotype male ( Namibia, Ohangwena Province, Mafa, SAMC), by designation of Zumpt (1958: 195) (photographs of specimen and labels seen).

Note. The species was originally described from three syntypes from “ Sud-Ouest africain: Mafa [near Omafo, about 17°28'S 15°54'E, in Namibia; see map in Lawrence (1928: 218)] et Namakunde [now = Namacunde in Angola], février 1923, un ♂ et deux ♀”. In SAMC are 1♂ and 1♀ labelled “Mafa / Feb. 1923 ” [printed on the upper side] and “S.W. Africa / Mus. Exped.” [printed on the reverse side]. The male, which is staged, also carries a label in Villeneuve’s hand reading “ Rhyncomyia / antennalis / Typ. Villen.” and a Zumpt identification label reading “ Zumba ♂ / antennalis Vill. / det. Zumpt 56”. [See Lawrence (1927: 1) for a brief account of the expedition in 1923.] There is no lectotype label attached, but the male is obviously the specimen Zumpt (1958) designated as lectotype. Both specimens carry a museum number label reading “SAM-DIP-A 011283 ”. Simon van Noort (SAMC) has now affixed a lectotype label on the male specimen.

Rhyncomyia antennalis: Peris 1952: 78 .

Zumba antennalis: Zumpt 1958: 193 ; Pont 1980: 787; Kurahashi & Kirk-Spriggs 2006: 92.

Pseudorhyncomyia deserticola Zumpt and Argo, 1978: 35 . Holotype male ( Namibia, Namib Desert, Welwitschia “forest” nr Gobabeb, NMSA), by original designation. For details, see Material examined below. Syn. nov.

Key features of holotype of Pseudorhyncomyia deserticola . Head. Ground colour yellow. Piliferous dots absent. 4–5 strong black frontal setae. Fronto-orbital plate and parafacial densely and evenly white tomentose with long, thin, white and densely set setae. Facial membrane also white tomentose. Lower facial margin only slightly protruding, whitish yellow. Several black subvibrissal and parastomal setae ( Fig. 33 ). Palpus almost white. Thorax. 2 strong black prst acr. 2 strong black prst dc and 4 strong black post dc. 4–5 strong black marginal anepimeral setae among the white main marginal setae. Anepimeron with a single strong black seta near the upper edge. Suprasquamal ridge bare ( Fig. 35 ). Meral setae in a single row, mostly black, even though a few upper and lower setae in the meral row are white ( Fig. 34 ). Abdomen. TST7+8 with a pair of strong black discal setae ( Fig. 41 ). Genitalia. As in Figs. 37–39 .

Material examined. Type material. Holotype of Pseudorhyncomyia deserticola . Adult male labelled (1) S.W.Africa: Namib / Desert, Welwitschia / “Forest” nr Gobabeb / 3-X-1967 E. S. Ross / A. R. Stephen; (2) slide no. 6 [Zumpt’s handwriting]; (3) Pseudorhyncomyia ♂ / deserticola n. sp. / Zumpt & Argo 1976 [Zumpt’s handwriting]; (4) HOLOTYPUS [red label, black print]; (5) NMSA-DIP / 19837 ( Fig. 36 ). The genitalia ( Figs. 37– 39 ) had already been removed from the abdominal tip of the holotype when I received it. Slide no. 6 carries the genitalia beneath a circular coverglass; it is labelled: (top of slide, label with thick red frame) Pseudorhyn- / comyia / deserticola / Zumpt & Argo [handwritten by Zumpt] / Holotype [red print]; (bottom of slide) Host. [black print, streaked out] (♂ term. 6) / S. W. Africa / Gobabeb / Locality. [black print] 3.X.1967 / leg. Ross & Stephen [Zumpt’s handwriting] ( Fig. 40 ). Part of the abdomen has a darkening on the left side ( Fig. 29 ) apparently caused by application of a fluid used for softening the abdominal tip before removing the genitalia directly from the pinned specimen. Comparative material of Zumba antennalis (Villeneuve) . ZMUC (7 males, 10 females): 6 males, 7 females labelled (1) South West Africa / Gobabeb [various dates] Kuiseb River Bed / O. Lomholdt leg. [dates are: 25., 26., 27., 29., 30.I.1978, 3., 7. II.1978]. • 1 male 1 female labelled (1) South West Africa / Gobabeb 10.II.1978 Kuiseb River flowing / O. Lomholdt leg. • 2 females labelled (1) South West Africa / Homeb / ESE Gobabeb / 29.I.1978 / Welwitschia valley / O. Lomholdt leg. [all labels printed].

Identity. A comparison of the key features of the holotype of P. deserticola with the diagnosis of the genus Pseudorhyncomyia , given above, makes it evident that the specimen does not belong to that genus. On the other hand it fits the genus Zumba Peris, 1951 on all accounts and keys to that genus in Zumpt (1958). It clearly belongs to the species Z. antennalis (Villeneuve) as described by Villeneuve (1929: 185, as Rhyncomyia antennalis ), Peris (1952: 78, as Rhyncomyia antennalis ) and Zumpt (1958: 193) and is conspecific with the numerous other Z. antennalis material from the type locality in Namibia (in ZMUC). The TST7+8 agrees with other Z. antennalis males in having a pair of strong black discal setae ( Fig. 43 ), a property of Z. antennalis unmentioned by earlier authors. The male genitalia do not differ in any significant respects either from those figured by Zumpt (1958: 194 fig. 64) for Z. antennalis . According to Kurahashi and Kirk-Spriggs (2006: 93) the species is “exceedingly common in Namibia... occurring in all Namibian biomes, but principally in the desert and karoo biomes ... [r]ecorded in all months of the year.” On this background the nominal species P. deserticola Zumpt and Argo is sunk as a junior synonym of Z. antennalis (Villeneuve) , syn. nov. Zumba antennalis is known from Angola, Namibia and South Africa.

Figures

FIGURES 29 – 30. Zumba antennalis (Villeneuve) male (from holotype of Pseudorhyncomyia deserticola Zumpt and Argo). 29. Habitus, left lateral view. 30. Habitus, dorsal view.

FIGURES 31 – 36. Zumba antennalis (Villeneuve) male (31 – 34, 36 from holotype of Pseudorhyncomyia deserticola Zumpt and Argo; 35 from male in ZMUC “ ... Gobabeb ... Kuiseb River Bed ... 27. I. 1978 … ”). 31. Head, anterior view. 32. Head, dorsal view. 33. Head, left lateral view. 34. Row of meral setae, right side. 35. Left suprasquamal ridge. 36. Labels.

FIGURES 37 – 43. Zumba antennalis (Villeneuve) male (37 – 41 from Zumpt and Argo’s slide “ … term. 6 ” prepared from holotype of Pseudorhyncomyia deserticola Zumpt and Argo; 42, 43 from male in ZMUC “ … Gobabeb 30. I. 1978 Kuiseb River bed … ”). 37. Cerci, surstyli and epandrium. 38. Aedeagus, pre- and postgonites, phallapodeme, and one basal apodeme of the postgonite (small sclerite to the left, at middle). 39. Ejaculatory sclerite. 40. Labels. 41. TST 7 + 8. 42. Labels. 43. Tip of abdomen, showing ST 5, epandrium and TST 7 + 8 with pair of strong black setae.