Aphaniosoma aldabrensis, Ebejer, 2009

Ebejer, Martin J., 2009, A revision of Afrotropical Chyromyidae (excluding Gymnochiromyia Hendel) (Diptera: Schizophora), with the recognition of two subfamilies and the description of new genera, African Invertebrates 50 (2), pp. 321-321 : 388-389

Aphaniosoma aldabrensis sp. n.

Figs 33 , 34

Etymology: From the type locality, Aldabra, the southwestern atoll of the Seychelles.

Diagnosis: Extensively yellow species with elongate narrow eyes, brown scutal stripes, katepisternum with dark triangular patch; acrs widely separated, scutal setae moderately developed, 2 posthu setae, setulae and all setae except the longest very pale, almost white. Male with highly modified pregential st, sinuous surs and prg.

Description:

Male.

Head: Yellow, only ocelli ringed with black; fr with markedly convergent side margins so that at level of antenna this is 0.5 width that at level of anterior oc; eye very narrow and elongated oval, lying horizontal, horizontal diameter about 2.5× length of vertical diameter; gena almost equal to height of eye, yellow and with fine white setulae; face small, membranous with low linear facial carina; 2 short setae at anterior buccal margin; mouthparts small, yellow; antenna yellow, arista brown except for yellow first segment; 4 orb, 6 fine fr setulae and a longer pair in front of oc triangle, ocellars long, divergent, 1 vti and 1 vte, short pvt; setae and setulae all white except for hind orb and vti, which are yellowish brown.

Thorax: Scutum yellow, yellow pollinose with 3 brown longitudinal stripes on each side, one along acrs line, one between dc and ia lines and one between ia line and ntpl; mtn black, scut and pleura yellow. Chaetotaxy: 4+5 dc only hindmost well-developed, 2 most anterior pale and inclinate, 3+4 acrs, 1 pprn, 1 ihu, 1 posthu, 2 ntpl, 1 pa, usual 4 scut, 1 very short anepisternal and 1 long katepisternal at upper posterior corner with 3 short pale setulae in a vertical row in front.

Wing: Hyaline and uniformly microtrichose, veins pale yellow, distance between R 2+3 to R 4+5 on costal margin about 0.7 that between R 4+5 and M 1+2, distance between crossveins about 1.3× length of posterior crossvein and length of apical section of Cu about 2× length of posterior crossvein. Haltere yellow.

Legs: Yellow and pale setulose, no special modifications, tarsomere 5 a little brownish. Abdomen: Each tg with broad brown band dorsally leaving posterior 1/3 and sides of tg yellow; brown setulae dorsally, yellowish white laterally and ventrally, those on tg 5 forming fringe around hypopygium; cerc forming broad plate posteriorly.

Female.

As in male, but scutum with darker stripes and darker thoracic setae. Postabdomen: st 7 sclerotized and pigmented, almost square; tg 7 divided into lateral plates bearing setae; hypr appearing as small tubercle in membrane between sclerites of segment 8.

Length: ơ body 1.2 mm, wing 1.2 mm; ^body 1.4 mm, wing 1.3 mm.

Holotype: ơ SEYCHELLES: Aldabra, South Island , Takamaka pool, at light, 1–17.ii.1968, B. Cogan & A. Hutson, Aldabra Atoll Royal Society Expedition 1967–68 (BM 1968–333) ( BMNH).

Paratypes (all BMNH): 1^same data as holotype; 1ơ 1^Astove Atoll, around coconut plantation, 5.iii.1968, B. Cogan & A. Hutson (BM 1968–333); 3ơ Aldabra, South Island, Dune Jean-Louis, 13–20.iii.1968, B. Cogan & A. Hutson, Aldabra Atoll Royal Society Expedition 1967–68 (BM 1968–333); 3^Aldabra, West Island, near settlement, 21–31.iii.1968, B. Cogan & A. Hutson, Aldabra Atoll Royal Society Expedition 1967–68 (BM 1968–333).

Aphaniosoma approximatum Becker, 1903 Fig. 35

Aphaniosoma approximatum: Becker 1903: 186 .

Aphaniosoma arabicum Ebejer, 1996: 286 ; Ebejer 2008 a: 683.

This species is widespread in the Middle East. The series from the Cape Verde represents the most western locality of this species. The male postabdomen has been previously illustrated (Collin 1949; Ebejer 1996, 1998, 2008 a). Female with tg 7 complete and large. Postabdomen: st 8 large and of peculiar shape, s with distinct external ridge around operculum.

Material examined: CAPE VERDE: 3ơ Santiago , b. Variante, “Trockenribeiro und Staatsfarm”, 2.xi.1982, P.Ohm (in alcohol, FBUB) . ETHIOPIA:19ơ 10^Welo Province , nr National Road Number 18, 11°07'47''N: 40°45'54"E, 17.iii.1995, M. von Tschirnhaus (in alcohol, FBUB) . NIGER:3ơ 19^Air Massif , Wadi Iberkom, 18°55'N: 08°40'E, 24.viii.1983, P.C. Matteson ( NMWC) .

Distribution: Cape Verde, Egypt, Ethiopia, Niger and Arabian Peninsula.

Figures

Fig. 33. Aphaniosoma aldabrensis sp. n. ơ: (a) hypopygium, lateral; (b) st 6, ventral. Scale bar = 0.08 mm.

Fig. 34. Aphaniosoma aldabrensis sp. n., ^postabdomen: (a) posterior, (b) lateral, (c) spermathecae. Scale bar = 0.15 mm.

Fig. 35. Aphaniosoma approximatum Becker, ^postabdomen: (a) posterior, (b) lateral, (c) spermathecae, (d) st 7. Scale bar = 0.15 mm.