Paraphamartania marvaoensis, Mortelmans, Jonas, Tomasovic, Guy & Nagy, Zoltán Tamás, 2014

Mortelmans, Jonas, Tomasovic, Guy & Nagy, Zoltán Tamás, 2014, A remarkable new species of Paraphamartania Engel from Portugal (Diptera, Asilidae), Zootaxa 3814 (3), pp. 409-418 : 410-417

Paraphamartania marvaoensis sp. nov. Mortelmans, Tomasovic & Nagy

( Figure 1 : d–f, Figs. 2–7 )

Holotype: RBINS IG 32506. Adult ♂, collected close to Marvão ( Portugal) on 6/4/2013, at ca 230 m a.s.l., 39.39727° N, 7.364521° W, leg. J. Mortelmans. The male holotype is preserved in 70% ethanol, with dissected genitalia included in the flask. The middle leg is torn off for DNA extraction. The original label, crayon on white paper, is included in the flask: “ 6/IV/2013 Marvão, Paraphamartania sp. nov., det. leg. col. J. Mortelmans”. The holotype is deposited in the entomological collection of the RBINS. GenBank accession number of the COI sequence: KJ584447 .

Paratypes: RBINS IG 32506. Adult 1 ♀, collected close to Marvão ( Portugal), 6/4/2013, ca 230 m a.s.l., 39.39727° N, 7.364521° W, leg. J. Mortelmans, deposited as a dry, pinned specimen in the entomological collection of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. Three labels, a first ‘Paratype’, a second ‘ 6/IV/2013 Marvão’ and the third ‘ Paraphamartania sp nov det. leg. col. J. Mortelmans’. The hind leg is torn off for DNA extraction. GenBank accession number of the COI sequence: KJ584449 . RBINS IG 32506. Adult 1 ♂, collected close to Marvão ( Portugal), 6/4/2013, ca 230 m a.s.l., 39.39727° N, 7.364521° W, leg. J. Mortelmans, deposited as a dry, pinned specimen in the entomological collection of the RBINS. Three labels, a first ‘Paratype’, a second ‘ 6/ IV/2013 Marvão’ and the third ‘ Paraphamartania sp nov det. leg. col. J. Mortelmans’. Gemb20130406_01. 1 ♂, collected close to Marvão ( Portugal), 6/4/2013, ca 230 m a.s.l., 39.39727° N, 7.364521° W, leg. J. Mortelmans. This paratype is deposited at the University of Liège, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Pr. F. Francis, Gembloux ( Belgium). It is preserved in 70% ethanol. The hind leg is torn off for DNA extraction. GenBank accession number of the COI sequence: KJ584448 .

Diagnosis. The new species of Paraphamartania has a conspicuous silvery appearance due to pubescence and the colour of hairs and setae. The distinctly infuscated crossveins are striking, even from a distance. Further characteristics are its completely black legs and only four white to yellow marginal scutellar setae. Its thorax is black with silvery pubescence, leaving only a few spots shiny. Its genitalia possess a large, conical aedeagus with large apodeme; being very sharp. Comparing to many other Asilidae , the species is small in size with body lengths only up to 8.6 mm.

Description. Male. Body length 8.2–8.6 mm, wing length 5.4–5.8 mm.

Head: Head black with a convex face below antennae which is heavily silvery pubescent, above antennae only sparse silvery pubescence ( Figure 1 : d). Mystax with fine, long, white setae reaching base of the antennae and frons with fine, long, white to pale yellow setae. Shiny occiput with long, fine, brown setae. Larger postocular setae yellowish brown, smaller postocular setae white. Antennae black with fine silvery pubescence on all segments. Scape and pedicel equal in length, both with fine white hairs. Postpedicel four times as long as scape. The antennal style two-segmented of which the second segment bears an apical sensillum. This antennal style somewhat shorter than scape. The bases of antennae situated slightly below the upper third of compound eye. Palp and proboscis black, both with fine, white setae. The palp two-segmented. Height of head 1.6 mm, depth of head 1 mm. Thorax: Ground colour black with scutum only weakly pubescent. Presutural area of scutum with six areas of heavy pubescence: two dots of heavy pubescence anteriorly of the scutum, just inside the two lines of dorsocentral bristles; two transverse lateral bands starting from posterior end of postpronotal lobe, pubescence not reaching each other in the middle and finally two dots of heavy pubescence at the same line of front dots just before suture. Postsutural area of scutum with two areas of heavy pubescence; in two U-shaped forms just behind suture (fig 3). Short hairs on scutum white and evenly dispersed. Other, longer hairs dark brown in colour, these bristles becoming lighter towards the tip of the hair: 7–9 dorsocentral bristle becoming weaker in anterior part of scutum, 4–6 weak presutural acrostichal bristles, no strong lateral postpronotal setae bristles, two strong notopleural, one strong postalar bristles, one weak and one strong supraalar bristle. All pleura black with heavy white pubescence, without bristles. Only dorsal area of anepisternum with short, white hairs and metapleura with a group of 6 white setae and some white hairs. Halter pale yellow, but darker at base. Scutellum is shining black, with small white to yellow discal scutellar setae and four dark brown marginal scutellar setae. These marginal scutellar setae becoming lighter towards tip. Legs: fully black with white to pale yellow hairs and setae. Coxa black with white hairs, laterally heavily silvery pubescent, medially shiny. Pulvillus present. Wings: hyaline, but posterior and anterior crossveins broadly infuscated by brown colouring of the wing membrane. Anal cell petiolate, posterior cells and r1 open. Alula very small and rounded. Microtrichia present, albeit very sparse proximal and denser distally. ( Figure 1 : f) Male abdomen: mainly shining black except for the posterior margins of each tergite which possess two narrow, rectangular bands of heavy greyish pubescence. In the middle, all bands are clearly, but narrowly separated from each other. Bands reaching margin of tergites with smoothly rounded corners medially. Tergite 1–4, this pubescence is broader at tergite margin and centrally, separated from tergite posterior margin. On tergite 5–7, these bands not broader at tergite margin and reaching posterior margin of the tergite. On tergite 1, the pubescence is darker then on other tergites. The abdomen is covered with longer, whitish hairs and shorter, yellowish hairs. The abdomen is as broad as the thorax, barely narrowed towards the posterior end of the abdomen. Sternites laterally heavily pubescent, centrally weakly pubescent. Male terminalia: Small, shiny black with white setation. Epandrium short. Gonocoxites triangular with rounded apex. Aedeagus conical with large apodeme (figs 5, 6).

Female. Similar to the male except as described below.

Abdomen mainly shining black except for the narrow, rectangular bands of heavy greyish pubescence. On tergite 1 band of pubescence is widely separated from each other, on the next tergites they almost join. Bands reaching side margin of tergites and they have smoothly rounded corners on the middle. At side margin, the bands are somewhat wider than centrally. Tergites 7 and 8 shining black. Female terminalia: Tergite 8 and following are involved in ovipositor. Ovipositor with an tuft of whitish hairs underneath the acanthophorite places. Each acanthophorite bears three flattened, blunt spines.

Etymology. This new species is named after its type locality, in the proximity of Marvão, Portugal.

Distribution. For now, P. marvaoensis is only known from its type locality. It was collected in the direct proximity of the town Marvão, Portugal, on a southern slope of a hill. Although the species was only recorded from its type locality, it is very likely that it can be found in a wider range due to the ubiquity of similar habitats in central Portugal. For example, the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park, which harbours many typical rocky walls next to little roads, might reveal additional records of this species.

Ecology. The type locality of P. marvaoensis is characterised by a rather open, scrubby vegetation mainly consisting of Cytisus spp. (Leguminosae). Big rocks and boulders are dispersed throughout the vegetation ( Fig. 4 ). All specimens were seen hunting or resting on these rocks; making very short flights and landing on rocks every time. It seems that the species prefers hunting from rocks with a clear view of the surrounding area, without vegetation in proximity. One pair was caught in copulation; at the vertical part of a rock. Before collecting, both specimens were disturbed and flew away some meters in a tail-to-tail position. Specimens are very quick and difficult to collect. All specimens were seen in the late afternoon on a sunny spring day, in the shadows of the hill where the town of Marvão is built on. Subsequent visits during midday were unsuccessful in recovering the species. It appears the species is taking shelter, probably underneath bushes and scrubs, to hide from the sun during the hottest period of the day.

Genetic variation. We sequenced the DNA barcoding fragment (COI) of three topotypic specimens only, and therefore have a preliminary view on genetic variation within this species. Pairwise uncorrected genetic divergence was in the range of 0.2–0.5 %.

P. stukei P. syriaca P. marvaoensis The insect fauna of the Iberian Peninsula is remarkable. The southern regions of the peninsula are part of the Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot ( Myers et al. 2000) characterized by high species richness and high degrees of endemism, for example, vascular plants ( Cuttelod 2008), which undoubtedly affects the number of invertebrates depending on these plants ( Sundseth 2009). An astonishing number of more than 110,000 invertebrate species (75% of the European fauna) are known from the Mediterranean region ( Balletto & Casale 1991). However, the dipteran fauna of this peninsula, and especially that of the Portuguese mainland remains poorly known. For example; Carles-Tolrá Hjorth-Andersen (2002) listed only 1,475 species of Diptera for continental Portugal (without the Azores and Madeira); a strikingly low number compared to continental Spain (without the Balearic Islands and the Canary islands) for which 5,800 species are listed. The discovery of Paraphamartania marvaoensis is a clear example of the remarkable fauna not yet known for the Iberian peninsula. In addition, Hradský & Geller- Grimm (2000) recorded the first Goneccalypsis Hermann (and so, first of the tribe Atomosiini ) for Europe, from Spain. They gave an interesting theory including both Goneccalypsis and Paraphamartania being an example of Ice Age refugial species with congeners occurring in both the western and eastern Mediterranean basin, but extinct in Central Europe. This theory is further supported by the discovery of P. marvaoensis from Portugal, although more research, especially in central European regions, is needed.

With the description of P. marvaoensis , a third species of Paraphamartania , attention has been brought to this poorly known genus of asilid flies. Paraphamartania belongs to the Brachyrhopalinae (sensu Dikow 2009), a recently revised subfamily of which phylogenetic relationships are still unknown. The phylogenetic position of Paraphamartania within Brachyrhopalinae is not known, but the genus groups together with other unplaced genera within this subfamily (e.g., Leptarthrus , Cophura ). Further phylogenetic studies will have to improve the delimitation of Brachyrhopalinae ( Dikow 2009) .

In the Palaearctic Region, Paraphamartania is similar to Leptarthrus Stephens and Theurgus Richter by having a two-segmented antennal style and similar chaetotaxy of the first leg: the spine on fore tibia is small, bristle-like and not situated on a process. Males of the genus Paraphamartania are different from Leptarthrus by the absence of long, thick hairs on the mesoscutum. Females of the genus Paraphamartania are different from Leptarthrus by the presence of acanthophorite spines. Paraphamartania can be differentiated from Theurgus by having the antennae placed at 1/3 from the top of the compound eye, the style with an apical sensillum and by the presence of dorsocentral setae. Theurgus has the antennae placed at1/4 from the top of the compound eye, the style without an apical sensillum and by the absence of dorsocentral setae.

Prior to the recent discovery and the description of P. stukei from northern Spain, the genus Paraphamartania was not known in the western Mediterranean. This discovery came unexpectedly since its only known congener at that time, P. syriaca was known to be restricted to the eastern Mediterranean, and further eastwards (see fig 7). Furthermore, literature and observational records on Paraphamartania are scarce, and we have a poor knowledge on habitat preferences and ecology. Due to some superficial similarities with other species, this probably resulted in some misidentifications.

P. syriaca has a centre of distribution in Israel and Cyprus, in both countries large series of specimens were caught. Records of P. syriaca are known from the beginning of February until November, most specimens were collected in April. Chrysolina coerulans Scriba ( Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae ) and Thomisus onustus Walckenaer (Aranea: Thomisida) ( Ghahari et al. 2007) were identified as prey items.

The type specimen of P. s t u k ei was collected on 7 June 1995 ( Geller-Grimm 1997). Recent communication revealed male specimens in the collection of M. Hradský (F. Geller-Grimm, pers. comm.) although it was not possible to check these specimens. Habitat preferences are unknown, although P. stukei was probably swept from flower-rich mountain meadows (J-H. Stuke, pers. comm.).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Comparing table of all species of Paraphamartania. a – c. Female holotype of Paraphamartania syriaca; a: head, b: lateral view, c: wing. d – f. Male paratype P. marvaoensis; d: head, e: lateral view, f: wing. g – i. Female holotype of P. stukei; g: head, h: lateral view, i: wing.

FIGURE 2. Male holotype of Paraphamartania marvaoensis sp. nov.; habitus; lateral view (Photo: J. MORTELMANS).

FIGURE 3. Male holotype of Paraphamartania marvaoensis sp. nov.; habitus, dorsal viewed slightly from behind. (Photo: J. MORTELMANS).

FIGURE 4. Type locality of Paraphamartania marvaoensis sp. nov. (Photo: J. MORTELMANS).

FIGURE 5. Male genitalia of the holotype of Paraphamartania marvaoensis sp. nov., hypopygium in dorsal view. Scale is 500 µm.

FIGURE 6. Male genitalia of the holotype of Paraphamartania marvaoensis sp. nov., lateral view from the inside of the gonocoxite and dististylus. Scale is 200 µm.

FIGURE 7. Distribution of the genus Paraphamartania ENGEL. Red star: P. marvaoensis (4 specimens, 1 record), green star: P. stukei (1 specimen, 1 record), Blue star: P. syriaca (52 specimens, 35 records).