Sobarocephala insolata, Lonsdale, Owen, 2014

Lonsdale, Owen, 2014, Revision of the Old World Sobarocephala (Diptera: Clusiidae), Zootaxa 3760 (2), pp. 211-240 : 221-222

Sobarocephala insolata spec. nov.

Fig. 7

Description (Fig. 7). Male. Body length 2.8mmArista sparsely plumose along entire length.. Setae light brown to yellowish. Ocellar seta approximately 3/5 length of postvertical and much thinner. Presutural intra-alar seta absent. Two dorsocentral setae. Acrostichal seta absent. Two lateral scutellar setae. Face with blunt, rounded carina between antennal bases. Body yellow except as follows: first flagellomere with light outer infuscation at base of arista; ocellar tubercle light brown; parafacial and gena white and silvery-tomentose; notopleuron possibly brownish; scutum with one pair of thin light brown stripes lateral to dorsocentral row extending from base (faded) to approximate midpoint of scutum; scutellum light brown, becoming paler anteromedially; halter entirely white; fore coxa and base of femora white; fore tarsi possibly brownish; abdomen with wide, light brown dorsal stripe on tergites 2–6. Wing lightly clouded anterodistally. M1+2 ratio 4.4.

Female. Unknown.

Male terminalia. Not dissected. Surstylus approximately 4/5 length of epandrium and nearly as high; broadly rounded apically and slightly narrowed basally; tubercle-like setae not apparent (although inner margin of apical and posterior surfaces not entirely visible). Cerci small, rounded and only slightly projecting.

Etymology. The specific name is Latin for “exposed to the sun”.

Holotype: MADAGASCAR. Tulear Pr., 18km NNW Betroka , 825m, 23˚09’40”S, 45˚58’07”E, 4–9.xii.1994, M.A. Ivie & D.A. Pollock (1♂, DEBU).

Comments. Sobarocephala insolata is distinct from African congeners in being mostly yellow with a brownish scutellum and one pair of thin, lateral stripes on the scutum. While also characterized by two pairs of lateral scutellar setae and an entirely sparsely plumose arista, this species does not otherwise readily fit within the boundaries of the S. flava species group, particularly considering its much more western occurrence, leaving its subgeneric placement uncertain.