Curtonotum saheliense Tsacas, 1977, 1980

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 : 100-103

Curtonotum saheliense Tsacas, 1977

Figs 120 , 144 , 180 , 260, 263, 266 , 303 , 327 .

Curtonotum saheliensis: Tsacas, 1977: 161 ; figs 8 a–e, p. 162. Type locality: [ Niger]: “ Guerimari ”.

Curtonotum saheliense: Wirth and Tsacas (1980: 672) .

Curtonotum saheliense: Meier et al. (1997: 10) .

Curtonotum saheliense (?): sensu Meier et al. (1997: 16), nec sensu Kirk-Spriggs (2008b: 229), auctt. misidentification. Curtonotum saheliense: Kirk-Spriggs and Freidberg (2007: 135) .

Curtonotum saheliense (?): sensu Kirk-Spriggs (2008b: 229), nec sensu Meier et al. (1997: 16).

Curtonotum saheliense: Kirk-Spriggs (2008c: 248 , figs 46–55).

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

As redescribed for C. simile (above), differing in the following respects:

Measurements: Overall length unknown; 4–4.5 mm ( Tsacas 1977: 163); length of head and thorax combined 2.1–2.6 mm; length of thorax and scutellum combined 1.9–2.4 mm; wing length 2.8–3.6 mm (n = 5, N-T).

Head ( Figs 120 , 144 ). Eye height/length ratio: 11:7 (n = 1, N-T); frons ( Fig. 144 ) slightly wider than long, frons length/width ratio: 8:6 (n = 1, N-T); flagellomere 1 with squarely rounded apex; 9 fine setae bordering genal groove; gena narrow, eye height/genal height ratio: 11:1 (n = 1, N-T).

Thorax ( Fig. 120 ). Mesonotum with 2 median vittae not markedly widened anteriorly; postpronotum with 9 fine black-brown setulae; anepisternum surface with 14 fine setulae; katepisternum surface with 15 short, fine setulae.

Legs. Fore coxa with 15 brown setulae on anterior surface; fore tibia with ctenidium of 10–11 short, sharp, black spinules.

Wing ( Fig. 180 ). Virtually identical to that of C. simile .

Abdomen. Sternite 6 ( Fig. 303 ) apically expanded, with shallow U-shaped apical excision.

Terminalia ( Figs 260, 263, 266 ). Hypandrium ( Fig. 260 , hy) long, with very broad-based rounded-truncate dorsobasal lobe, posterior bridge dorsally and ventrally produced (rounded in profile); hypandrial arms broad basally, expanded apically (viewed laterally); postgonite (pg); epandrium (ep); cercus (ce); surstylus (ss); phallus (as in Figs 263 , ph, bp, dp; 266, bp, dp); phallapodeme ( Fig. 263 , ph); ejaculatory apodeme (ea); basiphallus ( Figs 263, 266 , bp); distiphallus (dp) with basal region (viewed dorsally) having small spine on right side, widely separated from junction of basiphallus and distiphallus.

♀ Similar to ♂, except in the following respects: wing length 3–4 mm ( Tsacas 1977: 163). The obclavate spermatheca was illustrated by Tsacas (1977: 162, fig. 8c), but given intraspecific variation this has little value in differentiating the species.

Variation. No significant variation is noted.

Differential diagnosis. The two species in the saheliense species-group, C. saheliense and C. simile , are distinguished by the presence of the extremely long, obliquely angled, posteriorly-directed spine in the basal region of the basiphallus. The two sister species are very similar externally and are separable by the position of the smaller spine on the distiphallus and by the shape of the sclerotised basal area. The two species can be separated by use of the above key.

Type material examined. NIGER: holotype ♂, “ MUSEUM PARIS / GUERIMARI / (MISSION TILHO) / Dr. R. GAILLARD 1910 [printed; pale blue card] // OCTOBRE [printed, black border] // HOLOTYPE [printed; red card] // CURTONOTUM / saheliensis / Holotype n.sp. / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten] // Curtonotum / saheliense Tsacas, 1977 / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs vidit 2006 // Specimen / missing from mount / 2006” (MNHN). The specimen is entirely missing from the mount, but the abdomen and terminalia are stored in microvial pinned beneath specimen. Paratypes (all labelled: “ Curtonotum saheliense Tsacas, 1977 ♂ [or ♀] A.H. Kirk- Spriggs vidit 2006]): [ CHAD]: 5♀, same labels as holotype, except: “ PARATYPE [printed; red card]” [4 with additional “ ♀ ” label; 3 head missing]”; 1 with additional label “Guerimari / oct. 08 [handwritten; blue border] [3 head missing]” (MNHN); 1♂, 1♀, “Para- / type [paper disc with yellow border] // 20 III 1966 OUARAI 299 [= Ouarrai] / Moyen Chari, Tchad / Coll. J.C. Hitchcock, Jr. [printed & handwritten] // 24 Hrs [handwritten] // CURTONOTUM / saheliensis / n.sp. / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten]”; 1♀, same labels except: “48 Hrs [handwritten] // Curtonotum / nigripalpis Hend. / det. B. H. Cogan 1967” (all BMNH); 1♀, same except: “MUSÉUM PARIS // Head & abdomen / missing / iii.2006 ” (MNHN); 1♂, “Para- / type [paper disc with yellow border] // Abgarra [= Chad: Abgara] Fung P / W. Rutledge / Oct., 26 / swarming on / hollow tebeldi / Sudan Govt. [printed & handwritten] // Pres. by / Imp. Inst. Ent. / Brit. Mus. / 1933-14. // Ent. Coll. / C10242 [printed; black border] // Cyrtonotum / nigripalpis H. / F. Hendel det. [printed & handwritten] // CURTONOTUM / saheliensis / n.sp. / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten]”; 1♀, same data except: “Pres. by / Imp. Inst. B.M. 1938- 407 // Cyrtonotum / nigripalpis H. / F. Hendel det. [printed & handwritten] // CURTONOTUM / saheliensis / n.sp. / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten]” (both BMNH). 1♀, “ MUSEUM PARIS / BAS CHARI / FORT LAMY / MISSION CHARI-TCHAD / D r J. DECORSE 1904 [printed, black border] // JUILLET [printed, black border] // ♀ // PARATYPE [printed; red card] // CURTONOTUM / saheliensis / n. sp. / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [handwritten & printed]” (MNHN). MALI: 1♂, “Para- / type [paper disc with yellow border] // MALI / REPUBLIC / Macina / DIOURA / CAGE 32 / OICMA / 19/9/65 [printed & handwritten] // CURTONOTUM / saheliensis / n.sp. / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten]”; 1♀, same except: “in locust egg pods [on reverse]” [head missing] (both BMNH). [ NIGER]: 1♀, “ MUSEUM PARIS / RÉG. DE ZINDER / SULTANAT DU DAMAGHÉRIM / DUNGASS / (MISSION TILHO) / Dr R. GAILLARD 1910 [printed; pale blue card] // NOVEMBRE [printed, black border] // SEPTEMBRE [printed, black border] // ♀ // PARATYPE [printed; red card] // CURTONOTUM / saheliensis / n. sp. / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [handwritten & printed]” (MNHN). SENEGAL: 1♂, 7♀, “ SENEGAL / Linguère / (Ndilla) / IX-1967 [printed; pale blue card] // MUSÉUM PARIS / Mission IFAN- MUSÉUM / A. DESCARPENTRIES, / T. LEYE et A. VILLIERS [printed; discoloured card] // PARATYPE [printed; red card] // CURTONOTUM / saheliensis / n. sp. / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [handwritten & printed]” (MNHN). 1♂, 1♀ entirely missing from mount, but the ♂ abdomen and terminalia are stored in microvial pinned beneath specimen; 1♀, head & thorax only; 2♀, thorax only; 1♀, “Senegal / Linndé / 14-IX-1967 [handwritten] // MUSÉUM PARIS / Mission IFAN- MUSÉUM / A. DESCARPENTRIES, / T. LEYE et A. VILLIERS // PARATYPE [printed; red card] // CURTONOTUM / saheliensis / n. sp. / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [handwritten & printed]” [head missing] (MNHN). [ SUDAN]: 1♀, “ MUSEUM PARIS / SOUDAN / NIORO [= Niaro] / F. de ZELTNER 1909 [printed, black border] // SEPTEMBRE [printed, black border] // ♀ // PARATYPE [printed; red card] // CURTONOTUM / saheliensis / n. sp. / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [handwritten & printed]” [head missing] (MNHN).

Additional material examined (all labelled: “ Curtonotum saheliense Tsacas, 1977 ♂ [or ♀] det. A.H. Kirk- Spriggs 2006–2009”): [ CHAD]: 1♂, Wadi Ditila, Canton Dibininthi, 13°35'N, 15°18'E [Ditila], Ngouri Sous-prèf. Lac Prèf. , Tchad , 1.ix.1991, P.C. Matteson, Gambo, NMW.Z.1993–063, Curtonotum saheliensis Tsacas det. J.C. Deeming ’93 ( NMWC) ; 1♂, Museum Paris, Kamen et Zone N., Asséchée du Tchad, Mao a Nguigmi (Mission Tilho), Dr. R. Gaillard, 1910, Septembre, Paris Museum ( MNHN) . GAMBIA: 7♂, 5♀, Gambia: N. Bank Division, Kaba District, Chogin [Kaba Kotor], 21.viii.1997, swept from groundnut crop, coll. D.J. Mann & B. A . Woodcock ( NMWC) ; 1♀, Gambia: N. Bank Div., Upper Baddibu Dist. , Passy Mut , tomato plot, 22.viii.1997, D.J. Mann ; 1♀, Gambia: Central River Div. (N), Naini Distr. , Sokuta [= Sukuta], sorghum field, 24.viii.1997, D.J. Mann ; 2♂, 1♀, same except: on pre-flowering sorghum w. heavy aphid infestation, 24.viii.1997, OUMNH –1998–006, D.J. Mann Colln. Pres. By Mann, Curtonotum saheliensis Tsacas 1♂ 2♀ det. J.C. Deeming ’98 (all OUMNH) . GHANA: 1♂, Ghana: Abofour , 2.iv.1966, leg [S.] Endrödy-Younga ( HNHM) . MALI: 2 (sex unknown), Mali: nr. Gao , 3.ix.1959, G. Popov, ex Schistocerca egg pods, Natural Resources Institute coll. BMNH (E) 1997–28 [with associated puparium] ( BMNH); 10♂, 6♀, Mali: Mourdiah , 3–12.x.1986, M. Matthews, NMW.Z.1987–144 ; 1♀, same except: 25.ix–3.x.1986 ( NMWC) . NIGERIA: 1♂, Nigeria, Igbetti, W. State : 7 Feb 1971, Col. J.T. Medler, DT-39, Paris Muséum ; 1♂, N. Nigeria, Zaria, Samaru , i–iii.1977, J.C. Deeming, leaf-cluttered vegetable garden ; 1♂, same except: 30.ix.1975; 1♂, same except: 8.ii.1977; 2♂, N. Nigeria, Kano, Kadawa , 28.ix.1974, J.L. Musa, ex cotton plot ; 2♂, N. Nigeria, Kano, Gumel , 26.ix.[19]74, J.L. Musa ; 3♂, N. Nigeria, Katsina Prov., Malumfashi , 25.ix.1974, J.L. Musa, ex groundnuts ; 1♂, N. Nigeria, Katsina Prov., Daura , 25.ix.1974, J.L. Musa, ex cowpea plot ; 2♂, Nigeria: Shagamu , K State, xii.1971, J.T. Medler Coll .; 1♂, N.W. Kantagna State [illegible], N. Nigeria, 10.xii.[19]74, M. A . Cornes (all MNHN) ; 1♂, N. Nigeria, Bauchi, Yankari Game Reserve , 30.i.1982, R. Brightwell, riverine woodland, NMW.Z.1981–125; same except : 1♂, 2.i.1982; 1♂, 3–6.iv.1981; 2♂, 27–28.ii.1982, Pteleopsis woodland; 1♂, 27–28.ii.1982, Transitional zone woodland to savanna (all NMWC) ; 1♂, Gadau, Nigeria, 12°N 10°E, iii.1933, Buxton & Lewis, burrow of porcupine, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine coll. BMNH (E) 1996–140 (BMNH); 1♂, N. Nigeria-Kankiya Distr., Kankiya Prov. , Katsina, 20.ii.1965, Coll. L. Segers ( ZSM) . TOGO: 1♂, Togo: Région des Plateaux: SE of Anié, at river Anié near railway bridge, 07°44'19"N, 01°11'59"E, 10.iv. 2008, 150 m, M. v. Tschirnhaus, Tg 1865, Bank vegetation & leaf litter, swept, filled into eclector. ( Diopsidae mass occurrence on dicots.) [= Menzel: TOG17] [in spirit], BMSA (DNA) #0008; 1♂, same except: [in spirit], BMSA (DNA) #0009 (both BMSA)

Distribution. Chad, Gambia, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Sudan and Togo ( Fig. 327 ). Tsacas (1977) regarded the species as being chiefly associated with the Sahel climatic zone. Records indicate, however, that it occurs predominantly in the Dry Savanna climatic zone or is transitional between this zone and the Sahel climatic zone. It occurs in a range of Potential Evapotranspiration zones, from 400–2400 m.

Bionomics. Occurring in 6 major habitat types; almost exclusively in the Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands vegetation type (Appendix III). Swarming on a hollow Baobab (as “tebeldi”) in Chad and from the burrows of Porcupine, in company with Curtonotum sao Tsacas , in Nigeria.

Figures

FIGURE 327. Distribution of continental Afrotropical species of Curtonotum. Major humidity zones of Africa: C. saheliense and C. simile.

FIGURES 118–123. Head and thorax (lateral view) of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. (male unless stated). 118. C. tsacas sp. n. (♀ PT, South Africa, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, BMSA). 119. C. gonzo sp. n. (PT, Nigeria, River Bagel, NMWC). 120. C. saheliense (N-T, Nigeria, Katsina, ZSM). 121. C. simile (N-T, Israel, Ne’ot Semadar, TAU). 122. C. bicuspis sp. n. (HT, Namibia, Salambala campsite, NMNW). 123. C. cimbebas sp. n. (HT, Namibia, Tsaobismund 85, NMNW). 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 172–181. Wing of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. (all males). 172. C. angolense (PT, Angola, 10 mi. NE of Sá da Bandeira [= Lubango], CAS). 173. C. campsiphallum (N-T, Cameroon, Limbe (shore), TAU). 174. C. freidberg sp. n. (PT, Malawi, Viphya Mts., TAU). 175. C. hay sp. n. (HT, Uganda, Mujenje, HNHM). 176. C. quinquevittatum (N-T, Malawi, Viphya Mts., TAU). 177. C. sao (N-T, Nigeria, Gadau, BMNH). 178. C. tsacas sp. n. (PT, South Africa, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, BMSA). 179. C. gonzo sp. n. (HT, [Ghana], Kwadaso, HNHM). 180. C. saheliense (N-T, Nigeria, Samaru, MNHN). 181. C. simile (N-T, Oman, Ourm, MZLU). Not to scale.

FIGURES 259–267. Male terminalia of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. 259–261. Hypandrium and epandrium (lateral view). 259. C. gonzo sp. n. (HT, [Ghana], Kwadaso, HNHM). 260. C. saheliense (N-T, Nigeria, Zaria, NMWC). 261. C. simile (N-T, UAE, Wadi Maidag, NMWC). 262–264. Phallus (right lateral view). 262. C. gonzo (same). 263. C. saheliense (same). 264. C. simile (same). 265. Apical section of phallus (left lateral view), C. gonzo (same). 266–267. Junction basiphallus and distiphallus (dorsal view). 266. C. saheliense (same). 267. C. simile (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.