Bama (Polimen) shinonagai McAlpine, 2001

McAlpine, David K., 2015, Signal Flies of the Genus Bama (Diptera: Platystomatidae) in Papua New Guinea, Records of the Australian Museum 67 (2), pp. 25-53 : 53

Bama (Polimen) shinonagai McAlpine

Fig. 53

Bama (Polimen) shinonagai McAlpine, 2001: 167–169 , figs 76–78.

Type material. Holotype ♂. Morobe Province: Gumi, near Bulolo , 2010 m, 6.viii.1979, H.R. ( AM K359369 ) . Paratypes. See McAlpine (2001).

Description and distribution. See McAlpine (2001).

Notes. Careful consideration has been given to the taxonomic placement of this species. Bama shinonagai resembles typical species of the genus in the following characters: two pairs of fronto-orbital bristles and no lateral occipital bristle present; silvery pruinescent zones of similar extent to other species present on parafacial–fronto-orbital and postgenal regions; arista short-haired (not plumose or bipectinate) on almost whole length of segment 6; prescutellar acrostichal bristle present; fine ventral setulae present on vein 3; membrane of anal cell bare on most of surface; in female, abdominal tergite 3 much enlarged and tergites 4 and 5 much reduced; in male the two terminal filaments of aedeagus unequal in size and arising from elongate bulb.

Although these character states confirm the generic position of B. shinonagai , the species differs from all or most other Bama species in having: scutellum rounded, convex, and glossy, without dorsal pubescence, but with dorsolateral setulae and the intermediate lateral bristle smaller than the other scutellars; squama significantly larger, almost semicircular; preglans of aedeagus with double series of lobes (with one lobe or none in other investigated species). The absence of dorsal setulae on the stem vein (base of R) disagrees with all other Bama species except B. robertsi , which shares no other significant points of resemblance to B. shinonagai . For these reasons, I believe that the placement of B. shinonagai in the monotypic subgenus Polimen is justified.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. I am indebted to Hywel Roberts, John W. Ismay, and F. Ross Wylie for specimens they collected in Papua New Guinea. Frank Menzel loaned material from Senckenberg Deutches Entomologisches Institut, Neal L. Evenhuis that from the B.P. Bishop Museum, and David K. Yeates that from the Australian National Insect Collection. John C. Martin gave much assistance, particularly with micro-photography. I thank Helen Smith for critical and constructive preparation of the manuscript.

Figures

Figures 52, 53.(52) Bama papuanum (Hennig), distal part of aedeagus.Scale = 0.2 mm.(53) BamashinonagaiMcAlpine, left wing of holotype, male.bu, bulb;g, glans;lg, distal lobe of glans;pg, lobe of preglans;st, stipe;tf, terminal filaments.