Dolichocolon mesnili, Cerretti & Shima, 2011

Cerretti, Pierfilippo & Shima, Hiroshi, 2011, World revision of Dolichocolon Brauer & Bergenstamm (Diptera: Tachinidae: Exoristinae: Goniini), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 162 (3), pp. 544-584 : 560-561

DOLICHOCOLON MESNILI SP. NOV. ( FIG. 10A–E )

Type material: Holotype ♂: Congo belge / Elisabethville [= Lubumbashi]/ 25.IX.1937 / H.J. Brédo: n°32// R. Mus. Hist. Nat. / Belg. I.G. 12.798// Dolichocolon africanum Mesn. / L.P. Mesnil det., 1979//ex/ L.-P. Mesnil / collection 1985 [ CNC].

Notes: The holotype is in bad condition: the postpedicel is partly damaged, most of the setae of head and thorax are broken off, and all left side legs are missing.

Etymology: Named after the Belgian dipterist and outstanding specialist on Tachinidae, Louis-Paul Mesnil (1904–86).

Description: Body length: 11.1 mm.

Coloration and pruinescence: Head mainly black, covered with whitish-grey pruinescence. Palpus mainly black, shading into brown apically. Antenna (thus including arista) black. Thorax mainly black; posterior 1/4 of scutellum reddish-yellow; scutum covered with grey pruinescence, presutural area with four wide longitudinal dark vittae. Legs black. Tegula and basicosta black or dark brown. Abdomen entirely black in ground colour. Abdominal tergites 3–5 with broad band of whitish pruinescence on anterior 3/4– 4/5, remaining surface of tergites covered with bronze-brown pruinescence.

Head: Compound eye bare. Arista thickened on basal 1/2 or slightly more. Second aristomere about seven times as long as wide. Thickened part of third aristomere about 1.2 times as long as second aristomere. Postpedicel about seven times as long as pedicel. Vertex at its narrowest point 1.24 times as wide as compound eye in dorsal view. Lateral vertical seta well developed and differentiated from postocular setae. Seven frontal setae descending below level of base of arista. Gena in profile about 0.2 times as high as compound eye. Postocular setae fine, relatively long, bent anteriorly. Prementum about 1.0–1.5 times as long as wide.

Abdomen: Syntergite 1 + 2 and tergite 3 with one pair of short and weak median marginal setae. Tergite 4 with a row of eight marginal setae. Tergite 5 with a row of marginal and discal setae.

Male terminalia ( Fig. 10A–E ): Epandrium relatively short and convex ( Fig. 10A ). Hypandrial arms relatively short and slightly bent anteriorly on apical portion ( Fig. 10D ). Cerci not massive, distal 1/3 finger-like and distally slightly compressed laterally ( Fig. 10C ); medial preapical tooth well developed ( Fig. 10C ). Longitudinal carina of cerci well developed, with median slope covered with a thick brush of setae ( Fig. 10C ). Surstylus relatively narrow in lateral view, well characterized by a distinct posterior lobe in parabasal position and by a slightly bent posteriorly distal 1/4 ( Fig. 10A, B ); posterior surface of distal 1/2 of surstylus concave ( Fig. 10C ).

Hosts: Unknown.

Distribution: Afrotropical: D. R. Congo.

Figures

Figure 10. Dolichocolon mesnili sp. nov. (holotype). A, terminalia in lateral view; B, surstylus in lateral view; C, cerci and surstyli in posterior view (arrow indicates brush of medioclinate setae); D, hypandrial complex in lateral view; E, distiphallus in lateral view.