Limnophora antennalis, Couri, Márcia & Pont, Adrian C., 2014

Couri, Márcia & Pont, Adrian C., 2014, New species of Afrotropical Muscidae (Diptera: Muscoidea), Zootaxa 3852 (3), pp. 301-320 : 312-313

Limnophora antennalis sp. nov.

Figs 26–31 .

Type material. Holotype ♂, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: Free State, Harrismith, Nesshurst farm, 2826′53.3′S, 2909′14.2′E, Malaise traps, Leucosedea -scrub & stream bed, 17–18.ix.2009 (A.H. Kirk-Spriggs), BMSA (D)11159 ( BMSA).

Paratypes, 29♂ 11♀. REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: 10♂ 1♀, same data as holotype, except: BMSA (D)10793, BMSA (D)10794, BMSA (D)10818, BMSA (D)10834, BMSA (D)10836, BMSA (D)10837, BMSA (D)11101, BMSA (D)11117, BMSA (D)11122; BMSA (D)11186, BMSA (D)11213 (all BMSA); 2♂, same data as holotype, except: BMSA (D)11109, BMSA (D)11153 ( MNRJ); 1♂, same data as holotype, except: BMSA (D)11172 male ( BMNH). RSA: 7♂,Free State, Harrismith, Scotland farm at: 2758′59.5′S, 2937′09.8′E, Malaise traps, dense Leucosedea -dominated scrub, 10–12.xi.2009 (A.H. Kirk-Spriggs), BMSA (D)11961, BMSA (D)11968, BMSA (D)12244, BMSA (D)13024, BMSA (D)13048, BMSA (D)13053, BMSA (D)13120 (all BMSA); 2♀, same data, BMSA (D)12218, BMSA (D)13047 ( MNRJ); 1♂, same data but 26–29.iii.2012, BMSA (D) 35916 ( BMSA). RSA, KwaZulu-Natal: 1♂, Drakensberg, Robinson Bush, 2834.657′S, 2902.875′E, sweeping, indigenous Afromontane forest understorey, 18.ix.2009 (A.H. Kirk-Spriggs), BMSA (D)10948 ( BMSA); 2♂, Drakensberg Mts, Giant’s Castle Reserve, Bushman’s River below Camp, S29.16.709, E29.30.984, 5661 feet, 15.xi.2006 (A.C.Pont & D.Werner) ( BMNH); 3♂, 2♀, Drakensberg Mts, Giant’s Castle Reserve, Bushman’s River S of Camp, S29.16.961, E29.30.944, 5813 feet, 16.xi.2006 (A.C.Pont & D.Werner) ( BMNH); 2♂, Drakensberg Mts, Royal Natal Nat. Park, Gudu Falls, S28.40.971, E28.55.778, 5590 feet, 18.xi.2006 (A.C.Pont & D.Werner) ( BMNH); 6♀, Underberg district, Road to Sani Pass, stream by police post, right side, S29.37.797, E29.24.637, 5388 feet, 22.xi.2006 (A.C.Pont & D.Werner) ( BMNH).

Diagnosis. In the group with a broad male frons and 2 orbital setae, dorsocentrals 2+3, mid femur with 1 posterior preapical seta, and mid tibia with 2 posterodorsal setae, L. antennalis sp. nov. can be recognised by the unusually long upper posterior katepisternal and inner postalar setae combined with a virtually bare arista and haltere knob brown to dark brown.

Description. General coloration. Ground-colour black with grey dusting that is sometimes tinged with blue, especially on pleura. Frontal vitta black, with frontal triangle only weakly indicated; fronto-orbital plate brownishgrey pruinose, sometimes with silvery pruinosity outside the setae or even entirely silvery; parafacial, face and gena silvery pruinose. Antenna, arista and palpus dark brown. Scutum brown with 2 grey-bluish vittae between acrostichal and dorsocentral rows of setae; postpronotal lobe, notopleuron, pleura and postalar callus light grey dusted with bluish reflexions. Anterior spiracle brown. Scutellum dark brown dusted, occasionally with a partial or complete grey median vitta. Wing clear. Calypters white, haltere brown to dark brown. Legs dark brown. Abdomen dark brown, tergites 3–5 each with a triangular area of light grey dust in anterolateral corners, syntergite 1 + 2 and tergites 3–4 with a narrow grey or brownish-grey median vitta.

♂. Measurements. Body length: 2.9 mm; wing length: 3.0 mm

Head. Eye bare, frons at level of anterior ocellus about ⅓ of head-width, margins parallel; 3 pairs of inclinate frontal setae and 2 pairs of reclinate orbitals, and with some fine setulae outside the frontal setae; inner vertical seta long and outer one short; ocellar seta moderate. Antenna inserted a little above the mid-level of eye, postpedicel very long, reaching mouth-margin, almost 4 × the length of pedicel; arista a little enlarged at base, almost bare, the hairs shorter than its basal width. In lateral view, mouth-margin projecting a little beyond level of profrons. Proboscis shining black; palpus filiform.

Thorax. Dorsocentrals 2 + 3; acrostichal setulae in 2 rows, prescutellar pair not differentiated; 2 postpronotals; 1 presutural and 2 postsutural intra-alars, posterior pair short; 1 presutural and 1 postsutural supra-alar; 2 postalars, the inner one very long; prealar absent. Notopleuron with two setae similar in size. Scutellum with one sub-basal pair of setae and one long apical pair, without a downcurved preapical discal setula, lateral and ventral surfaces bare. Anepisternum with a series of 4 setae, the first and the last longer. Katepisternals 1 + 2, the upper posterior seta unusually long. Lower calypter about 1.5 × the length of the upper one.

Legs. Fore femur with rows of posterodorsal and posteroventral setae, the posteroventrals short in basal half; fore tibia with 1 dorsal preapical and 1 posteroventral apical seta, both short; mid femur with 3-4 anterior setae in basal half and 1 posterodorsal preapical, bare ventrally; mid tibia with 2 posterodorsal setae and one short dorsal preapical, anteroventral, posteroventral and ventral surfaces with an apical seta, the last one the longest and strongest; hind femur with an anterodorsal row of setae, and 2 anteroventral setae on apical fifth, otherwise bare ventrally; hind tibia with 1 anteroventral median seta; 1 anterodorsal inserted a little above the anteroventral; dorsal preapical seta short, without an anterodorsal; ventral apical seta longer.

Wing. Veins bare except for vein R4+5 which has a setula on the node at base; veins R4+5 and M parallel at wing-tip; costal spine not differentiated.

Abdomen. Tergites 3–5 with medium-sized setae, mostly lateral marginals. Sternite 1 bare. Sternite 5 as in Fig. 26 .

Terminalia . Cercal plate and surstylus as in Figs 27-28 . Aedeagus in dorsal and lateral views as in Figs 29-30 .

♀. Measurements. Body length: 3.3 mm; wing length: 3.4 mm

Similar to ♂. Frons broader, at level of anterior ocellus well over ⅓ of head-width; fronto-orbital plate more extensively silvery-grey pruinose; frontal triangle brown dusted and reaching lunule. Grey notal vittae broader; scutellum grey dusted with large brown bristle-bots around the sub-basal lateral and apical setae. Knob of haltere yellow. Abdomen with the grey dusted vittae and anterolateral areas more extensive, tergite 5 mostly grey dusted.

Terminalia . Ovipositor and spermatheca as in Fig. 31 .

Distribution. Republic of South Africa (Free State and KwaZulu-Natal).

Etymology. The name refers to its long antenna, from the Latin antenna.

Remarks. The species is close to L. praeapicalis Emden, 1951 , which also has very long posterior postalar and upper posterior katepisternal setae. But L. praeapicalis has aristal hairs longer than basal diameter of arista, the dark spots on tergites 3 and 4 extending down on to the sides of the abdomen, knob of haltere yellow, frontal triangle velvety black and not reaching lunula.

Figures

FIGURES 26 – 36. Limnophora antennalis sp. nov.: 26. sternite 5, dorsal view; 27. cercal plate and surstyli, dorsal view; 28. cercal plate and surstylus, lateral view; 29. aedeagus, dorsal view; 30. aedeagus, lateral view; 31. ovipositor, lateral view and spermathecae. Limnophora diminuta sp. nov.: 32. sternite 5, dorsal view; 33. cercal plate and surstyli, dorsal view; 34. cercal plate and surstylus, lateral view; 35. aedeagus, dorsal view; 36. aedeagus, lateral view.