Paramimegralla quadrifasciata, Marshall, Stephen A., 2017

Marshall, Stephen A., 2017, Micropezidae (Insecta, Diptera, Acalyptratae) of Madagascar and a revision of the genus Paramimegralla Hennig, Zootaxa 4290 (2), pp. 244-280 : 263-265

Paramimegralla quadrifasciata new species

Figs 49 ̄52

Description (female only). Length 10 mm. Ground colour dull black, densely microsetulose.

Head with frons broad, faintly ridged longitudinally, microsetulose except for shining black epicephalon; frontal vitta densely microsetulose, broad but weakly differentiated anterior to ocelli, gradually tapered behind ocelli to a broad terminus between postocellar setae. Head chaetotaxy complete except only one large frontal seta. Palpus broad, brown, ventral and distal margin golden microsetulose. Occipital suture shining black. Clypeus microsetulose, brown, shorter than face plus lunule. Length of first flagellomere 1.1X width.

Thorax with notum silvery microsetulose, scutum with very faint pattern of alternating light and dark longitudinal lines, pleuron microsetulose but with a very weak pattern of alternating silvery and relatively bare broad diagonal strips. Proepisternum with short, inconspicuous ventral setae. Legs black except as follows: fore femur brown at apex, fore tarsus with tarsomeres one and two white. Mid and hind femora with a broad brown preapical band narrowly separated from apex, hind femur also with a broad brown band near middle. Hind femur slightly flattened, hind tibia cylindrical. Hind trochanter shining pale brown. Hind tarsus with tarsomeres 1̄2 white with white setae, distal tarsomeres yellowish to brown with at least some dark setae.

Wing with a narrow basal band, a strong triangular (basally convex and distally concave) discal band, a strong, parallel-sided preapical band and a distinct infuscated apex. Anal cell bare, broad and almost truncate; CuA2 almost straight, in line with bm̄cu, distal angle of anal cell about 70 °.

Abdominal syntergite 1+2 weakly grooved at junction between T1 and T2; T1 evenly and uniformly setose on anterior 4/5; abdominal pleural membrane colour indistinct on unique specimen but apparently all or mostly black. Spermathecae with single duct greatly reduced, less than half as long as, and much narrower than, paired duct; thicker duct distally parallel-sided and branching into two short cylindrical spermathecae, each on a uniquely developed stem with a narrow base, a very broad and rugose central part that is longer and wider than spermatheca, and a narrow distal part leading to the dense, oval spermatheca. Male unknown.

Type material. Holotype (♀, CAS) Ranomafana National Park, Sahamalaotra, 21°14.44’, 47°23.67’, 16.x. 2014, 650m, S.A. Marshall, sequence MYCRO193̄15.

Comments. Although it is known only from a unique female, several morphological features show that this is a distinct species. The spermathecal complex is unique for the greatly reduced single duct and the relatively large oval swelling on the stems of the paired spermathecae. The wing pigmentation, with four distinct bands (including the apical band) is unusual, and most closely resembles that of P. longicephala . The holotype was sequenced for CO1, confirming that the species is widely distinct from congeners.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the four transverse wing bands (apical, preapical, discal and basal).

Figures

FIGURES 49 – 52. Paramimegralla quadrifasCiata sp. nov., Female holotype. 49. Right lateral; 50. Head, dorsolateral; 51. Spermathecae and associated structures; 52 Head and anterior thorax, dorsal. Abbreviations: f, frontal seta; iv, inner vertical seta; o, orbital seta; ov, outer vertical seta; poc, postocellar seta.