Paramixogaster conveniens ( Brunetti, 1923 )

Reemer, Menno & Sankararaman, Hariharakrishnan, 2024, Revision of the Oriental species of the hoverfly genus Paramixogaster Brunetti, 1923 (Diptera, Syrphidae, Microdontinae), ZooKeys 1208, pp. 1-48 : 1-48

Paramixogaster conveniens ( Brunetti, 1923)

Figs 39–45

Microdon conveniens Brunetti, 1923: 311. Holotype ♀: India ( NHMUK) [examined]; Knutson et al. 1975: 370.

Paramixogaster conveniens (Brunetti) – Reemer and Ståhls 2013 a: 145.

Studied type specimens.

Holotype of Microdon conveniens Brunetti. India • 1 ♀; Assam; Cameron leg.; NHMUK. Label 1 (round, red-bordered): “ Holotype ”; label 2: “ Assam. ”; label 3: “ Cameron Coll. // 1902-105 ”; label 4: “ M. conveniens // Brun. Type. [female] // det. Brun. 1923 ”.

Diagnosis.

Only female known. Body length: 9.5 mm. This species and P. contracta share a unique character among Microdontinae : a setulose metanepisternum. Within Paramixogaster , both species also stand out because of the complete transverse suture on the mesoscutum. Paramixogaster conveniens differs from P. contracta in the following characters: legs with femora partly black (entirely yellow in P. contracta ) and vein M 1 recurrent at acute angle (more or less right angle in P. contracta ).

Redescription

(based on holotype). Adult female Body length: 9.5 mm.

Head. Face occupying ~ 1 / 3 of head width in frontal view, with sides more or less parallel below antennae; black; entirely white setulose. Gena widely developed; black; white setulose. Oral margin not notched anteriorly, laterally not produced. Frons and vertex black; yellowish white setulose. Ocellar triangle not elevated. Occiput black; white setulose. Eye bare. Antennal fossa approximately as high as wide. Antenna: scape brown [other segments are missing in type specimen].

Thorax. Mesoscutum shining black, brownish along margins; entirely white setulose. Postpronotum pale brown; bare. Postalar callus pale brown; white setulose. Scutellum shining blackish brown; white setulose. Anepisternum with shallow sulcus separating posterior from anterior part; blackish brown; white setulose, except bare on narrow strip along anterior margin. Anepimeron blackish brown; entirely white setulose. Katepisternum blackish brown; white setulose dorsally; bare ventrally. Katatergite brown; long microtrichose. Anatergite brown; short microtrichose. Calypter and halter brownish yellow.

Wing: hyaline; microtrichose, except bare on cell bc and basal 1 / 3 of cell c, basal 1 / 4 of cell r 1, basal 2 / 3 of cell br, basal 1 / 2 of cell bm, basal 1 / 2 of cell cup, and baso-median 1 / 2 of alula.

Legs: Pale yellow, except hind femur dark brown on basal 3 / 4 and hind tibia with brown ring on apical 1 / 3; yellow to white setulose.

Abdomen. With tergite 2 constricted and tergites 3 and 4 widened; narrowest point at anterior 1 / 4 of tergite 2, widest at posterior margin of tergite 3. Tergites blackish brown, except anterior 1 / 2 of tergite 2 yellow; entirely white setulose, with setulae long and conspicuous on anterior 1 / 4 of tergite 3, anterior 1 / 3 of tergite 4 and on most of tergite 5. Sternites brown, white setulose.

Distribution.

Only known from Assam ( India).

Figures

Figures 39–45. Microdon conveniens Brunetti, female, holotype: 39 habitus, dorsal 40 habitus, lateral 41 head, frontal 42 head, lateral 43 head, dorsal 44 wing 45 tergite 2, dorsal.