Cestrotus flavoscutellatus

Li, Shi, Yang, Ding & Gaimari, Stephen D., 2009, Species of the genus Cestrotus Loew from China (Diptera: Lauxaniidae), Zootaxa 2009, pp. 41-68 : 46-54

Cestrotus flavoscutellatus de Meijere, 1910

(Figs. 1, 4, 11, 18, 33–37; Map 3)

Cestrotus flavoscutellatus de Meijere, 1910: 142. Type locality: Indonesia. Java: Bogor, Gunung Pantjar. Turriger flavoscutellatus var. nigrofemoratus Hendel, 1920: 75 . Type locality: China. Taiwan: Nantou, Chi–chi (as Formosa: Chip – Chip). Synonymy by Malloch (1929), but see remarks below.

FIGURE 1. Cestrotus flavoscutellatus de Meijere, syntype Ψ, lateral habitus.

Diagnosis. Face yellow, often with a brownish oblique spot on ventrolateral part. Antennal 1st flagellomere yellow; arista short-plumose. Palpus tinged yellow. Scutellum darkened basally, and often with paired dark spots basally. All femora yellow with a brown spot on the inner apical surface or all femora brown on basal 2/ 3; all tibiae with a subbasal and apical ring. Wing with complex pattern of brown markings and hyaline areas, including dark +-shaped mark surrounding hyaline margins of crossvein r-m, with hyaline area continuous from anterior to posterior margins surrounding this dark +-shaped mark; distal margin hyaline; hyaline margin surrounding crossvein m-cu. Abdomen brown to blackish brown, with grayish white pollinosity; tergites 2–6 (sometimes only tergites 4–6) with yellow to brownish yellow anterior margins.

Description. MALE. Body length 3.6–4.0 mm, wing length 3.4–3.9 mm. FEMALE (Fig. 1). Body length 3.3–4.2 mm, wing length 3.2–3.9 mm.

Head ( Fig. 4 ) pale yellow with few dark markings. Face yellow, often with oblique brownish spot on ventrolateral corner (sometimes also with a pair of tiny pale brown subantennal spots). Frons yellow, slightly wider than long and parallel-sided, with pair of black velvety triangular spots in upper part; ocellar triangle grayish black. oc strong and longer than anterior or; anterior or reclinate, almost as long as posterior one. Occiput yellow, with a brownish median stripe extending to ocellar triangle. Gena yellow, with a brown reniform spot; gena + subgena about 1/2 height of eye. Antenna yellow except scape darker; 1st flagellomere nearly 2.0 times longer than high; arista brown, short-plumose, with longest rays as long as 1/2 height of 1st flagellomere. Proboscis yellowish brown, with yellow and slightly darker hairs; palpus tinged yellow, with black setulae.

Thorax ( Fig. 11 ) grayish yellow pollinose over brownish ground color. Mesoscutum with wide brown U–shaped band along margin, pair of brown spots on transverse suture, pair of brown lateral spots behind suture, and a large central black trapeziform spot on posterior 1/2 with anterior margin slightly bifurcated; 0+3 dc, acr in 3 somewhat irregular rows (6 rows total); prsc weak, shorter than anterior most dc. 1 anepst, 1 kepst. Scutellum with ground color yellow distally and darker mediobasally, grayish yellow pollinose, usually with pair of small brown basal spots corresponding with trapeziform spot on mesoscutum. Legs yellow; femora yellow with brown spot on inner apical surface, or brown on basal 2/3; tibiae with a subbasal and apical ring; tarsomeres 3–5 brown. Fore femur with 3 pv and 4 pd, ctenidium with 12–15 short bristles; fore tibia with 1 preapical ad. Mid femur with 6 a; mid tibia with 1 preapical ad and 2 strong apv. Hind tibia with 1 preapical ad and 1 short apv. Wing ( Fig. 18 ) 2.5 times longer than high; hyaline, with wide brown band through apical 1/2 of cell r1 confluent with subapical band through cells r2+3 and r4+5, forming an undulated stripe and extending to posterior margin; hyaline margin of crossvein r-m surrounded by dark +-shaped mark; hyaline margin of crossvein m-cu surrounded by 2 brown marks. Costa with 2nd (between R1 and R2+3), 3rd (between R2+3 and R4+5) and 4th (between R4+5 and M1+2) sections in proportion of 1.5: 0.6: 0.4; crossvein r-m beyond middle of discal cell; ultimate and penultimate sections of M1+ 2 in proportion of 1.1: 1.6, width of white apical margin on M1+2 nearly 1/4 of penultimate section; ultimate section of CuA1 about 1/8 of penultimate. Halter pale yellow.

Abdomen brown to blackish brown, with grayish white pollinosity; tergites 2–6 (sometimes only tergites 4–6) each with yellow to brownish yellow anterior margin (individals vary from different parts of China). Male genitalia (Figs. 33–37): protandrium a complete ring, with several setae dorsally, thinnest ventrally; epandrium broad, U–shaped in posterior view; surstylus with broad digitiform outer process and a thin subuliform inner process; cercus rounded, papillate, setose; hypandrium Y–shaped, slightly indented basally; gonopod and paramere reduced; aedeagus in ventral view with pair of round basal processes and narrowed apically with deep median incision; in lateral view slightly curved at tip; phallapodeme narrow, elongate, Yshaped distally; ejaculatory apodeme small, simple.

Type material. Syntypes of Cestrotus flavoscutellatus ( ZMAN), 1 ɗ (teneral), 1 Ψ, [ Indonesia, Java,] Goenoeng [=Gunung] Pantjar, bij Buitenzorg [=near Bogor], XI. [19]07, Jacobson. Syntype of Cestrotus flavoscutellatus var. nigrofemoratus ( NHMW), 1 ɗ, Formosa [= Taiwan], Chip Chip [=Chi–Chi, in Nantou], III [1]909, Sauter [23°50’N, 120°47’E].

Other material examined. CHINA. Guangxi Province: 16 ɗ, 16 Ψ ( CAUC), 9 ɗ, 9 Ψ ( USNM), Jinxiu, Dayao Mountain, Jinxiu yinshan (1000 m), 27. VII. 2005, Yajun Zhu [24°08’N, 110°11’E]; 3 ɗ ( CAUC), Xing’an, Maoer Mountain, Jinshi (1200–1400 m), 5. VIII. 2005, Yajun Zhu [27°32’N, 111°58’E]. Hainan Province: 3 Ψ ( CAUC), Baisha, Yinggeling National Natural Reserve, Hongmao village (430 m), 20–21. V. 2007, Junhua Zhang [19°14’N, 109°27’E]; 2 ɗ, 1 Ψ ( CAUC), Baisha, Yinggeling National Natural Reserve, Hongmao village (430 m), 21–22. V. 2007, Kuiyan Zhang [19°14’N, 109°27’E]; 1 ɗ ( CAUC), Changjiang, Bawangling National Natural Reserve, Donger (1000 m), 22. X. 2007, Xingyue Liu [19°16’N, 109°03’E]; 1 ɗ ( CAUC), Ledong, Jianfengling National Natural Reserve, Tianchi (800 m), 18. V. 2006, Gang Yao [18°44’N, 109°10’E]; 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ ( CAUC), Ledong, Jianfengling National Natural Reserve, Tianchi (800 m), 19–20. V. 2006, Hui Dong [18°44’N, 109°10’E]; 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ ( CAUC), Ledong, Jianfengling National Natural Reserve, Zhiwuyuan (800 m), 7. V. 2008, Qifei Liu [18°44’N, 109°10’E]; 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ ( CAUC), Ledong, Jianfengling National Natural Reserve, Zhiwuyuan (800 m), 9. V. 2008, Qifei Liu [18°44’N, 109°10’E]; 1 Ψ ( CAUC), Ledong, Jianfengling National Natural Reserve, Zhiwuyuan (800 m), 12. V. 2007, Kuiyan Zhang [18°44’N, 109°10’E]; 2 ɗ ( CAUC), Ledong, Jianfengling National Natural Reserve, Zhiwuyuan (800 m), 24. X. 2007, FIGURES 23–27. Cestrotus acuticurvus sp. nov., ɗ terminalia. 23. protandrium and epandrial complex, lateral view; 24. protandrium, anterior view; 25. epandrial complex, posterior view; 26. aedeagal complex, ventral view; 27. aedeagal complex, lateral view. Abbreviations: A, aedeagus; EA, ejaculatory apodeme; H, hypandrium; ISP, inner surstylar process; OSP, outer surstylar process; P, phallapodeme.

FIGURES 28–32. Cestrotus apicalis (Hendel) , ɗ terminalia. 28. protandrium and epandrial complex, lateral view; 29. protandrium, anterior view; 30. epandrial complex, posterior view; 31. aedeagal complex, ventral view; 32. aedeagal FIGURES 33–37. Cestrotus flavoscutellatus de Meijiere, ɗ terminalia. 33. protandrium and epandrial complex, lateral view; 34. protandrium, anterior view; 35. epandrial complex, posterior view; 36. aedeagal complex, ventral view; 37. aedeagal complex, lateral view.

Ding Yang [18°44’N, 109°10’E]; 1 Ψ ( CAUC), Shuiman, Wuzhishan National Natural Reserve, Guanshantai (600 m), 29. X. 2007, Xingyue Liu [18°50’N, 109°42’E]. Hunan Province: 3 ɗ ( CAUC), Shimen, Hupingshan National Natural Reserve, Zhipeng River (450 m), 6. VI. 2008, Kuiyan Zhang [24°43’N, 108°49’E]; 5 ɗ, 5 Ψ ( CAUC), 2 ɗ, 2 Ψ ( USNM), Shimen, Hupingshan National Natural Reserve, Zhipeng River (450 m), 6. VI. 2008, Li Shi [24°43’N, 108°49’E]. Taiwan: 1 ɗ ( OMNH), Chiayi, Fenchihu (1500 m), 10. IV. 1965, Mitsuhiro Sasakawa [23°30’N, 120°42’E]; 1 ɗ (CSCA-FTC), 8 ɗ, 4 Ψ ( USNM), 16 ɗ, 5 Ψ ( ZSMC), Hualien, Jungyang Mountains, Butterfly Valley, S. Guangfu, near Fuiuan (ca. 350m), 13–15. V. 2001, Wolfgang Schacht et al. [ca. 23°35’N, 121°21’E]; 1 ɗ ( FSCA), Hualien, Tienhsiang (500 m), 15. IX. 2001, J. & L. Stange [24°11’N, 121°29’E]; 1 Ψ ( CMNH), Kaohsiung, Shanping (640 m), 1–10. IV. 1988, R. Davidson, J. Rawlins, C. Young [23°00’N, 120°41’E]; 2 Ψ ( CMNH), Kaohsiung, Shanping (640 m), 11–20. IV. 1988, J. Rawlins, C. Young, R. Davidson [23°00’N, 120°41’E]; 4 ɗ, 1 Ψ ( USNM), 14 ɗ, 2 Ψ ( ZSMC), Nantou, Sun Moon Lake, Eastside, Youth Centre (600 m), 11–14. VII. 2000, Wolfgang Schacht [ca. 23°51’N, 120°56’E]; 2 Ψ ( USNM), 2 ɗ, 2 Ψ ( ZSMC), Nantou, Sun Moon Lake, Youth Centre (600 m), 11–14. VII. 2000, Wolfgang Schacht [ca. 23°53’N, 120°54’E]; 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ ( ZSMC), Taichung, Hueisuen Experimental Forest, E. Tai–chung (600 m), 23–27. VI. 2000, Wolfgang Schacht [ca. 24°07’N, 121°03’E]; 2 ɗ ( ZSMC), Taichung, Taiwan Mountains westside, Hueisuen Experimental Forest, E. Tai–chung (600 m), 23–27. VI. 2000, Wolfgang Schacht et al. [ca. 24°07’N, 121°03’E]; 1 ɗ ( ZSMC), Taoyuan, Tungyenshan Region, Shayin, Kudji River (ca. 500 m), 22. IX. 2002, Wolfgang Schacht et al. [ca. 24°49’N, 121°23’E]; 2 Ψ ( ZSMC), Yilan, Fushan Botanical Garden (650 m), 17–22. VI. 2001, Wolfgang Schacht et al. [ca. 24°47’N, 121°35’E].

Distribution. (Map 3) China (Guangxi, Hainan, Hunan, Taiwan), Indonesia (Java), Laos, Malaysia (Sabah), Nepal, Vietnam.

Remarks. The species is similar to Cestrotus apicalis in facial markings, antennal and palpal color, and in the general pattern on the mesoscutum, but can be separated from C. apicalis by the mesoscutal spots and the trapeziform dark area posteriorly being larger and more distinct, and this trapeziform spot extends onto the scutellum in the form of basal darkening and/or paired basal spots. In the wing, C. flavoscutellatus has a continuously hyaline area from the anterior margin to the posterior, surrounding crossvein r-m, and the wing has no paler brown markings in addition to the dark brown markings.

Consideration of Turriger flavoscutellatus var. nigrofemoratus as a synonym of Cestrotus flavoscutellatus (i.e., the denial that the subspecies is valid) has a relatively confusing history. This was first suggested by Malloch (1929), albeit not clearly. Malloch (1929) cited seeing specimens of Turriger flavoscutellatus from Formosa (i.e., Taiwan) and Java, continuing with the comment that “The Formosan form with dark femora has been named nigrifemoratus [sic] by Hendel.” This was apparently interpreted as a synonymy by Shewell (1977), listing it as such in the catalog, although he does not cite the source of the synonymy. So if Malloch’s (1929) comment was ambiguous, Shewell (1977) unambiguously used the name as a synonym. Later, Sasakawa & Pong (1990) and Sasakawa (2001, 2002, 2003) listed new distribution records for Cestrotus flavoscutellatus , commenting in Sasakawa (2001, 2002) that their femoral coloration matched that shown in the description of Hendel’s subspecies nigrofemoratus, again only ambiguously suggesting the synonymy. Comparison of their primary types, and the fact that the large series from China have within their variation the femoral coloration encompassing both concepts, the synonym is accepted here, and is attributed to Malloch’s (1929) original suggestion.

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 8. Head, anterior view. 2. Cestrotus acuticurvus sp. nov.; 3. Cestrotus apicalis (Hendel); 4. Cestrotus flavoscutellatus de Meijiere; 5. Cestrotus heteropterus sp. nov.; 6. Cestrotus liui sp. nov.; 7. Cestrotus longinudus sp. nov.; 8. Cestrotus obtusus sp. nov..

FIGURES 9 – 15. Thorax, dorsal view. 9. Cestrotus acuticurvus sp. nov.; 10. Cestrotus apicalis (Hendel); 11. Cestrotus flavoscutellatus de Meijiere; 12. Cestrotus heteropterus sp. nov.; 13. Cestrotus liui sp. nov.; 14. Cestrotus longinudus sp. nov.; 15. Cestrotus obtusus sp. nov..

FIGURES 16 – 22. Wing. 16. Cestrotus acuticurvus sp. nov.; 17. Cestrotus apicalis (Hendel); 18. Cestrotus flavoscutellatus de Meijiere; 19. Cestrotus heteropterus sp. nov.; 20. Cestrotus liui sp. nov.; 21. Cestrotus longinudus sp. nov.; 22. Cestrotus obtusus sp. nov..