Pelmatops ichneumoneus (Westwood)

Chen, Xiao-Lin, Norrbom, Allen, Freidberg, Amnon, Chesters, Douglas, Islam, Md Sajedul & Zhu, Chao-Dong, 2015, A systematic study of Ichneumonosoma de Meijere, Pelmatops Enderlein Pseudopelmatops Shiraki and Soita Walker (Diptera: Tephritidae), Zootaxa 4013 (3), pp. 301-347 : 319-320

Pelmatops ichneumoneus (Westwood)

( Figs. 63–66 ; 67–70; 90–91, 100–101)

Achias ichneumoneus Westwood, 1850: 235 . Type-locality: India Orientalis. (ST B BMNH). Pelmatops ichneumoneus: Enderlein, 1912: 355 ; Hendel, 1927: 33; Zia, 1937: 113; Zia & Chen, 1954: 306; Hardy, 1977: 76; Kapoor, 1993: 90; Wang, 1996: 111; Chen et al., 2010: 4.

Description (supplement to the species description of Chen et al., 2010). Compound eye entirely smooth and rounded, without projection in female ( Fig. 90 ), but with rounded projection in male ( Fig. 91 ); ommatidia similar in size. Occipital protuberance flat, rectangular, not clearly delimited from occiput, setae on its posterior margin short and sparse in female ( Fig. 100 ), but medium-sized and numerous in male ( Fig. 101 ).

Distribution. China (Sichuan, Yunnan, Xizang, Hainan), India, Nepal, Burma (new record), Thailand (new record).

Specimens examined. BURMA: Mt Victoria, Chin Hills, 2200m, 4 June1938, G. Heinrich 1♀ (BMNH, checked by D.L. Hancock, pers. comm.). CHINA: Hainan: Jianfengling, 1400 m, D. Zhang, 6 May 2007, 1♀ (IZCAS). Sichuan: Wan Xian, 1200 m, 15 August 1993, X.L. Chen, 1♀ (IZCAS); near Cheng tu, D.C. Graham, 1♀ (USNM). Xizang: Medog, 1979 July 29, G.T. Jin and J.Y. Wu, 1♀ (IPPE); Medog, 900–1200 m, 11 April 1982, Y.H. Han, 1♀ (IZCAS). Yunnan: Honghepingbian, Dawei Mountain 1330 m, 24 May 2009, X.S. Yang, 1♀ (BAU); Xishuangbanna, 650 m, 15 May 1958, S.P. Hong, 1 ♂ (IZCAS); Xishuangbanna, Menghai, Benggang, 2013 August 29–30, Y.Wang & C. Wang, 2 ♀ (IZCAS). INDIA: Ranikhet, June 1949, I.M. Newell, 1 ♂ (BPBM); Ranikhet, June 1950, F.A. Bianchi, 1 ♂ (BPBM); near Chaubattia, 22 June 1949, F.A. Bianchi, 1♀ (BPBM); Himachal, Dokhri, 18 July 1962, 1 ♂ (BMNH, checked by D.L. Hancock, pers. comm.). NEPAL: Taplejung, Sangu, c6000’, September.1961–Janurary 1962, R.L. Coe, 1 ♂, 1♀ (BMNH, checked by D.L. Hancock, pers. comm.) THAILAND: Kamphaeng Phet Province, Bangkok, 1300m, 14 June 2012, Sorasak Nak-iam, 1♀ (photos taken by Sorasak Nak-iam sent by Erwin Beyer to first author for identification; only photos taken, fly not collected).

Biology. The flies and their collection sites were observed and photographed in Benggang, Yunnan Province, China ( Figs. 63–66 ) by Yong Wang in summer of 2013. The collecting site had an average temperature of about 20°C during the day with very high humidity and strong fog. The collecting site had flourishing plants ( Figs. 64– 66 ), including tall trees and shrubs covered with numerous thorny vines and a large variety of flowers and fruits. In the top of the canopy, the foliage was very dense ( Fig. 65 ). One individual of P. ichneumoneus in this site has been collected and reared in a cage outside the collecting site for several days ( Fig. 63 ). An adult fly was also observed and photographed in Kamphaeng Phet Province, Thailand ( Figs. 67–70 ) by Sorasak Nak-iam, a PhD student in Naresuan University of Thailand, in the summer of 2012. According to his observations, the site was an evergreen forest where a fly was found on an undergrowth leaf. The fly was observed flying slowly, and it was the first time that this species was found resting on moss ( Figs. 67–68 ).

Figures

FIGURES 63 – 66. Pelmatops Ichneumoneus. 63. Habitus (female), photo taken in field cage in Yunnan, China; 64. Collecting site in Yunnan, China, showing the ground layer vegetation; 65. Collecting site in Yunnan, China, showing the canopy vegetation; 66. Collecting site in Yunnan, China, showing understory vegetation. (by Yong Wang).

FIGURES 89 – 97. Compound eye of Pelmatops and Pseudopelmatops. 89. Pe. fukienensis female; 90. Pe. ichneumoneus female; 91. Pe. ichneumoneus male; 92. Pe. tangliangi male; 93. Ps. angustifasciatus female; 94. Ps. angustifasciatus female; 95. Ps. continentalis male; 96. Ps. indiaensis female; 97. Ps. angustifasciatus male.

FIGURES 98 – 105. Occiput protuberance of Pelmatops and Pseudopelmatops. 98. Pe. fukienensis female; 99. Pe. tangliangi male; 100. Pe. ichneumoneus female; 101. Pe. ichneumoneus male; 102. Ps. angustifasciatus female; 103. Ps. angustifasciatus male; 104. Ps. continentalis male; 105. Ps. indiaensis female.

FIGURES 67 – 70. Pelmatops ichneumoneus. Habitus (female), photos taken in Kamphaeng Phet, Thailand (by Sorasak Nakiam).