Curtonotum mcgregor Kirk-Spriggs, 2013

Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H. & Wiegmann, Brian M., 2013, <p> <strong> A revision of Afrotropical Quasimodo flies (Diptera: Schizophora; Curtonotidae). Part IV — the continental Afrotropical species of <em> Curtonotum </ em> Macquart, with descriptions of thirteen new species and a combined phylogenetic analysis of the Curtonotidae </ strong> </ p>, Zootaxa 3684 (1), pp. 1-166 : 119-121

Curtonotum mcgregor Kirk-Spriggs , sp. n.

Figs 187 , 279, 282, 285 , 331 .

Curtonotum cuthbertsoni: Duda, 1935: 31 , Type IV of Tsacas (1977: 153).

Etymology. The specific epithet mcgregor is a noun in apposition, named after Gillian Kathleen McGregor, who has assisted enormously in the preparation of distribution maps used in this revision.

Note. As the HT specimen has the head missing and is fragmented and the PT specimen is missing from the mount (only the abdomen and male terminalia is retained), only a limited description of the species is possible. The male terminalia is, however, sufficiently distinct to warrant the naming of the species and to facilitate its identification and the species is named to fully clarify those taxa identified as “ Types ” of C. cuthbertsoni by Tsacas (1977).

Description: Male (primarily based on field-pinned HT).

As described for C. uncinatum (above), differing in the following respects:

Measurements: Overall length unknown; wing length 3.7 mm (n = 1, HT).

Thorax. Although mesonotum damaged at least 2 medial parallel chestnut-brown pruinose vittae apparent; [posterior section of mesonotum missing and dorsocentral, acrostichal, presutural, posterior notopleural and supraalar setae cannot be described]; postpronotum with 2 strong postpronotal setae, the more dorsal longer and reclinate, the more ventral shorter and proclinate [rubbed and exact number of finer setulae cannot be determined]; anepisternum surface with ca. 10 fine setulae, 2 arranged in group in posterior corner; katepisternum surface with 15 short, fine setulae.

Scutellum. [Only left outer scutellar seta present].

Legs. Fore coxa with 18 brown setulae on anterior surface; [hind coxa damaged, all legs, except left fore femora and tibia missing]; fore tibia probably with 6 strong setae on lateral margin; ctenidium of 11 short, sharp, black spinules.

Wing ( Fig. 187 ). Dm–cu crossvein with submedial angle.

Abdomen. Sternite 6 as in Fig. 305 .

Terminalia ( Figs 279, 282, 285 ). Hypandrium ( Fig. 279 , hy); postgonite (pg); epandrium (ep); cercus (ce) with longest setae as long as longest setae on ventral margin of epandrium; surstylus (ss) widest basally, slightly curved apically; phallus (as in Figs 282 , ph, bp, dp; 285, bp, dp); phallapodeme ( Fig. 282 , ph); ejaculatory apodeme (ea); basiphallus ( Figs 282, 285 , bp) wide basally, expanded into narrow lateral expansion apically, extreme apex of dorsal edge developed into an acute apical spine; distiphallus (dp) long, scimitar-like (viewed laterally), membranous area broad, with basal “spine” short and curved, more apical dorsal spine with edges very slightly angled, acutely pointed.

♀ Unknown.

Variation. As this species is only known from the fragmented holotype and missing paratype variability cannot be assessed.

Differential diagnosis. Curtonotum mcgregor sp. n. belongs to a group of ten species here ascribed to the uncinatum species-group, nine of which are virtually identical externally and are only separable based on minor differences in the male phallus (see Differential diagnosis under C. uncinatum sp. n. for details). Curtonotum mcgregor sp. n. is probably most closely related to C. litoralis sp. n. and can be separated from other species in the species-group by reference to the above key.

Type material examined. [ MALAWI]: holotype ♂, “Nyasaland. / Dr.J.E.S. Old. / Port Herald / VII 1912 [printed & handwritten] // CURTONOTUM / cuthbertsoni / Duda / L. TSACAS DET. 1975 [printed & handwritten] // HOLOTYPE ♂ / Curtonotum / mcgregor sp. n. / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs 2011 [printed; red card]” (BMNH). In poor condition; head missing, fragmented and glued to card point; dissected, abdomen and terminalia in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen, hypandrium and epandrium missing. Paratype (labelled “ PARATYPE / Curtonotum ♂ / mcgregor sp. n. / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs 2011 [printed; blue card]”): [ MOZAMBIQUE]: 1♂, MARROMEU LOWER / ZAMBEZI RIVER / PORT EAST AFRICA / P J USHER // Salone Forest / Rainy Season / 1956 [handwritten] // CURTONOTUM / cuthbertsoni / Duda / L. TSACAS DET. 1975 [printed & handwritten] [specimen missing from mount, but abdomen and terminalia in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen]” (NMSA).

Distribution. Malawi and Mozambique ( Fig. 331 ). As is the case with its congener, C. litoralis sp. n., this species is apparently confined to low elevation coastal regions.

Bionomics. Occurring in the Zambezian and Mopane Woodland and Zambezian Coastal Flooded Savanna major habitat types; in Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands and Flooded Grasslands vegetation types (Appendix III) .

Figures

FIGURE 331. Distribution of continental Afrotropical species of Curtonotum. Topographical: C. cimbebas sp. n., C. constance sp. n., C. litoralis sp. n., C. mcgregor sp. n. and C. pauliani.

FIGURES 182–190. Wing of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. (all males). 182. C. bicuspis sp. n. (PT, Namibia, Salambala forest, NMNW). 183. C. cimbebas sp. n. (PT, Namibia, Tsams Ost spring, NMNW). 184. C. constance sp. n. (HT, Angola, 7 mi. N Vila Perreira d’Eça, MNHN). 185. C. cuthbertsoni (N-T, Zimbabwe, Chimana Causeway, ZSM). 186. C. litoralis sp. n. (HT, Kenya, Muhaka Field Station, NMNW). 187. C. mcgregor sp. n. (HT, Nyasaland [= Malawi], Port Herald, BMNH). 188. C. pauliani (N-T, Namibia, Ekuju village, NMNW). 189. C. uncinatum sp. n. (PT, Namibia, Salambala campsite, NMNW). 190. C. unicuspis sp. n. (HT, Salambala campsite, NMNW). Not to scale.

FIGURES 277–285. Male terminalia of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. 277–279. Hypandrium and epandrium (lateral view). 277. C. cuthbertsoni (N-T, South Africa, D’Nyala Nature Reserve, PPRI). 278. C. litoralis sp. n. (HT, Kenya, Muhaka Field Station, NMNW). 279. C. mcgregor sp. n. (PT, Portuguese East Africa [= Mozambique], Marromeu, NMSA). 280–282. Phallus (right lateral view). 280. C. cuthbertsoni (same). 281. C. litoralis (same). 282. C. mcgregor (same). 283–285. Apical section of phallus (left lateral view). 283. C. cuthbertsoni (same). 284. C. litoralis (same). 285. C. mcgregor (same). Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 295–305. Male sternites of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. 295. C. angolense (N-T, Angola, 10 mi. NE of Sá da Bandeira [= Lubango], CAS). 296. C. campsiphallum (N-T, Cameroon, Limbe (shore), TAU). 297. C. freidberg sp. n. (PT, Malawi, Viphya Mts., TAU). 298. C. hay sp. n. (HT, Uganda, Mujenge, HNHM). 299. C. quinquevittatum (N-T, Malawi, Viphya Mts., TAU). 300. C. sao (N-T, Nigeria, Gadau, BMNH). 301. C. tsacas sp. n. (PT, Kenya, Kainuk, TAU). 302. C. gonzo sp. n. (PT, [Ghana], Kwadaso, HNHM). 303. C. saheliense (N-T, Nigeria, Yankari Game Reserve, NMWC). 304. C. simile (N- T, UAE, Wadi Maidan, NMWC). 305. C. uncinatum sp. n. (PT, Namibia, Kubunyana, NMNW). Scale bars: 295–301, 303–305 = 0.5 mm; 302 = 0.6 mm.