Melanothereva lugubris (Macquart)

Winterton, Shaun L. & Irwin, Michael E., 2023, Revision of the South American stiletto fly genera Entesia Oldroyd and Melanothereva Malloch, with the description of a new genus (Therevidae: Agapophytinae), Zootaxa 5269 (1), pp. 1-82 : 63-64

Melanothereva lugubris (Macquart)

( Figs 13C ; 41 ; 42 ; 43C, D ; 44 ; 53 )

Thereva lugubris Macquart, 1841a: 302 — Macquart (1841b: 24, plate 5 [wing figure]); Blanchard (1852: 417, fig. 4a, b [redescription]); Philippi (1865: 769 [checklist]); Reed (1888: 294 [catalogue]); Holston (2004: 55 [checklist]).

Psilocephala lugubris ( Macquart, 1841a) — Kertész (1909: 163 [checklist, combination change, synonymy]); Kröber (1911: 497, 498, 500, 505 [catalogue, keys, redescription]; 1912: 223, 226, 228, 237 [keys, checklist, redescription]; 1913: 31, 36, 37–39 [checklist, keys]; 1914: 39, 41 [keys]; 1928b: 6, 8, 10 [checklist, keys]); Cole (1923: 63 [checklist]).

Melanothereva lugubris ( Macquart, 1841a) — Malloch (1932: 250 [combination change]); Stuardo-Ortiz (1946: 86 [catalogue]); Hennig (1957: 410 [checklist]); Holston (2004: 55 [checklist]); Webb et al. (2013: 14 [catalogue]); Winterton et al. (2016: fig. 3 [phylogeny]).

Psilocephala nigra Bellardi, 1861: 92 — Osten Sacken (1878: 96 [catalogue]); 1887: 163 [checklist]); Reed (1888: 294 [synonymy]); Aldrich (1905: 247 [catalogue]); Lyneborg (1969: 409 [redescription, lectotype designation]).

Thereva morio Rondani, 1863: 44 —[unjustified replacement name]; Dallas (1865: 655 [checklist]); Kertész (1909: 163 [checklist, synonymy]); Holston (2004: 56 [checklist]).

Psilocephala penthoptera Schiner, 1868: 146 —[unjustified replacement name]; Osten Sacken (1878: 96 [note, synonymy]); Reed (1888: 294 [catalogue]); Aldrich (1905: 247 [note]).

Psilocephala morio ( Rondani, 1863) — Kertész (1909: 163 [checklist, synonymy]).

Common name. Darwin’s black stiletto fly.

Diagnosis. Dark flies with numerous robust macrosetae and markings absent; male with additional macrosetae on occiput; small black setae on frons above antenna; wing dark infuscate; thorax and legs black; female with spermathecal sac absent.

Redescription. Body length. 8.0–9.0 mm (male), 9.5–12.0 mm (female). Head. Relatively broad; frons flat, pubescence silver ventrally, brown dorsally, small patch of short black setae above antenna in male, female setae short and sparse, male with eyes almost contiguous below anterior ocellus; postocular setae black, elongate and recurved, additional macrosetae irregularly arranged on occiput, occiput relatively convex, pubescent silver; antennal scape shorter than flagellum, black, overlain with grey pubescence, relatively few large, black setae; flagellum brown. Thorax. Scutum black, overlain with sparse light brown pubescence, short black setae, denser anteriorly, macrosetae black, chaetotaxy: np, 4; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 4–6; sc, 1; scutellum black, overlain with grey pubescence; pleuron black with sparse grey pubescence, black setae on anepisternum, katepisternum and katatergite; coxae black, overlain with silver-grey pubescence, setae black, macrosetae few in number; femora dark brown, short black setae admixed with longer white setae, hind femur lacking subapical macroseta; tibiae and tarsi black with black macrosetae; wing dark infuscate, darker anteriorly, venation dark, costal margin setae arranged in two rows; haltere brown. Abdomen. Dark brown to black with brown pubescence dorsally, mostly dark setae, longer laterally in male, male abdomen without silver velutum, abdominal tergite 2 with patch of short modified setae posteromedially; terminalia brown. Male terminalia. Epandrium elongate, pointed posterolaterally; cerci elongate, brown; macrosetae dark and robust on epandrium and gonocoxites; gonocoxites and appendages brown; outer gonocoxite process triangular; phallus with dorsal apodeme of parameral sheath narrowly forked; distiphallus straight and tapered; ejaculatory apodeme narrow; gonocoxal apodemes relatively broad. Female terminalia.As per genus description, spermathecal sac absent.

Comments. Melanothereva lugubris is one of the few entirely black stiletto flies, with a black body and wings. Similar colouration is found in some members of the Australian genus Johnmannia Irwin & Lyneborg, 1989 ; interestingly, both genera also exhibit the relatively rare condition of matte red eye colour in living individuals. Melanothereva lugubris is distributed in Chile, Peru and western Argentina. Kröber (1912) and Webb et al. (2013) mention that it is also found in Bolivia, which appears likely, but we were not able to locate any specimens from that country. In addition, the type locality of Psilocephala nigra Bellardi is recorded as Messico ( Mexico), but this is unverified and considered to be likely erroneous (see discussion by Webb et al., 2013). Notably, Charles Darwin collected a male specimen of this species during his visit to Valparaiso, Chile; this specimen was examined as part of this study.

Type material. Thereva lugubris Macquart, 1840a — CHILE: Syntype female, 889/36, Gay coll. 1836 (MEI119896; MNHN) [examined].

Psilocephala nigra Bellardi, 1861 — MEXICO: Lectotype male, 168, Messico, Semper ( MRSN).

Other material examined— ARGENTINA: Rio Negro Province: 1 male, 1 female, El Bolsón [-41.9715, -71.5477], 29.XII.1957, A. Kovacs (MEI074218, 118021; AMNH, CSCA) . CHILE: Araucania Region: 1 male, 20 km E Temuco [-38.7359, -72.3899], 8.I.1951, Ross, Michaelbacker (MEI147629; CASC) ; 1 female, Angol [- 37.8098, -72.7177], 8.XII.1934 (MEI113132; UCCC) ; 1 male, Villarrica, Fdo. Los Coigues [-39.2876, -72.2385], 15.I.1965, M. Rivera (MEI113118; UCCC) . Antofagasto Region: 5 km S San Pedro de Atacama Solor [-22.9433, -68.1747], 15.XI–21.XII.2003, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, Malaise near dunes, 2414 m (MEI178087; CSCA) Biobío Region: 1 female, Concepción [-36.8501, -73.0275], 10.XII.1958, Carocca (MEI 113116; UCCC) ; 1 female, 30 km E Quilleco [-37.5460, -71.6444], 23.I.1967, L. Campos (MEI156217; CASC) . Coquimbo Region: 1 male, Illapel [-31.6396, -71.1679], 1–6.XI.1954, L. Peña (MEI147586; USNM) . Los Lagos Region: 1 male, Trumao [-40.3615, -73.1666], 28.XII.1932, Fr. Atunasio (MEI112390; USNM) ; 2 females, Castro [-42.4752, -73.7845], XII.1926, R.&E. Shannon (MEI112379–80; USNM) ; 1 male, Castro [-42.4752, -73.7845], 4.XI.1966, M.E. Irwin, Gonzalez, in window (MEI028426; CSCA) ; 1 female, Riñihue [-39.8168, -72.4429], 7.II.1958 (MEI113125; UCCC) . Maule Region: 2 females, Estero la Jaula [-35.0129, -70.7466], I.1964, L.E. Peña, Nothofagus (MEI146588–9; CSCA) ; 1 female, Tregualemu [-36.0039, -72.7722], 7.XII.1953, L.E. Peña (MEI147587; CSCA) . Ñuble Region: 1 male, Las Trancas, Cord Chilian [-36.9124, -71.4723], 14–21.I.1971, Ocare (MEI112323; UCCC) . Santiago Metropolitan Region: 2 males, 4 females, Quebrada de la Plata, Rinconada, Maipú [-33.4984, -70.9042], 510 m, 10.XI.1966, M.E. Irwin, Malaise (MEI147573–6, 147591; CSCA) ; 1 female, San Cristobal [-33.4206, -70.6281], 28.XI.1942 (MEI147648; UCCC) ; 1 female, El Canelo [-33.5753, -70.4553], 1976 (MEI112322; UCCC) ; 1 female, Maipu [-33.5189, -70.8168] (MEI112387; UCCC) ; 1 female, El Bollenar, 2 km N Pichi Alhue [-33.5729, -71.0215], 1–10.I.2000, M.E. Irwin, E.I. Schlinger, 100m Malaise in wash ( CSCA) . Tarapacá Region: 2 males, Mamiña [- 20.0747, -69.2171], 8–16.XI.1964, Herrera (MEI147578, 147616; UCCC) . Valparaiso Region: 1 male, Valparaiso [-33.0638, -71.6033], C. Darwin, 85–119, ( NHMUK010922290 ; NHM) ; 1 male, Piscicultura Rio Blanco [-32.9319, -70.2811], 17–20.XI.1958, L.E. Peña (MEI070589; CNC) ; 1 female, Quebrada Verde [-33.1109, -71.6571], 9.X.1964, J. Gonzalez (MEI147645; UCCC) ; 40 males, 23 females, Palma de Ocoa Campanas National Park [-32.9324, - 71.0781], various dates 6–31.XII.1997, 29.XII.1999, 2–10.I.2000, M.E. Irwin, E.I. Schlinger, Malaise in hillside draw, 215 m (MEI121384–423; 121332–354; CSCA) ; 1 female, La Cruz [-32.8281, -71.2229], 15XI.1971, R. Ripa (MEI112324; UCCC) ; 1 female, Limache [-32.9954, -71.2513], X.1924, Faz (MEI112391; USNM) . PERU: Junin Region: 1 female, Rio Charape [-10.3888, -74.9091], C.H.T. Townsend (MEI112384; USNM) ; 1 male, 1 female, Tarma [-11.4345, -75.6853], 1.XII.1942, Weyrauch, 3000 m (MEI147564–5; MCZ) . Moquegua Region: 2 males, Yacango , Moquegua [-17.1949, -70.9387], 8.X.1965, J.C. Hitchcock Jr. ( MEI147596–7 ; CNC) . Arequipa Region: 1 male, Arequipa [-16.4141, -71.5621], VIII–IX.1936, R.M. Straw, 2400 m ( MEI147598 ; USNM) ; 1 female, Yura [-16.2475, -71.6901], A ca. 27465 ( FSCA) .

Figures

FIGURE 13. Entesia and Melanothereva wings: A. E. dolichochele sp. n.; B. E. rubida (Wulp); C. M. lugubris (Macquart) (Scale line: 0.75 mm).

FIGURE 41. Melanothereva lugubris (Macquart):A. Male, oblique view; B. same, lateral view.

FIGURE 42. Melanothereva lugubris (Macquart):A. Female, oblique view; B. same, lateral view.

FIGURE 43. Melanothereva spp., male terminalia: M. bicolorata sp. n.: A. epandrium and tergite 8; B. gonocoxites with phallus in situ, ventral view; M. lugubris (Macquart): C. epandrium; D. gonocoxites with phallus in situ, ventral view; M. frayjorge sp. n.: E. epandrium; F. gonocoxites with phallus in situ, ventral view.

FIGURE 44. Melanothereva lugubris (Macquart), male terminalia: A. epandrium; B. gonocoxites, ventral view; C. sternite 8, ventral view; D. phallus, dorsal view; E. phallus, lateral; view. Scale line: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 53. Distribution map of Melanothereva lugubris and M. frayjorge.