Myxophryxe regalis Cerretti & O'Hara

O'Hara, James E. & Cerretti, Pierfilippo, 2016, Annotated catalogue of the Tachinidae (Insecta, Diptera) of the Afrotropical Region, with the description of seven new genera, ZooKeys 575, pp. 1-344 : 266-268

Taxon classification Animalia Diptera Tachinidae

Myxophryxe regalis Cerretti & O'Hara sp. n. Figs 13 a–b, 14a, e

Type material.

Holotype ♂: "Malaise traps/ Leucosedea [error for Leucosidea ] -/ dominated scrub"; "RSA [Republic of South Africa]: KZN [KwaZulu-Natal], Royal Natal N[ational]. P[ark]./ Thendele, 1600 m/ 28°42.378′S 28°56.083′E / 15-17.ii.2010/ A.H. Kirk-Spriggs"; "Entomology Dept./ National Museum/ P.O. Box 265/ Bloemfontein 9300/ South Africa"; " BMSA (D)/ 20315" (NMB). Paratype ♂: same data as holotype but " BMSA (D)/ 20312" (MZUR).

Etymology.

The species epithet derives from the latin adjective regalis, meaning royal.

Description.

Body length: 8.5-9.6 mm.

Male differs from that of Myxophryxe longirostris as follows:

Colouration (Figs 13 a–b, 14e): Head ground colour black except genal groove, face and facial ridge which are red; frontal vitta blackish-brown. Scape, pedicel and arista blackish. Palpus basally brown, shading into yellow on distal 1/2. Thorax and legs black. Basicosta blackish-brown.

Head (Fig. 13 a–b): Frons about 1.3 times as wide as compound eye in dorsal view. Outer vertical seta weakly developed and not or only barely distinguishable from postocular setae. Two or 3 upper reclinate orbital setae. Fronto-orbital plate with a row of 9-10 frontal setae descending to about level of base of arista. Parafacial slightly convex, at its narrowest point 1.8-2.2 times as wide as width of postpedicel. Facial ridge convex, with 2 rows of robust, erect setae on lower 5/6 (lateral row consisting of shorter setae); longest setae of facial ridge distinctly shorter than width of postpedicel. Postpedicel 3.9-4.3 times as long as pedicel. Gena in profile 0.4-0.5 times as high as compound eye. Palpus narrow, sub-cylindrical or slightly clubbed, 0.7 times as long as postpedicel. Prementum normally developed, 0.3-0.4 times as long as height of head; labella normally developed, not pointed.

Thorax: Four postpronotal setae, 3 strong, basal setae arranged in a straight line; 1 anterior seta arising almost in front of inner basal seta. Katepimeron bare. Apical scutellar setae convergent or crossed only at tips.

Legs: Fore claws broken off on both specimens (pulvilli about as long as fifth tarsomere).

Wing: Costal spine about as long as crossvein r-m. Second costal section ventrally bare. Cell r4+5 open at wing margin.

Abdomen (Fig. 14e): Tergite 5 about 0.85-0.90 times as long as tergite 4.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution.

South Africa.