Delia bracata ( Rondani, 1866 )

Ackland, D. M., 2008, Revision of Afrotropical Delia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), with descriptions of six new species, African Invertebrates 49 (1), pp. 1-75 : 14-19

Delia bracata ( Rondani, 1866)

Figs 1–5 , 25, 26, 30 , 44

Hylemyia bracata Rondani, 1866: 183 ; Stein 1907: 689.

Hylemyia dispar Bezzi, 1908: 116 ; Stein 1919: 151. Syn. n.

Pegomyia albigena Villeneuve, 1911: 23 . Synonymy after Hennig 1974 a: 747.

Hylemyia flavitibia Karl, 1939: 16 . Synonymy after Hennig 1974 a: 747.

Chortophila linearis Adams, 1905: 206 ; Malloch 1924 b: 263 (in part). Syn. n.

“ Chortophila flavibasis Stein ”: Schnabl & Dziedzicki 1911: 101, figs 199, 200, 751.

“ Hylemyia flavibasis Stein ”:? Emden 1941 a: 213; 1941 b: 265; 1948: 166 (in part); 1956: 530 (in part).

“ Delia flavibasis (Stein) ”: Ackland 1967: 119; 1968: 71.

Delia bracata (Rondani) : Hennig 1974 a: 747; Ackland 1977: 202; Pont & Ackland 1980: 716.

Diagnosis:

♂ Gena below eyes 0.20–0.30× eye height; arista pubescent, longest hairs not more than twice as long as basal diameter; prealar seta absent; scutum with major setae arising from brown spots; mid tibia with 1–2 short av in distal half; sternites III and IV more or less quadrilateral and without long curling setae; surstyli in caudal view ( Fig. 1 ) narrower in apical half, sinuate, in lateral view ( Fig. 2 ) straight.

♀Arista as in male; parafacials medially without a shifting darker sheen-stripe; scutum with major setae arising from brown spots; mid tibia with a small av in distal half; abdomen with only very indistinct median vitta; hind femur ( Fig. 26 ) with av in distal half shorter or at most equal to depth of femur.

Description:

Male.

Colour: Frontal stripe, parafrontals, parafacials, genae and face varying from blackish to orange in ground colour, with greyish to whitish dusting; parafacial at level of aristal base with shifting blackish to orange sheen-stripe, which viewed from above is whitish grey dusted; occiput dark grey.Antennae dark brownish black, basal segments sometimes obscurely lightened orange. Palpi brown, sometimes paler basally; prementum of proboscis brownish with grey dust. Thorax dark in ground colour, with fairly dense brownish grey dusting, traces of vittae only visible presuturally when viewed from behind; scutum with major setae arising from brown spots; scutellum entirely grey dusted.Abdomen densely greenish grey dusted when viewed from behind, with distinct wide brown median vitta (about as wide as depth of hind femur), which does not extend across anterior margins of tergites. Prehypopygial tergites grey dusted. Wing membrane pale orange brownish tinged in basal half; veins orange; squamae concolorous with wing base, fringe pale yellow. Legs brown to orange-brown, knees sometimes paler orange.

Head: Eyes narrowly separated posteriorly (by 1.25× diameter of anterior ocellus). Frontal stripe distinct throughout (at narrowest part by less than diameter of anterior ocellus); parafacials medially equal to width of postpedicel; peristomal margin not projecting, face almost flat, distance between vibrissal setae equal to distance between them and nearest eye margin. Gena below lowest point of eye margin 0.28–0.30× eye height; genal setae uniserial anteriorly; 4 pairs of frontal setae; 1 pair of fine interfrontal setulae at middle of frons; postpedicel not reaching peristomal margin (by almost its width); arista ( Fig. 30 ) pubescent, longest hairs slightly longer to twice basal aristal diameter. Proboscis short and slender, with short prementum (not as long as palpi and as wide as fore tibia). Upper occipital setulae short and fine, without setulae below row.

Thorax: Presutural acr fine and hair-like (not differentiated from accessory setulae), irregularly biserial, acr: dc ratio 10:3:10, no hairs between rows; 2 posthumeral setae; notopleural depression bare apart from two strong setae; prealar seta completely absent; scutellum bare on disc centrally and basally; anepisternite without developed upper anterior setula; 2 unequal proepisternals, 1 long proepimeral with ventral hair; katepisternals 1+2, lower posterior nearly as long as upper (anterior seta often with 1–2 fine hairs below).

Wing: Vein C with anterior spinules short but not weak, as long as diameter of C, stronger spines before distal break nearly as long as small crossvein; lower surface of C bare. Large crossvein almost straight, last section of M 1+2 1.6–1.7× length of preceding section. Lower squama about as long as upper. Wing length 4.25–5 mm.

Legs: Mid femur with 3 unequal v or pv in proximal half; hind femur ( Fig. 25 ) with 5– 6 av in distal half (longer than depth of femur, without curling tips), about 8–12 short fine pv on whole length; fore tibia with a short fine pointed pv apical, 1 ad, 1 pv; mid tibia with 1–2 short av in distal half, 0–1 ad, 1 pd, 2 pv; hind tibia with 2 av, 4 ad, 3 pd, 1–2 short pv. Pulvilli of fore legs slightly longer than tarsomere 5.

Abdomen: About 1.8–1.9 times as long as greatest width (at basal margin of sternite III), dorsoventrally compressed; sternite III nearly as wide as sternite IV ( Fig. 3 ) (each about 1.4 times longer than wide); sternite V processes ( Fig. 5 ) not longer than base, with a few short fine setulose hairs on inner margins, lateral setae not longer than processes. Surstyli ( Fig. 1 ) 1.5× length of cercal plate, in caudal view apical half narrower and slightly elbowed, inner margins sinuate, clothed with fine hairs, in lateral view ( Fig. 2 ) straight or slightly curved upwards. Cercal plate 2.3 times longer than wide, narrowly heart-shaped, apex rounded, bearing a few short setae; in lateral view apex is hidden by surstyli, not projecting between them. Pregonite with 2 setae; postgonite triangular without setae. Aedeagus with distal section ( Fig. 4 ) 1.4 times as long as aedeagal apodeme, divided in slightly less than half (0.42×) into pair of free paraphallic processes.Acrophallus ( Fig. 5 )sclerotized, forming plate between bases of paraphallic processes.Aedeagal apodeme in dorsal view 3 times as long as wide anteriorly, excavated dorsally. Ejaculatory apodeme 0.27× length of aedeagal apodeme, expanded at one end.

Female.

Colour: Head dark in ground colour, but often with traces of translucent orange on genae and parafacials; frontal stripe varying from entirely orange to dark brown in posterior half; head densely dusted light olive-grey, more bronzy on parafrontals; parafacials, at level of antennal base, without shifting darker sheen-stripe. Thorax rather densely olive-grey dusted, sometimes with trace of brownish median vitta along acr, dc arising from brown spots; prementum dusted, palpi orange to brown. Abdomen dusted grey, without or with only a trace of median vitta. Wing membrane tinged pale orangebrown, veins orange. Legs brown, knees, coxae and tibiae paler orange, femora darker, dusted, not shining.

Head: Eyes widely separated (by 1.4–1.6× their transverse width); frontal stripe at level of middle orbitals as wide as each parafrontal, which is widened anteriorly to slightly more than width of postpedicel; gena below lowest point of eye margin 0.3× eye height; 1 short supravibrissal, 2 subvibrissals, 2–3 upcurved uniserial genal setae, and 2 stronger ventral postgenals. Parafrontal setae differentiated into 3 pairs of orbitals (all more or less lateroclinate), and 2 pairs of inclinate frontals; crossed interfrontal setae strong, placed at apex of frontal triangle. Proboscis relatively small and thin (as in male) prementum as long as palpi.

Thorax: acr very short and fine (not differentiated from accessory setulae and hairs); acr: dc ratio 10:3:10; 1+1 posthumerals; katepisternals 1+1. Prealar seta completely absent.

Wing: Vein C with marginal spinules short but not fine (equal in length to diameter of C), pair before distal break equal to length of small crossvein; large crossvein straight, last section of M 1+2 is 1.6× length of preceding section. Wing length 4.5–5 mm.

Legs: Mid femur with 1–2 short v medially; hind femur with 3–4 av in distal 2/3, 1–2 apical pv; fore tibia with 1 ad, 1 pv; mid tibia with 1 small av in distal half, 1 long ad and 1 shorter pd, 1–2 pv; hind tibia with 2 av, 3 ad, 3 pd (distal one longest), 0 pv.

Abdomen: Postabdomen when fully extended as long as length of preabdomen.Tergites VI and VII sclerotized along posterior margins which bear single row of setulae, which are of different lengths, longest about half length of tergite; discs of tergites weakly sclerotized medially; tergite VIII with posterior margin as tergite VII, but sclerotisation forming two long narrow spurs; 6th and 7th spiracles both situated on segment VI (6th more or less medially at edge of tergite VI, 7th within posteroventral corners of tergite VI); sternites VI and VII long and narrow, bearing 4–5 short setulae on each posterior margin; sternite VIII ( Fig. 44 ) represented by pair of short sclerites which are sclerotized mainly on posterior margin, each bearing two setulae, anteriorly becoming membranous; tergite X with transverse posterior margin, bearing numerous setulae posteriorly (one pair rather long); sternite X entirely pilose (as well as setulose); cerci rather short (slightly shorter than sternite X), projecting beyond sternite X by about half their length; 3 spermathecae of about equal size (about 0.04× 0.03 mm), each with sclerotized stalk (0.01 mm long), leading to spermathecal duct; surface of spermathecae weakly ridged and with a few black dots, visible under high magnification.

Material examined: ETHIOPIA: 1 ♂ Lake Shola , 67º20'W: 39º0'E, 12.viii.1973, R. Baker ( BMNH); 2♀Nazareth , alt. 1600 m, 19.x.1968, R. Kano & T. Ohse ( DMA); 1♀Awash R., Koka , alt. 1300 m, 12.x.1968, R. Kano & T. Ohse ( DMA). KENYA: 1 ♂ Nairobi, 14.i.1957, on Cynodon sp. ( BMNH); 1♀Nairobi , 5500 ft, 9–13.xii.1970, A.E. Stubbs ( BMNH); 3♀Meru , vii. 1945, van Someren ( BMNH); 2 ♂ 5–7000 ft, 24– 29.xii.1970, A.E. Stubbs ( BMNH); 3 ♂ 3♀Ngong Hills , vi.1946, van Someren ( BMNH); 1 ♂ 1♀same data, vii.1943 ( BMNH); 1 ♂ Lake Naiwasha , 6181 ft, 14.xii.1970, A.E. Stubbs ( BMNH). LESOTHO: 1 ♂ 1♀Roma Mission, Maseru Dist., valley floor, Old Lands, alt. 5500 ft, 4–13.i.1963, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA). NAMIBIA: 1♀Rundi Dist., Katara Okavango R., 17°48'56"S: 18°53'38"E, 20–23.i.1998, Kirk-Spriggs & Marais, Malaise traps ( NMWN). SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 1♀Arniston Coastal Dunes, Bredasdorp Dist. , 22– 23.x.1964, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA); 1 ♂ 2♀Brak R. mouth, Mossel Bay Dist., 23.x.1964, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA); 1♀Coldstream, Tsitsikama Area , 25–28.x.1964, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA); 2♀S.W. Cape, Brandkop Area , Calvinia Dist. , 14.x.1964, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA); 1♀Du Toits Kloof, Paarl Dist. , alt. 2000–3500 ft, 27– 28.ix.1959, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA); 1 ♂ 3♀Montagu Pass, 3322Cd, Camfer-George Road , SAR bridge, 12.i.1983, P. Stabbins & R . Miller ( NMSA); 1 ♂ Knysna, R.S.A. dist., Harkville Forest Res. , 3423AA, 9– 11.xi.1972, van Reenen & Mathebathe ( NMSA); 1 ♂ 5 mls SE Oudshoorn, Klipriver Farm , R.S.A., 3322CA , 11– 13.xi.1972, van Reenen & Mathebathe ( NMSA); 1 ♂ Pakhuis Pass, east side, 3219Aa , alt. 600 m, 17.viii.1973, meadow with flowers, M.E. Irwin ( NMSA); 1♀Cogman’s Kloof, Ashton-Montagu Road , 3320Cc, 11.i.1983, along river, P. Stabbins & R. Miller ( NMSA). Eastern Cape: 2 ♂ Van Staadens Pass, Port Elizabeth District , 30.x.1964, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 2♀Port Elizabeth district, Sardinia Bay, coastal dunes nr Skoenmakerskop , 3425Ba , 14.iii.1974, Stuckenburg & Irwin ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ Doornkloof Forest Res., Alexandria Dist. , 11.xii.1967, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ Resolution, Albany Dist. , 19.iii.1928, A. Walton ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ 1♀same data but 11.i.1929 ( NMSA) ; 1♀same data but 23.iii.1928 ( NMSA) ; 3♀Heuningklip R., 25 km W Queenstown, 3126DC , 27.x.1978, river bank, Miller & Londt ( NMSA) ; 1♀Kommandodrifdam, 45 km E Cradock, 3226AA , 28.x.1978, river below dam wall, Miller & Londt ( NMSA) ; 1♀Hogsback, North of Alice , 2–3.xi.1964, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1♀Hogsback area, 3226DB , 18–19.i.1984, forest margins, D. & C. Barraclough ( NMSA) . Free State: 1 ♂ 5 mls W of Soutpan, 2825DB , borehole seepage, 3.ix.1972, M.E. Irwin ( NMSA) ; 2♀Golden Gate, GGHNP Survey , 23–29.i.1964, Vári & Martin ( NMSA) ; 1♀Van Stadens Pass, 20.iii.1954, L. Vári ( NMSA) ; 4♀Machaleen, 2.xii.1969, S. de Kock ( NMSA) . Limpopo: 2 ♂ Nylsvley Res., Naboomspruit , 24.xi.1976, P. Ferrar ( NMSA) . Gauteng: 1♀Frankenwald, Johannesburg , 4.x.1976, P. Ferrar ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ Johannesburg , 4.v.1962, F. Zumpt ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂ same locality, 5.ii.1960, F. Zumpt ( BMNH) . KwaZulu-Natal: 1♀Giant’s Castle Game Res., Injasuti area , SE2929AB , 5–11.vii.1983, J.G.H. Londt ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ Pietermaritzburg, Town Bush, 27.xii.1961; 1 ♂ 1♀Pietermaritzburg , 23–24.x.1956, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1♀Pietermaritzburg , Chase Valley , 20.xi.1963, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ 1♀Muden, 1.x.1956, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ nr Lilana, Ahrens Dist. , iv.1962, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 4 ♂ Rietspruit farm, 13 km NE Pietermaritzburg, 29°32'27''S: 30°29'04''E, 13.iii.1990, wetland & dam, A. Whittington ( NMSA) ; 1♀Midlands, Howick , 29°29'S: 30°13'E, alt. 1060 m, 14.vii.1990, garden, vegetation, A.E. Whittington ( NMSA) ; 1♀Royal Natal Nat. Park, Tendele camp lights, 28°40'46''S: 28°55'13''E, 16– 18.ii.1990, A.E. Whittington ( NMSA) . YEMEN: 4 ♂ 19♀San’a, 7900 ft, 10–15.x.1937, from lucerne, Dr Carl Rathjens ( BMNH) . ZIMBABWE: 2 ♂ 2♀N. Vumba, 13.iii.1964, D. Cookson ( NMSA) ; 1♀Bulawayo, Hillside Dam, 31.viii.1956, C.N.S ( NMSA) ; 9 ♂ 10 km SE of Harare , 19.ii.1997, J.W. Ismay ( DMA) ; 10 ♂ Harare, Nat.Botanic Gdns , 14.ii.1997, J.W. Ismay ( DMA) ; 2 ♂ Harare, road to Nat. Botanic Gdns , 17.ii.1997, J.W. Ismay ( DMA) ; 2 ♂ Harare, Plant Res. Inst. , 21.ii.1997, J.W. Ismay ( DMA) ; 1 ♂ Mazowe , 27.ii.1997, J.W. Ismay ( DMA) ; 2 ♂ 4♀Harare 12–13.ii.1997, J.W. Ismay ( DMA) ; 57 ♂ 54 ♀Salisbury, mainly 1901, F.L. Snow (lectotype and paralectotypes of Chortophila linearis, Adams , in KUNHM) .

Notes: Types of Hylemyia dispar Bezzi : Dr Fabrizio Rigatoni (MSNM) kindly sent me three syntypes of Hylemyia dispar (2 ♂ 1♀). I have dissected one of the males, and designate it here as lectotype. It carries the following labels:

‘ LECTOTYPE ♂ / Hylemyia / dispar Bezzi / desig. D. M. / Ackland 2007’ [white hand-written label with blue perimeter].‘291’ [diamond-shaped hand-written label with double blue lined perimeter]’; ‘ Eritrea / Andreini’ [hand-written rectangular white label]’ (MSNM).

The lectotype is in acceptable condition, with all legs present, setae on thorax badly rubbed, mid tibia on each side with a small av, right arista broken off near base, left arista with the longest hairs less than twice as long as basal aristal diameter. Abdomen dissected, and mounted in glycerol in a plastic tube.

Bezzi described dispar from an unknown number of specimens from three stations, 200, 291 and 299. There is no doubt that this is one of the original syntypes. The lectotype is a specimen of D. bracata ; surstyli identical to those figured by Hennig (1974 a: 748, text-fig. 628, holotype of bracata ). Of the two remaining syntypes, the male is badly abraded. The only remaining right arista shows only very short aristal hairs, but may be damaged; only the right tibia is present and is folded against the femur, and the presence of an av seta cannot be established. This male carries identical labels to the lectotype, and is almost certainly also D. bracata . The female syntype (?) is in poor condition, antennae and all legs other than right mid and hind legs are missing. The mid tibia has an av seta, and is presumably the same species as the lectotype. It carries only a diamond-shaped label, with the number ‘289’. This station number is not given in Bezzi’s original description, creating doubt whether it really is a syntype, and I have not labelled it a ‘paralectotype’.

Emden (1941 b: 265) was the first to use the name ‘ dispar ’ for a species of Delia with long aristal hairs (as a subspecies of flavibasis ). As Hennig indicated (1974 b: 792) should Emden not have used the name dispar correctly, the next available name, arambourgi Séguy, 1938 , should be used.

Types of Chortophila linearis Adams : these are in the KUNHM. Malloch (1924 b: 265) examined some “ paratypes ” of linearis , and synonymized linearis with flavibasis Stein. Delia bracata (Rondani) was unknown to Malloch.Through the support of the staff at KUNHM (Zack Falin, Collection Manager & Jennifer Thomas, Assistant Collection Manager) I was able to examine the syntypes of linearis . There were in total 167 syntypes, the majority of them belonging to Delia bracata . They all carry a red label, with either ‘Type’ or ‘Cotype’ printed thereon. I regard all these as syntypes of equal status, especially as most of the specimens with a ‘type’ label are in poor condition. I designate a male as lectotype of Chortophila linearis which bears the following labels:

‘ LECTOTYPE ♂ / Chortophila / linearis Adams / designated 2007 / D. M. Ackland’ [white rectangular label with blue perimeter]; ‘Salisbury / S. Africa / F.L. Snow’ [white rectangular label]; ‘ May 1901 / 5050 ft. ’ [white rectangular label]; ‘COTYPE C. / linearis / C. F. Adams’ [red rectangular label]; ‘ Delia bracata Rond. / male det D. M. / Ackland 2007’ [white rectangular label] (KUNHM). In good condition, all legs present, both wings slightly torn on costa. Abdomen with genitalia dissected and mounted in glycerol in a plastic tube on staging pin. The genitalia of this lectotype agree with the figures of bracata given in this paper.

The remaining syntypes of linearis are as follows: 56 ♂ 54♀D. bracata [labelled as paralectotypes]; 3 ♂ 2♀D. flavibasis ; 2 ♂ 1♀D. platura ; 5 ♂ 41♀Delia spp. indet. [in bad condition]; 2 ♂ Muscidae sp. These are in KUNHM, except for 2 ♂ 2♀paralectotypes which will be placed in the OUMNH.

Discussion: The combination Delia linearis ( Stein 1898, described in Hylemyia ) is in use for a widespread Holarctic species. Consequently the ICZN rules against secondary homonymy imply that Adams’ (1905) name linearis (described in Chortophila ) cannot be used in Delia . My present designation of a lectotype makes Adams’ name a junior synonym of D. bracata (Rondani) , so proposal of a replacement name is unnecessary.

Schnabl and Dziedzicki (1911: 101, figs 199, 200, 751) were the first to misidentify D. bracata , their drawings of the male hypopygium of “ Chortophila flavibasis ” clearly belonging to bracata , as pointed out by Hennig (1974 a: 746). In his key to Afrotropical species of Hylemyia (Emden 1941 b: 265) the species keyed out as “ flavibasis ” refers to bracata (1–2 minute av present on mid tibia). Emden (1948: 166) lists flavibasis from the Yemen, but these records are partly flavibasis and partly bracata . It should be noted that both species often occur together, for example J. Ismay collected both species at the same time in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1997.

Hennig (1974 a: 747, text-figs 628–630) figured the genitalia of the holotype of bracata , which is in the MZUF, so there is no doubt about its identity. According to Hennig (loc. cit.) he examined a male of flavitibia (Karl) in 1953, which was described from one male and two females; material in the Entomological Institute , Bologna. This specimen was later destroyed in a post office van fire. Hennig was uncertain if the male was the specimen described by Karl , as there were many other examples of this species in the museum. The location of the types of albigena (Villeneuve) described from one male and two females from Syria ( Anti Lebanon, Mezzé ) is unknown, and Hennig has considered the types as destroyed (Hennig 1974 a: 681).

In 1967 and 1968 I incorrectly used the name “ flavibasis ” for bracata , and “ arambourgi ” for flavibasis .

Life history: There appear to be no definite breeding records for D. bracata (Hennig 1974 a: 750) . Adults have been caught on lucerne and Cynodon sp.

Distribution: D. bracata has been recorded in the Afrotropical Region from Yemen, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia. In the Palaearctic Region it is widespread from the Canary Islands, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Greece, Cyprus, Tunisia, Israel, Syria, Iran to as far east as Nepal and India (Hennig 1974 a: 750).

Figures

Figs 1–5. Delia bracata, male (Zimbabwe): (1) cercal plate and surstyli; (2) ditto, lateral view; (3) sternites III–V, ventral view; (4) distiphallus, lateral view; (5) ditto, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

Figs 23–30. Hind femur and arista: (23–28) Hind femora: (23) Delia flavibasis, male; (24) D. arambourgi, male; (25) D. bracata, male; (26) ditto, female; (27) D. urbana, male; (28) ditto, female; (29, 30): Arista, male: (29) D. arambourgi, (30) D. bracata.

Figs 44–49. Delia spp., female abdomen, terminal segments, ventral view: (44) D. bracata (Zimbabwe); (45) D. arambourgi (Kenya); (46) D. ventralis (Uganda); (47) D. steiniella (Ethiopia); (48) D. kigeziana (Uganda); (49) D. tibila sp. n., female paratype (Ethiopia). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.