Limnophora exigua (Wiedemann)

Michelsen, Verner, 2021, Macaronesian Muscidae (Diptera). II. The genus Limnophora Robineau-Desvoidy with description of a new Canarian endemic species, Zootaxa 4952 (1), pp. 101-127 : 105-106

Limnophora exigua (Wiedemann)

( Figs 2A‒C , 12A, B )

Limnophora plumiseta Stein ; Emden 1958: 6 ( Cape Verde Is.).

Limnophora exigua (Wiedemann) ; Pont 1980: 748.

Material examined. [ NHMD]: Only extralimital specimens seen from the Philippines (Oriental), Kenya and Tanzania (Afrotropical).

Diagnosis. Very small, wing length 2.7‒3.4mm. Male: See Couri & Pont (2020: 7, figs 41‒43) for habitus im- ages. Arista short-plumose, longest branches 0.5‒0.75 times as wide as postpedicel. Frons broad, subshining black on large frontal triangle and upper part of fronto-orbital plates, silvery pruinose on lower part of fronto-orbital plates and on parafacial plates. Fronto-orbital plate with 2 orbital and 4 frontal setae. Frons and facial margin equally produced. Mesonotum grey pruinose with broad band behind the suture and all scutellum brownish black. Dorsocentral setae 4 unequal behind the suture; acrostichal field with setulae only, arranged in 4 presutural rows and up to 8 rows behind the suture. Mid femur with 2 subapical pd setae, without pv setae; mid tibia with 2 pd setae situated above and below middle. Hind femur with 2 av setae on subapical part; pv setae absent. Male tergite VI fused together with prehypopygeal sclerite. Sternite I bare. Sternite V and hypopygium as in Figs 2A‒C . Female: Very similar to the male. Ovipositor ( Figs 12A, B ) short and thick; tergite VIII with a pair of dorsal hind marginal setulae. See Table 1 for more ovipositor characters.

Distribution. Cape Verde Islands: Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau, Santiago [São Tiago], Brava. Widely distributed in the Old World tropics.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Limnophora exigua (Wiedemann). Male. Hypopygium, caudal (A) and lateral (B); sternites IV‒V (C). Same scale.

FIGURE 12. Limnophora exigua (Wiedemann) (A, B), L. obsignatula sp. nov. (C), L. riparia (Fallén) (D). Ovipositor, lateral (A, C, D) and dorsal (B). Same scale.