Lampromyia bellasiciliae, Kehlmaier, Christian, 2014

Kehlmaier, Christian, 2014, A new Lampromyia Macquart from Europe (Diptera: Vermileonidae), Zootaxa 3887 (3), pp. 481-493 : 482-486

Lampromyia bellasiciliae sp. n.

( Figs 1–3, 5–9, 11 , 14, 17 , 20, 22–24 )

Differential diagnosis. Superficially, L. bellasiciliae sp. n. closely resembles L. pallida . Males of both species can be separated from L. iberica by the partly or entirely yellow hind coxa and metakatepisternum (black in L. iberica , Fig. 4 ) and by the dark lateral markings on tergites 2 and 3 (black transverse stripes in L. iberica ). Compared to L. pallida , L. bellasiciliae sp. n. has an evenly convex dorsal margin of the epandrium (sharply uneven in L. pallida , Figs 9–10 ), a narrowly bilobed apex of the epandrium (broadly bilobed in L. pallida , Figs 11–12 ), shorter and slimmer gonostyli and apical guides ( Figs 14–15 ) and a rectangular dorsomedial projection on the upper margin of the synsternite (rectangular projection including an apical fingerlike process in L. pallida , Figs 17–18 ). Further useful features are blackish palpi (yellowish in L. pallida ), and hind coxae lacking any conspicuous dark markings. Females of L. iberica differ from L. bellasiciliae sp. n. and L. pallida by their black hind coxae ( Fig. 4 ) and metakatepisternum and by their tiny (or absent) posterolateral glossy spots on the scutum. Unlike L. pallida , L. bellasiciliae sp. n. has blackish palpi (yellowish in L. pallida ), a predominantly black sternite 3 (anterior half yellow in L. pallida ), entirely pruinose postpronotal lobes and scutellum (upper half of postpronotal lobes and entire scutellum glossy in L. pallida , Figs 20–21 ), reduced glossy spots on scutum ( Figs 20–21 ), and lacks distinct paired median swellings on sternite 8 (present in L. pallida , Figs 23–25 ). No morphological differences are present in the genital furca of the two species ( Fig. 22 ).

Description. MALE. Head. Face projecting prominently ( Fig. 8 ), leading edge almost straight in lateral view, silver pruinose except narrowly along posteroventral margin; ground colour yellow but a dark median horizontal stripe may be present that reaches ventrally to the posterolateroventral corners; gena dark brown, small triangular, weakly silver pruinose; proboscis black, 5.6–6.8 mm, posteriorly reaching middle/end of S5 ( Fig. 2 ); palpus entirely black or somewhat yellowish beneath; frons and occiput with dark brown ground colour, thickly silvergolden pruinose, occiput with yellow-golden setulae about as long as pedicel; ocellar tubercle shining black to dark brown; antennae ( Fig. 6 ) silvery pruinose, yellow except dark brown from flagellomere 2 onwards; scape about as long as pedicel and flagellomere 1; pedicel 1/3 to 1/4 length of scape; flagellomere 1 almost straight dorsally, ventrally tapering in distal half; flagellomere 2 and 3 distinguishable, third flagellomere twice length of second but only half its width; terminal stylus with individual segments not distinguishable. Thorax. Pronotum and postpronotal lobes yellow, thinly silvery pruinose; prescutum and scutum thickly silvery pruinose, except for five small glossy spots in posterior half ( Fig. 8 ; two laterally in supra-alar area, two posterolaterally, one median just before scutellum); ground colour (mostly concealed by pruinosity) yellow with three broad longitudinal brown stripes ( Fig. 7 ), lateral ones not reaching anterior, lateral or posterior margin, median one reaching anterior margin; separated posteromedian glossy dark spot lies in continuation of median stripe and extends onto scutellum; the latter otherwise yellow, silver pruinose but shiny along posterior margin; mediotergite on upper half yellow and silvery pruinose, on lower half brown but laterally yellow and largely not pruinose especially laterally; pleura ( Fig. 8 ) mostly yellow, dark brown on greater part of anepisternum, anterodorsal region and lower half of katepisternum, lower half of meron, along anterior margin of anepimeron (especially in upper half), and with some small brown patches at other regions; pleura mostly thinly silver pruinose, glossy area mostly confined to posterior half of anepisternum and anterior half of anepimeron. Legs. Virtually entirely yellow and thinly silver pruinose; hind femur dorsally with small dark brown marking just before apex ( Figs 1–2 ), occasionally also brownish-yellow dorsally in basal 3/4; hind tibia with dark brown ring at apex; apical three tarsomeres darkened; fore tibia with one, mid and hind tibiae with two apical spurs; pulvilli minute; claws black. Wing. As in Fig. 5 ; length 7.4–8.1 mm, conspicuously shorter than body; wing membrane hyaline; veins mostly brown, darker where adjacent membrane is faintly patterned; weak pattern of dark brown areas along apices of veins R2+3, R4 and R5 (can also be along other apical veins), and at apices of cells br and bm; vein CuP present; apical flexure of R2+3 abrupt, forming almost a right angle to costal vein; halter yellowish with darkened knob. Abdomen. As in Figs 1–2 ; weakly petiolate between tergites 2–4; tergite 1 may be entirely yellow but usually with small black lateral marks that may narrowly extend onto dorsum; tergites 2–4 (sometimes also tergite 5) yellow, with black triangular lateral marks that may meet on dorsum; tergites 6–7 (sometimes also tergite 5) yellow, or dark yellowish, narrowly or broadly black along entire lateral margins; tergite 8 normally visible as narrow stripe ( Fig. 9 ); tergites 1–7 silver pruinose along anterior and posterior margins (occasionally entirely glossy); sternites 1–2 and 6–8 almost entirely black; sternites 3–4 yellow with large median black transverse stripe (occasionally almost entirely black); sternite 5 yellow with minute black central spot (occasionally almost entirely black); sternite 1 silver pruinose; sternite 2–8 glossy. Genitalia. In lateral view epandrium twice length of synsternite (hypandrium fused with gonocoxites), yellow but laterally darkened, weakly silver pruinose, dorsal margin gently and evenly convex ( Fig. 9 ); synsternite yellow and not pruinose; in dorsal view epandrium almost parallel-sided and with narrowly bilobed apex ( Fig. 11 ); in ventral view gonostylus (gs) narrow and straight; apical guide (ag) short and rather pointed ( Fig. 14 ); in lateral view gonostylus rather straight and broad, with apex evenly convex ( Fig. 17 ), dorsomedial projection on upper margin of synsternite (cd) rather triangular ( Fig. 17 ). FEMALE. As illustrated in Fig. 3 ; as described for male, but differing in the following respects: length of proboscis 5.8–6.7 mm; mid and hind coxae may be yellowish-brown; dark coloration on pleura and abdominal tergites may be extended (especially tergites 5–6); occasionally dorsum of abdomen appears almost entirely dark brown to black; sternites 1–3 and 6–8 black; sternites 4–5 black, yellow in anterior 1/ 4 to 1/2; wing length: 7.7–9.5 mm; terminalia depicted in Figs 22–24 ; sternite 8 without median swellings towards anterior margin ( Figs 23–24 ); sternite 10 divided into two triangular plates ( Fig. 22 ); cercus two-segmented ( Fig. 23 ); genital furca filigree and rather rectangular ( Fig. 22 ).

Type material. Italy, Sicily, Palermo, 38.148439°N 13.364765°E (WGS84), larvae collected 19.xi.2012, leg. F. Sacco. Adults emerged: 13.vi.2013 (♂, HOLOTYPE, coll. SMTD); 11.vi.2013 (♀, coll. SMTD); 20.vi.2013 (♂, coll. PCCK); 23.vi.2013 (♂, coll. SMTD); 7.vii.2013 (♂, coll. SMTD); 7.vii.2013 (♂, coll. ZMUC); 7.vii.2013 (♂, coll. ZMUC); 7.vii.2013 (♀, coll. PCCK); 12.vii.2014 (♀, coll. SMTD); 15.vii.2014 (♀, coll. ZMUC); 8.viii.2013 (♀, coll. ZMUC); 20.ix.2013 (♀, coll. PCCK); 29.ix.2013 (♂, coll. PCCK); 16.x.2013 (♂, coll. PCCK); 20.x.2013 (♀, coll. PCCK).

Type locality. The type locality is known as “Cave della Castellana” or “Cave di via Castellana Bandiera” ( Todaro 2004) and is situated within the city limits of Palermo, between “Via Castellana Bandiera” and “Via Cardinale Rampolla Mariano” ( Figs 26–28 ). The site was used as a calcarenite mine until the early 20th century. Today, various adits reach 3–4 m into the rock. Within the cave, Lampromyia larvae colonise the fine sand resulting from the degradation of the calcarenite.

Etymology. The specific epithet bellasiciliae means ‘from beautiful Sicily’, and is treated as a noun in apposition.

Remarks. In the checklist of the species of the Italian fauna ( Contini et al. 1995; Stoch 2003) as well as in the FaunaEuropaea database ( Pape & Beuk 2004), L. pallida is listed as a doubtful record for Sicily. Although the primary source of this reference could not be traced, it is likely that the citation is of historic origin and refers to L. bellasiciliae sp. n.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. 1: Lateral view of male L. bellasiciliae. 2: Dorsolateral view of male L. bellasiciliae. 3: Lateral view of female L. bellasiciliae. 4: Lateral view of male L. iberica. 5: Anterior view of left wing of male L. bellasiciliae. 6: Lateral view of left antenna of male L. bellasiciliae. 7: Dorsal view of thorax of male L. bellasiciliae lacking pruinosity. 8: Dorsolateral view of head and thorax of male L. bellasiciliae. Scale bar: 0.2 mm (Fig. 6); 0.5 mm (Figs 7 – 8); 1 mm (Fig. 5); 2 mm (Figs 1 – 4).

FIGURES 9 – 13. 9: Lateral view of abdominal apex of male L. bellasiciliae. 10: Lateral view of abdominal apex of male L. pallida. 11: Dorsal view of tergite 9 (epandrium) of L. bellasiciliae. 12: Dorsal view of tergite 9 (epandrium) of L. pallida. 13: Dorsal view of tergite 9 (epandrium) of L. iberica. Scale bar in all figures: 0.5 mm. Abbreviations: sn (synsternite), S # (sternite #), T # (tergite #).

FIGURES 14 – 19. 14: Ventral view of genitalia of male L. bellasiciliae. 15: Ventral view of genitalia of male L. pallida. 16: Ventral view of genitalia of male L. iberica. 17: Lateral view of genitalia of male L. bellasiciliae. 18: Lateral view of genitalia of male L. pallida. 19: Lateral view of genitalia of male L. iberica. Scale bar in all figures: 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: ae (aedeagus), ag (apical guide), cd (dorsomedial projection on upper margin of synsternite), db (dorsal bridge), gs (gonostylus), p (lateral projections of aedeagus), pr (male proctiger), sn (synsternite), va (ventral aperture).

FIGURES 20 – 25. 20: Dorsal view of scutum and scutellum of female L. bellasiciliae. 21: Dorsal view of scutum and scutellum of female L. pallida. 22: Ventral view of female genitalia of L. bellasiciliae. 23: Lateral view of abdominal apex of female L. bellasiciliae. 24: Lateral view of sternite 8 of female L. bellasiciliae; white portion visible, grey portion hidden, cf. Fig. 23. 25: Lateral view of sternite 8 of female L. pallida; white portion visible, grey portion hidden, cf. Fig. 23. Scale bar: 0.1 mm (Figs 24 – 25); 0.2 mm (Fig. 22); 0.5 mm (Figs 20 – 21 & 23). Abbreviations: c (cercus), gf (genital furca), pvl (posteroventral lobe of cercus), S # (sternite #), T # (tergite #).

FIGURES 26 – 28. Type locality (historic calcarenite mine Cave della Castellana) of L. bellasiciliae. 26: Location of Palermo on Sicily. 27: Location of type locality between Via Castellana Bandiera and Via Cardinale Rampolla Mariano. 28: Specific habitat with larval funnel traps indicated.