Curtonotum litoralis 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 : 117-119

Curtonotum litoralis Kirk-Spriggs , sp. n.

Figs 126 , 150 , 186 , 278, 281, 284 , 314, 315 , 331 .

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

Etymology. The specific epithet litoralis is derived from the Latin litoralis (= of or belonging to the shore) and refers to the East African coastal distribution of this species.

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

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

Measurements: Overall length unknown (a ♀ measures 4.3 mm; n = 1, PT); length of head and thorax combined 2.1–2.7 mm; length of thorax and scutellum combined 1.9–2.6 mm (n = 4, HT, PT); wing length 2.8–4.1 mm (n = 5, HT, PT).

Head ( Figs 126 , 150 ). Eye height/length ratio: 11:7 (n = 1, PT); frons ( Fig. 150 ) very slightly wider than long, frons length/width ratio: 6:7 (n = 1, HT); arista with 10–11 long dorsal branches and 4 ventral branches; 10 fine setae bordering genal groove; eye height/genal height ratio: 11:1 (n = 1, PT).

Thorax ( Fig. 126 ). Postpronotum with 10 fine setulae; anepisternum surface with 18 fine setulae, 3 arranged in a group in posterior corner; katepisternum with 13 short, fine setulae.

Legs. Fore coxa with 14 brown setulae; fore tibia with ctenidium of 12–14 short, sharp, black spinules.

Wing ( Fig. 186 ). Dm–cu crossvein moderately angled posteriorly with slight medial angle.

Abdomen. Sternite 6 as in Fig. 305 .

Terminalia ( Figs 278, 281, 284 ). Hypandrium ( Fig. 278 , hy); postgonite (pg); epandrium (ep); cercus (ce); surstylus (ss); phallus (as in Figs 281 , ph, bp, dp; 284, bp, dp); phallapodeme ( Fig. 281 , ph); ejaculatory apodeme (ea); basiphallus ( Figs 281, 284 , bp) wide basally, expanded into narrow lateral expansion apically, extreme apex of dorsal edge developed into hook or extension; distiphallus (dp) long, scimitar-like (viewed laterally), membranous area broad, with basal “spine” dorsally directed, moderately strong with acute apex, more apical dorsal spine of distiphallus broad basally with straight edges, with additional much smaller spine towards apex (not visible of Fig. 284 ).

♀ Similar to ♂, except in the following respects: wing length 3.3–4.2 mm (n = 3, PT). Postabdomen as illustrated in Figs 314, 315 .

Variation. The apical hook on the basiphallus is not distinctly hooked in some specimens, but forms a long process. In most specimens examined there is an additional distinct more apical spine on the left edge of the distiphallus (not visible in Figs 281, 284 ). This may be reduced in some specimens, but is always apparent with careful examination. Other characters are consistent and this is here regarded as intraspecific variation only.

Differential diagnosis. Curtonotum litoralis 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 litoralis sp. n. can be separated from other species in the species-group by reference to the above key.

Type material examined. KENYA: holotype ♂, “ Kenya : COAST PROVINCE / Muhaka Field Station / 04°19.76'S 39°31.55'E / 20.xi.1999, 45 m / A. H. Kirk-Spriggs / sweeping // Namibian National / Insect Collection / National Museum / P.O. Box 1203 / Windhoek, Namibia [printed; blue card] // HOLOTYPE ♂ / Curtonotum / litoralis sp. n. / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs 2011 [printed; red card]” ( NMNW) . In excellent condition; dissected, abdomen and terminalia in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen. Paratypes (all labelled: “ PARATYPE / Curtonotum ♂ [or ♀] / litoralis sp. n. / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs 2011 [printed; blue card]”) : KENYA: 1♂, “ Kenya , Tiwi Beaches / 04°14'S, 39°36'E / 14–23.viii.1975 / B. Petersen leg.” ( ZMUC) . [ TANZANIA]: 4♂, 3♀, “ZANZIBAR. / 1-11.1925 / H.J. Snell // Pres. by / Imp.Inst.Ent. / Brit.Mus. / 1932-335 // CURTONOTUM / cuthbertsoni / Duda / L. TSACAS DET. 1975 [printed & handwritten] // [1♂ labelled] “ Curtonotum / nigripalpis / 5♂ 4♀ Hendel / det. J.C. Deeming 1964 [printed & handwritten]”; 1♂ same except: “ ♂ 3♀ ” [2♂ head missing] (3♂, 3♀ BMNH; 1♂ MNHN) .

Distribution. Kenya and Tanzania ( Zanzibar) ( Fig. 331 ). As is the case with its congener, C. mcgregor sp. n., this species is primarily coastal, apparently confined to low elevation coastal forests and mangroves.

Bionomics. Occurring in the Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane Coastal Forest and Mangroves major habitat types; in Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests and Mangroves vegetation types (Appendix III). Swept from grasses beneath trees in Kenya (pers. obs.) .

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 124–129. Head and thorax (lateral view) of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. (all males). 124. C. constance sp. n. (HT, Angola, 7 mi. N Vila Perreira d’Eça, MNHN). 125. C. cuthbertsoni (N-T, South Africa, Hartbeespoort, TAU). 126. C. litoralis sp. n. (PT, [Tanzania], Zanzibar, BMNH). 127. C. pauliani (N-T, Namibia, Ekuju, NMNW). 128. C. uncinatum sp. n. (PT, Namibia, Kubunyana camp, NMNW). 129. C. unicuspis sp. n. (PT, Namibia, Mile 46, NMNW) [head of C. mcgregor sp. n. missing from HT and PT cannot be illustrated]. Not to scale.

FIGURES 142–153. Frons of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. (all males). 142. C. tsacas sp. n. (PT, South Africa, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, BMSA). 143. C. gonzo sp. n. (PT, Nigeria, River Bagel, NMWC). 144. C. saheliense (N-T, Nigeria, Katsina, ZSM). 145. C. simile (PT, Arabia [= South Yemen], S. Othman, MNHN). 146. C. bicuspis sp. n. (HT, Namibia, Salambala campsite, NMNW). 147. C. cimbebas sp. n. (HT, Namibia, Tsaobismund 85, NMNW). 148. C. constance sp. n. (HT, Angola, 7 mi. N Vila Perreira d’Eça, MNHN). 149. C. cuthbertsoni (N-T, Uganda, Ankole, USNM). 150. C. litoralis sp. n. (HT, Kenya, Muhaka Field Station, NMNW). 151. C. pauliani (N-T, Namibia, Ejuju village, NMNW). 152. C. uncinatum sp. n. (PT, Namibia, Salambala campsite, NMNW). 153. C. unicuspis sp. n. (PT, Namibia, Mile 46, NMNW) [head of C. mcgregor sp. n. missing from both HT and PT cannot be illustrated]. Not to scale.

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 306–321. Examples of female postabdomen of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. 306. C. campsiphallum (N-T, Cameroon, Limbe (shore), TAU), ventral. 307. Same, lateral. 308. C. tsacas sp. n. (PT, South Africa, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, BMSA), ventral. 309. Same, lateral. 310. C. gonzo sp. n. (PT, [Ghana], Kwadaso, HNHM), ventral. 311. Same, lateral. 312. C. simile (N-T, UAE, Wadi Maidag, NMWC), ventral. 313. Same, lateral. 314. C. litoralis sp. n. (PT, [Tanzania], Zanzibar, BMNH), ventral. 315. Same, lateral. 316. C. uncinatum sp. n. (N-T, Namibia, Regenstein 32, NMNW), ventral. 317. Same, lateral. 318. C. sakalava (N-T, Madagascar, Berenty Special Reserve, CAS), ventral. 319. Same, lateral. 320. C. balachowskyi (N-T, Madagascar, Ambovamy Belambo, TAU), ventral. 321. Same, lateral. 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.