Phasia distincta Sun, 2003

Sun, Xuekui & Marshall, Stephen A., 2003, Systematics of Phasia Latreille (Diptera: Tachinidae), Zootaxa 276 (1), pp. 1-320 : 30-31

3.2.4 Phasia distincta Sun , sp. nov

(Figures I­15.5­9, II­1.1)

TYPE MATERIAL

Holotype ♂, [ SOUTH AFRICA], Transvaal, Dr. Brauns (NMSA).

DESCRIPTION

Body length: 5 mm.

MALE: HEAD. Head compressed anteriorly. Eyes separated by a distance 0.5 times as wide as ocellar triangle. Fronto­orbital plate black with grey pruinosity. Frontal vitta black, divergent. Frontal vitta at base of antennae as wide as fronto­orbital plate anteriorly. Ocellar setae present but fine; outer vertical setae present; inner vertical setae absent. Face black with grey pruinosity. Parafacial black with grey pruinosity, bare; 2.8 times as wide as first flagellomere. Lower margin of face strongly projecting, black with grey pruinosity. Vibrissa well differentiated; intervibrissal distance 0.9 times distance between vibrissa and eye on same side; facial ridge with bristles on lower 1/6. Gena black with grey pruinosity; hairs white; height 0.1 times eye height. Lunule black and shining. Antenna black; first flagellomere 1.2 times as long as pedicel; arista thickened on basal 0.3. Length of oral opening 3.4 times its width. Occiput flattened, white pruinose; hairs black. Palpus black.

THORAX. Mesoscutum black, with fine black hairs; presutural area and anterior half of postsutural area grey pruinose; posterior half of postsutural area black, shining. 0+(1) acrostichal setae; 0+1 dorsocentral seta; postpronotal setae scale­like; presutural supra­alar seta present, but fine; 1 postsutural intra­alar seta; notopleural setae scale­like; 1 supra­alar seta; 2 postalar setae. Pleuron thinly grey pruinose; hairs black, with scale­like setae. Anepimeral setae scale­like; 2 katepisternal setae; 7­9 meral setae. Scutellum black, thinly grey pruinose, with one pair of marginal setae; apical setae absent; discal setae arranged in rows. Subscutellum very prominent. WING. Lower calypter white with light brown infuscation. Wing base with scale­like setae. Tegula black. Basicosta black. Wing pictured, broad; petiole of apical cell 0.32 times as long as preceding section of R 4+5; M meeting R 4+5 almost at right angle. Halter brown. LEGS. Fore femur black; hairs black. Fore tibia black; without bristles, apically with 1 d. Fore tarus black. Fore claws black; 1.1 times as long as fifth tarsomere. Pulvilli black. Mid femur black; hairs black. Mid tibia black; with 1 v, apically with 1 av, 1 pv and 1 d. Hind femur black; hairs black; scale­like setae present. Hind tibia black; dorsal setae scale­like.

ABDOMEN. Abdominal tergites black; longitudinal vitta absent. Relative length of abdominal tergites I+II:III:IV:V = 1.3:1:1:1; relative width I+II:III:IV:V = 0.5:1:1:0.8. Syntergite I+II thinly pruinose on basal 1/2. Tergite IV not pruinose; hair spots indistinct. Tergite V grey pruinose. TERMINALIA. Syncercus with broadly V­shaped notch posteriorly; apex bent ventrally. Surstylus broad, slightly arched, longer than cercus. Ejaculatory apodeme slender, pointed. Hypandrium broad, longer than phallapodeme. Pregonite reduced, haired ventrally. Postgonite well developed, long, pointed, haired ventrally. Phallus short, slightly longer than hypandrium, not haired. Basiphallus well sclerotized; distiphallus strongly sclerotized, with two pairs of hooks in posterior view.

FEMALE: Unknown.

HOST

Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY

Phasia distincta is named for the distinctive strongly sclerotized distiphallus.