Biphallapodema, Papp, László, 2014

Papp, László, 2014, New genera of Afrotropical limosinine sphaerocerids (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Zootaxa 3764 (2), pp. 101-130 : 105-107

Biphallapodema gen. n.

( Figs 17–38 )

Type species: Biphallapodema polydentata sp. nov., by present designation; additional species: B. oligodentata sp. nov.

Gender: feminine.

Etymology. The name of the new genus refers to the extremely long connections of postgonites to the phallapodeme, which look like a second shorter apodeme at a first glance under the true phallapodeme.

Diagnosis. Small terricolous flies with peculiar male genitalia. Base of postgonite connected to phallapodeme by extremely long hairpin-like flexible black connections, in profile they look like a second phallapodeme. Epandrial complex strongly fused ventrally in the cercal part, most ventrally with a pair of strong caniniform processes, hypandrium strongly fused to epandrium, lateral parts (arms) asymmetrical, medial part short broad and left-side curved, basiphallus ventrally directed, hook-like in profile with an upcurved thinner epiphallus. Sclerotised parts of ducts of spermathecae short, each with a bulbous distal end; spermathecae are not dish-shaped. Body less sclerotised and not granulose. This new genus keys out to Rohacekia L.Papp (couplet 72) or to Spinilimosina (couplet 77) in Papp’s (2008) key. The habitus and male genitalia are much different from Rohacekia (cf. Papp 2008: figs 281–285). Contrary to Spinilimosina the epandrium of the new genus does not bear robust spine-like setae.

Description. Head semiglobular. Inner and outer occipitals particularly strong. Postocellar seta distinct. No inner orbital setae. 2 pairs of fronto-orbitals. 3–4 medium, equally long interfrontal pairs present. Facial plate shiny, oral margin protruding, a flat carina between antennal bases well developed. No upcurved genal seta. First flagellomere rounded with a broad dorsal apex.

Thorax. Scutellum concolorous with the brown mesonotum, without additional scutellars. 1 pair of posterior dorsocentral setae, prescutellar acrostichal distinct though only slightly longer than other acrostichal setae. Acrostichal setulae sparse but comparatively long. 2 subequal pair of katepisternal setae present.

Legs. Fore femur with comparatively weak posteroventral setae. Mid coxa with a rather long ventrally directed seta. Mid tibia without a ventral preapical seta, ventro-apical seta strong and with a distinct mid ventral seta. 1 longer seta in the posteroventral row on mid basitarsus. Ventro-apical part of hind tibia indistinct, hind tibia without long setae at all. Claws and pulvilli small.

Wing unicolorous and without microtrichia. Costa sub-basally with a pair of long setae, 0.10–0.11 mm, i.e. much shorter than in Rudolfina ; first costal section otherwise with short setae only. Costa not produced beyond apex of R4+5. Radial vein R4+5 strongly bent up, costa reaches just to apex of R4+5.

Abdomen. Abdominal tergite 2 membranous centrally. Preabdominal sternites various but not small: sternite 2 half as broad as corresponding tergite, sternite 4 2/3 as broad as tergite 4. Preabdomen (except for sternite 5) not modified at all.

Male sternite 5 ( Figs 21–22 , 28–29 ) rather large with a pair of caudal processes (or a simple broad process), which bear a pair of groups of long parallel pegs (5 to 12 each). Anterior to those pegs a larger field of discoloured sharp setulae present. Synsternite ( Fig. 30 ) with a robust sternite 6 part and a broad but not long sternite 8 part. Epandrial complex ( Figs 31–32 ) strongly fused ventrally (in the cercal part), most ventrally with a pair of strong caniniform processes ( Figs 25 , 32 ). Epandrium with only one connection to hypandrium on both sides. Hypandrium ( Fig. 31 ) strongly fused to epandrium, lateral parts (arms) asymmetrical, medial part (“rod”) short broad and left-side curved. Subepandrial sclerite rather weakly sclerotised ( Figs 31–32 ), except for a sagittal narrow sub-quadratic part. Surstylus ( Figs 25 , 35 ) comparatively small, compact, without any teeth but with dense medium-long setae. Basiphallus ( Figs 24, 26 , 34 ) ventrally directed, hook-like in profile with an upcurved thinner epiphallus. Distiphallus ( Figs 24, 26–27 , 34 ) with a pair of dorsal processes and distinct apical structures. Phallapodeme ( Figs. 23 , 33 ) extremely long rod-like, its base connected to postgonites through extremely long hairpin-like flexible black connections, which has the appearance of a second phallapodeme. Postgonite ( Figs 23– 24 , 34 ) large and broad.

Female epiproct large round, cercus normal or slightly elongated with some long setae; spermathecae ( Figs 27 , 38 ) various, but sclerotised ducts are very short with a comparatively large bulb distally.

Figures

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.

FIGURES 21 – 27. Biphallapodema oligodentata sp. n., male postabdomen and genitalia. 21 = sternite 5, ventral view, 22 = medio-caudal part of sternite 5 in higher magnification, 23 = phallus and phallapodeme, 24 = postgonite with connecting sclerite, 25 = surstylus with ventral part of epandrium, lateral view, 26 = distiphallus with contours of basiphallus, left lateral view, 27 = distiphallus, anterior view. (BPh: basiphallus, con: connecting sclerite of postgonite, PA: phallapodeme, PG: postgonite). Scale bars: Figs 21, 23 = 0.2 mm, Figs 22, 24 – 27 = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 28 – 32. Biphallapodema polydentata sp. n., male postabdomen. 28 = sternite 5, ventral view, 29 = medio-caudal part of sternite 5 in higher magnification, 30 = synsternite, ventral view, 31 = epandrium and hypandrium, subanteriorsubventral view, 32 = ventral part of epandrium, caudal view. Scale bars: Figs 28, 30 – 31 = 0.2 mm, Figs 29, 32 = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 33 – 38. Biphallapodema polydentata sp. n., male and female genitalia. 33 – 35 = paratype male. 33 = postgonite and phallapodeme with their connecting sclerite, left lateral view, 34 = phallus, left lateral view, 35 = surstylus with ventral part of epandrium, lateral view, 36 – 38: paratype female. 36 = epiproct and cerci, dorsal view, 37 = hypoproct, ventral view, 38 = spermathecae. (con: connecting sclerite, PG: postgonite). Scale bar: Figs 33 – 38 = 0.1 mm.