Parapachycerina infuscata, Davies & Miller, 2008

Davies, Gregory B. P. & Miller, Raymond M., 2008, Revision of the Afrotropical species of Parapachycerina (Diptera: Lauxaniidae), African Invertebrates 49 (2), pp. 131-131 : 143-144

Parapachycerina infuscata sp. n.

Figs 10, 15 , 18 , 24

Etymology: From Latin infuscus (dusky, dark or blackish); refers to the black coloration on head and thorax, immediately setting the species apart from congeners.

Diagnosis:

Small (ca 2.8–3.5 mm) flies notable for the darkened scapes and pedicels (but some variation, with certain individuals having yellow scapes and pedicels), black orbital plates, blackish mesonotum and scutellum, black roughly triangular patches on the occiput, and dark triangular patches on anterolateral corners of postfrons (covered in silver pollinosity; from certain angles giving the impression of reflective ‘head-lights’). Prefrons may also be partially infuscated. This strong melanin deposition is unusual in the genus, and facilitates identification of the species. Teneral specimens are pale, and may be confused with P. munroi and P. bispina , which are, however, rich yellow-orange and lack a profemoral ctenidium.

Description:

Colour: Occiput with dark brown or black triangular markings on upper half; lower half yellowish; silvery pruinescence above supracervical setulae. Ocellar spot black. Scape and pedicel may vary from yellowish to dark brown or black. Individuals from one locality may show complete variation. Postpedicel yellow, base around arista rather tumid and brown. Maxillary palpi yellow to dark brown. Proboscis orange-yellow. Mesonotum and scutellum dark chestnut-brown to blackish, edges yellow to orange, dorsum covered in conspicuous silver pruinescence. Propleuron, mesopleuron, sternopleuron, meropleuron and pteropleuron yellow to orangish brown. Postscutellum and postnotum dark brown. Knob of haltere yellow to orange-brown.Abdomen dark brown or black.

Head: Ocellar plates vary from weakly differentiated from remainder of postfrons (i.e. mildly shiny, yellow portions of postfrons) to strongly differentiated, black, shiny longitudinal plates (individuals from same population can show this variation). Ocellar triangle small and sides approximately equal in length. Vertex/occiput boundary abrupt. Eye somewhat emarginate ventrally, slightly pointed.

Thorax: Two sternopleural bristles.Approximately 6 irregular, transverse rows of setulae behind suture.

Legs: Profemoral ctenidium with 4–8 setulae. Profemur posteriorly with ventral row of 2 setae and dorsally with row of 3 setae. Mesofemur with distal medio-anterior row of 4 setae.

Wings: Hyaline.

Male terminalia ( Figs 18 , 24 ): Protandrium saddle-shaped, narrowing sharply laterally. Epandrium fairly narrow dorsally, bulging antero- and posterolaterally; posterior epandrial process short, dorsally hooked. Surstylus thin, laterally compressed lamella with hamate tip, fused to inner edge of epandrium. Cerci dark brown. Hypandrium U-shaped, ‘transverse band’ fairly broad (slightly exceeding width of ‘aedeagal tube’), lateral posterior arms very short, ‘dorsal loop’ of hypandrium articulated on anterolateral margin of aedeagus. Gonopods blade-like, tapering unevenly posteriorly to pointed apices, closely ensheathing aedeagus.Aedeagal apodeme short (slightly shorter than aedeagus).

Ejaculatory apodeme lying above aedeagal apodeme, tiny, T-shaped sclerite. Subepandrial sclerite of irregular outline, lying below cercus.

Measurements: total length – ^(n=4) 3.2 (2.8–3.7), ơ (n=2) 3; head length – ^(n=4) 0.5 (0.5–0.6), ơ (n=2) 0.5; head height – ^(n=4) 0.6 (0.6–0.7), ơ (n=2) 0.6; head width – ^(n=4) 1.0 (0.8–1.1), ơ (n=2) 0.9; thorax length – ^(n=4) 1.4 (1.2–1.6), ơ (n=2) 1.4; abdomen length – ^(n=4) 1.3 (1–1.5), ơ (n=2) 1.2; wing length – ^(n=4) 2.8 (2.5–3.1), ơ (n=2) 2.7.

Holotype: ơ SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Enseleni N.R., near Empangeni , 26.vii.1980, R. M. Miller ( NMSA).

Other material examined: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 1^Virunga National Park, Rwindi , 20–24.xi.1934, G.F. de Witte Mission ( MRAC) ; 1^Virunga National Park, Kanyabayongo ( Kabasha ), 7.xii.1934, G. de Witte ( MRAC) ; 1ơ Virunga National Park, Kabasha Escarpment , 12.xii.1934, G. de Witte Mission ( MRAC) ; 1 (sex unknown) Kivu, Rutshuru, Rutushuru R., 3.vii.1935, de Witte Mission ( MRAC) ; 2ơ ^Garamba National Park , 13.ii.1952, 8.iv.1952, 31.iii.1952 ( MRAC) ; 3^Garamba National Park , de Saeger Mission, 2.iv.1952 (^), 8.v.1951 (2^) ( MRAC) ; 1ơ 1^Garamba , 2.v.1952, 3.i.1952 ( MRAC) . KENYA:2ơ Matembur , 26–27.v.1980, Malaise trap, B. Lamoral ( NMSA) . NIGERIA: 1^North West State, Mokwa IAR, viii.1970, P. Ward ( BMNH) ; 1^Zaria, Samaru , 5.ix.1964 ( BMNH) and 1 (sex unknown) from same locality, x.1979, J. Deeming ( NMWC) . SOUTH AFRICA: Mpumalanga: 6^Nelspruit (20 km S of), Noordkaap R., 1–2.xii.1976, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 2^Ofcolaco , Selati R., 7–8.xii.1976, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) . KwaZulu-Natal: 3ơ 16^Enseleni Nat. Res. , 26.vii.1980, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 1ơ 8^same locality, 14.ii.1981, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 2^Dukuduku Forest (between St Lucia and Mtubatuba ), 7– 8.iv.1960, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1ơ 2^Umtentweni R., vii.1951, A.L. Capener ( NMSA) ; 1^Krantzkloof Nat. Res., nr Durban , 18.xii.1990, A. Whittington ( NMSA) ; 1^same locality, 24.xi.1999, S. James ( NMSA) . UGANDA: 1^Mujenje , viii.1913, K. Kittenberger ( HNHM) . ZIMBABWE: 1^North Vumba , 27.ii.1965, D. Cookson ( NMSA) .

Distribution: South Africa (coastal KwaZulu-Natal, escarpment of Mpumalanga), eastern Zimbabwe (Vumba mountains), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria.

Figures

Figs 10–15. (10) Profemur of Parapachycerina infuscata sp. n. with ctenidium (comb) of short, stout setulae on anteroventral edge, (11) profemur of P. munroi Stuckenberg without ctenidium, (12) posterior view of P. munroi profemur showing dorsal and ventral rows of setae, (13) presumed grooming comb on distal edge of P. munroi protibia, (14) distoventral mesotibial spurs of P. munroi, (15) sapromyziform costa of P. infuscata sp. n.

Figs 16–19. Lateral views of outer ơ terminalia: (16) P. munroi Stuckenberg, (17) P. bispina sp. n., (18) P. infuscata sp. n., (19) P. lalitra sp. n. (protandrium of P. lalitra not illustrated). Abbreviations: cer – cercus, epa – epandrium, pro – protandrium, sur – surstylus.

Figs 20–24. Inner ơ genitalia: (20–22) P. munroi Stuckenberg in dorsal (20), oblique dorsal (21), and ventral (22) views; (23) P. bispina sp. n. and (24) P. infuscata sp. n. in dorsal view.