Psacotes processa ( Cook, 1962 ) Cook, 1962

Jean- Paul Haenni & Dalton de Souza Amorim, 2016, Two new Afrotropical genera of Scatopsidae (Diptera), Mitteilungen Der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft 89, pp. 127-142 : 134-135

Psacotes processa ( Cook, 1962) comb. nov.

( Figs 11–14 )

Rhexoza processa Cook, 1962: 54 , Figs 3–6 (♂♀). Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo, Rutshuru.

Material examined. Democratic Republic of Congo: male holotype, slidemounted, labelled: «MUS. CONGO / Rutshuru / VI-1938 / J. Ghesquières, 6935 », « Rhexoza processa / ♂ Holotype /EFCook 1961» [red label], « Rhexoza / processa /HOLOTYPE» [red label]; « Psacotes processa (Cook, 1961) comb. nov. Haenni &Amorim 2015»; female allotype: as holotype but V-1937, 4500; male paratype: Parc Albert [= Virunga N.P]: Chumbi, XI-1933, Dr De Wulf. All material slide-mounted by Prof. E.F. Cook, deposited in MRAC.

Diagnosis.In males, aedeagal plate with elongate, conical, apically bifurcate process ( Fig. 11 ). In females, elongate paired acute lateral projections of tergite 8 ( Fig. 14 ).

Description.The species was adequately described in both sexes by Cook (1962: 54). Some additional characters omitted in the original description are given here.

Male. Abdominal sternites 1–3 unsclerotized, sternites 4–6 narrow, less than half width of sternite 7; ashallow median emargination surrounded by apair of short submedian rounded projections at posterior margin of sternite 7(pregenital); tergite 7 with a complex posterior emargination, one pair of lateral rounded, medially direct- ed processes surrounding amedian rounded pilose process and an inner wider bare process with nearly straight margin; an inner small triangular sclerite present within segment 7. Genital capsule as in Figs 11–12 .

Female. Abdominal sternites 1–4 unsclerotized, sternites 5–7 progressively wider; tergite 8( Fig. 13 ) transverse, much wider than long, with paired submedian spiracles, slightly emarginate medially at posterior margin, bearing apair of distinctive, elongate, acute finger-like lateral processes reaching in length the medially divided tergite 10; sternite 8with acute triangular hairy lateral lobes ( Fig. 14 ); genital furca with an apical rounded nipple.

Distribution.Presently known only from two localities of Kivu region in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Discussion.As commented above, this species was originally described in the genus Rhexoza by Cook (1962) and has remained ever since as the only known species of the genus from the Afrotropical region ( Cook 1980). The discovery of additional Afrotropical Swammerdamellini species belonging to the same clade and deserving generic rank urged us to re-examine R. processa .The structure of the male genitalia, especially the development of the aedeagal plate, clearly indicates that R. processa is congeneric with the two new species described here in Psacotes gen.n. Both sexes of P. processa are known and it is designated as type-species of the genus.

Figures

Figs 11 – 14: Psacotes processa (Cook): — 11. ♂ genital capsule, ventral view; — 12: ♂ genital capsule, dorsal view; — 13: ♀ terminalia, dorsal view; — 14: ♀ terminalia, ventral view. Abbreviations: ae – aedeagus; ae pl – aedeagal plate; ep – epandrium; pa – paramere; st – sternite; t – tergite.

Figs 3 – 4. Octaseps alata sp. nov. — 3. Head and thorax, side view; — 4. Thorax and base of abdomen, subdorsal view showing the thickened rim between thorax and abdomen (marked) (photographs Jessica Litman).

Figs 5 – 10. Octaseps alata sp. nov. ♂: — 5. Spiracular sclerite; — 6. Halter; — 7. Tergite 7; — 8. Sternite 7; — 9. Genital capsule, ventral view; — 10. Genital capsule, dorsal view.