Dacus (Mellesis) maculipterus White

David, K. J., Sachin, K. & Hancock, D. L., 2020, Two New Species And A New Record Of Dacus Fabricius (Diptera: Tephritidae) From India, Zootaxa 4743 (4), pp. 553-560 : 558

Dacus (Mellesis) maculipterus White ( Figures 17−24 )

Dacus (Callantra) maculipterus White, in Drew et al., 1998: 607 . Holotype male in BBM.

Dacus (Mellesis) maculipterus: Drew and Romig, 2013: 389 .

Material examined: 1♂, INDIA, Meghalaya, Umiam, 25.668 oN 91.918 oE, 10-14. x.2019., Salini, S. ( NBAIR).

Diagnosis: This species has been described adequately by Drew et al. (1998) except for postabdominal structures. It is a predominantly black species with a largely black face (red-brown centrally), broad costal band confluent with R 4+5 and expanded apically, fore and mid femora wholly black, hind femur 0.6 black; abdomen with reddish brown areas submedially on tergites IV-V (extending marginally onto tergite III in the present specimen) separated by a black medial vitta. Epandrium heavily sclerotised, black. Lateral surstylus shorter than epandrium; posterior lobe of surstylus 6−7 times longer than anterior lobe. Epandrium and surstyli bulb-shaped in posterior view; medial surstylus shorter than lateral surstylus and with black, finger-like prensisetae. Phallus elongate (2.28 mm) with sclerotised glans (0.57 mm); acrophallus with single patterned tubule, preglans lobe and subapical lobe present.

Remarks: Described from central Thailand, this species is recorded for the first time from India. It has been collected in Zingerone traps.

Figures

FIGURES 17-24. Dacus (Mellesis) maculipterus White. 17, head; 18, scutum; 19 thorax (lateral view) and legs; 20, abdomen; 21, wing; 22, epandrium and surstyli (lateral view); 23, epandrium and surstyli (posterior view); 24, glans of phallus.