Morinia tsitsikamma, Pierfilipo Cerette & John O. Stirneman III & Silvia Gisondi & Knut Rognes & Giuseppe Lo Giudice & Thomas Pappe, 2019

Cerretti, Pierfilippo, Stireman III, John O., Badano, Davide, Gisondi, Silvia, Rognes, Knut, Giudice, Giuseppe Lo & Pape, Thomas, 2019, Reclustering the cluster flies (Diptera: Oestroidea, Polleniidae), Systematic Entomology 44, pp. 957-972 : 964-968

Morinia tsitsikamma sp.n.

( Figs 4–6 )

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3896A907-0722-4200-9C8E-CFF38BC01BFF .

Material examined: Holotype ♂: Malaise trap / indigenous / forest // RSA: Tsitsikamma N. P. / Bloukrans Pass. Platbos al: / 33∘56.558’S, 23∘37.566 ′ E / 22–25.i.2009 / A. Kirk-Spriggs, S. Otto // Entomology Dept. / National Museum / PO Box 266 / Bloemfontein 9300 / South Africa // BMSA (D) / 05392 ( NMB).

Paratypes: 19 ♂♂, same data as holotype but numbered 05381–05386, 05388–05391, 05393–05396, 05398, 05400–05403 (and 05403 with: Sweeping / forest paths / indigenous /forest) ; 2 ♀♀, same data as holotype 05399 but 05404 (Sweeping / forest paths / indigenous /forest) (all in NMB, except 1♂ in MZUR and and 1♂ in NHMD) .

Etymology. A noun in apposition. Named for the type locality.

Diagnosis. Morinia tsitsikamma is distinguishable from Palaearctic [ M. doronici (Scopoli) , M. crassitarsis (Villeneuve) , M. nigerrima (Herting) , M. piliparafacia Fan , M. proceripenisa Feng , M. skufyini Khitsova ] and Oriental [ M. argenticincta (Senior-White) ] congeners by the following combination of character states: thorax, legs and abdomen black in ground colour with bronze metallic reflections; both males and females with one to two proclinate and one to two upper lateroclinate orbital setae; parafacial covered with short setulae (parafacial is usually bare in Palaearctic species but setulose M. piliparafacia , M. skufyini ); face with a small though visible median carina. The other named Afrotropical species of Morinia (i.e. M. carinata , M. lactineala , M. longirostris , M. royi , M. stuckenbergi ) share a long and narrow prementum, which is 1.0–1.3× as long as head height, and relatively narrow labella. Morina tsitsikamma is instead characterized by prementum shorter than head height, i.e. 3–4× as long as wide, and labella normally developed. In addition, the newly described species has the notopleuron bare, except for the two notopleural setae, the arista with long trichia and the anterior margin of metathoracic spiracle with two to five relatively long setae ( Fig. 5C ).

Description. (Values in square brackets refer to the holotype.)

Body length: ♂, 5.8–7.1 (7.0) mm; ♀, 6.6–7.8 mm.

Coloration ( Figs 4 , 5 ). Ground colour of head blackish except for lower part of parafacial and anterior part of frons, which are dark brown; head entirely covered with whitish or silver reflecting microtomentum. Antenna and mouthparts brownish-black. Thorax, legs and abdomen black in ground colour with bronze metallic reflections; thorax dorsally covered with whitish, sparse microtomentum except for two, barely visible, presutural dark vittae located between rows of dorsocentral and acrostichal setae. Abdomen thinly covered with whitish microtomentum (barely visible only in posterodorsal view). Tegula brownish, basicosta yellow. Wing membrane yellowish.

Head ( Fig. 4 ). Frons 1.3–1.5 (1.4)× (male), 1.6–1.7× (female) as wide as compound eye in dorsal view. Frontal vitta 2.5–(3.0)× (male), 2.5–3.0× (female) as wide as fronto-orbital plate. Inner and outer vertical setae well developed. One or two proclinate and one to two upper lateroclinate orbital setae (usually two in male, one in female). Scattered short setulae dispersed between orbital setae and inner edge of compound eye. Ocellar and postocellar setae well developed, proclinate. Seven to eight frontal setae, descending to upper margin of pedicel. Lunula virtually bare, with only minute setulae, which are only visible under high magnification ( Fig. 4E, G ). Face concave, with a small and slightly visible median carina. Facial ridge concave with one to two setulae above vibrissa. Vibrissa arising above level of lower facial margin. Subvibrissal setae well developed, as long as vibrissa. Face and lower facial margin not visible in lateral view. Parafacial wide, about twice as wide as postpedicel (both measured at middle) and covered with short setulae. Genal dilation well developed. Gena (0.5)–0.6× (male), 0.6–0.7× (female) as high as compound eye. Postpedicel 2.2–2.6 (2.4)× (male), 1.8–2.2× (female) times as long as pedicel. Arista short plumose (longest trichia about 2× proximal diameter of arista) and thickened on proximal 1/7–1/8. Second aristomere about as long as wide. Prementum shorter than head height, about 3–4× as long as wide. Labella normally developed. Palpus slightly clavate, about twice as long as labellar lobes.

Thorax ( Fig. 5B, C ). Two postpronotal setae. One posthumeral seta. One presutural, three postsutural supra-alar setae (first postsutural supra-alar seta longer and stronger than notopleural setae). Two postsutural intra-alar setae (presutural intra-alar setae absent). Two presutural, three postsutural dorsocentral setae. One presutural, one postsutural acrostichal setae. Notopleuron bare except for the two notopleural setae. Metathoracic spiracle small and rounded; posterior lappet of metathoracic spiracle slightly larger than anterior lappet and outwardly directed; anterior margin of metathoracic spiracle with two to five relatively long setae ( Fig. 5C ). Two pairs of marginal scutellar setae (basal seta about as long as crossed, horizontal apical setae) and one pair of discal scutellar setae. Two katepisternal setae. Three or four strong anepisternal setae. Anepimeron with a patch of slender setulae below lower calypter. Postalar wall with setulae.

Wing ( Fig. 5A ). Costal spine at most weakly differentiated from regular row of costal setulae. Second costal sector cs 2 bare ventrally. Base of R 4+5 bare. Section of M 1 between crossveins r-m and dm-m longer than the section between dm-m and bend of M 1. Wing cell r 4+5 open at wing margin. Bend of M 1 rounded.

Legs. Preapical posterodorsal seta of fore tibia varying from slightly shorter to as long as preapical dorsal seta. Midtibia with one anterodorsal seta. Preapical anteroventral seta on hind tibia about as long and robust as preapical posteroventral seta. Hind tibia with two anterodorsal and two anteroventral setae. Hind tibia with equally strong dorsal, anterodorsal and posterodorsal preapical setae.

Abdomen ( Figs 4A , 5D ). Mid-dorsal depression on syntergite 1 + 2 confined to anterior third; syntergite 1 + 2 and tergite 3 without median marginal setae. Tergites 4 and 5 with a row of marginal and median discal setae. Tergite 5, measured mid-dorsally, 0.6–(0.8)× (male), 0.7–0.9× (female) as long as tergite 4.

Male terminalia ( Figs 5E, F , 6 ). Connection between tergite 6 and syntergosternite 7 + 8 membranous. Cerci nearly straight in lateral view, only slightly curved on distal fourth and subequal in length to surstyli, not fused medially. Surstylus long and narrow in lateral view, with short and scattered setulae distally.Surstylus freely articulated with epandrium. Bacilliform sclerite joining surstylus at the anterobasal corner of surstylus (seen in lateral view). Hypandrium wide, hypandrial arms well developed, converging posteriorly but not touching each other. Pregonite subtriangular, with three to four thin setulae on the pointed distal part. Postgonite with a short seta arising at mid-length (slightly beyond) on lower surface. Postgonal apodeme present. Epiphallus well developed, weakly sclerotized and hook-shaped. Apical part of dorsolateral processes of distiphallus (pdp) separate from phallus wall (i.e. with free tip). Median process of ventral sclerotization of distiphallus long, narrow and not fused to base of ventral sclerotization. Ventrolateral lobe semicircular, about as long as median process of ventral sclerite, fringed with robust, scale-like spinulae. No armature on ventral and ventrolateral surface of distalmost parts of distiphallus, i.e. smooth and without small teeth ( Fig. 6C, D ).

Female terminalia ( Fig. 6G ). Length of sclerites 7–8 moderate (sternites 7 and 8 about 2× as long as wide). Tergite 8 divided into two broad hemitergites. Sensilla trichodea (alpha setae) present on sternites. Epiproct lobe-shaped, without microtrichosity, without sensilla trichodea, with two setae apically. Hypoproct with ligulae. Cerci narrow and elongate, about twice as long as epiproct, with setae but without sensilla trichodea and without microtrichosity.

Distribution. Afrotropical – South Africa (Eastern Cape).

Figures

Fig. 4. Morinia tsitsikamma sp.n. (A) Habitus in lateral view, holotype 05392, male; (B) head in lateral view, holotype 05392, male; (C) head in frontolateral view, male paratype 05403, head; (D) head in frontal view, male paratype 05403; (E) lunule in frontal view, male paratype 05383 (scale 100 μm); (F) head in frontal view, female paratype 05404; (G) lunule in frontal view, female paratype 0540 (scale 100 μm). [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com].

Fig. 5. Morinia tsitsikamma sp.n. (A) Right wing in dorsal view, male paratype 05385; (B) Notopleuron in lateral view, holotype 05392 (scale 200 μm); (C) Left metathoracic spiracle, male paratype 05403, male (scale 200 μm); (D) Abdomen in dorsal view, holotype 05392; (E) Epandrial complex in lateral view, male paratype 05390; (F) Epandrial complex in caudal view, male paratype 05390. c, cercus. s, surstylus. [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com].

Fig. 6. Morinia tsitsikamma sp.n. (A) Sternite 5, male paratype 05390; (B) hypandrium in dorsal view, male paratype 05390; (C, D) phallic complex in lateral view, male paratype 05390 (scale, 200 μm); (E, F) phallic complex in dorsal view, male paratype 05390 (scale, 200 μm); (G) apical portion of oviscapt. ap, phallic apodeme; ep, epiphallus; hya, hypandrial arm; pdp, phallic dorsolateral process; pr, pregonite; ps, postgonite. [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com].