Leptopsilopa mutabilis 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 : 351-353

Leptopsilopa mutabilis Cresson

( Figs. 3 C, 6A–7B, 10)

Leptopsilopa mutabilis Cresson, 1925: 250 .

Psilopa (Leptopsilopa) mutabilis: Cresson, 1945: 70 .

Description. Body length 2.07–2.52 mm. Head ( Figs. 7 A–7B). Frons shiny, metallic blue, behind anterior ocellus wrinkled in violet reflection, in form of triangle, broadening anteriorly; anterior frontal seta ½ length of ocellar seta, posterior one small, hair-like; antennae dark, arista with six-seven rays; face moderate wide (facial ratio 0.23), shiny, with bluish reflection dorsally, ventral part wrinkled with coppery and violet reflection; parafacialia shiny, with a strong seta ½ way up face; along parafacialia a row of small setulae (five–six), genal seta long, gena posteriorly to seta dull with small setulae; palpus black; gena-to-eye ratio 0.17–0.20

Thorax. Mesonotum and scutellum bluish shiny, anepisternum and sides of mesonotum greenish shiny, katepisternum bluish shiny; posteriorly pleurae dull black, scutellum trapezoidal with rounded posterior margin, surface slightly concave bearing a few, short setulae, All femora dark, foretibiae dark, 1/3 of basitarsomere and 3– 5 tarsomere of foreleg black ( Fig. 3 C), 2/3 of first and second tarsomere white, basal foretarsomere is elongated, 2x as long as the second; mid- and hind-tibiae and tarsi yellow, except basitarsomere, which is dark; costal vein ratio 0.95–0.1.22; M vein ratio 0.56–0.61. Stem of halter brown, knob white.

Abdomen brownish-black, shiny, with metallic green reflection; posterior margin of segments 1–3 with black reflection, segments 4–5 with coppery reflection. Male terminalia ( Figs. 6 A–6D). Epandrium in ventral view ( Fig. 6 A) U-shaped, narrow, producing very large cercal cavity; in lateral view ( Fig. 6 B) elongate, rod-like, narrow, becoming wider anteriorly; cercus in ventral view ( Fig. 6 A) semispherical, slightly wider dorsally, medial margin nearly straight; in lateral view ( Fig. 6 B) irregularly ovate, with broadly rounded dorsal margin; pregonostylus ( Figs. 6 A–6B) attached to epandrium, bears two apical setae; in ventral view ( Fig. 6 A) ovate and narrow; in lateral view ( Figs. 6 B) subtriangular with sinuous posterior margin; postgonostylus elongate, bearing small setulae at apical 1/3; in ventral view ( Figs. 6 C) J-shaped, basal oval attachment bears two strong setae; in lateral view ( Figs. 6 D) basal 2/3 subtriangular, apical 1/3 as a finger-like extension; medandrium (= subepandrial plate) ( Figs. 6 C–6D) narrow and arcuate; aedeagus in ventral view ( Figs. 6 C) cigar shaped, with truncate base and gradually tapered towards apex; in lateral view ( Figs. 6 D) elongate, elliptical, wide basally, tapered to rounded apex, dorsal margin at basal ¼ with pointed projection; gonite ( Figs. 6 C–6D) bears two moderate setae, in ventral view ( Figs. 6 C) very small, irregularly rounded; in lateral view ( Figs. 6 D) more or less shallowly triangular; phallapodeme in ventral view ( Figs. 6 C) 3x as long as wide, with lateral margins deeply sinuous; in lateral view ( Figs. 6 D) irregularly triangular, with small, subquadrate keel; hypandrium in ventral view ( Figs. 6 C) shield-like, with basal margin concave and anterior margin rounded; in lateral view ( Figs. 6 D) pouch-like, broadly triangular with basal half much wider than apical.

Type material examined. Holotype male in good condition labelled: "Manila PI", "RobtBrown Collector", " Leptopsilopa MUTABILIS E.T.Cresson, Jr." (carmine), " Type No. 28268 U. S. N. M." (red) preserved in USNM. Manila is located in Philippines (Luzon).

Other material examined: INDIA: Kerala, Munnar, 13 km W, river, 750 m, 16. IX. 2000, I. Yarom, 1 ♂; INDONESIA ( Papua): Nabire, S. Geelvink Bay, 0–30 m, 2.–9. VII. 1962, J. L. Gressitt, 1 ♀. MALAYSIA: Sabah, 69 km W Sandakan, 15. VIII. 1983, G. F. Hevel, W. E. Steiner, 1 ♀ (all USNM). PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Central Prov.: 22 km SE Port Moresby, mangroves, 30. I. 1982, J. W. Ismay, 1 ♂; 20 km SE Port Moresby, swept, bushes, 20. III. 1983, J. W. Ismay, 2 ♀ (BMNH); Laloki on Laloki R., 30. IX. 1982, J. W. Ismay, 1 ♂; Morobe: Wampit V., near Gurakor Village, 950 m, near Wau, 6. VII. 1957, D. E. Hardy, 1 ♂ (all USNM); New Ireland: Mussau Island, Boliu, 4. VI. 1962, Noona Dan Exp., 1 ♂ (ZMUC); Western Prov.: Sapoka (8º04' S. 141º59' E), 4. III. 1981, J. W. Ismay, 2 ♀; Lae, near airport, 14. X. 1973, K. A. Spencer, 1 ♀ (BMNH). PHILIPPINES: Luzon: Rodriguez (“Montalban”), III. 1914, 1 ♀; Mount Banahao, VI. 1914, 1 ♀ (ZMH); Palawan: Brooks Point, Uring Uring, 25. VIII. 1961, Noona Dan Exp., 1 ♂ (ZMUC). VANUATU: Efate Island, Port Vila, 0–100 m, I. 1976, N.L.H. Krauss, 1 ♀; Epi Isand, Vaemali, Malaise trap, 12. VIII. 1967, J. & M. Sedlacek, 1 ♂; Malekula Island, Kakotoro, 0–100 m, II. 1973, N.L.H. Krauss, 1 ♂ (all USNM).

Distribution ( Fig. 10 ): India, Indonesia ( Papua), Malaysia (Sabah), Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Vanuatu.

Remarks. Externally this species is very similar to L. africana , but is distinguished from it by the yellow mid and hind tibiae.

Figures

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 6. Structures of the male terminalia of Leptopsilopa mutabilis Cresson (PNG: Laloki on Laloki R.). 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 7. Head of Leptopsilopa mutabilis Cresson. A. Anterior view. B. Oblique view.

FIGURE 10. Distribution map for Leptopsilopa mutabilis Cresson (circles) and L. pollinosa (Kertész) (hatched area).