Proteaphila stuckenbergorum Davies & Miller, 2012

Davies, Gregory B. P., Miller, Raymond M. & Muller, Burgert S., 2012, A new genus of lauxaniid fly from South Africa (Diptera: Acalyptratae: Lauxaniidae), associated with proteas (Proteaceae), African Invertebrates 53 (2), pp. 615-615 : 627-629

Proteaphila stuckenbergorum Davies & Miller , sp. n.

Figs 1, 2 , 3B, 4A , 5A , 8 , 11 , 14

Etymology: Named in honour of two of South Africa’s foremost dipterists: Brian Roy Stuckenberg and Pamela Stuckenberg (née Usher).

Diagnosis: Proteaphila stuckenbergorum is a cream­grey fly with striped head and thorax, elongated frons, smoky fumose wings and having distal tarsomeres on all legs darkened.

Description:

Measurements: head length: ♀ (n=4) = 1.3 (1.2–1.3), ♂ (n=2) = 1.1 (1.0–1.1); thorax length: ♀ = 2.5 (2.4–2.5), ♂ = 2.2 (2.0–2.4); abdomen length: ♀ = 2.1 (1.9–2.5), ♂ = 1.8 (1.7–1.9); wing length: ♀ = 5.3, ♂ = 5.1 (4.6–5.6).

Head ( Fig. 1 , 4A , 8B ): Frons flat, inclined at slight angle relative to plane of mesoscutum, elongated, protruding beyond anterior margin of eye (postfrontal extension ca 0.3× length of eye), truncate anteriorly. Frons cream­yellow with 2 brown vittae, first vitta beginning just mesad of inner vertical seta, vitta broadening beyond ocellar triangle. Second brown vitta extending from inner margin of eye to anterior edge of frons. Short, black vitta runs from lower anterior edge of eye to base of antenna. Fronto-orbital bristles reclinate, fairly short, anterior fronto-orbital bristle slightly shorter than posterior fronto-orbital bristle, the latter bristle ca 0.5× length of inner vertical seta. Fronto-orbital bristles far from anterior edge of frons, widely spaced, distance between bristles equal to distance between posterior fronto-orbital bristle and inner vertical seta. One minute, disclinate setula half-way between fronto-orbital bristles. Inconspicuous setulae (orientations variable) distad of anterior fronto-orbital bristle. Ocellar triangle dark brown, sides slightly longer than base (1.4:1.1), dark brown coloration extending posteriorly beyond triangle. Ocellar bristle strong, slightly disclinate, and semi-erect, extending through ¾ of distance of frons. Several setulae behind ocellar bristles and under postvertical bristles. The latter decussate, intersection high. Outer vertical seta disclinate, strong, ca 0.8× length of inner vertical seta. Primary row of postocular setae robust, disclinate, becoming progressively shorter away from outer vertical seta. Secondary row of postocular setulae inclinate, weaker and shorter than primary row. Scape not visible in lateral view, recessed underneath facial extension. Pedicel orange; postpedicel orange, simple (only slightly elongated); arista black, micropubescent. Face narrow, covered in silvery pruinescence, pair of blackish dots on lower, lateral parts. In lateral view, face not easily visible (obscured by secondary parafacial ridge) and abruptly receding. Pre­ and postfrontal angle acute. Setulae adjacent to frontogenal suture uniform, small and terminate along lower third of face. Eye orange-red (discolored to black), ovoid, longitudinally elongated, longer than high (1.2:1), broader posteriorly than anteriorly. Postcranium blackish, overlaid with silver pruinescence. Gena cream-white, fairly dense cover of setulae in posterior part of gena and lower occiput, including 3 robust setae ventro-posteriorly. Maxillary palpus orange-yellow, no long apical seta.

Thorax ( Fig. 2 ): Scutum moderately arched, colour pattern consisting of alternate grey (pruinescent) and brown (non-pruinescent) vittae. Medial vitta pruinescent, grey-silver (covering central pair of acrostichal setal rows). Submedial vitta brown. Dorsocentral vitta broad, pruinescent, grey-silver (covering dorsocentral bristle rows). Presutural vitta brown, bisected by thin, diffuse grey vitta. Lateral vitta pruinescent, grey. Notopleural vitta brown. Postpronotal lobe black-grey, covered in silver pruinescence. Scutellum grey with 2 dark brown vittae.All pleura overlaid by grey-silver pruinosity.Anepisternum with brown spots encircling setal alveoli. Subscutellum black-grey. Chaetotaxy:Acrostichal setae quadriseriate, inner row of acrostichals aligned in longitudinal axis but each pair of alveolar bases jagged (not aligned), prescutellar pair of acrostichals strong, ca 0.6× length of posterior dorsocentral bristle, penultimate pair of acrostichals fairly robust; 1+3 dc; 1 postpronotal bristle, 2 notopleural bristles, 1 presutural and 1 postsutural supra-alar bristle (+1 setula, <0.2× length of bristle), 2 postalar bristles (ventral bristle is longer; 2 setulae in-between bristles). Posterior marginal scutellar bristles not decussate. 1 strong anepisternal bristle, surrounded by patch of ca 5 setulae. Two katepisternal bristles, anterior bristle strong, ca 0.8× length of posterior bristle; 1 or 2 fine, longish setulae between bristles; line of setulae running down to ventral katepisternal setal patch. Other thoracic pleura devoid of setation (aside from fine silvery pruinescence).

Wings ( Fig. 5A ): Anterior half of wing strongly infuscated: basal costal cell, pterostigma, cell R 1 and anterior half of cell R 2+3 fumose. Crossveins r–m and dm–cu, M 1+2, its stump vein and M 3 also infuscated. Crossvein dm–cu slightly sinuate towards M 1+2. Axillary vein longer than CuA + 1A, approaching wing margin.

Legs: Procoxa cream-orange. Profemur dark brown, covered with abundant silvery pruinosity. Protibia orange-yellow, dark brown apically. Protarsomeres 1–2 yellow, protarsomeres 3–5 black. Midleg mostly yellow-orange (including mesofemur), last 2 tarsomeres black. Metacoxa orange with silver pruinescence. Metafemur orange-yellow with 2 faint, greyish stripes (sometimes indistinct) anteriorly. Metatibia yellow, with subproximal brown patch ventrally and darkened apically. Metatarsomeres yellow, last 2 tarsomeres black.

Abdomen: T1–T4 yellow-brown, laterally covered with grey pruinosity. Alveoli on lateral sides encircled by brown dots. T1–T4 with medial, black, truncated vittae. T5 onwards dark grey.

Male terminalia ( Figs 3B , 11 ): Protandrium saddle-shaped (broad dorsally in longitudinal plane, narrowing abruptly laterally), with complete ventral segment. Epandrium elongated laterally in longitudinal plane, narrower dorsally. Surstylus large, prominent and almost as broad (in vertical plane) as lateral sides of epandrium. Surstylus with tiny digitated process on inner edge. Aedeagus large, apically bifurcate, subapically flanged.

Female terminalia ( Fig. 14 ): Abdominal segments from segment 5 onwards abruptly narrowed, T5 only approximately half the width of T4 (in transverse plane). T5–T8 narrow, segments tubular and elongated. Segment 7 is a syntergosternite. S8 with recurved, setulose apex.

Holotype: ♂ SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Cathedral Peak [28°57'S 29°12'E], 14–18.ix.1982, D. & C. Barraclough ( NMSA, Type no. 2284).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: 1♀ Giant’s Castle Game Reserve [29°15'S 29°30'E], 18–23. ix.1961, B. & P.Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1♂ Giant’s Castle Game Reserve, Bannerman’s Hut [29°15'S 29°25'E], 2300 m, 24.x.1981, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 2♀ Royal Natal National Park [28°41'38"S 28°55'40"E], 12–13. ix.1963, 1500 m, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1♂ Cathedral Peak [28°57'S 29°12'E], 26–27.xii.1977, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 1♂ 1♀ same locality, 14–18.ix.1982, D. & C. Barraclough ( NMSA) ; 1♂ Cathedral Peak, Tarn Hill [28°58'S 29°13'E], 26.ix.1987, 1550 m, I. Pajor ( NMSA) ; 1♂ same locality, 1.ix.1988, 1800 m, I. Pajor ( NMSA) ; 2♀ same locality, 8.x.1988, 1810 m, I. Pajor ( NMSA) ; 2♀ same locality, 24.ix.1989, 1735 m, I. Pajor ( NMSA) ; 1♂ same locality, 26.ix.1989, 1550 m, I. Pajor ( NMSA) ; 1♂ Cathedral Peak, Mike’s Pass [28°58'S 29°14'E], 19.viii.1988, I. Pajor ( NMSA) ; 1♀ same locality, 30.viii.1988, I. Pajor ( NMSA) ; 1♂ 1♀ same locality, 10.ix.1988, 1710 m, I. Pajor ( NMSA) ; 1♀ same locality, 9.x.1988, 1640 m, I. Pajor ( NMSA) .

Ecological notes: Proteaphila stuckenbergorum has been captured on Protea roupelliae Meisn. and Protea caffra Meisn. Specimens were collected in the austral Spring and Summer from August to December, with a peak in September (Table 1).

Distribution: Restricted to the Drakensberg Mountains above 1500 m in montane grassland dotted with Protea trees.

Figures

Figs 1, 2. (1) Proteaphila stuckenbergorum sp. n., dorsal aspect of head, showing deployment of alveoli and postfrontal vittae, scale bar = 0.5 mm; (2A) schematic illustration of thorax (lateral view); (2B) schematic illustration of thoracic vittae; (2C) dorsal view of thorax, scale bar = 1 mm.

Figs 3, 4. (3) Schematic illustration of inner ♂ genitalia: (3A) Proteaphila maculosa sp. n., dorsal view; (3B) P. stuckenbergorum sp. n., ventral view; (4) lateral view of the different head shapes: (4A) P. stuckenbergorum sp. n., (4B) P. pajori sp. n., (4C) P. maculosa sp. n.

Fig. 5. Wings of Proteaphila: (A) fumose wing of P.stuckenbergorum sp. n.; (B) reticulate, patterned wing of P. pajori sp. n.; (C) longitudinally marked wing of P. maculosa sp. n.; (D) P. pajori sp. n., apex of right wing showing sapromyziform costa, i.e. stout costal setulae terminating well before apex of R4+5 (fine costal setulae not shown).

Fig. 8. Proteaphila stuckenbergorum sp. n., ♂: (A) habitus image showing fumose wings; (B) head, lateral view. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 11. Proteaphila stuckenbergorum sp. n., ♂ terminalia: (A) dorsal view; (B) ventral view; (C) lateral view. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Fig.14.Proteaphila stuckenbergorum sp.n., ♀ terminalia:(A) dorsal view;(B) lateral view;(C–E)abdominal tip, dorsal (C), ventral (D), and lateral (E) views. Scale bars = 1 mm.