Megaselia birdensis, Disney, R. Henry L., 2006

Disney, R. Henry L., 2006, Nine new species of Megaselia Rondani (Diptera: Phoridae) from the Seychelles, Zootaxa 1210, pp. 1-25 : 3-4

Megaselia birdensis sp. nov.

( Figs 1–2 )

In the keys of Beyer (1965) this species runs to couplets 26 and 27 on page 50, on the basis of the form of the hypopygium which clearly differs from the species of these couplets by several features, including the epandrium having a single differentiated bristle each side and lacking finger­like processes from the rear margin or posterolaterally. Subsequently described species running to the same couplets also have clearly different hypopygia.

Etymology

Named after the type locality.

Male only

Frons brown, broader than long, with 80–90 hairs and dense but fine microsetae. SAs robust but unequal, the lower pair being shorter and less robust. Upper SAs slightly lower on frons than antials which are clearly closer to anterolaterals, which are higher on frons. Pre­ocellars a little further apart than upper SAs but almost as far apart as either is from a mediolateral bristle, which is level with or very slightly higher on frons. Cheek with 3–4 bristles and jowl with two slightly stronger ones. Postpedicels subglobose, dark brown, without SPS vesicles. Palps with a short basal segment and second segment which is straw yellow, but a little dusky towards base, and with five bristles (about as strong as those on jowls) and as many hairs. Labrum a little darker than, but wider than palps and at most only half as wide as postpedicel. Labella a little darker and without short spinules below. Thorax brown. Mesopleuron with ten hairs. Three notopleural bristles and no cleft in front of these. Scutellum with an anterior pair of fine hairs (smaller than hairs of scutum) and a posterior pair of bristles. Abdominal tergites brown with the hairs, those at rear of T6 being only a little longer than rest ( Fig. 1 ). Venter brown, and with hairs below segments 4–6. Hypopygium brown, with a pale brown anal tube, and as Fig. 1 . Lobes of hypandrium vestigial. Legs mainly brown with straw yellow tarsi, but parts of front coxae, femur and tibia also straw yellow. Fore tarsus with posterodorsal hair palisade on segments 1–4 and as Fig. 2 . Dorsal hair palisade of mid tibia extends about half of length. Hairs below basal half of hind femur a little longer than those of anteroventral row of outer half. Hind tibia with 13–14 differentiated posterodorsal hairs. Spinules of apical combs simple. Wings 0.9–1.0 mm long. Costal index 0.40–0.41. Costal ratios 3.0–3.2: 1.1–1.2: 1. Costal cilia (of section 3) 0.05 mm long. No hair at base of vein 3. With two axillary bristles, the outer being clearly longer than costal cilia. Sc not reaching R1. Thick veins pale grey, veins 4–6 very faint and 7 not evident. Membrane almost colourless. Haltere brown.

Figures

FIGURES 1, 2. Megaselia birdensis, male: (1) left face of hypopygium; (2) posterior face of front tarsus. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.