Lonchaea zomba, Macgowan, 2018

Macgowan, Iain, 2018, Definition of the Lonchaea polyhamata species-group (Diptera, Lonchaeidae) with a description of new species, Zootaxa 4446 (3), pp. 325-342 : 333-334

Lonchaea zomba sp. nov.

Description. Male: Head: Eyes with a covering of short scattered hairs, these approximately as long as width of an ocellus. Frons matt black, orbital plate dulled by microsculpture, bare apart from orbital seta. Frontal and interfrontal setulae on upper part of frons short, approximately 0.2x length of orbital setae, longer setulae anteriorly above lunule. Lunule, ground colour dark brown, very lightly grey pollinose as are parafacials and face. Antennae black, postpedicel with a narrow band of orange at extreme medial base, length to depth ratio 2.4:1. Arista microscopically pubescent.

Thorax: Scutum sub-shining black, covered with grey pollinosity and dense short pubescence approximately 0.25x as long as orbital seta,. Thoracic sclerites covered with grey pollinosity. Anepisternum with 3 anterior setae on left and 4 on right, 4 posterior setae. Proepimeron and proepisternum each with 1 seta. Katepisternum with 2 strong setae, anterior only slightly weaker than posterior, a few shorter setulae anterior to these. Scutellum; disc heavily grey pollinose, margin between apical and lateral setae with 2 lateral setulae on left, 3 on right, 2 setulae between apical setae. Calypteres pale yellow with a golden margin and fringe. Wings light fumose, darker anteriorly, faintly yellow at extreme base. Wing length 3.9mm. Legs entirely black, a ventral brush of golden setulae on fore and hind metatarsi, this extending ventrally along apical third of anterior tibiae. Hind femur on apical half with 1 antero-ventral seta longer than femur is wide.

Abdomen: elongated apically, apical tergite 3.8x as long as preceding tergite, tapering to a pointed cone, a group of longer setulae present at apex.

Male terminalia: ( Figs. 1 , 17–20 ): In lateral view epandrium broadly rectangular, slightly wider than high, portion anterior to suture visible as a large, slightly rectangular, lobe extending for most of width of epandrium. Cerci membranous, height approximately 0.75x that of epandrium, club-shaped with numerous long setulae apically. Surstyli visible as a squared process with a long medial tooth extending posteriorly from shell of epandrium. In ventral view the pair of ventrally projecting processes at base of cerci relatively small and simple, each bearing a single apical setula. Posterior apodeme of hypandrium well developed, reaching to base of cerci. In posterior view posterior process of surstylus is has one large, medially directed tooth arising from basal plate.

Parameres long and slender, bent at almost right angles to form an apical process. Apical half covered in small denticles with one large medial tooth almost as long as apical process and several smaller teeth and processes on medial surface. Phallus, a small simple structure similar to that of L. mbeya ( Fig. 8 ).

Type material: Holotype ♂: MALAWI; South Zomba plateau, Forestry office, 2.x.1998. F. Kaplan & A. Freidberg. ( TAUI)

Paratypes: MALAWI; South Zomba plateau, Mountain road, 1400m, 5.x.1998. F. Kaplan & A. Freidberg, 1♂ . South Zomba plateau, trout farm, 2–6.x.1998. F. Kaplan & A. Freidberg, 1♂. ( TAUI)

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the Zomba plateau—capture site of the type series.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Lonchaea zomba sp. nov. Exploded view of the hypandrium and associated structures

FIGURES 17–20. Lonchaea zomba sp. nov. 17. Epandrium and associated structures lateral view. 18. same ventral view (parameres and phallus removed). 19. Paramere lateral view. 20. Parameres and phallus ventral view.

FIGURES 5–8. Lonchaea mbeya sp. nov. 5. Epandrium and associated structures ventral view (parameres and phallus removed). 6. Same posterior view. 7. Paramere lateral view. 8. Phallus lateral view.