Leptomorphus medleri Matile

Borkent, Christopher J. & Wheeler, Terry A., 2012, Systematics and Phylogeny of Leptomorphus Curtis (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) 3549, Zootaxa 3549, pp. 1-117 : 45-46

21. Leptomorphus medleri Matile

( Figures 22, 62, 110, 136, 150, 153)

Leptomorphus (Gymnoscutum) medleri Matile, 1977: 152 .

References: Crosskey 1980: 1221 (catalogue appendix); Matile 1997: 146, 148, 149 (figures, new records, morphological variation, key).

DIAGNOSIS: The only extant species of Leptomorphus with the following combination of characters: laterotergite, anepisternum and anepimeron yellow; scutum with prealar brown spots or band only ( Fig. 22); scutellum yellow; male genitalia with lateral lobes of tergal evagination gradually tapering to a medial point; sternite 9 a posteriorly directed triangle ( Fig. 110).

This species can be distinguished from other Afrotropical species by the mostly yellow scutum (brown prealar spots or band present), yellow scutellum and tergite 7 ( Fig. 22), and lack of small setae covering the scutum (except along dorsocentral lines).

DESCRIPTION: Male. ( Fig. 22) Head: yellow, circular in anterior view. Antenna brown; scape yellow, with yellow setae in single apical row extending from dorsum laterally into thick patch covering apicoventral process, basal third and entire medial surface bare, anterobasal patch of setulae absent; pedicel yellow, with 1 large bristle, several setae on apicodorsal margin, several fine setae on apicoventral margin; flagellomere 1 with tapered base yellow remainder brown; flagellomere 6 1.4X as long as broad. Clypeus yellow, dorsoventrally elongate oval; bristles on clypeus yellow, 6–8 strong bristles on ventral margin directed ventrally, remaining setae directed medioventrally, clypeus 2X as long as face. Face yellow; shape a just longer than wide triangle, with few bristles ventrolaterally. Frons yellow; bare, frontal furrow running 1/3 distance from dorsal margin towards ventral margin, frontal cleft usually running to lateral ocellus though some with unconnected portion crossing frontal furrow just in front of median ocellus. Palpus yellow; segment 1 hidden behind eye, segments increasing in length, segment 5 2.5X length of segment 4 with central half thinner than base and apex, segment 3 with apicolateral patch of fine yellow setae encircled by strong dark setae. Labellum yellow. Eye with very few, short inter-ommatidial setulae scattered on surface. Occiput yellow with appressed, anteriorly directed setae. Ocelli in a straight line, space between ocelli less than diameter of laterals, lateral ocelli 2X their own diameter from eye margin, ocellar triangle dark brown/black with electric blue green specks. Thorax: Length 1.01 ± 0.2 mm (0.9–1.19 mm, n = 10). Yellow with two posterolaterodorsal brown spots. Scutum yellow with a central transverse brown band (sometimes split into two lateral spots); surface of scutum bare; acrostichal setae absent; dorsocentral setae present as fine setae for most of length; multiple rows of lateral setae present; patch of setae on scutum at wing base present. Scutellum yellow; with 6–8 large bristles and many small bristles. Prescutum yellow. Mediotergite yellow with 8–12 bristles on posterolateral corners, few medially. Laterotergite yellow; anterior margin of laterotergite not reaching katepisternum. Anepimeron yellow. Anepisternum yellow. Katepisternum yellow. Antepronotum and proepisternum yellow. Margin of anterior and posterior spiracles yellow with yellow trichia. Metepisternum yellow. Anapleural suture with anterior portion slightly curved dorsally. Halter yellow. Legs: principally yellow; extreme anteroapical corner dark brown on all femora. Midfemur without apical spine-like process. Tibia with covering of brown macrotrichia, foretibia without comb of short setae along length of anteroventral surface, tibial spurs yellow, foretibial spur length 2.5X apical thickness of foretibia, midtibia with strong, dorsal, bare patch of even thickness for 3/4 of its length, placed centrally, shortest midtibial spur 0.72X length of longest, longest midtibial spur 6X apical thickness of midtibia, shortest hind tibial spur subequal to length of longest, longest hind tibial spur 4.5X apical thickness of hind tibia. Foreleg first tarsomere 1.5X length of foretibia. Wing ( Fig. 62): Length 4.9 ± 0.8 mm (4.2–5.4 mm, n = 10). Hyaline; apical macula absent or, if present, very light, restricted to apical 1/4 of cell r 1; medial macula absent. Macrotrichia in all cells. Setae on basal posterior margin of wing (along base of cell a) alternating long, short. Calypter with group of macrotrichia. Vein sc-r present, apical end joining R at 2X its own length prior to origin of Rs. R 4 absent. R 5 straight, slight posterior turn near tip. M 1 reaching apex before R 5, apices of M veins fading before wing margin. M 4 -CuA fork arising well before origin of r-m. A 2 faintly present as crease. Abdomen: Tergites principally yellow. T3–6 with posterior 1/5–1/4 brown. Tergite 8 smaller than all other abdominal sclerites, with 6–8 bristles on each apicolateral corner. Genitalia ( Fig. 110): yellow. Sternite 9 sclerotized, rounded triangle, 1/3 the width of the genitalia at widest point, overlapping medial margin of gonocoxite. Tergite 9 longer than wide, with basal 3/4 of lateral margins parallel then tapering into two pointed lobes with medial Ushaped indentation, a ventrally extending point at base of posterior lobe. Gonocoxite placed basally on T9, medial margin just not reaching medial line, bearing gonostylus on apical 1/3. Gonostylus with two lobes, dorsal lobe shortest and broad, ventral lobe prominent but half the width of dorsal, gonocoxite III fused to dorsolateral margin. Aedeagus 0.85X length of gonocoxite, tapering towards apex (slight central swelling), apodemes 1/4 total length. Parameres a simple taper, apodemes ~3/4 length of parameres.

Female adult. As for male, except as follows. Thorax: Length 1.22 ± 0.17 mm (1.11–1.34 mm, n = 5). Wing: Length 5.7 ± 0.7 mm (5.3–6.1 mm, n = 5). Abdomen: Cercus yellow.

Immatures. Unknown.

BIOLOGY: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: Guinea and Nigeria ( Fig. 136), 215–750 masl.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype: adult male, in Ethanol (this portion of specimen not seen), genitalia pinned separately in genitalia vial “[Red label] HOLOTYPE / reste—coll. Alcool.; HOLOTYPE ♂ / Leptomorphus medleri / Matile/ Det. C.J. Borkent, 2012” [ MNHN]. Type locality: NIGERIA, W.State, Ile Ife , v.1973, J. T. Medler ( Matile 1977).

Paratypes: NIGERIA, W.State, Ile Ife, viii.1974, J. T . Medler. (6♂, 1♀, MNHN); Ibadan, 3.vii.1922 (1♀, BMNH) .

Other material: GUINEA, Mt. Nimba , 18–19.vi.1991, Girard et Legrand. (1♀, MNHN) ; NIGERIA, Ibadan , 23.vii.1962, D.C. Eidt. (2♀, CNC) ; same except 31.viii.1962 (1♂, CNC) ; 3.ix.1962 (1♂, CNC) ; 18.ix.1962 (1♂, CNC) ; 1962 (1♂, CNC) .