Stenogephyra dianeae, Webb, Donald W. & Hauser, Martin, 2011

Webb, Donald W. & Hauser, Martin, 2011, Revision of the genus Stenogephyra Lyneborg (Diptera: Therevidae: Phycinae), Zootaxa 2837, pp. 67-85 : 71-75

Stenogephyra dianeae spec. nov.

( Figs. 1–3 , 16–21 , 44 )

Etymology. This species is named for Diane Elizabeth McClain, the daughter of Donald and Lois Webb.

Diagnosis. Stenogephyra dianeae spec. nov. is similar to S. minuta and S. parkeri spec. nov. in possessing two pairs of notopleural macrosetae, in lacking dorsocentral macrosetae, in having the katepisternum completely covered with silver pubescence, and in having vein M2 reaching the hind margin of the wing. It differs from S. minuta and S. parkeri spec. nov. in having silver pubescence along anterior eye margin with a large triangular extension at height of antenna, which nearly reaches antennal base and a second, smaller, semicircular extension at height of median ocellus, both are connected by narrow line along anterior eye margin ( Fig. 2 ); halter with more white than brown; and the male gonocoxite possessing a posteroventral projection in lateral view ( Fig. 18 ).

Description of male. Variation (n=10). Body length 3.3–4.5, 3.9 mm. Head. Length 0.40–0.62, 0.56 mm. Eyes separated by distance about two times width of ocellar tubercle. Frons ( Fig. 2 ) dark reddish brown, glossy with silver pubescence along eye margin with large triangular extension at height of antenna, which nearly reaches antennal base and second, smaller, semicircular extension at height of median ocellus, both are connected by narrow line along eye; setae dark brown to black, elongate, ventrolateral to ocellar tubercle and dorsolateral to antennal base. Antenna dark reddish brown; antenna/head length 1.9–3.0, 2.2; scape length 0.14–0.16, 0.15 mm, width 0.08–0.12, 0.10 mm, length/width 1.2–1.8, 1.4, scape/pedicel length 1.8–3.0, 2.3, scape/flagellum width 0.6–1.0, 0.8, setae dark brown; pedicel length 0.05–0.08, 0.06 mm, width 0.08–0.11, 0.09 mm, length/width 0.5–0.8, 0.7, setae dark brown, short; flagellum length 0.90–1.10, 0.97 mm, width 0.08–0.14, 0.12 mm, length/width 6.4–11.8, 8.1, flagellum/scape length 6.3–7.1, 6.7. Parafacial ( Fig. 2 ) dark reddish brown, glossy with broad callus ventral to antennal bases with narrow silver pubescence along margin of eye which expands laterally almost to antennal base; setae black, elongate. Maxillary palpus whitish brown to dark reddish brown; length 0.24–0.28, 0.26 mm, width 0.06– 0.08, 0.07 mm, length/width 3.0–4.3, 3.8; setae dark brown, elongate. Gena ( Figs. 2–3 ) rounded, pubescence silver, dense; setae white, elongate. Occiput ( Fig. 3 ) dark reddish brown, pubescence silver over broad ventral area; setae white, elongate. Thorax. Macrosetae 2 np, 0 dc. Mesonotum dull black, dorsocentral vitta broad as gray pubescent band; setae black, short. Pleuron dark reddish brown, pubescence whitish gray, anepisternum and anepimeron glossy; setae white, elongate on anepisternum (scattered), katepisternum (dorsal fourth), laterotergite and scutellum. Wing. Membrane hyaline; length 2.8–3.3, 3.1 mm, width 1.0–1.2, 1.1 mm, length/width 2.7–3.2, 2.9. M1 and M2 originate separately from discal cell (on MEI 124816 these veins originate together from discal cell; on 124818 they originate from small petiole); M2 reaching wing margin. Halter predominately white, occasionally with some brown laterally and stalk darker. Legs. Dark reddish brown, concolorous, pubescence on coxae and femora white, dense. Abdomen. Dark reddish brown, glossy, tergites 1–4 with narrow, white posterior margin; dorsal and lateral setae black, short, appressed. Terminalia (MEI 124825). Dark brown. Tergite 8 ( Fig. 16 ), posterior margin broadly emarginate; setae brown. Sternite 8 ( Fig. 17 ) posterior margin truncate; setae dark brown, continuous across posterior margin. Gonocoxite ventral view ( Fig. 17 ) extending posterolaterally as narrow projection, setae brown; lateral view ( Fig. 18 ), dorsal margin straight, rounded ventrally, extending posteriorly to narrow projection with short ventroposterior projection. Aedeagus with distiphallus lateral view ( Fig. 19 ) thick, apex short, sinuate; ejaculatory apodeme lateral view ( Fig. 19 ) clavate anteriorly.

Female. Similar to male except for following. Variation (n=10). Body length 3.8–5.2, 4.5 mm. Head. Length 0.54–0.80, 0.66 mm. Antenna/head length 0.9–2.1, 1.5; scape length 0.10–0.20, 0.15 mm, width 0.08–0.10, 0.10 mm, length/width 1.3–2.3, 1.6, scape/pedicel length 1.7–3.0, 2.3, scape/flagellum width 1.0–1.3, 1.1; pedicel length 0.06–0.08, 0.07 mm, width 0.06–0.09, 0.08 mm, length/width 0.8–1.3, 0.9; flagellum length 0.53–0.92, 0.72 mm, width 0.08–0.10, 0.09 mm, length/width 5.3–11.5, 8.6, flagellum/scape length 3.7–6.8, 4.8. Maxillary palpus length 0.24–0.28, 0.26 mm, width 0.05–0.07, 0.06 mm, length/width 3.7–4.8, 4.2. Thorax. Macrosetae 2 np, 0 dc. Wing. Length 2.7–4.0, 3.4 mm, width 1.0–1.2, 1.1 mm, length/width 2.7–4.0, 3.2. Abdomen. Terminalia (MEI 161382). Sternite 8 ( Fig. 20 ) oval, anterior margin rounded; furca ( Fig. 21 ) quadrate, length 0.36 mm, width 0.18 mm.

Distribution. Stenogephyra dianeae spec. nov. is known from South Africa, Western Cape Province ( Fig. 44 ).

Habitats and Phenology. Stenogephyra dianeae spec. nov. has been handnetted or collected in Malaise traps in Fynbos on mountains, in a small marsh bordered by Fynbos, across a hillside trail, in a dry stream bed, on a sandstone or shrubby hillside, and in a wash with springs. Adults have been collected from September through November.

Specimens examined (n = 92). Type specimens. The holotype male of Stenogephyra dianeae spec. nov. (MEI 124816) is labeled “ SOUTH AFRICA: W. Cape Prov., Cederberg Mountains, Elizabethfontein, 19 km ENE Clanwilliam, shrubby hillside; 15–XI–1996, 400– 500m, 32° 04' 45''S, 19° 03' 29''E., M. E. Irwin” and is deposited in NMSA. PARATYPES. SOUTH AFRICA, WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE. 10 km S Citrusdale Koomlandskloof [- 32.667, 19.017], 5–7.X.1994, Soderlund, M., 3ɗ MEI 152371–3, 1Ψ 152372 (NHRS), Malaise trap, Fynbos on mountain; 5–9.X.1994, Soderlund, M., 1Ψ MEI 152379 (NHRS), Malaise trap, small marsh bordered by Fynbos on mountain slope; 12 km N Citrusdale, Koedoeskop Farm [-32.488, 18.96], 250m, 8–12.X.2002, Irwin, M.E., Parker, F.D., 17Ψ MEI 148439–44, 148693–703 (MEIC), Malaise across hillside trail; 13.5 km ENE Clanwilliam, Pakhuis Pass [-32.138, 19.021], 900–1000m, 15.XI.1996, Irwin, M.E., Schlinger, E.I., Webb, D.W., Yeates, D.K., Wiegmann, B.M, Gaimari, S.D., Metz, M.A., Holston, K.C., 5ɗ MEI 124817–21 (INHS), Malaise trap in stream bed; 6 km SE Montagu [-33.833, 20.173], 400m, 30.IX.2004, Hauser, M., 7ɗ MEI 167907–8, 167910, 167912–4, 167916, 1Ψ 161380 (INHS); Cederberg Mountains, 19 km ENE Clanwilliam [-32.098, 19.066], 400–500m, 14.XI.1996, Metz, M.A., 1ɗ MEI 124834 (INHS), Malaise trap, sandstone hillside; Irwin, M.E., Schlinger, E.I., Webb, D.W., Yeates, D.K., Wiegmann, B.M, Gaimari, S.D., Metz, M.A., Holston, K.C., 2ɗ MEI 124833, 124835 (INHS), Malaise trap, sandstone hillside; 13.XI.1996, Irwin, M.E., 1ɗ MEI 124830 (MEIC); Irwin, M.E., Schlinger, E.I., Webb, D.W., Yeates, D.K., Wiegmann, B.M, Gaimari, S.D., Metz, M.A., Holston, K.C., 2Ψ 124811–2 (INHS), Malaise trap on shrubby hillside; 15.XI.1996, Irwin, M.E., 8ɗ MEI 124815 (CSCA), 124822 (SAMC), 124823–28 (MEIC), 6Ψ 124807 (CSCA), 124808 (NMSA), 124809 (SAMC), 124810, 124786–7 (MEIC), shrubby hillside; 16–17.XI.1996, coll.?, 2ɗ MEI 124831–2 (MEIC); Irwin, M.E., Schlinger, E.I., Webb, D.W., Yeates, D.K., Wiegmann, B.M, Gaimari, S.D., Metz, M.A., Holston, K.C., 2Ψ MEI 124813–4 (INHS), Malaise trap, shrubby hillside; Swartberg Mountains, 4 km S Prince Albert [-33.267, 22.046], 700m, 2–23.X.2004, Irwin, M.E., Parker, F.D., Hauser, M., 9ɗ MEI 161355, 161363, 161365, 161373, 167909, 167911, 167915, 167917–8, 23Ψ 161356–62, 161364, 161366–8, 161370–2, 161375, 161377, 161379, 161381–6 (MEIC), Malaise trap in wash with springs.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Stenogephyra dianeae sp. nov., habitus, female. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURES 2 – 15. Stenogephyra sp. nov. 2 – 3. S. dianeae spec. nov.. 2. Head frontal view. 3. Head lateral view. 4 – 5. S. janiceae spec. nov.. 4. Head frontal view. 5. Head lateral view. 6 – 7. S. minuta. 6. Head frontal view. 7. Head lateral view. 8 – 9. S. namibiensis spec. nov.. 8. Head frontal view. 9. Head lateral view. 10 – 11. S. parkeri spec. nov. 10. Head frontal view. 11. Head lateral view. 12 – 13. S. schlingeri spec. nov. 12. Head frontal view. 13. Head lateral view. 14 – 15. S. torrida. 14. Head frontal view. 15. Head lateral view.

FIGURE 44. Stenogephyra spp. distribution. Open circle, S. dianeae spec. nov.; open square, S. janiceae spec. nov.; closed triangle, S. parkeri spec. nov.; closed circle, S. schlingeri spec. nov. FIGURE 45. Stenogephyra spp. distribution. Closed triangle, S. minuta; closed circle, S. namibiensis spec. nov.; open circle, S. torrida.

FIGURES 16 – 21. Stenogephyra dianeae spec. nov. 16. Male tergite 8, epandrium, cerci, hypoproct. 17. Male sternite 8, gonocoxite ventral view. 18. Gonocoxite, lateral view. 19. Aedeagus, lateral view. 20. Female sternite 8. 21. Female internal reproductive organs. FIGURES 22 – 27. S. janiceae spec. nov. 22. Male sternite 8, gonocoxite ventral view. 23. Gonocoxite, dorsal view. 24. Gonocoxite, lateral view. 25. Aedeagus, lateral view. 26. Female sternite 8. 27. Female furca. FIGURES 28 – 31. Stenogephyra namibiensis spec. nov. 28. Male sternite 8, gonocoxite ventral view. 29. Aedeagus, lateral view. 30. Female sternite 8. 31. Female furca. Scale = 0.1 mm.