Pherbellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830

Li, Zhu, Yang, Ding & Murphy, William L., 2019, Review of genera of Sciomyzidae (Diptera: Acalyptratae) from China, with new records, synonyms, and notes on distribution, Zootaxa 4656 (1), pp. 71-98 : 76-78

3. Pherbellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830

( Figs. 1, 8 , 35–38 , 67 )

Pherbellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830: 695 . Type species: Pherbellia vernalis Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (monotypy) [= Sciomyza schoenherri Fallén, 1826 ].

Diagnosis. Frons with 2 orbital seta. Prosternum bare. Propleural seta strong. Wing of most species hyaline without spots, of several species with reticulated pattern, and of a few species with infuscation.

Remarks. Comprising 95 described species (with 4 described subspecies), Pherbellia is the largest genus of Sciomyzidae . Species diversity is highest in the Palearctic Region, with 50 species, of which 42 are restricted to the Palearctic Region, with the range of 1 species, Pherbellia cinerella ( Fallén, 1820) , extending into the Oriental Region. The next highest species diversity is found in the Nearctic Region, with 32 species.

Before our study, only 5 species (including 1 subspecies) of Pherbellia were known from the Oriental Region: P. causta (Hendel, 1913) [= Hendel, 1913b], P. cinerella , P. javana ( Meijere, 1919) , P. nana reticulata ( Thomson, 1869) , and P. terminalis ( Walker, 1858) , and only 6 species (including 1 subspecies) of Pherbellia were known from China: P. brevistriata , P. causta , P. griseola , P. nana reticulata , P. orientalis , and P. terminalis ( Knutson 1977; Rozkošný & Elberg 1984; Rozkošný 1987; Rozkošný & Knutson 1991; Li, Yang & Gu 2001). The type localities of 3 of these species are in China: P. nana reticulata , from Kwangtung (Guangdong Province); P. causta , from Taiwan; and P. orientalis , from Harbin (Heilongjiang Province).

As a result of our study, at least 15 species of Pherbellia are now known from China, from both the Palearctic and Oriental Regions.

Pherbellia brevistriata Li, Yang & Gu 2001 was described as a new species. Examination of additional specimens during this study convinced us that P. brevistriata is identical to P. nana reticulata ; thus P. brevistriata becomes a junior synonym of P. nana reticulata .

Pherbellia ditoma Steyskal, 1956 is unique among Palearctic species of Pherbellia in having 2 stump veins on M 1+2. The original description ( Steyskal 1956) was based on a male from Andong, Korea (in the Palearctic Region). During our study we determined 1 male P. ditoma from Jiangxi, 1 male from Zhejiang, and 1 female from Inner Mongolia. Located in the south of China, Jiangxi and Zhejiang are typical Oriental Region areas. Thus, in addition to being found in the Palearctic Region ( Vala et al. 2012), our study shows for the first time that P. ditoma also is found in the Oriental Region. During our study we discovered 1 female of P. ditoma ( Fig. 35 ), the first female specimen known of this species, from Inner Mongolia.

Pherbellia orientalis Rozkošný & Knutson, 1991 was described as a new species on the basis of 1 female from Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, in the north of China (Palearctic Region). During our study we determined 4 males and 3 females from Yueyang, Hunan Province, in the south of China. The male of this species ( Fig. 36 ) was previously unknown. We also report here the first occurrence of this species in the Oriental Region.

Pherbellia schoenherri ( Fallén, 1826) is one of the few species in this genus with a reticulated wing pattern ( Fig. 38 ). Two described allopatric subspecies are known: P. s. schoenherri ( Fallén, 1826) from the Palearctic Region and P. s. maculata ( Cresson, 1920) from the Nearctic Region. Collectively, this species (including both subspecies) was known previously from only the Holarctic Region ( Vala et al. 2012, 2013). During our study we identified 2 males and 1 female of this species from Beijing and 2 males and 1 female of this species from Yunnan. The specimens from Yunnan represent the first record of P. schoenherri (P. s. schoenherri ) from the Oriental Region. Only 2 species in this genus, P. schoenherri and P. cinerella , are known from both the Palearctic and Oriental Regions.

Figures

FIGURE 67. Geographical distribution of genera of Sciomyzidae from China (3).

FIGURES 1–8. Characters and morphological terms for the family Sciomyzidae (I).

FIGURES 33–40. Adult habitus (head) of genera in the tribe Sciomyzini.