Megaselia papei, Disney, R. Henry L., 2006

Disney, R. Henry L., 2006, Eight new species of Megaselia Rondani (Diptera: Phoridae) from the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen, Zootaxa 1371, pp. 1-21 : 16-18

Megaselia papei sp. nov.

( Figs 23 – 27 )

In Beyer’s (1965) keys this species runs to couplet 27 on page 50, where neither of the two species applies as they both have the costal index exceeding 0.40 and the costal cilia exceeding 0.08 mm in length. In addition their hypopygia are quite different. Among subsequently described species running to the same couplet is the male of M. piliventris Schmitz , whose recognition has been recently clarified ( Disney, 2004a). Its hypopygium is likewise distinctive, and in particular the left lobe of its hypandrium has a terminal tuft of hairs, in contrast to the bare lobe of the new species. Among other subsequently described Afrotropical species running to this couplet are a number whose males are immediately distinguished by a ventral bulge of the mid femur ( Disney, 2004b). Another three species running to this couplet have different hypopygia and two have mainly yellow legs, as opposed to the dark brown legs of the new species, and the third has vestigial hypandrial lobes ( Disney, 2006b).

Etymology

Named after the collector, Thomas Pape.

Male

Frons brown, clearly broader than long, with 54 – 80 hairs and very dense but very fine microsetae. SAs robust but lower slightly shorter. Bristle arrangement very similar to Fig. 8 , except antials are distinctly closer to ALs than to upper SAs. Cheek with 3 – 5 bristles and jowl with 2 – 3 longer ones. Postpedicels subglobose, dark brown, without SPS vesicles. Palps light brown, with 4 – 5 bristles and 1 – 6 hairs. Labrum yellowish brown and about 0.6x as wide as postpedicel. Labella brown near edges on top, and with only a few short spinules below. Thorax brown, being paler on sides. Mesopleuron with 4 – 9 hairs and a differentiated small bristle near hind margin. Three notopleural bristles and no cleft in front of these. Scutellum with an anterior pair of hairs (subequal to hairs at rear of scutum) and a posterior pair of bristles. Abdominal tergites brown with the hairs at rear of T6 little, if any, longer than rest ( Fig. 24 ). Venter brown, and typically with obvious hairs below segment 6 only ( Fig. 24 ), with those on 3 – 5 being reduced to minute hairs (but sometimes 1 – 2 larger hairs on 5). Hypopygium ( Figs. 23 – 24 ) largely brown, but the paler anal tube tends to be progressively straw yellow towards its tip, and the tip of the left hypandrial lobe and parts of the penis complex are pale straw yellow. The right lobe of hypandrium is vestigial ( Fig. 23 ). Legs with coxae to tibiae brown, but front tibia paler, and tarsi straw yellow, but front tarsi tend to be light brown. Fore tarsus with posterodorsal hair palisade on segments 1 – 4, but that on 4 is variably incomplete. Dorsal hair palisade of mid tibia extends about half its length. Hairs below basal half of hind femur a little longer than those of anteroventral row of outer half. Hind tibia with 10 – 15 differentiated, but relatively weak, posterodorsal hairs. Spinules of apical combs all simple. Wings 1.2 – 1.3 mm long.

Costal index 0.33 – 0.38. Costal ratios 3.5 – 5.3: 0.9 – 1.4: 1. Costal cilia (of section 3) 0.05 – 0.06 mm long. No hair at base of vein 3, but with a small ridge near base on the underside. With two axillary bristles, the outer being clearly longer than costal cilia. Sc not reaching R1. Veins grey but costa more yellowish and 7 is very pale. Membrane scarcely tinged grey). Haltere brown.

Female

Head similar to male except the labrum is almost three quarters the width of the diameter of postpedicel. Thorax as male, except mesopleuron with 2 – 6 hairs and in one specimen the single bristle is absent. Abdominal tergites brown. T5 – T8 as Fig. 25 . Venter brown, and with hairs below segments 3 – 6. Sternite 7 triangular, but often incomplete. Posterolateral lobes at rear of sternum 8 as Fig. 27 . Cerci brown and about 1.6x as long as broad. Furca as Fig. 26 . Dufour’s crop mechanism appears to have been lost. Legs similar to male. Wing as male except length 1.1 – 1.4 mm. Costal index 0.32 – 0.35. Costal ratios 4.2 – 5.5: 1.0 – 1.6: 1 Otherwise it and haltere as male.

Material

HOLOTYPE male, United Arab Emirates, Wadi Warayah, 12 – 14.iii.2005, T. Pape ( CUMZ, 32 – 138). Paratypes, 6 males, 7 females as holotype ( CUMZ, 32 – 138, 139). Also 39 males and 3 females, as type series (but still in alcohol).

Figures

FIGURES 23 – 24. Megaselia papei male hypopygium. (23) right face (without anal tube); (24) left face. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 25 – 27. Megaselia papei female, details of abdomen. (25) tergites 5 – 8; (26) furca; (27) lobes at rear of sternum 8. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 8 – 9. Megaselia gallagheri male. (8) frons, with bristles represented by their basal sockets only; (9) left face of hypopygium. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.