Brachyselia Schmitz, 1927

Brown, Brian V., 2005, Classification of two poorly known genera of African Phoridae (Diptera), African Invertebrates 46, pp. 133-133 : 134

Brachyselia Schmitz, 1927

Brachyselia Schmitz, 1927: 68 .

Diagnosis: Frons opaque, lacking medial furrow, with 4-4-4 frontal setae and one pair reclinate supra-antennal setae. Lateral ocelli widely separated, ocellar triangle not differentiated from rest of frons. With 1–2 large postgenal setae. Flagellomere 1 round, arista dorsal. Palpus relatively small, with several subapical setae. Scutum with one pair dorsocentral setae well anterior to posterior margin.Anepisternum without furrows. Wing fully developed; vein R 2+3 absent; vein Rs with large basal seta and few smaller setae along length. Hind femur narrow. Tibiae lacking large isolated setae, except hind tibia with 2–3 dorsal setae; all tibiae lacking setal palisades. Left side of epandrium greatly elongate, narrowed, with narrow ventral process ( Fig. 1 ) that extends medial to hypandrial lobe; majority of left side of epandrium apparently equivalent to fused left + right surstyli (Brown 1992 b) fused to epandrium. Right side of epandrium broad, with posteroventral setae ( Fig. 2 ). Left lobe of hypandrium with broad, setose process ( Figs 1, 3 ); right lobe with two processes—more medial, narrower process and broader right lateral process ( Fig. 3 ).

The male keys to couplet 11 of Disney’s (1994) male key, where it has trouble passing the two possibilities. The first lead states ‘Costa less than two-fifths wing length. Mediolateral and pre-ocellar bristles absent [ Euryophora ]’ versus ‘Costa extends about half wing length or more. Medio-lateral and pre-ocellar bristles present [couplet 12]’. In Brachyselia the costa is 0.38 wing length, matching the first part of the first lead, but all frontal setae are present, matching the second half of the second lead. Females key without trouble in Disney’s female key.

Included species:This genus includes only B. natalensis Schmitz (1927, 1929 ), described from female specimens collected in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Material examined: BOTSWANA: Serowe, Farmer’s Brigade (22.42°S: 26.73°W), 2ơ 2^ xi.1992, 2^ xii.1992, P. Forchhammer, Malaise trap ( LACM) .

Subfamily classification: Based on the elaborated, bilobed process of the right lobe of the hypandrium, this genus belongs in the Phorinae sensu Brown (1992 a , b). Structurally, the terminalia resemble those of Coniceromyia Borgmeier , Plethysmochaeta Schmitz , and Rhynchomicropteron , with a largely fused process on the left side of the epandrium, which is overlain by the hypandrial lobe. Both Plethysmochaeta and Brachyselia have wing vein Rs setose, and based on this character they could be sister-taxa.

Figures

Figs 1–3. Brachyselia natalensis Schmitz, male terminalia: (1) epandrium, left side; (2) epandrium, right side; (3) hypandrium, ventral.