Curranosia allroundera, Zielke, 2021

Zielke, Eberhard, 2021, Descriptions of two new African Curranosia species with characteristics not yet reported from the genus and remarks on the subspecies of Curranosia spekei s. l. (Diptera; Muscidae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 71 (1), pp. 167-176 : 170-172

Curranosia allroundera spec. nov.

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Material examined:  holotype; the attached labels read “ Kamerun Nssanakang A. Diebl S.G. ” and „Zool. Mus. Berlin”. The female holotype has no forelegs and the body is slightly polluted. These shortcomings, however, did not affect the identification and description of the species. The date of collecting is not indicated on the label. As there are some other Muscidae in the Museum of Natural History in Berlin which were collected by Diebl in Cameroon Nssanakang, it was asked whether it is known from which time the muscids originate. Unfortunately, no relevant information was available on the other specimens either. Due to the appearance of the labels, however, it can be assumed that the specimens may have come from the turn of the 18th to the 19th century.

Description (female): Head ground-colour depending on light conditions deep dark brown to dark bluish-black ( Figs 12 + 13) and, depending on angle of viewing, partly white dusted. Eyes relatively small, practically bare, facets close to the frons not conspicuously but distinctly larger than the facets of lateral areas. Distance between eyes at level of anterior ocellus 4.5 times as wide as distance between outer margins of posterior ocelli ( Fig. 13 ). When viewed from anterior, frons parallel sided. Width of fronto-orbital plate at level of anterior ocellus slightly wider than diameter of anterior ocellus, and at anterior margin of frons 1.5 times as wide as depth of postpedicel. Frontal vitta at level of anterior ocellus about four times as wide as distance between outer margins of posterior ocelli and tapering sharply towards the anterior margin of the frons, where the vitta is then only slightly wider than the ocellar tubercle. Frontal triangle barely reaching up to midway of frons. In profile upper mouth margin almost in line with profrons. Genal depth below lowest eye margin about as wide as two thirds of the length of postpedicel ( Fig. 12 ). Parafacial in upper half practically parallel-sided and about as broad as depth of postpedicel, strongly dilated in lower part. Fronto-orbital plate and basis of parafacial glossy blackish-brown without any pollinosity, frontal vitta matt blackish, and frontal triangle more or less shiny, depending on angle of viewing. The larger part of parafacial below basis, peristomal area, genal and occipital surface and face dark brown to blackish and depending of point of viewing more or only slightly greyish dusted, the facial ridge predominantly shiny brown. Antenna brown, pedicel reddish brown with an almost yellowish apical band ( Fig. 13 ), from certain viewpoints whitish-grey pollinose, contrasting to the glossy black adjacent parafacial. Postpedicel depending on angle of viewing matt pale brown or brownish-grey. Postpedicel about 3.5 times as long as deep and about 2.2 times as long as pedicel. Basal third of arista yellowish-brown, apical part brownish. Arista about 1.5 times as long as length of postpedicel, longest dorsal hairs of arista about twice as long as depth of postpedicel. Fronto-orbital plate over almost all the length with a row of about eight strong scars originating from lost setae, and a few scars with smaller diameter, probably of shorter interstitial hairs. At level of anterior part of frontal triangle two strong scars of orbital setae and at the level between anterior and posterior ocellus a strong scar of another seta, possibly from a reclinate orbital seta. The shiny top of the fronto orbital plate and frontal triangle ( Fig. 14 ) with small patches consisting of microscopic small golden hair, setula not visible; further down some setulae on the surface between the eye margin and the row of frontal setae. Outer vertical setae well developed only slightly shorter than inner vertical setae. Scars of ocellar setae not very strong. Parafacial bare; facial plate between vibrissal setae and above the lower facial margin without small setulae. Scars of vibrissals not much stronger than those of surrounding peristomal setae. Gena and post occipital surface with rather short dark hairs. Proboscis short and strikingly strong, somewhat chunky ( Fig. 12 ), prementum about 1.5 times as long as depth of proboscis, brown and somewhat dusted; labella slightly longer than depth of proboscis; palpi strikingly yellow, slender slightly clavate, about as long as prementum.

Thorax ground color dark olive green, somewhat shiny metallic ( Fig. 9 ), depending on light conditions either with some brass reflections or densely dusted ( Fig. 8 ). Mesonotum including scutellum uniformly dark olive green ( Fig. 7 ), shiny with little reflections; postpronotal lobes and the anterior presutural surface of the mesonotum in between slightly greyish pollinose. When viewed directly from posterior, mesonotum in general with a weak shimmer of greyish dust. Anterior pleura including katepisternum olive green, somewhat shiny with brass reflections; posterior pleura brown, depending on angle of viewing shiny or dusted. Anterior spiracle large, white and in contrast to the dark surroundings ( Figs 8, 9 and 12 ). Posterior spiracle distinctly smaller and brownish. When viewed directly from posterior or from anterior, pleura with a distinct layer of greyish-white dust. Mesonotum well covered with short seta-like ground hair, barely as long as depth of postpedicel. Infra-alar bulla bare; suprasquamal ridge anteriorly and posteriorly covered with setulae, some of which rather long; prosternum distinctly haired; meron without hairs below spiracle but with some hairs above hind coxa; katepimeron with few short but distinct setae; anepimeron haired; proepimeral area bare. Acrostichals 0+1; dorsocentrals 2+4, the anterior two postsutural setae distinct but much smaller than the two posterior postsutural setae; postpronotals 3, the inner one shorter; posthumeral seta 1; presutural seta 1; notopleurals 2, posterior seta slightly shorter, notopleuron haired; pre-alar seta at least as long as posterior notopleural seta; supra-alar setae 2; post-alars 3; intra-alar seta 1. Katepisternals 1+2, anepisternals 1+5 and some shorter interstitial hairs. Scutellum with a pair each of apical setae, strong and long; preapical setae, well-developed, more than two thirds as long as apical seta; lateral setae weak, barely half as long as apical seta; and basal setae very strong, about equal to apical seta. Lateral surface of scutellum and margin to ventral surface with long setulae. Wing membrane uniformly covered with microtrichia, anterior margin of wing with a brown band ( Figs 7 + 11) extending up to vein R 4+5 and from base to apex, remaining part of wing membrane with weak brownish tinge. Tegula and basicosta brown, veins dark brown, crossvein r-m slightly infuscate ( Fig. 11 ). Subcostal sclerite ventrally with about three distinct setae. Costal spine barely distinguishable from surrounding bristles. Radial node and vein R 4+5 dorsally bare, ventrally with a row of setulae reaching almost cross-vein, and with a few single smaller setulae behind r-m. Cross-vein r-m oblique and basad of the point where vein R 1 enters costa; distal crossvein dm-cu rather straight and clearly oblique. Vein M apically smoothly curved ( Fig. 11 ) to vein R 4+5. Upper calypter ( Fig. 15 ) hyaline whitish transparent, the margin partly whitish, partly brownish, connection between upper and lower calypter white, lower calypter yellowishbrownish with a dark brown margin ( Fig. 16 ) and longer than upper calypter, but in general it appears somewhat smaller than in most of the other Curranosia species and it does not extend under the scutellum ( Fig. 16 ). Stem of haltere yellow, knob pale yellow.

Legs uniformly brown, claws and pulvilli well developed, but not as long as corresponding last tarsomere. Basal third of mid femur with one spine-like posteroventral seta about half as long as the depth of femur, at apical third with a short irregular row of distinct posterior setae barely half as long as depth of femur at level of insertion, and with three preapical posterodorsal to dorsal setae, the two posterodorsals distinctly longer than the setae of the posterior row, the dorsal seta rather small and weak. Mid tibia with four posterior setae about as long as or slightly longer than diameter of tibia; a long posteroventral seta in distal half of tibia. Hind femur with a row of anterodorsal setae, basal ones not as long as depth of femur, four setae in distal half as long as depth of femur; one posteroventral seta-like hair in basal half, distinctly longer than depth of femur and the apical anteroventral setae, a short posterodorsal seta preapically of femur. Hind tibia with one anterodorsal and two anteroventral setae, not very strong and shorter than diameter of tibia, in distal third a posterodorsal seta at least twice as long as diameter of tibia.

Abdominal tergite 5 almost twice as long as tergite 4 or 3 ( Fig. 10 ). In dorsal view, tergites 1+2 till 4 uniformly brownish-violet or bluish, depending on quality of light; tergite 5 yellowish brown ( Fig. 7 ). When viewed from posterior, the anterior four tergites predominantly brownish with varying blue or violet reflections depending on light conditions and with a dark brown-violet band at posterior margin of each tergite, tergite 5 independent of viewing angle yellowish brown ( Fig. 10 ). In lateral or ventral view, the tergites are predominantly yellowish; tergites 3, 4 and 5 are squeezed out under the overlapping posterior margin of the respective front tergite and are marked by a shiny brown basal band on the sides ( Fig. 8 ). Tergite 5 also laterally and ventrally yellowish brown. Tergites covered with semi-erect short seta-like hairs, marginals not strikingly long. Sternite 1 with only few hairs on posterior margin.

Female genitalia: Not investigated.

Measurements: Length of body about 9 mm; length of wing about 7.3 mm.

Male: Not known.

Etymology: The name of the species allroundera is a feminine adjective and refers to the fact that the specimen has characteristics that make it appear at first glance to belong to each of the three genera Neomyia , Curranosia and Pyrellina . The species is also dedicated to all creative all-rounders, who usually know right away how best to help when help is needed.

Diagnosis: The female of Curranosia allroundera spec. nov. runs in the keys ( SNYDER 1951, ZIELKE 1971) directly to Curranosia spekei vansomereni ( SNYDER, 1951) , of which only the female holotype is known so far. Both females are easily distinguished from one another by the rather small lower calypter of C. allroundera , which does not extend under the scutellum but diverge from the margin of the scutellum in a steep angle, and the yellowish-brownish abdomen with a consistent yellowishbrown tergite 5. Curranosia spekei vansomereni , however, is marked by a shiny uniformly blue-green abdomen and a lower calypter which is much larger than the upper one and extends under the scutellum.

Figures

Figs 7–14: Curranosia allroundera spec. nov,  holotype; 7. Dorsal view of female holotype; 8. Lateral view of same female but different angle of viewing, arrow pointing to shiny brown basal band, only visible when the tergite is pushed out from the overlapping posterior margin of the respective front tergite; 9. Latero-dorsal view of thorax of same specimen, shiny dark olive green only slightly dusted at different perspective; 10. Abdominal tergites brownish blue, somewhat shiny, tergite 5 consistently yellowish-brown, independent of viewing angle; 11. Right wing with brown front margin, slightly infuscate cross-vein r-m (arrow) and vein M obtusely bent towards vein R; 12. Head, lateral view, pa = palpus, pr = proboscis; 13. Head with frons in anterior view, 4+5 arrow points to anterior tip of frontal triangle; 14. Upper part of frons and frontal triangle with patches (g and arrows) consisting of microscopic golden hair; (Figs 7–11: bar = 1 mm; Figs 12 + 13: bar = 0.5 mm; Fig. 14: bar = 0.07 mm).

Figs 15–16: Curranosia allroundera spec. nov.,  holotype; 15. Left upper (uc) and lower calypter (lc); 16. Right lower calypter (lc) with the hind margin diverging from margin of scutellum (sc) almost in right angle and not extending under scutellum; (Figs 15–16, bar = 0.5 mm).