Atherigona jordaensi, Magoai & Muller, 2024

Magoai, Mokome M. J. & Muller, Burgert S., 2024, The first record of Atherigona from Lesotho (Diptera, Muscidae), with description of a new species, African Invertebrates 65 (2), pp. 49-60 : 49-60

Atherigona jordaensi sp. nov.

Figs 3 , 6

Material examined.

Type material examined: Holotype: Lesotho • 1 ♂; Quting, Mphaki , Roadside swamp ; 30 ° 13.690 ' S, 28 ° 8.445 ' E; 30 Nov. 2022; K. Jordaens, J. Midgley, B. Muller and G. Theron leg.; Hand collecting; Lesotho Highland Basalt Grassland; BMSA (D) 134684. The holotype is in good condition . Paratypes: LESOTHO • 2 ♂; Same data as holotype; ( BMSA (D) 134681; NMSA DIP 223216 ) • 3 ♂; Quting, Mphaki, Roadside seep / stream ; 30 ° 12.882 ' S, 28 ° 8.307 ' E; 2221 m; 28–30 Nov. 2022; K. Jordaens, J. Midgley, B. Muller and G. Theron leg.; Hand collecting; Lesotho Highland Basalt Grassland; ( BMSA (D) 134678, 134675; NMSA - DIP 223217 ) • 2 ♂; Maseru District, God Help Me Pass, A 3, nr, Molimo Nthuse Lodge ; 29 ° 25.386 ' S, 27 ° 54.330 ' E; 2025 m; 29 Jan. 2023; B. S. Muller And G. Theron leg.; Sweep net, Mixed Forest vegetation; ( BMSA (D) 132581; NMSA - DIP 223218 ) • 1 ♂; Quting, Letseng la Letsie at; 30 ° 18.772 ' S, 28 ° 10.062 ' E; 2410 m; 29 Nov. 2022; K. Jordaens, J. Midgley, B. Muller and G. Theron leg.; Hand collecting, Lesotho Highland Basalt Grassland; BMSA (D) 134693 .

Other material examined.

South Africa • 2 ♂; Free State, Harrismith, Scotland farm at : 27 ° 58.992 ' S, 29 ° 37.151 ' E; 10–12 Nov. 2009; A. H. Kirk-Spriggs leg.; Malaise traps, dense Leucosedea - dominated scrub; ( BMSA (D) 12781, 12783) .

Type condition.

The following 7 ♂ paratypes were dissected: BMSA (D) 134681, 134680, 134678, 134675, 134674, 132581, 134693.

Deposition information.

Holotype and paratypes are deposited at National Museum, Bloemfontein, except for NMSA - DIP 223216, 223217, 223218 that are deposited at the KwaZulu-Natal Museum.

Diagnosis.

This species is most similar to Atherigona decempilosa Dike, 1989 . It will key out to couplet 30 in Muller (2015). It can be separated from A. decempilosa by having the median piece of the trifoliate process medially dilated in profile (Fig. 6 ) not “ apically dilated and bifid ” and the basal lateral area of the lateral plates curve upward and do not appear “ angular ”. Additionally, the hood of A. jordaensi is not as well-developed as in A. decempilosa ( Muller 2015, fig. 25). Lastly, A. decempilosa has some degree of infuscation on all of its legs whereas A. jordaensi only has the foreleg somewhat infuscated.

Description.

Measurements (Holotype): Body length: 3.84 mm wing: 3.66 mm, rm crossvein ratio: 0.375.

Male. Head: Ground colour dark; all head setae and setulae infuscated; upper occiput grey dusted posteriorly with narrow median part glossy, laterally also grey dusted, however, lower occiput golden-grey dusted; ocellar triangle grey dusted; with three pairs of strong proclinate frontal setae and two weaker and shorter setae on frontal angle, also with two pairs of orbital setae; parafacial silver-grey dusted, at narrowest as wide as aristal base; scape and pedicel entirely infuscated; postpedicel infuscated; arista infuscated; palpus infuscated, apically dilated and truncated, with some short infuscated setulae and mostly longer hyaline setulae; four well-developed vibrissal setae surrounded by 3–4 setulae.

Thorax: Ground colour dark; postpronotal lobe grey dusted, lobe with three setae and 8–14 setulae; scutum golden-grey dusted, with faint 2–4 dorsocentral vittae, not extending to the scutellum; scutellum golden-grey dusted dorsally, margins more densely golden-grey dusted; one pair of basal setae, one pair of discal setae and 3–8 discal setulae, one pair of subbasal setae and one pair of apical setae, subbasal and apical pair subequal; pleura golden-grey dusted; proepisternum inconspicuous, with two setae, one stronger than the other, and one setula (some specimens with an additional much weaker setula); katepisternal setae 1: 1: 1.

Legs: All legs yellow except for apical half of fore femur, excluding apex, apical 2 / 3 of fore tibia and fore tarsi that are infuscated; leg chaetotaxy: fore tarsi without any specialised chaetotaxy.

Wings: Hyaline; veins light-brown; halteres with white knob and yellow stalk; calypters somewhat light-brown.

Abdomen: All tergites and sternites yellow and without any dorsal median vittae; tergite 1 + 2 immaculate; tergite 3 with two small spots (some specimens appearing to have a large mark underneath each spot), ca 2 × the size of those on tergite 4; tergite 4 also with two small spots; tergite 5 immaculate.

Terminalia (Fig. 6 ): Hypopygial prominence knob-shaped with two anteriorly projecting tubercles. Trifoliate process infuscated except for brown stem; median piece of the trifoliate process medially dilated in profile; lateral plates wider than median piece in profile, inner lobes present. Surstylus not infuscated.

Female. Unknown

Etymology.

Named after Dr Kurt Jordaens of the Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, for his contribution to the study of Diptera in Lesotho.

Distribution.

Lesotho, South Africa.

Figures

Figure 3. Photo of Atherigona jordaensi sp. nov. Holotype male. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Figures 4–11. Trifoliate process and hypopygial prominence of 4 A. angulata 5 A. chrysohypene 6 A. jordaensi sp. nov. 7 A. kirkspriggsi 8 A. laevigata 9 A. lineata ugandae 10 A. londti 11 A. rubricornis. Trifoliate process: a posterior view b in profile. Hypopygial prominence c dorsal view d posterior view e in profile.