Phortica (Ashima) afoliolata

Toda, Masanori J., Bänziger, Hans, Sati, Pradeep C., Fartyal, Rajendra S., Suwito, Awit & Katoh, Toru, 2020, Taxonomy and evolution of asymmetric male genitalia in the subgenus Ashima Chen (Diptera: Drosophilidae: Phortica Schiner), with descriptions of seven new species, Zootaxa 4789 (1), pp. 1-54 : 10

1. Phortica (Ashima) afoliolata species group, new

Diagnosis. Aedeagal, median rod distally diffentiated into two strongly sclerotized, asymmetric pieces (ch.58-4; Fig. 3F); arista with 4 or more ventral branches (ch.6-0; Fig. 2A); hypandrial phragma broader than lateral gonocoxites (ch.41-0; Fig. 3F).

Shared characters. Some interfrontal setulae as long as lowest setulae on ocellar triangle (ch.3-0). Arista apically without leaf-like expansion (ch.7-0); longest, dorsal branch longer than longest seta on pedicel ( Fig. 2A). Cibarial, medial sensilla all trichoid, apically pointed (ch.11-0; Fig. 2C). Prementum without pubescent patches (ch.12-0). Pseudotracheae in labellum 6 per side (ch.14-2; Fig. 2D). Setulae just before prescutellar acrostichal setae somewhat longer than other acrostichal setulae (ch.15-1). Mid and hind femora with gray patch submedially or largely dark brown (ch.16-1; Fig. 2G); all tibia with dark gray ring(s) or largely dark brown (ch.17,18,19-1; Fig. 2G). Apical, downward curved setula on fore tarsomere V neither thicker than surrounding setulae nor longer than tarsomere V (ch.20-0; Fig. 2E). Caudal bands on tergites III and IV medially interrupted/constricted (ch.21-2; Fig. 2F). Abdominal sternites III–V longer than wide; III not wider than IV; setulae on medial surface of III–V not so dense (ch.22–24,26–28-0; Fig. 2H). Epandrium widely round on ventral margin (ch.31-1; Fig. 3D); setae on and/or near ventral margin of epandrium not denser than those on other portions (ch.32-0; Fig. 3D), longer than others (ch.33- 1; Fig. 3D). Surstylus without expansion at caudoventral corner (ch.35-0; Fig. 3E), with peg-like teeth (ch.37-0; Fig. 3E). Hypandrium symmetric (ch.40-0; Fig. 3F). Pregonite ( Fig. 3G,H) partly strongly sclerotized (ch.43-0), rod-like, with apical knob (ch.44-1), apically narrowing basal extension nearly rectangular to main body (ch.49-1) and sensilla on submedial and basal portions (ch.52,53-1) but no serration on ventrodistal portion (ch.50-0); apical knob without fine serrations (ch.45-0), ventrosubapically protruded, forming apically pointed barbule (ch.46,47-0). Aedeagal, outer membrane bearing neither spiny ornamentation nor apical, long, narrow tube (ch.55-1, ch.57-0; Fig. 3 F–H). Posterior, rod-like process of phallapodeme not longer than aedeagal median rod (ch.62-0; Fig. 3G,H). Aedeagal sheath and/or postgonites asymmetric (ch.63-1; Fig. 3F). Aedeagal sheath without lateral lobe(s) bearing strongly sclerotized postgonites (ch.65-0; Fig. 3G,H).

Included species. Phortica (Ashima) afoliolata ; P. (A.) eseta Chen ; P. (A.) qingsongi An & Chen*; P. (A.) xishuangbanna Cheng & Chen ; and P. (A.) efragmentata sp. nov. * The assignment was judged from the original description by An et al. (2015).

Remarks. This species group first branched off in the subgenus Ashima ( Fig. 1), retaining a number of plesiomorphic characters such as the plumose (with 5 and 4 or more dorsal and ventral branches, respectively; ch.5,6-0) arista but lacking the apical, leaf-like expansion (ch.7-0), cibarial, medial sensilla all trichoid, apically pointed (ch.11-0), the fore tarsomere V apically without specially developed, downward curved setula (ch.20-0), and the abdominal sternites III–V small, not so conspicuously differentiated in shape and setation from each other (ch.22– 24,26–28-0).