Stylogaster clementsi, Stuke, 2012

Stuke, Jens-Hermann, 2012, A revision of Afrotropical species of Stylogaster Macquart (Diptera: Conopidae), with descriptions of twenty-one new species and an identification key, African Invertebrates 53 (1), pp. 267-267 : 283-286

Stylogaster clementsi sp. n.

Figs 38–50

Etymology: This species is named in honour of David Clements (Cardiff), who has for many years been a significant discussion partner concerning conopids and has reliably translated German text into English.

Diagnosis: Stylogaster clementsi sp. n. belongs to the Stylogaster species-group with dark markings on the abdomen and long setulae on the mid femur, but no long setulae on the hind femur. The only other species with a pale orange-brown mesoscutum belonging to this group is S. ranomafanensis sp. n., which is easily separable on the basis of the shape of the surstylus ( Fig. 218 ), together with the clearly defined black margin on the dorsal inner surface of the cercus.

Description (based on holotype):

Male.

Overall length: ca 6.8 mm.

Head: 1.7 mm high. Eye dark brown, with a few scattered inconspicuous ommatrichia. Facets on inner side of eye slightly enlarged. Ocelli yellow­brown. Ocellar tubercle blackish brown, with 1 pair of inconspicuous ocellar setae. Ocellar triangle occupies almost entire frons and reaches as far as antennae ( Fig. 42 ). Ocellar triangle brown. Frons blackish brown lateral to ocellar triangle with 2 proclinate fronto-orbital setae. Scapus and pedicellus yellow­brown, basal flagellomere pale brown to blackish brown. Arista dark brown, only 2 segments evident. Arista situated dorsally on basal flagellomere ( Fig. 40 ). Scapus with a few pale brown setulae dorsally. Pedicellus with black setulae. Shape of antenna as illustrated in Fig. 40 . One distinct black vertical seta. Face pale yellow, silver pruinose. Occiput black, distinctly silver pruinose; dorsally with line of regularly-arranged small white setulae, and ventrally with several longer white setulae. Some long white setulae on mouth opening. Proboscis mainly brown, except for white distal division of labellum. Labrum ca 3.0 mm, labellum approximately same length.

Thorax: Yellow-brown, mesoscutum (with exception of postpronotum), scutellum and mediotergite pale brown.All setae black unless otherwise stated. Two notopleural setae, 1 (damaged) supra-alar seta, 2 postalar setae, 1 praescutellar dorsocentral seta, 1 (damaged) apical scutellar seta, 1 seta on anepimeron and 1 yellow seta above fore coxa on propleuron. Black semi-adpressed setulae on mesoscutum.

Wing: Length 5.5 mm. Generally clothed in microtrichia, but bc, base of c, base of br, bm, base of dm and cup virtually without microtrichia. Hind margin of wing with brown setulae. Venation as in Fig. 43 . Haltere orange­brown, distal part sharply defined dark brown with areas of sensillae at base.

Legs: Whitish yellow with brown hind femur. Legs with black and white setulae. Setae on fore and mid coxae white, setae on hind coxa black. Fore and mid coxae each with 1 long yellow seta and additionally with some shorter setulae. Hind coxa with a group of black distal setae on inner surface and 1 black seta on outer surface; additionally with scattered shorter golden setulae. Hind trochanter without teeth or conspicuous setulae. Femora with short black setulae. Mid femur posteriorly in distal half with row of regularly-arranged black setulae curved at apex. Ventral side of mid femur with black erect setulae (longer than width of tibia). Fore and mid tibiae largely clothed in white setulae. Mid tibia with conspicuous, short, dense, strong black setulae on ventral surface. Hind tibia with black setulae and conspicuous distal patch of white setulae. Hind tibia with single short black spines on anterior surface. Claws only narrowly yellow-brown basally, black distally. Pulvilli yellow or yellow-brown. Empodia short, pale brown.

Abdomen: Pale brown, with tergite 1 brown, tergites 2–4 with brown posterior margin and small brown median fascia, tergite 5 largely dark brown ( Fig. 39 ). Tergites with semi-adpressed black setulae and longer setulae laterally on tergite 5. Tergite 1 with long black setulae laterally, tergite 2 with 5 lateral black setae on either side of anterior margin. The abdomen of the holotype has not been dissected, but matches as far as can be seen, the terminalia of a paratype. Terminalia as illustrated in Figs 44–50 . Cercus short, rounded distally ( Fig. 47 ). Characteristic teeth on ventral junction of cerci ( Fig. 48 ). No black setae. Surstylus with conspicuous, dense, long black setulae at apex ( Fig. 44 ). There are no conspicuous black spines or teeth on surstylus. Phallus sheath as illustrated in Fig. 46 .

Female. Unknown.

Holotype: ♂ MADAGASCAR: (1) “Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Prov., / 12 km W Ranomafana Natl Pk / entrance. radio tower, malaise in / montane tropical forest / 4.-14.VI. / 2002, R.H.‘Hala, M.E. Irwin, 1215 m / 21°15.05’S. 47°24.43’E. MG 9B­31”; (2) “ Holotypus / Stylogaster / clementsi ♂ / des. Stuke, 2011” ( CAS). The holotype is complete and in good condition.

Paratypes: MADAGASCAR: Fianarantsoa: 1♂ same data as holotype, except 5–13.v.2002 ( CAS) ; 1♂ same, except 7–18.vi.2003 ( CAS) ; 1♂ Parc National Ranomafana, Belle Vue , 1.2 km S Ranomafana, entrance, rainforest, 21°15.99'S 47°25.21'E, 1095 m, 26–31.iii.2002, M. Irwin & R. Harin’Hala, Malaise trap ( J­HS) ; 1♂ Parc National Ranomafana, 17 km W Ranomafana, Vohiparara , rainforest, 21°13.57'S 47°22.19'E, 1110 m, 25.vii–3.viii.2002, M. Irwin & R. Harin’Hala, Malaise trap ( J­HS) .

Distribution: Endemic to Madagascar.

Bionomics: Found in primary rainforest at moderately high elevation (1095–1215 m).

Figures

Figs 38–43.Stylogaster clementsi sp.n.(♂ holotype):(38) habitus,lateral view;(39) abdomen, dorsal view; (40) antenna, lateral view; (41) mid leg; (42) frons; (43) wing. Not to scale.

Figs 44–50.Terminalia (♂) of Stylogaster clementsi sp.n. (paratype):(44) surstylus, lateral view;(45) same, dorsolateral view; (46) phallus sheath of hypandrium, lateral view; (47) cercus, lateral view; (48) teeth at ventral conjunction of cerci, dorsal view; (49) hemispherical extension of hypandrium; (50) sperm pump and ejaculatory apodeme.Abbreviations:dp– distiphallus; he – hemispherical extension; hys – phallus sheath of hypandrium; pa – phallus apodeme; su – surstylus. Not to scale.

Figs 217–222. Terminalia (♂) of Stylogaster ranomafanensis sp. n. (holotype): (217) surstylus and cercus, lateral view; (218) surstylus, ventral view; (219) cercus, lateral view; (220) same, ventral view; (221) phallus sheath of hypandrium, lateral view; (222) sperm pump and ejaculatory apodeme. Abbreviations: ce – cercus; su – surstylus. Not to scale.