Phaonia tuguriorum canariensis Villeneuve

Michelsen, Verner & Pont, Adrian C., 2024, Macaronesian Muscidae (Diptera). V. The genera Phaonia Robineau-Desvoidy and Muscina Robineau-Desvoidy, Zootaxa 5458 (4), pp. 581-596 : 586

2. Phaonia tuguriorum canariensis Villeneuve (stat. nov.)

( Figs 2A–F )

Phaonia canariensis Villeneuve ; Frey 1936: 135 (Gran Canaria); Hennig 1963a: 809 (Gran Canaria); Báez 1983: 186, pl. 4 figs. 1, 2 (Gran Canaria).

“ Phaonia sordidisquama Stein ”; Frey 1936: 135 (Gran Canaria p.p., Tenerife p.p.). Misidentification.

Taxonomic note. J. Villeneuve described Phaonia canariensis from 2 females from Gran Canaria (leg. R. Frey). My examination of 18 specimens of both sexes (leg. R. Frey, R. Storå) from Gran Canaria and Tenerife recorded as Phaonia sordidisquama in Frey (1936) revealed that 15 specimens represent misidentified P. canariensis . Hennig (1963a, 1978) pointed out the close relationship of P. canariensis with P. signata . However, it is morphologically even closer to P. tuguriorum as presently understood and apparently inseparable from that species on other than substantial differences in colour.

Material examined. CANARY ISLANDS: [ BMNH, NHMD, MZH] GRAN CANARIA: Los Lagunetas, 2♀ [syntypes of Phaonia canariensis Villeneuve in MZH] 22.viii.1931 (R. Frey) , 3♀ 26.vi.1931 (F. Storå), 11♀ 22.viii.1931 (R. Frey, R. Storå), 1♀ no date (R. Storå) ; San Isidro, 28°01’N 15°33’W, 910‒975m, 5♂, 1♀ 13‒ 18.i.2014 (V. Michelsen) ; Bco Guayadeque, 27°56´N 15°29´W, 550‒1000m, 1♀ 21.xi.2014 (V. Michelsen) ; El Valle , 27°54’N 15°32’W, 730‒935m, 1♂ 21.i.2017 (V. Michelsen) ; . TENERIFE: Agua Garcia, 1♀ 11.vii.1931 (R. Frey) ; Valle de Santiago , 1000m, 1♂ 20‒21.ii.1950 (H. Lindberg) ; Las Portelas , 28°19’N 16°50’W, 830‒860m, 2♀ 16.i.2012 (V. Michelsen) .

Description. Only striking differences in colour apparently separate the Canarian Phaonia tuguriorum canariensis from the nominal subspecies, P. tuguriorum tuguriorum : Antenna and palp black, often more brownish on basal antennal segments; frons, face and parafacials dark brown pruinose; thorax very dark greyish pruinose with distinct pattern of brownish black mesonotal stripes; scutellum wholly dark or translucent brown at extreme apical part; posterior spiracle with dark brown fringe contrasting with pale brown fringe of anterior spiracle; calypteres brownish black infuscated, concolorous with wing base; shadowing of cross-vein r-m and d-m less distinct, especially among the males; femora and tibiae wholly brownish black, or posterior tibiae ochre brown; abdomen black, covered in bluish grey pruinosity delimiting a median black stripe becoming narrow or obsolete on tergite VI.

Distribution. An endemic western Canarian subspecies known so far only from Gran Canaria and Tenerife.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Phaonia tuguriorum canariensis Villeneuve. Habitus, male (A), and female (B); abdomen, male (C); sternite V, male (D); hypopygium, caudal (E) and lateral (F).