Stiremania karoo Cerretti & O'Hara

O'Hara, James E. & Cerretti, Pierfilippo, 2016, Annotated catalogue of the Tachinidae (Insecta, Diptera) of the Afrotropical Region, with the description of seven new genera, ZooKeys 575, pp. 1-344 : 273-274

Taxon classification Animalia Diptera Tachinidae

Stiremania karoo Cerretti & O'Hara sp. n. Figs 15 a–b, 16 a–d

Type material.

Holotype ♂: "South Africa: Western Cape/ Gamkaskloof (Die Hel) at:/ 33°22′5.90″S 21°37′19.43″E / 17-18.x.2012, 336 m (hilltop)/ P. Cerretti, J. Stireman, J. O’Hara,/ I. Winkler & A.H. Kirk-Spriggs"; “SA033” [voucher ID] (MZUR). Paratype ♀: same data and depository as holotype.

Remarks.

The mid and hind right legs of the holotype and paratype were removed from the fresh specimens and stored in pure ethanol in a vial for DNA extraction and sequencing (preserved at Wright State University, OH, USA as part of the project "Phylogeny and Evolution of World Tachinidae ( Diptera )" funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, grant number DEB-1146269).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition. Named after the Karoo region.

Description.

Body length: 8-9 mm.

Male. Colouration (Figs 15a, 16 a–b): Head ground colour black except genal groove, which is dark brown. Head covered with grey microtomentum, more reflecting on parafacial than fronto-orbital plate. Antenna black. Palpus reddish-yellow. Thorax black (only apical 1/2-1/3 of scutellum dark red), covered with grey reflecting microtomentum. Presutural area of scutum with 4, not well defined, dark vittae; postsutural area of scutum, when viewed from behind, with 4 dark vittae, 2 vittae (i.e., lateral pair continuous with those on presutural area) extending along entire length of postsutural area and 2 on anterior portion only and continuous with median pair on presutural area. Legs black. Tegula and basicosta black. Wing membrane hyaline, veins brownish-black. Abdomen mostly black with posterior 1/2-3/4 of tergite 5 reddish-yellow (Fig. 16b), covered with irregularly tessellate grey reflecting microtomentum.

Head (Figs 15a, 16a): Frons 1.2 times as wide as compound eye in dorsal view. Inner vertical setae well developed, reclinate. Outer vertical seta not differentiated from postocular setae. Ocellar seta strong, proclinate. Fronto-orbital plate with a row of 8-10 frontal setae and several fine medioclinate setulae lateral to frontal setae. Frontal setae descending to about level of distal margin of pedicel. Two upper reclinate orbital setae. Proclinate orbital setae absent. Parafacial convex, at its narrowest point about 2.6 times as wide as width of postpedicel. Face moderately concave, antennae only partly hidden from view in profile (Figs 15a, 16a). Facial ridge concave, with a few decumbent setulae on lower 1/5. Postpedicel about 2.1 times as long as pedicel. Arista short, apparently bare, thickened on basal 4/5 to tip. First aristomere shorter than wide; second aristomere about as long as wide. Genal dilation well developed. Gena in profile about 0.6 times as high as compound eye. Occiput slightly convex. Upper occiput with 1 or 2 irregular rows of black setulae behind postocular row. Lower occiput and postgena almost entirely covered with fine, pale setae. Genal dilation with black setulae only. Palpus narrow, sub-cylindrical, 1.2-1.5 times as long as postpedicel, with setulae along whole length. Prementum short, about 0.2-0.3 times as long as height of head; labella normally developed.

Thorax: Four postpronotal setae, the 3 strong, basal setae arranged in a straight line; 1 strong anterior seta arising between inner and mid basal setae. Scutum with 3 + 3 acrostichal setae; 3 + 4 dorsocentral setae; 1 + 3 intra-alar setae; 1 or 2 inner and 1 outer posthumeral setae; 1 + 3 supra-alar setae (first postsutural supra-alar seta longer than first postsutural dorsocentral seta and longer than notopleural setae); notopleuron with 2 strong setae, subequal in size; postalar callus with 2 or 3 setae (if 3, then 1 is weaker than notopleural setae). Anatergite bare. Prosternum with several long setulae on lateral margin. Proepisternal depression bare. Katepimeron bare. Three katepisternal setae (2+1). Anterior and posterior lappets of metathoracic spiracle unequal in size (posterior lappet larger, operculum-like). Scutellum with 1 pair of crossed apical setae (standing almost horizontal), 1/2-2/3 as long as subapical setae; 1 pair of subapical setae, 1 or 2 pairs of lateral setae, and 1 pair of basal setae; lateral and apical setae subequal in size; 1 or 2 pairs of discal setae (medial pair convergent or apically crossed).

Legs: Fore tibia with 2 posterior setae. Preapical anterodorsal seta of fore tibia about 4/5 the length of preapical dorsal seta. Fore claws about 1.2 times as long as fifth tarsomere. Mid tibia with 3-5 anterodorsal setae (2 distinctly longer than the others). Submedian ventral seta of mid tibia present. Hind tibia with several anterodorsal setae, more or less regular in size, with 1 longer seta arising at about midlength. Preapical posteroventral seta of hind tibia distinctly shorter than preapical anteroventral seta. Hind tibia with 2 dorsal preapical setae.

Wing: Costal spine virtually indistinguishable from general costal setulae. Vein R4+5 with 4-5 setulae at base. Vein M1 complete (i.e., reaching wing margin). Bend of vein M1 obtuse-angled. Second costal section ventrally bare. Fourth costal section longer than sixth. Section of M1 between crossveins r-m and dm-m clearly longer than section between dm-m and bend of M1. Section of M1 between dm-m and bend of M1 shorter than postangular section of M1. Cell r4+5 closed at wing margin or short petiolate.

Abdomen (Figs 15a, 16b): Ventral edges of syntergite 1+2 and tergites 3 and 4 entirely overlapping the corresponding sternites. Syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3 with 1 pair of median marginal setae; tergite 4 with a complete row of regular marginal setae; reddish-yellow portion of tergite 5 covered with erect setae, not arranged in rows. General setulae of tergites 3 and 4 dorsolaterally decumbent, changing to slightly raised mid-dorsally. Tergites 3-5 without sexual patches. Tergite 5 about 0.8-0.9 times as long as tergite 4.

Female (Figs 15b, 16 c–d) differs from male as follows. Scape and pedicel yellow. Frons 1.3 times as wide as compound eye in dorsal view. Fronto-orbital plate with 2 proclinate orbital setae. Parafacial convex, at its narrowest point about 3.0 times as wide as width of postpedicel. Postpedicel about 1.8 times as long as pedicel. Fore claws distinctly shorter than fifth tarsomere.

Distribution.

South Africa.