Limnophora mesolissa Bezzi, 1928

Couri, Marcia S., Pont, Adrian C. & Daugeron, Christophe, 2010, The Muscidae (Diptera) of Vanuatu, Zootaxa 2556 (1), pp. 1-39 : 23-24

23. Limnophora mesolissa Bezzi

Limnophora mesolissa Bezzi, 1928: 175 . Lectotype male, Taviuni, Fiji in BMNH, des. Pont (1970a: 420).

Limnophora mesolissa ; Pont, 1973b: 188; Pont, 1989: 692.

Diagnosis. Small species, body length 2.4–4.5 mm; male frons broad, about one-third of head-width; frontal triangle shining black; arista subplumose; halteres yellow; 4 postsutural dorsocentral setae; scutum dark brown, sometimes, especially in female, with a narrow silver band in front of the suture, interrupted in middle, and another one in front of the scutellum, more developed in female; abdomen dark brown, grey dusted, abdominal tergites 3 and 4 with two broad lateral triangular marks.

Material examined. BPBM: Vanuatu: Ambae: Aoba, Lolowa , 26–27.viii.1958, 1 ♀, B. Malkin. Ambrym: Ranon to Mt. Toyo , 0–500 m , 2.ix.1979, 1 ♀, W.C. Gagné, G. M. Nishida, G.A. Samuelson; 22– 28.viii.1967, 1 ♀ ( MNHN) ; 22.viii–4.ix.1967, 3 ♂, 5 ♀; 26.viii.1967, 5 ♀ (1 MNRJ), J.& M. Sedlacek . Éfaté: Malafao, Plateau , 100–200 m , 19.iii.1970, 2 ♂, 7 ♀, N.L.H.Krauss; Port Vila , 0–5 m , ii.1970, 10♂, 21 ♀; 0– 100 m, ii.1970, 6 ♂, 3 ♀; 0–100 m, ii.1976, 3 ♂ (1 MNRJ), 4 ♀ ; xii.1978, 2 ♂, 9 ♀; viii.1950, 1 ♂, 19 ♀; 0–200 m, i.1973, 9 ♀, N.L.H. Krauss; SW, coast, 3 m, 13.viii.1957, 1 ♀, J.L. Gressitt; 3 km E Port Havanna , 23.viii. 1979, 50 m, 1 ♂, G.M. Nishida. Epi: Vaemali , 150 m , 9–20.viii.1967, 5 ♀; 100–150 m, 6–10.viii.1967, 2 ♂, 2 ♀; 16–21.viii.1967, 4 ♀; 80–150 m, 1 ♀ ( MNRJ) ; 11–18.viii.1967, 18 ♀ (1 MNHN) ; 16–21.viii.1967, 4 ♂, J. & M. Sedlacek. Erromango: Dillon Bay , 0–100 m , iii.1978, 6 ♂, 3 ♀, N.L.H. Krauss. Espiritu Santo: 25 km NE Lugamville , 13.iv.1964, 4 ♂, 2 ♀, R. Straatman; SW, Tasmalum, 3 m, 4.ix.1957, 3 ♂, 35 ♀, ex fresh human excrement, J.L. Gressitt; Narango, 90 m, v.1960, 2 ♀, W.W. Brandt; SW, below Namatasopa, 250 m, 3.ix.1957, 1 ♀, J.L. Gressitt; Luganville, 20–30.viii.1958, 4 ♂, 9 ♀, B. Malkin; 14.iii.1964, 1 ♂, R. Straatman; Big Bay, E Jordan River , 0–30 m , 17.ix.1979, 1 ♂, W.C. Gagné. Maewo: Kerepei , 0–200 m , xii.1983, 8 ♂ (1 BMNH), 7 ♀, N.L.H. Krauss . Malekula: Lamap, 9–21.ix.1967, 1 ♀, J. & M. Sedlacek; N. Lakatoro, 22– 30.ix.1967, 8 ♂, 39 ♀ (2 BMNH), J. & M. Sedlacek; Lakatoro, 0–200 m , ii.1973, 1 ♀, N.L.H. Krauss; 23.ix.1967, 5 ♀; 29.ix.1967, 4 ♀, J. & M. Sedlacek. Pentecost: 3.iv.1964, 1 ♀ ; 4–5.iv.1964, 2 ♀, light trap, R. Straatman; Batnavni, 0–100 m, 3.ix.1979, 2 ♂, 4 ♀, W.C. Gagné, G. M. Nishida, G.A. Samuelson; 23.iii.1964, 2 ♂, 2 ♀; 24.iii.1964, 2 ♂, 5 ♀; 25.iii.1964, 1 ♂, 4 ♀, R. Straatman. Tanna: Lenakel , 0–200 m , i.1973, 1 ♂, 6 ♀; iii.1980, 4 ♂; 0–150 m, i.1977, 1 ♂, 3 ♀, N.L.H. Krauss; Black Rock, 0–100 m, iii.1980, 1 ♂ ( MNRJ), 2 ♀, N.L.H. Krauss; White Grass , 8.iii.1980, 2 ♀, J. & M. Sedlacek.

BMNH: Vanuatu: Ambryn: 22.vi.1925, 1 ♀, P.A. Buxton . Éfaté: Teuma , 4.vii.1925, 1 ♀, P.A. Buxton; Vila , vii.1925, 3 ♀, P.A. Buxton; 10 km NW of Vila , 12-14.ii.1978, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, S. Shinonaga . Espiritu Santo: viii.1929, 1 ♂, 2 ♀, viii-ix.1929, 2 ♂, 5 ♀, L.E. Cheesman; Hog Harbour, vii-viii.1925, 4 ♀, P.A. Buxton . Malekula: i.1930, 1 ♂, iii-iv.1929, 1 ♂, 7 ♀, iv-v.1929, 1 ♂, 8 ♀, L.E. Cheesman ; 14.vi.1925, 1 ♂, 8 ♀, P.A. Buxton; Atchin I ., vii.1929, 1 ♀, L.E. Cheesman; Ounua , ii.1929, 4 ♀, L.E. Cheesman . Tanna: x.1930, 1 ♀, L.E. Cheesman .

Comments. The species was first recorded from Vanuatu by Pont (1973b). As observed in the long series examined from New Caledonia ( Couri et al. 2010), the species shows a great variation in size, especially between the sexes where males are much smaller than females.

Distribution. American Samoa, Australia (NT, Qld), Belau, Bellona I., Fiji, French Polynesia (Society Is), Guam, Indonesia (Maluku), Lord Howe I., Micronesia, New Caledonia ( New Caledonia), Northern Marianas, PNG (Bismarck Arch, PNG), Rennell I., Solomon Is, Tonga, Vanuatu, Western Samoa.