Senaspis melanthysana (Speiser, 1913) Figs 6, 32-35, 58, 74, 86, 96, 108, 109

Protylocera melanthysana Speiser, 1913: 122.

Differential diagnosis.

A dark species (Fig. 6) without distinct macula on wing but with darker medial area (Fig. 74). It can be differentiated from S. nigrita by the basal half of the scutellum largely concolourous with the scutum (Fig. 58) (scutellum largely yellow, contrasting with dark scutum in S. nigrita; Fig. 59). It resembles strongly S. umbrifera but can be differentiated by the following characters: metafemur moderately thickened and straight to slight convex ventrally (Fig. 86) (thicker and concave in S. umbrifera; Fig. 88); abdomen with long dark pile along lateral margins (Fig. 96) (mixed short pale and dark pile in S. umbrifera; Figs 98, 99); long dark pile on all sterna (Fig. 6) (pale pile on sterna II and III in S. umbrifera; Fig. 10).

Type.

Protylocera melanthysana Speiser: Holotype, female, CAMEROON, Soppo am Kamerunberge, von Rothkirch [institutional depository unknown; not examined].

Examined material.

Cameroon • 1♀; Yaoundé; Molez leg.; MNHN. Democratic Republic of the Congo • 1♂; Bamania; 11 May 1924; J. Béquaert leg.; KMMA • 1♀; Bayenge, Wamba; 8 Jul. 1956; R. Castelain leg.; KMMA • Eala; 3♂♂; Eala; 29 Jul. 1935; J. Ghesquière leg.; KBIN • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 22 Aug. 1935 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; Sep. 1935 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 6 Feb. 1936 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; Mar. 1936 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; Aug. 1936 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; Oct. 1936 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; Jan. 1935; KMMA • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; Aug. 1935 • 1♂; Poko; Aug. 1913; NHMUK • 5♂♂ 1♀; Stanleyville [= Kisangani]; Mar. 1915; Lang and Chapin leg.; AMNH • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; NHMUK • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; CNC • 6♂♂ 3♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; KMMA • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; Apr. 1915; AMNH • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; CNC • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 2 Apr. 1915; AMNH • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 5 Apr. 1915 • 1♂ 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 6 Apr. 1915 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 7 Jul. 1915. Kenya • 1♀; Ngong; Apr. 1944; V.G.L. van Someren leg.; NHMUK. Uganda • 1♀; Entebbe; 1-11 Sep. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; NHMUK • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 12-20 Jan. 1912.

Description.

Body length: 12.6-19.0 mm. Wing length: 9.5-14.3 mm.

Male (Fig. 6). Head (Figs 32, 33). Eye bare; holoptic, eye contiguity for distance equal to length or 1.5 times length of ocellar triangle, facets dorsally slightly larger, at most twice as large in diameter as ventral ones. Frons black-brown; largely subshiny with black pollinosity in dorsal fifth only, along eye margins narrowly silver-grey pollinose; dispersed short dark pile, dorsally somewhat longer. Face black-brown; subshiny with pale brownish to greyish pollinosity, in parts more densely so, medial part and ventral lateral parts largely devoid of pollinosity; pollinose parts with dispersed long pale pile; facial tubercle strongly pronounced. Gena as pollinose parts of face; with short to long pale pile. Occiput black-brown, covered with dully grey pollinosity; with dispersed pale pile except dorsally where sometimes darker yellow to black. Antennal segments black-brown, arista orange-brown.

Thorax (Fig. 58). Scutum subshiny black, with brownish to brownish grey pollinosity; with short pale pile. Scutellum apical margin rounded, distinctly marginate, ca. 2.5-3 times as wide as long; pale brownish, anterior margin narrowly darker brown; with short pale pile, longer along margin. Pleura ground colour black-brown, greyish pollinose, anepimeron less so; covered with dispersed long pale pile except on meron, dorsomedial anepimeron, ventral part of katepimeron, anterior part of katepisternum and anterior anepisternum, pilosity on posterior anepisternum more conspicuous.

Legs. Mainly black to black-brown; with short black pile, along posterior margin of pro- and mesofemora and along ventral margin of metafemur with longer dark pile, sometimes base of pro- and mesofemora narrowly with more pale brownish pile; along ventral margin of metafemur with longer dark pile, basally with anterodorsal patch of longer dark pile. Metaleg (Fig. 86), femur moderately thickened, with ventral swelling in apical fifth; tibia slightly bent at base, thickened and curved, pile along ventral margin in apical half to two-thirds longer and more dense.

Wing (Fig. 74). Usually distinct fumose yellow-brown tinge, especially in medial part cell r1, basal part r2+3 and distal part R; towards posterior margin and apex more greyish, sometimes posteriorly more hyaline. Calypters dark brown, concolourous with or darker than medial part wing; with fringe of black pile. Cell r1 closed and petiolate, petiole at most as long as half the height of base of stigma. Vein R4+5 sinuate; usually not appendiculate, rarely with short appendix.

Abdomen (Fig. 96). Uniformly subshiny brown to black-brown; with short dark pile, except tergum I, and anterolateral parts of tergum II where pale; pilosity along lateral margins of all terga conspicuous and dense, along tergum IV and postabdomen longer. Postabdomen small. All sterna with dispersed long dark pile. Male genitalia as in Figs 108, 109.

Female. As male except for the following character states: Eye dichoptic (Figs 34, 35), facets equal to subequal in size. Frons with black pollinose fascia in dorsal part for length at least equal to ocellar triangle, bordered by very narrow and less dense greyish-brown fascia. Abdomen, pilosity along lateral margins of all terga short and more dispersed.

Distribution.

Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda. Also recorded from Kenya (De Meyer et al. 1995) but this needs to be confirmed as the material was unavailable for this study.

Comments.

For similarities and differences with Senaspis umbrifera, see comments under the latter. Both species occur sympatrically, like in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kisangani) and Uganda (Entebbe) (see material examined), but S. umbrifera has a larger distribution throughout. The holotype could not be found but the original description defines the main diagnostic character states and corresponds with material studied.