Dacus (Psilodacus) vestigivittatus, White, Ian M. & Goodger, Kim F. M., 2009

White, Ian M. & Goodger, Kim F. M., 2009, African Dacus (Diptera: Tephritidae); New Species and Data, with Particular Reference to the Tel Aviv University Collection, Zootaxa 2127, pp. 1-49 : 43-45

Dacus (Psilodacus) vestigivittatus sp.n.

Figures 110 – 117.

Diagnosis. Differs from other known species of sg. Psilodacus in having a narrow (sometimes vestigial) medial postsutural vitta (apparently absent in holotype male; fig. 110). As D. annulatus Becker, 1903 except: Thorax. Scutum with anterior supra-alar seta (fig. 11). Wing. Costal band apical spot very large, starting before end of vein R2+3 and reaching vein M (fig. 117). Abdomen. Tergite III dark laterally and medially (fig. 111).

Description. Size. Small, wing length, 4.7 – 5.2 mm. Head (fig. 113). Pedicel+1st flagellomere not longer than ptilinal suture. Face, antennal furrow without a dark spot; upper area with an inverted V-shaped dark marking. Frons, frontal setae 2, orbital setae 0. Thorax (figs 110, 114). Scutum black; postpronotal lobe yellow; black antero-mesally; notopleural callus yellow; notopleural xanthine wedge shaped (connected to notopleural callus); lateral postsutural vitta absent; medial postsutural vitta present but very narrow and sometimes apparently absent. Scutellum yellow, without any dark patterning (except for basal dark margin). Anepisternum with a broad yellow stripe from notopleural callus to katepisternum; extended onto katepisternum. Laterotergal xanthine confined to katatergite. Setae. Anterior notopleural and anterior supraalar setae present. Wing (fig. 117). Basal cells bc and c without an almost complete covering of microtrichia; cell bm without microtrichia. Narrow subbasal raised section of cell br with extensive covering of microtrichia. Crossvein R-M beyond middle of cell dm. Costal band complete, not extending below vein r2+3, except apically expanded into a large spot, reaching vein M, and starting before end of vein R2+3. Anal streak present but colour only narrowly extending beyond cell bcu. Cells bc and c hyaline. Without any crossbanding. Legs (fig. 115). Femora pale (yellowish) coloured. Abdomen (fig. 111). Predominantly black; with a yellow submedial (beside black midline) marking extending from halfway of tergite II to anterior of tergite IV, sometimes broadened on tergite II; orange yellow ceromata; sometimes with a small yellow mark antero-submedially on tergite V. Tergites I – V all fused. Male. Tergite III with vestigial pecten (fine pale setae only); no dense area of microtrichia adjacent end A1+Cu2; hindtibia without "pad". Female (figs 112, 116). Aculeus pointed, deeper than broad (probably not torsion).

Etymology. Descriptive name for vestigial medial vitta.

Material. Holotype male, KENYA: Nyanza, Ungoye, 1147m., 0o36.91’S, 34o5.52’E, 25.x. – 8.xi.2005, malaise trap, R.S. Copeland ( NMKE). Paratypes: 1 female ( BMNH), same data as holotype, 8 – 22.vi.2005, R.S. Copeland; 1 female ( MRAC), same locality, 1127m., 0o36.795’S, 34o5.345’E, 17 – 31.viii.2005, malaise trap, R.S. Copeland.

Remarks. No previously described species assigned to sg. Psilodacus has even a trace of a medial vitta and the true position of this species is uncertain. It also lacks a true pecten, although a few long pale hairs could be regarded as a vestigial pecten. Note that the male also has some long setae on the baso-lateral corner of tergite IV which could be mistaken for a pecten.

Figures

FIGURES 110 – 115. Dacus (Psilodacus) vestigivittatus sp. n. 110. Mesonotum, dorsal view (holotype male). 111. Abdomen, dorsal view (holotype male). 112. Ovipositor with extended aculeus, dorsal view (paratype female [MRAC]). 113. Head, anterior view (holotype male). 114. Thorax, right lateral view (holotype male). 115. Legs, right lateral view; hind, mid, fore (holotype male). 116. Ovipositor with extended aculeus, left lateral view (paratype female [MRAC]). 117. Wing, dorsal view (holotype male). Scale lines = 1 mm.