Phasia argentifrons Walker, 1849

Sun, Xuekui & Marshall, Stephen A., 2003, Systematics of Phasia Latreille (Diptera: Tachinidae), Zootaxa 276 (1), pp. 1-320 : 24-27

3.2.1 Phasia argentifrons Walker, 1849

(Figures I­6, II­2.3)

Phasia argentifrons Walker, 1849: 691.

Mormonomyia laniventris Brauer and Bergenstamm, 1891: 58.

Allophora (Phorantha) bathymyza Speiser, 1910: 158.

Mormonomyia umbrosa Villeneuve, 1935: 252.

Mormonomyia brunnicosa Villeneuve, 1935: 252.

Hyalomyia munroi Curran, 1936: 10 .

Hyalomyia victoria Curran, 1936: 8, 11.

Alophora argentifrons : ­ Emden 1945: 433 (revision).

Alophora (Mormonomyia) argentifrons : ­ Crosskey 1980: 824 (catalog).

DESCRIPTION

Body length: 3­6 mm.

MALE: HEAD. Head compressed anteriorly. Eyes separated by a distance as wide as ocellar triangle. Fronto­orbital plate black with grey pruinosity. Frontal vitta brown, divergent. Frontal vitta at base of antennae 1.1 times as wide as fronto­orbital plate anteriorly. Ocellar setae present but fine; outer and inner vertical setae absent. Face brown, or black with grey pruinosity. Parafacial brown to black with grey pruinosity, bare, 1.5­1.8 times as wide as first flagellomere. Lower margin of face orange yellow, shining, without pruinosity. Vibrissa well differentiated; intervibrissal distance 0.9­1.0 times distance between vibrissa and eye on same side; facial ridge with bristles on lower 1/6. Gena brown, grey pruinose; hairs white; height 0.12 times eye height. Lunule brownish black and shining. Antennal pedicel yellow or brown; first flagellomere black, 1.5 times as long as pedicel; arista thickened on basal 0.35. Length of oral opening 3.2­3.5 times its width. Occiput flattened; greyish yellow pruinose; hairs white. Palpus yellow or brown.

THORAX. Mesoscutum strongly pruinose with yellow and black hairs; presutural area and anterior half of postsutural area grey pruinose; posterior half of postsutural area black, shining. 0+0(1) acrostichal seta; 0+1 dorsocentral setae; postpronotal scale­like; presutural supra­alar seta absent; 1 postsutural intra­alar seta; notopleural setae scale­like; 1 supra­alar seta; 2 postalar setae. Pleuron thinly grey pruinose, hairs black, and with scale­like setae. Anepimeral setae black; 2 katepisternal setae; 7­9 meral setae. Scutellum brown to black, shining, without pruinosity, with one pair of marginal setae; apical setae absent; discal setae arranged in one row. Subscutellum very prominent. WING. Lower calypter brown to black. Wing base with scale­like setae. Tegula black. Basicosta black. Wing pictured; rarely hyaline, narrow to broad; petiole of apical cell 0.2­0.24 times as long as preceding section of R 4+5; M meeting R 4+5 almost at right angle. Halter brown. LEGS. Fore femur brown to black, hairs black (scale­like). Fore tibia brown to black; without bristle; apically with 1 pv, 1 p and 1 d. Fore tarus brown to black. Fore claws brown, apex black, 1­1.2 times as long as fifth tarsomere. Pulvilli black. Mid femur brown to black, hairs black (or scale like). Mid tibia brown to black; with 1 ad and 1 v, apically with 1 av, 1 pv, 1 pd, 1 v and 1 d. Hind femur brown to black, hairs black; well developed scale­like setae present. Hind tibia brown to black, with 4­5 pd; dorsal setae scale­like.

ABDOMEN. Abdominal tergites black; pruinosity absent, or present, but thin; syntergite I+II black or dark yellow, tergites densely golden yellow or with black scale­like setae ventrally. Relative length of abdominal tergites I+II:III:IV:V = 1.3:1:1:1.2; relative width I+II:III:IV:V = 0.4:1:1:0.9. TERMINALIA. Syncercus deeply notched posteriorly; apex bent ventrally. Surstylus slightly bent dorsally, but not broadened, longer than cercus. Ejaculatory apodeme slender, knob­like. Hypandrium shorter than phallapodeme. Pregonite reduced, apex even, with hairs and 3 teeth ventrally. Postgonite long, pointed, haired ventrally. Phallus short, almost as short as phallapodeme, not haired. Epiphallus sclerotized. Distiphallus well sclerotized, apex with a distinct finger­like lateral protuberance.

FEMALE: Eyes touching medially. Scutum black, shining. Anterior spine­like setae of hind tibia present. Sternite VII (sheath) as long as sternite V; broad apically; bent, apex directed ventrally, with a median notch posteriorly. Ovipositor bent upward.

TYPE MATERIAL

Phasia argentifrons Walker, 1849 . Holotype ♂, S. Africa [ SOUTH AFRICA], Interior [?] (BMNH, head missing, examined).

Mormonomyia laniventris Brauer and Bergenstamm, 1891 . Holotype ♂, [ South Africa], Cape Good Hope (Vienna, not examined).

Allophora (Phorantha) bathymyza Speiser, 1910 . Holotype ♀, TANZANIA (not located, not examined).

Mormonomyia umbrosa Villeneuve, 1935 . Holotype ♂, [ SOUTH AFRICA], Pretoria, Tvl. [Transvaal], 2.i.1922 (CNCI, examined).

Mormonomyia brunnicosa Villeneuve, 1935 . Holotype ♂, [ SOUTH AFRICA], Port­ Élisabeth, Dr. Brauns (CNCI, examined).

Hyalomyia munroi Curran, 1936 . Holotype ♂, [ SOUTH AFRICA], Muizenberg, Cape Peninsula, 16.xi.1931, H.K. Munro (not located, not examined).

Hyalomyia victoria Curran, 1936 . Holotype ♂, Southern Rhodesia [= ZIMBABWE], Victoria, viii.1932, A. Cuthbertson (AMNH, not examined).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED

BOTSWANA: Tsessebe, Bechuansland, i.1956, Zumpt (1♀, BMNH). ETHIOPIA: Alemaya, 20­23.vi.1965, A.B. Gurney (1♂, USNM). KENYA: Kikuyu, Muguga, 23.v.1970 (1♂ 1♀, NMSA); Naivasha, vii.1940, H.J.A. Turner (1♂, USNM); Naivassha, H.J.A. Truner (3♂ 2♀, BMNH). MADAGASCAR: [no more data], xii.1947 (1♂, CNCI). MALAWI: Vipya Mts., Chikangawa, 5­ 8.xii.1980, 1,700m, Stuckenberg Londt (1♂, NMSA). Nyasaland [=Malawi], ix.1916, R.C. Wood (1♂, BMNH). SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Province, Nieuwoudtville, 18­22.xi.1931, A. Mackie (1♂, BMNH); Doorn R. Falls, A. Mackie (1♀, BMNH); Gamtoos Valley Bush, Hankey Area, 5.xii.1967, B. and P. Stuckenberg (1♂, NMSA); Natal, Greytown, 20.x.1931 (1♂, BMNH); Natal, Pinetown District, Gillitts, 29.xi.1962, B. and P. Stuckenberg (1♂, NMSA); Natal, Weenen, vii­ix.1923 and iv.1924, H.P. Thomasset (11♂ 9♀, AMNH, BMNH); Natal, Kloof, 7.x.1934, H.K. Munro (1♂ 1♀, NMSA); Pietermaritzburg, Town Bush, B. and P. Stuckenberg (1♀, NMSA); Pretoria, x.1943 and 18.vi.1906, G.A. Hepburn and C. Swierstra (6♂ 4♀, USNM, BMNH); Pretoria, St. John, ix.1916, H.H. Swinny (1♂, USNM); Rietfontein, Grootfontein (23mi SW), 3.iv.1972 (1♂, BMNH); Transvaal, Barberton, 9­30.vi.1927, H.K. Munro and J.S. Taylor (1♂ 1♀, NMSA, AMNH); Transvaal, Rustenburg, 3.xii.1961 (1♂, NMSA); Willowmore, Capland, 12.i.­19.ii.1917, xii.1907 and 5.xi.1906, Dr. Brauns (11♂ 3♀, NMSA); Free State, Emmarentia, 20.ix.1974, M. Picker (1♂, NMSA). TANZANIA: ex: W.H. Potts Collection, B.M. 1967­472 (2♂, BMNH); Arusha, 1.vii.1967, host: Acathomia horrida . M.E.A. Materu (2♂ 1♀, BMNH). UGANDA: Kawanda, 26.viii.1961 (1♂, NMSA). ZIMBABWE: Bulawayo, 7.ix.1919, 5.ix.1938 and 16.1.10, C.H. Pead (3♂ 1♀, AMNH, NMBZ). Matopo Hills and Umtali, v­vi.1932 (1♂ 1♀, BMNH); N. Vumba, 4.vii and 23.ix.1964, D. Cookson (2♂ 3♀, NMSA); Salisbury, 4.11.1924 (7♂ 2♀, AMNH, NMBZ); Salisbury, 15.v. and 23.vi.1932, A. Cuthbertson (7♂, BMNH, CNCI); Salisburg District, 26.xi.1938 (1♂, AMNH); Trelawny Research Station (1♂, NMSA); Marley, xi­xii.1915 (2♂, NMSA, CNCI).

HOST

Acathomia horrida (Hemiptera) ­ Tanzania.