Limnophora flavitarsis Stein

Michelsen, Verner, 2021, Macaronesian Muscidae (Diptera). II. The genus Limnophora Robineau-Desvoidy with description of a new Canarian endemic species, Zootaxa 4952 (1), pp. 101-127 : 106

Limnophora flavitarsis Stein

( Figs 3A‒I )

Limnophora flavitarsis Stein ; Becker 1908a: 99 (Canary Is.).

Limnophora (Calliophrys) flavitarsis Stein ; Hennig 1960: 387; Báez 1981: 635 (Tenerife).

Limnophora flavitarsis Stein ; Pont 1986: 179; Couri & Pont 2017: 511 ; Couri & Pont 2020: 9.

Material examined. [ MZH, NHMD]: CANARY ISLANDS : GRAN CANARIA: Los Lagunetas, 1♀ 1931 ( R. Storå). LA GOMERA: Bco. Arure, 28°06´N 17°19´W, 200‒265m, 1♀ 4.ii.2008 ( V. Michelsen); Bco de Aguajilva , Lomito Fragoso, 28°07´N 17°10´W, 220‒250m, 1♂, 2♀ 19‒24.i.2019 ( V. Michelsen) .

Diagnosis. Small, wing length 3.8‒4.2mm. Male ( Fig. 3A ): Arista pubescent, longest branches 1.5‒2.0 times as long as greatest width of arista. Frons at narrowest point ca. 2.3 times as wide as ocellar tubercle, frontal vitta at this point fully 6 times wider than each fronto-orbital plate. Frons dark and subshining on upper part of narrow fronto-orbital plates and on large frontal triangle reaching lower third of frons, silvery white pruinose on lower part of fronto-orbital plates and on parafacial plates. Fronto-orbital plate with 2 orbital and 4‒5 frontal setae. Frons and facial margin equally produced. Mesonotum whitish grey pruinose with shiny brownish black areas as follows: a pair of oval marks in front of the suture, a broad dark band immediately behind the suture and apical part of scutellum. Dorsocentral setae 3 behind the suture; acrostichal field with setulae arranged in 4 presutural rows increasing to 6 rows behind the suture. Vein M 1 slightly curved forward in distal part. Fore leg ( Fig. 3B ) with dusky yellow fore tibia and tarsus; tibia with a dense row of long, fine pv-setae; tarsus much longer than tibia. Mid femur with (1‒)2 subapical pd setae, without pv setae; mid tibia with 2 pd setae situated above and below middle. Hind femur with 2‒3 av setae on distal third; pv setae absent. Abdominal pattern as in Fig. 3C . Sternite I with setulae. Sternite V and hypopygium very distinctive, as in Figs 3D‒I . Female: Broad frons on upper half subshining through thin brown pruinosity; frontal triangle extended to lunule. Fore leg unremarkable except for a row of 4 short pv setae on distal half of tibia. Ovipositor with sternite VI divided in three sclerite pieces; tergite VIII with a pair of dorsal setulae at hind margin. See Table 1 for more ovipositor characters.

Distribution. A rare species described from the Canary Islands (Stein in Becker 1908a), more specifically from Tenerife according to the labels of the type specimens ( Pont & Werner 2006; Pont 2013). Presently also from Gran Canaria and La Gomera.—Elsewhere only reliably recorded from France ( Corsica) ( Pont 2004, Couri & Pont 2017). A.C. Pont (in litt. September 18, 2020) has also seen specimens from Italy (Sardinia) and Morocco.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Limnophora flavitarsis Stein. Male. Habitus (A); left foreleg (B); abdomen (C); hypopygium, caudo-dorsal (D), caudal (E), lateral (F) and caudo-lateral (G); sternite V, ventral (H) and latero-ventral (I). Same scale for D‒I.