Siphona (Aphantorhaphopsis) alticola ( Mesnil, 1953 )

Tachi, Takuji & Shima, Hiroshi, 2023, Systematic study of the subgenus Aphantorhaphopsis of the genus Siphona in East Asia and the Oriental Region (Diptera: Tachinidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 63 (1), pp. 213-247 : 228-230

Siphona (Aphantorhaphopsis) alticola ( Mesnil, 1953) ( Figs 40–43 , 94)

Crocuta (Siphona) alticola Mesnil, 1953: 110 . Type locality: Myanmar [ Burma], Kambaiti.

Siphona (Aphantorhaphopsis) alticola : O’HARA (1989: 96), O’HARA et al. (2020: 798).

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: J ( ZMU), N.E. Burma / Kambaiti , 7000 ft / 11.5.1934, R. Malaise.

Additional material examined. 8 JJ ( SMNH), same locality as holotype, 23, 24, 28.iv., 12, 16, 17.v.1934, R. Malaise.

Diagnosis. Labella elongate, subequal in length to prementum or slightly shorter; gena approximately 0.15 of eye height; 4 postsutural dorsocentral setae.

This species is similar to S. crassulata in its long labella but differs from it in having 4 (rather than 3) postsutural dorsocentral setae.

Redescription. Body length 3.8–4.5 mm. Male. Head whitish or yellowish in ground color; fronto-orbital plate dark brown; frontal vitta reddish brown; antenna with scape, pedicel, postpedicel and arista brownish; palpus pale orange to light yellow. Vertex approximately 0.36 of head width; parafacial approximately twice as wide as width of 2nd aristomere at middle height; gena approximately 0.14 of eye height; 3–4 frontal setae; anterior reclinate orbital seta situated slightly posterior to middle of fronto-orbital plate; antenna with postpedicel subrectangular, approximately 1.7 times as long as wide, and approximately 3 times as long as pedicel; 2nd aristomere approximately twice as long as wide; 3rd aristomere thickened in basal 1/2; palpus clavate; prementum 7–8 times as long as wide and subequal in length to eye height; labella elongate, subequal in length to prementum or slightly shorter.

Thorax. Dorsum dark brown, with grayish pruinosity. Three presutural and 4 postsutural dorsocentral setae.

Wing. Tegula reddish brown to brown; basicosta light yellow. Relative lengths of costal sectors two, three, and four approximately 1: 5.5: 2.5; ultimate section of M 4 approximately 0.33 times as long as penultimate section, and approximately 1.2 times as long as crossvein dm-m; R

1

bare.

Legs yellow in ground color. Fore tibia with 3–4 anterodorsal, 2–3 posterodorsal, and 1 posteior setae; hind tibia with 2–4 anterodorsal, 1–3 posterodorsal, and 4–5 ventral setae.

Abdomen yellowish in ground color, almost without pruinosity; posterior 1/3 of tergite 3, posterior 3/4 of tergite 4 and entire of tergite 5 blackish; tergites 3–5 with blackish median longitudinal vitta. Syntergite 1+2 with pair of lateral marginal setae; tergite 3 with pair of lateral and median marginal setae; sternite 5 with pair of rounded median lobes on inner edges; apical lobe slightly developed.

Male postabdomen. Surstylus narrowed apically in lateral view, apex curved dorsally and pointed; cerci tapered to apex and curved ventrally in apical 1/ 5 in lateral view; pregonite somewhat broadly sclerotized in lateral view with one weak dorsal seta; postgonite rounded apically; epiphallus absent; distiphallus broadly sclerotized in lateral view bearing many spinules ventrally, apex with membranous area laterally.

Female. Unknown.

Host. Unknown.

Distribution. Myanmar [ Burma] ( MESNIL 1953, O’HARA et al. 2020).

Figures

Figs 40–43. Male postabdomen of Siphona (Aphantorhaphopsis) alticola (Mesnil, 1953). (Myanmar, Kambaiti). 40 – epandrium, cerci and surstylus in lateral view; 41 – epandrium, cerci and surstylus in dorsal view (setae omitted on left side); 42 – hypandrium, pregonite, postgonite and phallus in lateral view; 43 – fifth abdominal sternite in ventral view (setae omitted on left side). Scale bars = 0.1 mm.