Alhajarmyia stuckenbergi Swart, Kirk-Spriggs & Copeland

Swart, Vaughn R., Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H. & Copeland, Robert S., 2015, A new species of Alhajarmyia Stuckenberg (Diptera: Vermileonidae), the first wormlion fly described from East Africa and its biogeographical implications, Zootaxa 4044 (4), pp. 556-566 : 558-561

Alhajarmyia stuckenbergi Swart, Kirk-Spriggs & Copeland , sp. n.

Figs 2, 4, 7, 8 , 11, 12 , 15, 16 , 19, 20 , 22, 24, 25 .

Etymology. The species is named in honour of the late Brian Roy Stuckenberg (1930–2009), in recognition of his major contributions to Afrotropical dipterology and the study of Vermileonidae specifically.

Differential diagnosis. Alhajarmyia stuckenbergi sp. n. differs from its congenor, A. umbraticola mainly in the length of the antennal stylus, wing and terminalia characters and can be separated using the above key.

Description. Male (primarily based on ex spirit-preserved HT).

Measurements (n = 5): proboscis length: 4.9–5.3 mm; mesonotum length: 1.4–1.5 mm; wing length (measured from humeral crossvein to apex): 5.5–6.8 mm.

Head: with frons sub-rectangular, concave at lateral margins, width (at widest point) ca. 1/6 width of head. Antenna ( Fig. 4 ) with scape elongate, slightly expanded apically, ca. 3 × as long as deep; postpedicel elongate, 1.5 × length of scape; stylus long, subequal in length to postpedicel, basal stylomere (segment 9) less than 1/3 length of apical stylomere (length ratio: 5: 16). Face similar to A. umbraticola , except proboscis ca. 2.6 × mesonotal length and lacking whitish section in basal 1/4.

Thorax: with mesonotum ( Fig. 2 ) as described for A. umbraticola , but apparently less distinctly marked in holotype (paratypes with dark median vitta rounded posteriorly, terminating between wing bases, anteriorly this vitta narrowing abruptly into slender midline marking, extending to anterior margin; with conspicuous, subtriangular, blackish markings laterally, between humeral callus and raised median area over which vitta lies, extended laterally on either side up to posterior end of vitta; notopleural area unmarked). Scutellum flat, unmarked. Legs: with femur darkened in apical 1/4; tibia as described for A. umbraticola ; fore and mid tarsi as described in A. umbraticola , metatarsus darkening in apical 1/2, remaining tarsomeres as described in A. umbraticola .

Wing ( Fig. 7 ): with membrane mostly pale smoky-grey, darker toward apex and in region of basal radial cell (br), basic wing vein configuration as described for A. umbraticola , but differing as follows: length of vein R5 ca. 86% length of R4+5 measured from r–m intersection; vein R4 evenly rounded basally (without stem vein in cell r2+3); veins M3 and M4 sub-parallel; r–m crossvein situated at 2/5 length of discal cell (d) ( Fig. 7 ); discal cell (d) expanded in apical 1/2 (not parallel-sided).

Abdomen: with tergites yellow banded in apical 2/3 (as described for A. umbraticola ). Hypopygium with tergite 8, as described for A. umbraticola ; tergite 9 ( Figs 19, 20 ) sub-quadrate (not laterally expanded); cercus short and broad, medially expanded; synsternite ( Figs 15, 16 ) parallel-sided; clothed in long, dense setation, with long, narrow, sub-rectangular ventral aperture, dorsal margin evenly curved (not markedly undulate); gonostylus ( Fig 11, 12 ) claw-like, narrowed basally; gonocoxite ( Figs 11, 12 ) slightly curved, with apical part squarely rounded (lacking lobular process apically); aedeagus ( Figs 11, 12 ) broad basally, with rounded ventrobasal keel, constricted sub-apically, strongly upcurved over apical section which is transversely flattened and broadened, with lateral processes sub-triangular; dorsal bridge ( Figs 11, 12 ) as described for A. umbraticola .

Female (similar to male; differing in the following aspects):

Measurements (n = 1): proboscis length: 5.8 mm; mesonotum length: 1.5 mm; wing length: 7.5 mm.

Head as described for ♂ Thorax virtually unmarked (may be a remnant of alcohol preservation). Legs as described for ♂ (hind legs missing). Wing as described for ♂, but vein R4 evenly rounded basally; veins CuP and CuA weakly convergent not closely approximated at wing margin and veins M3 and M4 subparallel to wing margin ( Fig. 8 ). Spermathecae as described for A. umbraticola

Type material. Holotype: ♂, “ KENYA Coast Prov / Kasigau Mtn / indigenous forest, 1065 m, / 3.82700°S, 38.64875°E // Malaise trap, next to / campsite in forest / 14-28 Dec 2011 / R. Copeland // P1 // IBOL 19700VermA1 // HOLOTYPE / Alhajarmyia ♂ / stuckenbergi sp. n. / Swart, Kirk-Spriggs & / Copeland 2014 //” [printed; red card] ( NMKE). Micro-pinned and staged; in fair condition (ex alcohol); left mid leg missing; right mid leg glued to card; dissected, terminalia and abdomen in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen; right wing detached and glued to card.

Paratypes: 1♂, “ KENYA Coast Prov / Kasigau Mtn / indigenous forest, 1117 m, / 3.82667°S, 38.64982°E // Malaise trap, next to / spring in forest / 2-16 JUN 2011 / R. Copeland // P2 // IBOL 19700VernA2 // 14482- Lampromyia F8 // PARATYPE / Alhajarmyia ♂ / stuckenbergi sp. n. / Swart, Kirk-Spriggs & / Copeland 2014 //” [printed; blue card] ( NMKE); 1♂, same labels, except: “Malaise trap, next to / spring in forest / 2-16 JUN 2011 / R.

Copeland // P3 // IBOL 19700VermA3”; 1♀, same labels, except: “Malaise trap, next to / spring in forest / 19 MAY-2 JUN 2011 / R. Copeland // P4 // IBOL 19700VermA4 // 14482- Lampromyia F7” ( NMKE). Dissected; abdomen in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen; both wings detached and glued to cards; 1♂, “ KENYA Coast Prov / Taita Hills, Chawia / Forest, 3.47908°S, / 38.34162°[E] 1614 m // Malaise trap, next / to small forest pond / 12-26 DEC 2011 / R. Copeland // P5 // IBOL 19700VermA5” ( NMKE). Dissected, terminalia and abdomen in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen; 1♂, same labels, except: “P6 // IBOL 19700VermA6” ( NMKE).

Distribution. Apparently confined to Kasigau Mountain and the Taita Hills of Kenya.

Bionomics. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. External features of Alhajarmyia spp. 1. Mesonotum of A. umbraticola (Stuckenberg & Fisher), dorsal view (HT, Oman, NMSA). 2. Same, A. stuckenbergi sp. n. (HT, Kenya, NMKE). 3. Head and antenna of A. umbraticola, lateral view (HT, Oman, NMSA). 4. Same, A. stuckenbergi sp. n. (HT, Kenya, NMKE). 5. Male wing of A. umbraticola, dorsal view (HT, Oman, NMSA). 6. Same, female (PT, Oman, NMSA). 7. Male wing of A. stuckenbergi sp. n. (HT, Kenya, NMKE). 8. Same, female (PT, Kenya, NMKE). Not to scale.

FIGURES 9 – 12. Male terminalia of Alhajarmyia spp. 9. Synsternite of A. umbraticola (Stuckenberg & Fisher), dorsal view (HT, Oman, NMSA). 10. Same, diagrammatic. 11. Synsternite of A. stuckenbergi sp. n. dorsal view (HT, Kenya, NMKE). 12. Same, diagrammatic. Not to scale.

FIGURES 13 – 16. Male terminalia of Alhajarmyia spp. 13. Synsternite of A. umbraticola (Stuckenberg & Fisher), ventral view (HT, Oman, NMSA). 14. Same, diagrammatic. 15. Synsternite of A. stuckenbergi sp. n. ventral view (HT, Kenya, NMKE). 16. Same, diagrammatic. Not to scale.

FIGURES 17 – 20. Male terminalia of Alhajarmyia spp. 17. Tergite 9 of A. umbraticola (Stuckenberg & Fisher), dorsal view (HT, Oman, NMSA). 18. Same, diagrammatic. 19. Tergite 9 of A. stuckenbergi sp. n. dorsal view (HT, Kenya, NMKE). 20. Same, diagrammatic. Not to scale.

FIGURES 21 – 25. Female terminalia and distribution of Alhajarmyia spp. 21. Terminalia of A. umbraticola (Stuckenberg & Fisher), lateral view (PT, Oman, NMSA). 22. Same, A. stuckenbergi sp. n. (PT, Kenya, NMKE). 23. Inferred changes to the extent and distribution of forest cover in Africa since the mid-Cretaceous. Shoreline changes are not represented. Changes in the position and orientation of the African continent are due to continental drift (after Clarke 2000). 24. Distribution of A. umbraticola and A. stuckenbergi sp. n. in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. 25. Collecting localities of A. stuckenbergi sp. n. in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Kenya (Copyright 2015 Google, Data SIO, NOAA, US Navy NGA GEBCO, image Landsat). Figs 21 – 23 not to scale.