Dacus (Psilodacus) kaplanae, White, Ian M. & Goodger, Kim F. M., 2009

White, Ian M. & Goodger, Kim F. M., 2009, African Dacus (Diptera: Tephritidae); New Species and Data, with Particular Reference to the Tel Aviv University Collection, Zootaxa 2127, pp. 1-49 : 40-42

Dacus (Psilodacus) kaplanae sp.n.

Figures 104 – 109 .

Diagnosis. Differs from all other known African Dacus spp. in its lack of a facial spot (fig. 106), postsutural vittae (fig. 104) and anal streak (fig. 109); combined with presence of anterior supra-alar seta and male pecten, and confinement of laterotergal xanthine to the katatergite (fig. 107).

Description. Size. Small, wing length, 5.3 mm. Head (fig. 106). Pedicel+first flagellomere not longer than ptilinal suture. Face, antennal furrow without a dark spot. Frons, frontal setae 1, orbital setae 1. Thorax (figs 104, 107). Scutum predominantly fuscous, with a presutural medial black stripe, and dark fuscous to black postsutural stripes along the acrostichal and dorsocentral lines; postpronotal lobe largely yellow, brown antero-mesally; notopleural callus largely concolorous with scutum; notopleural xanthine indistinct, apparently isolated from notopleural callus; lateral and medial postsutural vitta absent. Scutellum with a dark brown to black basal margin, somewhat expanded medially, almost forming a very shallow triangle. Anepisternum with a stripe from notopleural callus to katepisternum; anteriorly almost reaching postpronotal lobe; extended onto katepisternum. Laterotergal xanthine confined to katatergite. Thoracic setae. Anterior notopleural seta present; anterior supra-alar seta present. Wing (fig. 109). Basal cells bc and c without an extensive covering of microtrichia; cell bm without microtrichia. Narrow subbasal raised section of cell br with extensive covering of microtrichia; partly bare in apical half. Crossvein R-M beyond middle of cell dm. Costal band reduced to a small apical spot and indistinct infuscation in cell r1. Anal streak absent. Cells bc and c hyaline. Without any crossbanding. Legs (fig. 108). Forefemur pale, mid- and hindfemur pale to barely discernably bicolored (yellow, pale brown in apical fifth). Abdomen (fig. 105). Predominantly red-brown medially, black laterally. Tergites I – V all fused. Male. Tergite III with pecten, and distinct hindtibia preapical pad; no dense microtrichia adjacent end A1+Cu2. Female. Unknown.

Etymology. Patronym for Dr. (Ms) F. Kaplan, who collected the holotype.

Material. Holotype male, MALAWI, North Viphya Mts., 1800m., Rt.M1, 20km n.Chikangawa, 21.ix.1998, F. Kaplan & A. Freidberg ( TAU).

Remarks. Despite being apparently allied to the Schoutedeni and Merzi groups, this species is most likely to be confused with D. stylifer Bezzi, 1919 and D. pergulariae Munro 1938 b, from which it differs in the male having a pecten.

Figures

FIGURES 104 – 109. Dacus (Psilodacus) kaplanae sp. n., holotype male. 104. Mesonotum, dorsal view. 105. Abdomen, dorsal view. 106. Head, anterior view. 107. Thorax, left lateral view. 108. Legs, left lateral view; fore, mid, hind. 109. Wing, dorsal view. Scale lines = 1 mm.