Blepharipa carbonata ( Mesnil, 1970 )

Shima, Hiroshi, Abe, Tomokazu & Libra, Martin, 2021, Tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) reared from deciduous plant-feeding lepidopteran larvae at Hokkaido University Tomakomai Forest (Japan), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 5060 (2), pp. 275-295 : 284

Blepharipa carbonata ( Mesnil, 1970)

( Fig. 27 )

Diagnosis. A large goniine tachinid. Eye bare; only 1 reclinate orbital seta; frons narrow in male, about 0.2 of head width, 0.25 in female; prosternum with a pair of strong setae and many long hairs on both sides; proepisternum bare; 3 postpronotal setae arranged in a nearly straight line; 3 presutural and 4 postsutural dorsocentral setae; lateral scutellar setae double; apical scutellar setae subequal in length to scutellum, crossed horizontally; antenna and palpus dark brown to black in male, sometimes antennal pedicel and apex of palpus weakly and narrowly reddish brown in female; abdomen broad, without median discal setae on 3rd and 4th tergites, male with well-developed sexual hair-patches on venter of 4th tergite; 5th tergite at most 3/5 as long as 4th tergite.

Description of puparium. Length 9.2–10.5 mm, width 4.4–5.6 mm. Reddish brown, barrel-shaped and weakly widened on posterior 1/3; band of minute spines on anterior 1/3 of each tergite; spiracular plates black, each with three sinuate spiracular slits; terminal projection (“Terminalhöker” of Ziegler 1998) distinct between and below the spiracular plates. Very similar to the puparium of B. schineri Mesnil illustrated by Ziegler (1998: fig. 98), but spiracular plates closer together and spiracular slits more weakly sinuate.

Specimens examined*. 1 female, Japan Hokkaido, Tomakomai, Tomakomai Experimental Forest , 24.vii.2014 (emerged), ex Marumba jankowskii ( TOC 11183) ; 1 male, 1 female, same data as preceding except date, 25.vii.2014 ( TOC 10852) ; 2 males, 2 females, same data as preceding, 25.vii.2014 ( TOC 10416) ( KUM, HUM, USNM) .

Host. Lepidoptera , Sphingidae : Marumba jankowskii (Oberthür) .

Remarks. Species of Blepharipa Rondani are difficult to identify because of their very similar general appearance and only slight differences in the male and female terminalia. This species was described from Japan (Hokkaido) and was recorded from Xizang (Tibet), China by Chao & Shi (1982: 271). However, Chao et al. (1998) did not record it in “Flies of China ”. It is probable that this species occurs elsewhere in China, but Xizang must be considered a doubtful record.

This is a large tachinid that is micro-ovolarviparous. The female lays microtype eggs (fully incubated with a hard chorion, nearly 0.25–0.30 mm in length) on the foliage. This is one of the most common species in Japan, but a host had not been previously recorded. According to the present rearing records, this species is gregarious and pupates outside the dead host pupa.

Figures

FIGURES 26–34. Adults of Ctenophorinia grisea Mesnil (Hokkaido, Japan), Blepharipa carbonata Mesnil (Hokkaido, Japan), Cyzenis spp. and Eulasiona zimini (Mesnil). 26. Ctenophorinia grisea Mesnil, habitus in lateral view. 27. Blepharipa carbonata Mesnil, habitus in dorsal view. 28–29. Cyzenis equifacialis sp. nov. (paratype male, Hokkaido, Japan). 28. Habitus in lateral view. 29. Male head in lateral view. 30–31. Cyzenis tetrasetosa sp. nov. (paratype male, Hokkaido, Japan). 30. Habitus in lateral view. 31. Head in lateral view. 32–34. Eulasiona zimini (Mesnil) (Hokkaido, Japan). 32. Female habitus in lateral view. 33. Female head in lateral view. 34. Male head in lateral view.