Syndyas subsabinios Chvála, 1975

Zouhair, Laila & Kettani, Kawtar, 2022, Moroccan Hybotinae (Diptera: Hybotidae): first record of the subfamily and rare genera with an emphasis on their distribution, Zootaxa 5196 (2), pp. 211-222 : 216-217

Syndyas subsabinios Chvála, 1975

( Fig. 4 )

Material examined. Morocco. 1♂, Rif , Oued Khemis, Khemis Anjra (site 3), 61 m, 16.ix.2012, Sweep net, leg. K. Kettani ( PCLZ) .

Distribution. Known only from Spain. First record from Morocco and Africa.

Comments. Syndyas subsabinios was described from Spain, and no records have since been reported elsewhere ( Chvála 1975). It is worth pointing out that our finding represents the second citation of this species and constitutes the first record of the genus in North Africa and the species in the whole of Africa.

In order to compare the North African (Moroccan) S. subsabinios with the European (Spanish) population described by Chvála (1975), we have considered it worthwhile to make a re-description of the species by examination of the Moroccan specimen.

Diagnosis. Black species with black legs except the fore tibia, extreme tip of fore femur and fore tarsomeres 1– 4 are yellow, with the apical portion of tarsomere 5 blackish. Wings with a very large and almost spherical blackish brown pterostigma, with blackish brown veins with vein R 2+3 abruptly curved around the pterostigma; costal cell and most of the basal cells are bare, lacking microtrichia.

Re-description. Male. Length: 4.5 mm

Head black in ground color. Holoptic, eyes meeting on frons, facets more enlarged above. Antenna black, inserted above middle of head in profile; scape very small; pedicel almost as small as scape; postpedicel ovate, slightly elongate; arista-like stylus about twice longer than basal segments with terminal sensillum. Ocellar tubercle prominent, with pair of long black bristles. Mouthparts directed forward, proboscis short blackish brown; palpus slender and shorter than proboscis, with 1 bristle apically.

Thorax black in ground color, strongly arched above, with large thoracic setae brownish; four rows of acrostichalsetae, dorsocentral setae numerous, rows widely separated ending in long prescutellars; pair of long blackish apical scutellars and some shorter marginal hairs on sides.

Wings brownish clouded, covered with microtrichia except costal cell and most of basal cells devoid of microtrichia; pterostigma blackish brown and clearly visible, very large and almost spherical; costa running to tip of M 1; anal cell much longer than basal cells; radial sector very short; R 2+3 abruptly curved around pterostigma; vein separating basal cells br and bm faint; veins R 4+5 and M 1 diverge slightly before ending in costa; CuA closing anal cell very slightly recurrent. Halter black.

Legs black, with fore and mid tibiae, extreme tips of fore and mid femora and first four tarsal segments of all legs yellow, apical part of last tarsal segment blackish. Anterior two leg pairs slender, hind leg elongated with femora thickened, dilated towards tip; hind tibia conspicuously dilated towards tip; hind metatarsus distinctly dilated, thicker than fore and mid metatarsi. Hind femur with row of strong, long black ventral spine-like bristles (double row on basal third). Fore and mid tibiae with long hairs posteroventrally; mid tibia with shorter pubescence and long bristles above; hind tibia with about 7–8 long bristles.

Abdomen blackish, long, covered with scattered pale hairs more dense on two basal tergites and marginal parts of sternites. Genitalia lost during sampling.

Remarks. According to the original description by Chvála (1975), the Moroccan specimen is entirely compatible with the Spanish specimen, with no morphological differences despite the loss of the male genitalia for comparison.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Habitus male of Syndyas subsabinios. Scale: 500 µm