Afrolimosina, Papp, László, 2014

Papp, László, 2014, New genera of Afrotropical limosinine sphaerocerids (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Zootaxa 3764 (2), pp. 101-130 : 102-103

Afrolimosina gen. nov.

( Figs 1–16 )

Type species: Afrolimosina albitarsis sp. nov., by present designation.

Gender: feminine.

Etymology. The name of the new genus is composed from ‘Africa’ and the genus name Limosina (the classical large genus of Limosininae ).

Diagnosis. The new genus is distinct with its special set of characteristics in male and female genitalia. Its male sternite 5 is without medio-caudal lobe but with a deep concave invagination instead, hypandrium ( Fig. 12 ) asymmetrical, tripartite, lateral arms of hypandrium fused to epandrium but not completely fused to mid part, its connections to phallapodeme (phallus), surstylus and cercus very large, buckle-shaped, sternite 8 part of synsternite large, cerci not meeting sagittally; surstylus very characteristic, basiphallus extremely large, lengthened ventrally into a large epiphallus; female epiproct minute but with a strong pair of setae, spermathecae ovoid. Body length 1.5–1.9 mm, hind tibia with 4 (5) pairs of distinct dorsal setae. The new genus runs to couplet 78 in Papp’s (2008) key for the Old World limosinine genera. There it is obviously different from Paralimosina L.Papp.

Description. Head without inner orbitals. 2 pairs of fronto-orbital setae. Facial plate normal, i.e. antennae not in deep hollow. Distance between antennae very small, several pairs of interfrontal setae, all minute. First flagellomere not conical. Eyes not reduced.

Thorax. Anepisternum without setae. 2 pairs of postsutural dorsocentrals. No setulae between apical scutellar setae, disc of scutellum bare.

Legs similar to the genus Minilimosina , mid tibia neither with ventral preapical seta nor mid ventral seta, ventroapical seta distinct, 3 proximal dorsal setae, i.e. unpaired. Fore tarsi white. Mid basitarsus without long anteroventral seta. Hind tibia ( Fig. 4 ) with 4 (5) pairs of distinct dorsal setae. Hind basitarsus ( Fig. 5 ) bears a row of ventrally curved thick black thorns and a small subapical tooth.

Wing. Costal vein not produced beyond apex of R4+5. First costal section with comparatively short setulae only, and basally with 2 shorter paired setae. Vein R4+ 5 in its whole length slightly but distinctly bent up to costa.

Abdomen. Both male and female preabdomen (except for male sternite 5) are without peculiarities. Abdominal tergites not reduced.

Male sternite 5 ( Fig. 2 ) deeply reduced in length medially, sternal setae are concentrated to a caudal section anterior to the emargination; a small quadrate membranous sagittal process discernible. Right side sclerite distinct at right apical edge of sternite 5. Synsternite ( Fig. 1 ) with small sternite 6 and large broad sternite 8 part; a ringshaped sclerite present on the right side of synsternite ( Figs 1–2 ). Sternite 8 part with 4 strong submarginal setae, which is a rather unusual feature. Epandrium ( Fig. 7 ) very long asymmetrical, longer on the right side, anteroventrally with a comparatively large process bearing hypandrium and joining surstylus; cercal part ( Fig. 3 ) broadly incurved. Cerci not fused sagittally, ventral part of epandrial complex with numerous setae. Hypandrium ( Fig. 12 ) asymmetrical, tripartite and looks rather weak. Lateral arms of hypandrium fused to epandrium; its connections to phallapodeme (phallus), surstylus and cercus very large, buckle-shaped. Subepandrial sclerite ( Fig. 10 ) small, dark, H-shaped, connects cerci and joins phallapodeme through a strong (thick) membrane, basal to basiphallus and postgonite. Surstylus ( Figs 7–8 ) large, transverse, joining also to the inner lamella of cercus; surstylus in 2 parts: anterior part plough-shaped with serrate anterior lower margin and minute hairs, posterior part sub-quadrate in lateral view, with numerous longer setae. Basiphallus ( Fig. 6 ) extremely large, caudally or ventrocaudally directed. Distiphallus ( Figs 6 , 9 ) robust with 3 not completely symmetrical apical structures: a shield and 2 pairs of short dorsally directed processes; posterior part is a large single boat-shaped sclerite. Phallapodeme ( Fig. 6 ) not particularly long but robust. Postgonite ( Fig. 11 ) rather straight, apical part broadened with a blunt posterior apex.

Female preabdominal sternites small. Postabdomen sternite 8 ( Fig. 13 ) in two parts: larger anterior part subquadrate, microsetose in its caudal part only, with some shorter setae; caudal (posterior part) dorsally curved ( Fig. 14 ), bare, weakly sclerotised, even with small holes (not setal bases!) and minor incrustations. Tergite 8 ( Fig. 14– 15 ) in 2 large lateral parts as usual but also a flat more or less inverse shield-shaped dorsal part present. Epiproct small short, weakly sclerotised ( Fig. 15 ), with a pair of comparatively long setae. Cercus ( Fig. 15 ) comparatively small, its apical setae longer than cercus and also several other long cercal setae discernible. Spermathecae ( Fig. 16 ) ovoid, finely reticulate with minor dark dots (thickening), sclerotised ducts shorter than body of spermathecae. Spermathecal wall not thick, so in glycerol tends to collapse, this is why it is necessary to study spermathecae in water (after a hydroxide treatment).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Afrolimosina albitarsis sp. n., hind leg, and male postabdomen and genitalia. 1 = synsternite, ventral view, 2 = sternite 5 with right side sclerite, 3 = epandrium and cerci, caudal view, 4 = hind tibia, basitarsus and 2 nd tarsomere, lateral view, 5 = hind basitarsus in higher magnification, 6 = phallus and phallapodeme, right lateral view. (BPh: basiphallus, R: right side sclerite). Scale bars: Fig. 4 = 0.4 mm, Figs 1 – 3, 5 = 0.2 mm, Fig. 6 = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 7 – 12. Afrolimosina albitarsis sp. n., male genitalia. 7 = epandrium with base of hypandrium and surstylus, right lateral view, 8 = surstylus with ventral edge of epandrium and base of hypandrium, right lateral view in higher magnification, 9 = distiphallus, anterior view, 10 = subepandrial sclerite with process to surstylus, caudal view, 11 = postgonite, lateral view, 12 = medial part of hypandrium (“ rod ”), ventral view, connecting surfaces to arms are stressed. Scale bars: Fig. 7 = 0.2 mm, Figs 8 – 12 = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 13 – 20. Female postabdomen and genitalia. 13 – 16 = Afrolimosina albitarsis sp. n. 13 = sternite 8, ventral view, 14 = tergite 8 with contours of sternite 8, lateral view, 15 = tergite 8, epiproct and cerci, dorsal view, 16 = spermathecae in glycerol with contours of one spermatheca in water. 17 – 20 = Biphallapodema oligodentata sp. n.. 17 = sternite 8, ventral view, 18 = hypoproct, ventral view, 19 = epiproct and cerci, dorsal view, 20 = spermathecae. Scale bar: Figs 13 – 20 = 0.1 mm.