Leptopsilopa africana Cresson

Zatwarnicki, Tadeusz, Cielniak, Magdalena & Pochrząst, Katarzyna, 2016, A revision of the Old World species of Leptopsilopa Cresson (Insecta: Diptera: Ephydridae), Zootaxa 4093 (3), pp. 343-362 : 346-349

Leptopsilopa africana Cresson

( Figs. 1–3 B, 3D–5B)

Leptopsilopa africana Cresson, 1946: 260 .

Psilopa aurata Canzoneri and Meneghini, 1969: 174 , new synonym. Leptopsilopa aurata: Cogan, 1980: 659 .

Psilopa (Leptopsilopa) tibialis Canzoneri and Meneghini, 1969: 173 , new synonym. Leptopsilopa tibialis: Cogan, 1980: 659 .

Description. Body length 1.77–2.49 mm. Head ( Figs. 3 A, 5A–5B). Antennae yellow, dorsal margin of basiflagellomere dark, arista with five-six rays; frons metallic shining, above antennae dull, slightly wrinkled laterally; anterior frontal seta slightly shorter than posterior one; face moderate wide (facial ratio 0,29); face of the male completely microtomentose, the dorsal part more yellowish, the ventral part more silvery; latero-ventral 1/3 of female face and surrounding of antennal basement covered by silvery microtomentum, middle part metallic shiny with bluish-green reflection, transverse wrinkled, in lower 1/3 of parafacialia whitish microtomentose; one strong facial seta, one much shorter and two small setulae ventrally, genal seta strong, gena shiny, bears many small setulae; gena-to-eye ratio 0.09–0.16; palpus yellow.

Thorax. Mesonotum and scutellum metallic shiny ( Fig. 3 D), anterior ½ of katepisternum and antero-ventral part of anepisternum dark brown shiny, the rest of pleurae greenish or bluish shiny, scutellum trapezoidal with narrow posterior margin, surface flat bears 4 short setulae; wings hyaline, costal vein ratio 0.80–0.92; M vein ratio 0.64–0.68; legs black ( Fig. 3 B), tarsomeres of mid- and hind-leg yellowish, except for basitarsomere dark, fore coxae of female silvery microtomentose, in male dorsal 1/3 black, the rest silvery microtomentose; fore femur bears a row of antero-ventral setae, midfemur in distal 1/3 with 2–3 antero-ventral setae; stem and knob of halter white.

Abdomen. Tergites black, metallic shiny with coppery reflection; middle of abdominal base slightly dull, fourth segment longer than the others. Male terminalia ( Figs. 2 A–2D). Epandrium in ventral view ( Fig. 2 A) Ushaped, lateral arms becoming wider anteriorly, in lateral view ( Fig. 2 B) broadly rod-like with anterior part slightly wider than ventral part; cercus in ventral view ( Fig. 2 A) trapezoidal with rounded corners, in lateral view ( Fig. 2 B) shallowly arched; pregonostylus well developed, in ventral view ( Fig. 2 A) irregular quarter-circle with apex curved antero-medially and short subbasal projection, bearing several setulae along 1/3 of medial margin; in lateral view ( Fig. 2 B) height about twice width, irregularly oval; postgonostylus ( Figs. 2 C–2D) bearing dispersed setulae, in ventral view ( Fig. 2 C) elongate (4x as long as wide), finger-like, but arcuate in distal half; in lateral view ( Fig. 2 D) wider at base then gradually tapered to pointed apex; medandrium (= subepandrial plate) ( Figs. 2 C–2D) narrow, arch-shaped; aedeagus in ventral view ( Fig. 2 C) cross-shaped with subbasal lateral projections 3x wider than elongated distal part, apex rounded; in lateral view ( Figs. 2 D) elongate, funnel-like, wider at base than gradually tapered to rounded apex; gonite ( Figs. 2 C–2D) bears three well developed setae, in ventral view ( Fig. 2 C) irregularly L-shaped, with sinuous margins; in lateral view ( Figs. 2 D) subtrapezoidal; phallapodeme in ventral view ( Fig. 2 C) T-shaped with triangular lateral processes; in lateral view ( Figs. 2 D) campanulate with moderately extended keel; hypandrium in ventral view ( Fig. 2 C) broadly U-shaped with triangular arms and anterior margin forming an obtuse angle; in lateral view ( Figs. 2 D) wide, broadly C-shaped with rounded anterior margin.

Type material examined. The holotype female of senior synonym, specimen double mounted in good condition, labelled: "HOLO- TYPE " (round label with red margin), "Naivasha 3, 37 H. J. A. Turner", " 1257 I. C. M.", Pres. by Com. Inst. Ent. B. M. 1954-110", "apparently the holotype of Leptopsilopa africana Cress but? ♂ sex" preserved in BMNH; the holotype male of P. aurata double mounted in good condition, labelled: " HOLOTYPUS " (beige, with submarginal line), " Congo belge: P. N. A. Nyakibumba (près Kikere) 2250 m. 5-vii- 1934 G.F. de Witte: 474", "COLL. MUS. CONGO (ex. coll. I. P. N. C. B.)" (with black margin), " HOLOTYPUS Leptopsilopa aurata nov." (red, after " HOLOTYPUS " a dark spot, name handwritten) and the holotype female of P. tibialis double mounted in very good condition, labelled: " HOLOTYPUS " (beige, with submarginal line), " Congo belge: P. N. A. Mt. Sesero près Bitashimva (Bambous) 2000 m - 1 au 2 - viii - 1934 G.F. de Witte: 505", "COLL. MUS. CONGO (ex. coll. I. P. N. C. B.)" (with black margin), " HOLOTYPUS Leptopsilopa tibialis nov." (red, name handwritten) preserved in MRAC.

Other material examined: DR CONGO: Virunga National Park (“PNA”): N. lac Kivu, Ngoma, 2–11. II. 1936, H. Damas, 1 ♂ (USNM); Nyakibumba (près Kikere) 2250 m. 5. VII. 1934, G. F. de Witte, 1 ♂; Mt. Sesero près Bitashimva (Bambous), 2000 m, 1–2. VIII. 1934, G. F. de Witte, 3 ♀ (all MRAC). ETHIOPIA: Addis Ababa suburb, 4. X. 1980, A. Demeter, 1 ♂ (HNHM); Asmara, 2500 m, 18–20. I. 1962, S. M. Clark, 2 ♀; Gafarsa, 2600 m, 26. I. 1962, S. M. Clark, 1 ♀; (CNC); Adaba, 12 km E River, 30. I. 2000, A. Freidberg, I. Yarom, 1 ♀; Bale Mountains, Robe, 30 km W, 2900 m., 3. II. 2000, A. Freidberg, I. Yarom, 1 ♂, 4 ♀ (USNM); between Addis Allem and Djem-Djem, 2130–2440 m, 20. IX. 1926, J. Omer Cooper, 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Mulu, above Muger Valley, 2440 m, 18.– 23. XII. 1926, H. Scott, 2 ♂; Managescha Forest, 3000 m, 18. V. 1914, O. Kovacs, 1 ♂; Wouramboulchi, Serpent Lake, 2750 m, 5. X. 1926, J. Omer Cooper, 2 ♂, 4 ♀ (all BMNH). KENYA: Abardere, 2000–2600 m., 8. XII. 1989, A. Freidberg, F. Kaplan, 1 ♂ (USNM); Kwale, Shimba Hills Nat. Reserve, 29. IX. 1985, S. Mahunka, L. Papp, 1 ♂ (HNHM); Lake Naiwasha, 1880 m, 14. XII. 1970, A. E. Stubbs, 117 ex; 1890 m, 5. XII. 1972, C. F. Huggins, 1 ♂; 1890 m, 1.–3. I. 1972, C. F. Huggins, 1 ♂; Nairobi, 1680 m, 9.–13. XII. 1970, A. E. Stubbs, 1 ♂, 1 ♀; (all BMNH); Timboroa Forest Station (00°04.142' N, 35°32.385' E), 14. IV. 2011, A. H. & M. K. Kirk-Spriggs, 2 ♀ (BMSA); Tsavo, 11–12. I. 1972, A. Freidberg, 3 ♂, 3 ♀. MALAWI: North Nyika National Park, Chelinda Camp, 26. IX. 1998, A. Freidberg, F. Kaplan, 1 ♀; South Zomba Plateau, Changwa Dam, 3. X. 1998, A. Freidberg, F. Kaplan, 6 ♂ (all USNM). R SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: farmlands nr Happy Lands, on cow and horse dung (S 33º28'38.1", E 25º35'49.7"), 51 m., 11. I. 2007, L. Papp, M. Földvári, 1 ♀; Hogsback, stony hillside with cow pats, (S 32º36'23.5", E 26º57'55.3"), 1101 m, 9. I. 2007, L. Papp, M. Földvári, 1 ♂; Hogsback, Marie & Child Falls, along a streamlet (S 32º36'23.5", E 26º57'55.3"), 1101 m., 9. I. 2007, L. Papp, M. Földvári, 1 ♀; Kwa Zulu Natal: nr Garden Castle (S 29º44'59.4", E 29º12'42.1"), S Drakensberg, 1811 m, riverside meadow, 20. I. 2007, L. Papp, M. Földvári, 1 ♀ (all HNHM); 75 km WSW Estcourt Cathedral Peak For. Sta., 1760 m, 21–31. XII. 1979, S. & J. Peck, 2 ♂ (CNC); Giants Castle Res., Drakensberg, 1800 m, 18.–28. IX. 1961, B. & P. Stuckenberg, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (USNM); Port Shepstone, Umtentweni N. P., VII. 1958, A. L. Capener, 1 ♂ (SANC). UGANDA: Mt. Elgon, 2135 m, 4–8. XII. 1972, H. Falke, 1 ♂ (CNC). ZIMBABWE: Mutare (“Umtali”), IX. 1927, A. Cuthbertson, 1 ♀ (USNM); Mt. Chirinda, 1160 m, 12. VI. 1911, C. F. M. Swynnerton, 1 ♂, 5 ♀ (BMNH).

Distribution ( Fig. 4 ): DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, R. South Africa, Rwanda (paratypes), Uganda, Zimbabwe.

Remarks. Externally this species is very similar to L. pollinosa but is distinguished from it by the yellow basiflagellomere and palpus.

This is the first record of the occurrence of sexual dimorphism in face color in Psilopini , however, this character does not warrant placing the species in a different subgenus or genus. Its male terminalia are similar to those of other Leptopsilopa species. The face of the male is covered by white microtomentum, but in females the face is blue and without microtomentum. The sexual dimorphism was the reason that the two sexes were recognized by Canzoneri and Meneghini (1969) as different species. Both of them were collected in the same eight localities in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Five locations were different (two for “ L. aurata ”: Congo: Kivu, Kalondo; Ruanda: Mt. Tamira; three for “ L. tibialis ”: Congo: PNA, Lac Kanyamenoni; Kivu, Ngesho; Ruanda: Ilega). The type series of P. a ur a t a represents males, and type series of P. tibialis females, however, the species was already proposed by Cresson (1946) from Kenya (Naivasha) and his description is based on a female specimen.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Leptopsilopa africana Cresson (Kenya: Timboroa Forest Station).

FIGURE 2. Structures of the male terminalia of Leptopsilopa africana Cresson (DR Congo: Virunga National Park, Nyakibumba). A, Epandrium, cerci, and pregonostyli, ventral view. B, Same, lateral view. C, Internal genitalic structures (aedeagus (shaded), phallapodeme, medandrium, postgonostylus, gonite, and hypandrium), ventral view. D, Same, lateral view. Scale bar 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Heads with thorax and foretarsi. A. Head of Leptopsilopa africana Cresson (antero-oblique view). B. Foretarsus of Leptopsilopa africana Cresson (anterior view). C. Foretarsus of L. mutabilis Cresson (anterior view). D. Head with thorax of Leptopsilopa africana Cresson (dorsal view).

FIGURE 4. Distribution map for Leptopsilopa africana Cresson (circles—localities, hatched area — possible range of distribution).