Helina reversio (Harris)

Michelsen, Verner, 2023, Macaronesian Muscidae (Diptera). IV. The genus Helina Robineau-Desvoidy, and description of the male of Spilogona maderensis Michelsen, Zootaxa 5293 (2), pp. 251-276 : 264-267

9. Helina reversio (Harris)

( Figs 9A–C )

Mydaea duplicata (Meigen) ; Becker 1908a: 96 (Tenerife, La Palma).

“ Mydaea quadrum (Fabricius) ”; Becker 1908a: 98 (Gran Canaria). Misidentification.

Spilogaster duplicata (Meigen) ; Becker 1908b: 194 (Madeira).

Spilogaster communis (Robineau-Desvoidy) ; Becker 1908b: 194 (Madeira).

Helina duplicata (Meigen) ; Frey 1936: 133 (Gran Canaria, La Gomera); Frey 1949: 44 (Madeira); ( Hennig 1957: 177 ff. (Canary Is.); Kirchberg 1967: 334 (La Palma, Hierro); Báez 1983: 175 ff., pl. 1 fig. 1, pl. 2 figs 6, 12 (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma, Hierro).

“ Helina quadrum (Fabricius) ”; Hennig 1958: 215ff. (Canary Is.). Misidentification.

Mydaea (Spilogaster) duplicata (Meigen) ; Santos Abréu 1976: 114 ff. (Tenerife, La Palma).

“ Mydaea (Spilogaster) quadrum (Fabricius) ”; Santos Abréu 1976: 116 ff. (Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma). Misidentification.

Helina reversio (Harris) ; Pont 1986: 148 (Canary Is., Madeira).

Material examined. CANARY ISLANDS: [ MZH, NHMD, ZMHU]. GRAN CANARIA: 2♀ v.1901 ( T. Becker); Atalaya, 3♁, 1♀ 25.vi.1931 ( R. Frey, R. Storå); Los Lagunetas, 4♁, 5♀ 26.vi.1931 ( R. Frey, R. Storå), 1♀ 1.iv.1949 (H. Lindberg); Cruz de Tejeda, 3♁, 3♀ 1.iv.1959 (H. Lindberg); Maspalomas, 1♀ 1.iv.1959 (S. Panelius); Pinos de Galdar, 1♁, 4♀ 22.vii.1984 (Olsen, Skule & Stadel); Tasarte, 27°54´N 15°46´W, 270m, 1♀ 28‒30.xi.2014 ( V. Michelsen); El Risco, 28°02´N 15°43´W, 150‒200m, 1♀ 7‒12.i.2014 ( V. Michelsen); El Valle, 27°54´N 15°32´W, 730‒935m, 2♁ 19‒24.i.2017 ( V. Michelsen); Sagrado Corazón, 28°02´N 15°33´W, 700‒825m, 1♀ 12‒17.i.2017 ( V. Michelsen). TENERIFE: La Esperanza, 5♀ 16.viii.1931 ( R. Frey); Laguna, 2♁, 1♀ 1931 ( R. Frey, R. Storå); Tacoronte, 7♁, 1♀ 1931 ( R. Storå), 1♀ 3.iii.1950 (H. Lindberg); Agua Mansa, 1♀ 1931 ( R. Frey); Los Mercedes, 6♁, 7♀ 1931 ( R. Frey, R.Storå); Las Cañadas, 6♁, 2♀ 1.vi.1957 (H. Lindberg); Puerto de la Cruz, 2♀ 7‒8.v.1947, 2♀ 2‒4.ii.1949 (H. Lindberg); Valle de Masca, 1♀ 12‒13.v.1947 (H. Lindberg); Santa Ursula, 1♀ 3.ii.1949 (H. Lindberg); Valle de Santiago, 1000m, 1♀ 20‒21.ii.1950 (H. Lindberg); Santa Ursula, La Quinta, 1♀ 10.xii.1993 (M. Koponen); Arico, 1♁ 16.i.2006 ( V. Michelsen); La Zarza, 1♁, 1♀ 15‒20.i.2006 ( V. Michelsen); Los Carrizales, 28°19´N 16°51´W, 350‒725m, 3♁, 2♀ 9‒12.ii.2008, 2♁ 10‒16.i.2012 ( V. Michelsen); Cueva del Viento, 28°20´N 16°43´W, c. 800m, 2♁, 1♀ 14.ii.2008 ( V. Michelsen); Las Portelas, 28°19´N 16°50´W, 830‒860m, 1♁, 1♀ 16.i.2012 ( V. Michelsen); Carrizal Alto, 28°19´N 16°51´W, 640‒730m, 1♁ 30.i‒3.ii.2016 ( V. Michelsen). LA GOMERA: Las Toscas, 1♁ 26.iii.1999 (M. Koponen); La Laja, 1♀ 23.xi.2002 ( V. Michelsen); La Palmita, 2♁ 10.i.2006 ( V. Michelsen); Teheta, 1♀ 12.i.2006 ( V. Michelsen); Alojera, 1♁ 8.i.2006 ( V. Michelsen); Los Loros, 28°09´N 17°16´W, 500‒770m, 2♁ 18‒23.i.2012 ( V. Michelsen); Epina, 28°10´N 17°18´W, 600‒670m, 2♁ 13‒16.i.2019 ( V. Michelsen); Aguamul, 28°11´N 17°17´W, 600‒750m, 1♁ 14.i.2019 ( V. Michelsen). La Palma,: Guarasoca, 1♀ 26.iii.1950 (H. Lindberg). LA PALMA: El Paso, 1♀ 26.v.1947 (H. Lindberg). Breña Baja, Los Cancajos‒El Fuerte, 1♀ 21.ii.1997 (M. Koponen); Tigalate, 28°32´N 17°48´W, 680m, 2♀ 10‒21.i.2013 ( V. Michelsen); Las Tricias, 28°47´N 17°58´W, 660m, 2♁ 11‒16.i.2013 ( V. Michelsen). MADEIRA: [ MZH]. Funchal, Monte, 1♀ 30.iv‒1.v 1938 ( R. Storå); Ribeira Brava, 1♀ 2.v.1938 ( R. Frey); Ribeira Frio, 2♀ 3.v.1938 ( R. Frey, R. Storå); Santo do Serra, 3♁, 6♀ 5.v.1938 ( R. Frey, R. Storå); Rabaçal, 1♀ 6–7.v.1938 ( R. Frey); Calheta, 1♀ 7.v.1938 ( R. Frey); Queimadas, 6♀ 24‒26.vi.1957 (H. Lindberg); Serra de Agua, 1♀ 16‒19.vii.1957 (H. Lindberg); Poiso‒Ariero, 3♀ 19.vi.1957 (H. Lindberg); Porto Santo, Baleira, 2♁ 10‒16.iv.1959 (H. Lindberg), Camacha, Vale do Paraiso to Choupana, 770m, 1♀ 14.xii.1994 (M. Koponen); Magnolia Park, 1♀ 20.iv.1995 (M. Koponen); Funchal, Curral dos Romeiros, 550‒600m, 1♀ 12.xii.1995 (M. Koponen).

Description. Small to medium sized, wing length 4.8–6.4 mm. Male: Head and body dark, greyish pruinose, in posterior view with four brownish-black stripes on anterior two-thirds of scutum (interrupted at the suture); abdomen ( Fig. 9A ) with paired oval to sub-rectangular marks on tergites III and IV, tergite V with a median oblong brown mark; legs dark with mid- and hind tibiae to varying extent ochre-yellow. Eyes bare. Arista plumose, but longest branches no longer than width of postpedicel. Frons at narrowest point narrower than ocellar tubercle; fronto-orbital plates at this point narrowly separated by black frontal stripe. Dorsocentral setae 2 + 4; presutural acrostical field with uniform setulae arranged in 4–5 irregular rows; prealar seta very short; katepisternal setae 2 + 2. Only cross-vein r-m slightly shadowed. Fore tibia with 0 p seta; mid tibia with 0 ad and 2–3 p setae; hind femur without pv setae; hind tibia with 2–3 av, 3 ad setae, 1 short pd seta on upper third and in middle half with irregular comb of fine p setae. Abdomen ( Fig. 9A ) slender ovoid; sternite V and hypopygium as in Figs 9B–D . Female: Apart from usual sexual differences of the head and abdomen differing from the male by the legs being ochre yellow even on fore tibia and tips of mid- and hind femora and hind tibia without row of fine p setae.

Distribution. Canary Islands: Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, Hierro, La Palma. Madeira. A common and very widespread species in the Holarctic Region, reaching the northern part of the Oriental Region.

Taxonomic notes. The current concept of Helina reversio defines a very variable taxon that may well embrace a complex represented in Europe alone by at least three different species. The Macaronesion populations show little variation and are readily referred to the continental morphospecies that rules in the Mediterranean lowland. It has the following male characteristics: frons at narrowest point not as wide as ocellar tubercle; longest aristal branches reaching width of postpedicel; mid tibia without an ad seta; hind tibia without longish ad ground setulae; lobes of sternite V with long lateral setae; epandrium small.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Helina reversio (Harris) (A–D), H. santosabreui sp. nov. (E, F). Abdomen, male (A, E) and female (F); sternite V (B); hypopygium, caudal (C) and lateral (D). Same scale for B–D.