Corononcodes manningi, Barraclough, 2001

Barraclough, D. A., 2001, A review of the South African species of Corononcodes Speiser (Diptera: Acroceridae), African Invertebrates 42, pp. 95-104 : 102-103

Corononcodes manningi sp. n.

( Figs 3 , 6 )

Etymology: Named for Dr J. Manning, collector of the unique holotype.

Holotype male: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: ‘REP. SOUTH AFRICA, NATAL / GARDEN CASTLE FOREST / RESERVE [29º45'S: 29º15'E] / 13.II.82 / J. MANNING’; ‘DAMP GRASSLAND / NEAR STREAM’; ‘ HOLOTYPE male / Corononcodes / manningi sp. n. / Det.: D. Barraclough, 2001’. In NMSA; in good condition.

Description: Based on male holotype.

Measurements (in mm): Total length, excluding antennae [6.0]; wing, from extreme base [4.5].

Head ( Fig. 3 ): Eyes and occiput blackish; occiput visible in dorsal view. Eye with pile restricted to a vertical band of hairs at dorsomedial extremity, length of band more than 3.0 times width of scape apex; pile on eye and occiput white. Ocellar tubercle height one-third head-height; pile elongate, white; 3 ocelli, dark yellow, median ocellus less than half size of lateral ocellus; ocellar tubercle rugose, markedly excavate on either side of raised middle section, height of middle section twice that of lateral sections, lower lateral and posterior section with paired sharp, posterior projections in dorsal view. Scape and pedicel dark brown; scape bare dorsally; pedicel a little longer than half length of scape, with short dorsal hairs; pile on scape and pedicel less than half length of that on eye, occiput and ocellar tubercle. Flagellum smoothly rounded apically; partly yellow-brown, otherwise dark brown (mostly dorsally); length about 1.3 times height of eye. Epistomal region reduced, not protruding anteriorly. Gena slightly developed in profile, depth at most two-fifths length of scape. Proboscidial covering dark brown; buccal cavity yellow-brown to brown.

Thorax: Dark brown to black. Pile white; absent below anepisternum, anepimeron and katatergite, also absent from entire anterior margin of anepisternum, extreme lateral corners of scutellum and from scutal region between postalar calli and anterior to scutoscutellar suture; pile length almost 2.0 times as long as on head. Pro- and metathoracic spiracles yellow. Haltere dark cream to yellow.

Legs: Coxae mainly brown, pile white and subequal in length to head pile, pile sparse on posterior surfaces of fore and mid coxae and largely absent on posterior surface of hind coxa. Trochanters mainly dark brown, pile white and shorter than coxal pile, present on anterior and posterior surfaces. Femora mainly yellow-brown but darker brown anteroventrally, pile white, half to two-thirds as long as head pile, sparse to absent on posterior surfaces. Tibiae yellow-brown, pile white, shorter and sparser than femoral pile and sparse to absent on posterior surfaces; spurs moderately developed, comprising a curved and hook-like structure, hind spur about three-fifths length of scape. Tarsi yellow or yellow-brown, pile shorter than tibial pile, but longer dorsally at apex of each segment, pile markedly elongate dorsally at apex of fifth segment with length here almost reaching that of head pile. Claws dark brown to black; pulvilli yellow to yellow-brown.

Wing ( Fig. 6 ): Membrane hyaline. Veins mostly cream, but subcosta mainly yellow-brown to brown. Vein M 3 complete, originating from basal crossvein. Vein R 4+5 not reaching wing margin. Upper calypter entirely white pruinose. Lower calypter partly hyaline, otherwise conspicuously white pruinose on outer margin; pile absent.

Abdomen: Widest at TII. Mainly dark brown, but posterior margins of TI to TIII noticeably paler (cream to yellow-brown). Pile white, slightly shorter than thoracic pile, somewhat more profuse on sternites.

Discussion: The unique holotype is from the Garden Castle Nature Reserve in the southern KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg, west of Underberg. The species has no close relatives in the South African fauna. A striking autapomorphy is the bare scutal region between the postalar calli and anterior to the scutoscutellar suture.

Figures

Figs 1–3. Corononcodes species, head profiles, showing details of all vestiture (note eye pile). 1. C. dimorpha sp. n., male. 2. C. dimorpha sp. n., female. 3. C. manningi sp. n., male.

Figs 4–6. Corononcodes species, wing, showing shape and venation. 4. C. dimorpha sp. n., male. 5. C. dimorpha sp. n., female (note: anal region folded upwards). 6. C. manningi sp. n., male.