Atherigona erectisetula, Muller, 2015

Muller, B. S., 2015, Illustrated key and systematics of male South African Atherigona s. str. (Diptera: Muscidae), African Invertebrates 56 (3), pp. 845-845 : 868-869

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5733/afin.056.0301
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039387FE-FFCA-E007-FE11-FAFCFE47F93C
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Atherigona erectisetula
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Atherigona erectisetula View in CoL sp. n.

Fig. 20 View Figs 19–27

Etymology: From the Latin erectus (erect) and setula, bringing attention to the four erect setulae at the apex of the trifoliate process’ median piece.

Diagnosis: This species keys close to A. hyalinipennis and A. pharalis in both Deeming (1971) and Dike (1989 a), but the shape and appearance of its trifoliate process as well as hypopygial prominence differs from that of A. pharalis , as it has four erect setae at the apex of a club-shaped median piece of the trifoliate process compared to a Y-shaped median piece. The trifoliate process also has no visible tomentum compared to that of A. pharalis which is tomentose. A. erectisetula differs from A. hyalinipennis in having its postpedicel infuscated as opposed to being only infuscated along the dorsal margins. A. erectisetula furthermore has its median piece of the trifoliate process much narrower in posterior view, with the entire process much more infuscated compared to that of A. hyalinipennis which has the basal third of the lateral plates hyaline ( Fig. 20 View Figs 19–27 vs. Fig. 49 View Figs 46–54 ). Description:

Male.

Measurement s: Body length: 3.193 mm; wing: 2.741 mm; rm crossvein ratio: 0.442. Head: Ground colour brown.All head setae and setulae infuscated. Occiput silver-grey dusted posteriorly and laterally with narrow median part glossy. Ocellar triangle silver-grey dusted. Frontal vitta yellow. Frontal plate silver-grey dusted with three pairs of proclinate frontal setae and two pairs of orbital setae. Parafacial silver-grey dusted, at narrowest wider than aristal base. Scape and pedicel darkly ferruginous, postpedicel infuscated, ferruginous basally. Arista brown. Palpus entirely yellow; apex truncated and dilated, with hyaline hairs.

Thorax: Ground colour dark. Postpronotal lobe gold dusted, with three setae and nine setulae. Pleura silver-grey. Proepisternum inconspicuous and gold dusted. Scutum grey dusted, with three very faint, barely visible 2-4 dorsocentral vittae, stopping before scutellum. Scutellum grey dusted; one pair of basal setae, one pair of discal setae and four discal setulae, one pair of subbasal setae and one stronger pair of apical setae (almost equal in length).

Legs: All legs yellow except for forelegs with apical third of femur with dark mark, apical half to third of tibia and tarsi infuscated.

Leg chaetotaxy: Fore tarsi without any specialised chaetotaxy.

Wings: Hyaline. Veins light brown. Knob of halteres white with stalk yellow. Calypters white.

Abdomen: All tergites yellow; tergite 1+2 immaculate; tergite 3 with small dark-brown marks taking up less than a third of dorsal surface; tergite 4 with two small round markings, taking up a third of dorsal surface; tergite 5 immaculate. Hypopygial prominence knoblike, apically appearing bilobate in anterior view, appearing almost tridentate in apical view. Trifoliate process stem 2.5× the length of the apical process; stem and hood hyaline, lateral plates and median piece infuscated; median piece with gradual dilation towards apex in both profile and posterior view (club-shaped), narrower than lateral plates, with four conspicuous setulae at apex; lateral plates with inner lobes. Surstylus without dark markings.

Female. Unknown.

Holotype ♂: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: Grahamstown, Albany Museum grounds, 33°18.822'S 26°31.315'E, 15–23.x.2007, A.H. Kirk-Spriggs, Malaise trap ( AMGS). GoogleMaps

Paratypes: Eastern Cape: 2♂ same data as holotype ( AMGS) GoogleMaps ; 1♂ Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, Bergplaas trail hut, 33°38.075'S 24°29.306'E, grassy fynbos, 28.i.2009, A.H. Kirk-Spriggs & S. Otto, Sweeping ( BMSA (D) 04574) GoogleMaps ; KwaZuluNatal: 1♂ Ndumo Game Reserve, Shokwe area, 26°52.125'S 32°13.731'E, Ficus forest , 30.xi–4.xii.2009, A.H. Kirk-Spriggs, Malaise trap ( BMSA (D) 15751) GoogleMaps ; Western Cape: 3♂ De Hoop Nature Reserve , 34°27'S 20°25'E, 0–200 m, 10–13.x.1994, R. Danielsson ( MZLU) GoogleMaps ; 2♂ Malgas , 34°20'S 20°30'E, 40 m, 11–13.x.1994, R. Danielsson ( MZLU) GoogleMaps . North West Province: 1♂ S.A. Lombaard Nature Reserve, 27°36'05"S 25°28'51"E, 1230 m, Rhus , Acacia savanna , 11.iii.2003, J.G.H. Londt, Malaise and light traps ( NMSA; Type no. 2504) GoogleMaps .