Phasia mathisi Sun, 2003

Sun, Xuekui & Marshall, Stephen A., 2003, Systematics of Phasia Latreille (Diptera: Tachinidae), Zootaxa 276 (1), pp. 1-320 : 196-197

3.7.3 Phasia mathisi Sun , sp. nov.

(Figures I­34.1­4, II­3.4)

TYPE MATERIAL

Holotype ♀, [ SEYCHELLES], Aldabra, Picard: Settlement, 15­21.iii.1986, W.N. Mathis (USNM); paratypes, 4♀, same as holotype (USNM); 1♀, KENYA, Kericho, Kimariestate, 15.iii.1966 (with pupa, BMNH).

DESCRIPTION

Body length: 6 mm.

FEMALE: HEAD. Head spherical or nearly so. Eyes separated by a distance 1.5 times as wide as ocellar triangle. Fronto­orbital plate black; shining, 1­2 rows of hairs laterally. Frontal vitta brown, almost parallel. Frontal vitta at base of antennae 2 times as wide as fronto­orbital plate anteriorly. Ocellar setae strong; outer vertical setae absent; inner vertical setae absent. Face black with grey pruinosity. Parafacial black with grey pruinosity, bare, 0.9 times as wide as first flagellomere. Lower margin of face almost perpendicular, not projecting; black with grey pruinosity. Vibrissa well differentiated; intervibrissal distance 1.5 times distance between vibrissa and eye on same side; facial ridge with bristles on lower 1/4. Gena black with grey pruinosity; hairs black; height 0.12 times eye height. Lunule normal; sublunular bulla indistinct. Antenna pedicel yellow or brown; first flagellomere black, 1.2 times as long as pedicel; arista thickened on basal 1/3. Length of oral opening 1.3 times its width. Occiput slightly convex, white pruinose; hairs white and black. Palpus yellow.

THORAX. Mesoscutum grey pruinose, without black longititude vitta, with fine black hairs. 0+1 acrostichal seta; 0+1 dorsocentral seta; 1­2 postpronotal setae; presutural supra­alar seta absent; 0 postsutural intra­alar seta; 2 notopleural setae; 2 postalar setae. Pleuron thinly grey pruinose; hairs black. Anepimeral setae hair­like, black; 2 katepisternal setae; 6­8 meral setae. Scutellum black, shining, without pruinosity, with two pairs of marginal setae; apical setae present and distinct; discal setae randomly arranged, not in rows. Subscutellum not very prominent. WING. Lower calypter hyaline white. Wing base without scale­like setae. Tegula black. Basicosta black. Wing hyaline, narrow; petiole of apical cell 0.3 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 pv and 1 d. Fore tarus black. Fore claws black; as long as fifth tarsomere. Pulvilli brown. Mid femur black; hairs black. Mid tibia black, with 1 ad, 1 a, 2 p and 1 v, apically with 1 ad, 1 av, 1 pv, 1 p, 1 v and 1 d. Hind femur black; hairs black. Hind tibia black, with 3 ad and 3 pd. Anterior spine­like setae of hind tibia absent.

ABDOMEN. Abdominal tergites black; pruinosity absent; longitudinal vitta absent. Relative length of abdominal tergites I+II:III:IV:V = 1.2:1:1:0.4; relative width I+II:III:IV:V = 0.5:1:1:0.9. Hair spots indistinct. TERMINALIA. Sternite VII (sheath) longer than sternite VI, pointed apically, bent, apex directed dorsally, smooth ventrally. Ovipositor bent upward.

MALE: Unknown.

HOST

Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY

This specific patronym is in honour of the collector, Dr. W.N. Mathis.