Curtonotum simile 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 : 97-100

Curtonotum simile Tsacas, 1977

Figs 121 , 145 , 181 , 261, 264, 267 , 304 , 312, 313 , 327 .

Curtonotum similis: Tsacas, 1977: 165 ; figs 10 a–b, p. 164. Type locality: “Arabia: S. Othman, N. Aden ”.

Cyrtonotum cuthbertsoni: sensu Greathead (1958) , auctt. misidentification.

Curtonotum cuthbertsoni: sensu Stower et al. (1958: 29) , auctt. misidentification.

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

Curtonotum saheliense (?): sensu Meier et al. (1997: 16), nec sensu Kirk-Spriggs (2008b: 229), auctt. misidentification. Curtonotum similis: Papp (1998: 501) .

Curtonotum simile: Kirk-Spriggs and Freidberg (2007: 139 , figs 3–4, 6, 12–16, 19, 20).

Curtonotum simile: Kirk-Spriggs (2008a: 706 , figs 1–10, plate 1).

Curtonotum simile: Kirk-Spriggs (2008b: 233 , figs 13–19, 24, 25, 31, 35–37).

Curtonotum simile: Kirk-Spriggs (2008c: 249 ; figs 56–65).

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

Measurements: Overall length unknown; 5.5 mm ( Tsacas 1977: 166) (the ♀ measures 3.5–4.9 mm; n = 2, N– T); length of head and thorax combined 2.0– 2.6 mm; length of thorax and scutellum combined 1.8–2.5 mm (n = 4, N-T); wing length 2.8–3.4 mm (n = 3, N-T).

Head ( Figs 121 , 145 ). Eye height/length ratio: 10:6 (n = 1, N-T); frons ( Fig. 145 ) sides marginally narrowed anteriorly, very slightly wider than long, frons length/width ratio: 6:7 (n = 1, N-T), slightly wider at vertex than at ventral margin, ground colour pale dirty yellow-white, faintly darker at vertex between orbital plates and ocellar triangle, medial vittae conspicuous, surface with a few minute very pale setulae; orbital plates and ocellar triangle silver-grey pruinose; ocelli clear grey with 6 minute dark setulae arranged in 2 closely-approximated regular rows between posterior ocelli; orbital plates extending from vertex of head to 0.8 length of frons, lateral margins with very narrow silver pruinose fascia (adjacent to eye margin), widest at antennal insertions; posterior and anterior orbital setae inserted proximally, the latter inserted beyond ½ length of frons; posterior orbital seta moderately strong, same length as lateral vertical seta, with tiny proclinate medial orbital seta inserted antero-medially to socket of posterior orbital seta; anterior orbital seta moderately strong, ca. ½ length of ocellar setae; ocellar setae finer, extending 4 / 5 length of frons; lateral vertical seta shorter than medial; postocellar setae strong, cruciate, slightly shorter than lateral vertical seta; antennal scape and pedicel dirty pale brown, silver-grey pruinose, flagellomere 1 concolourous with pedicel basally, darkened apically, silver-grey pruinose, longer than wide, with evenly pointed apex, arista with 7–8 long dorsal branches and 3 or 4 ventral branches in addition to terminal fork; lunule and face uniform silver-grey pruinose throughout, face with broad silver fascia (adjacent to eye margin), facial carina developed as a low ridge, extending ⅔ length of face; clypeus brown, especially laterally; 1 pair weak vibrissae inserted on posterior lateral margin and 8 much finer setae bordering genal groove; occiput yellow to grey pruinose with moderately strong, black postocular setae; gena narrow, eye height/genal height ratio: 10:1 (n = 1, N- T), silver pruinose throughout; palpus pale brown, brown microtrichose.

Thorax ( Fig. 121 ). Silver-grey-yellow pruinose, with four broad parallel chestnut-brown pruinose vittae on dorsal surface, 2 median vittae markedly widened anteriorly, extending from anterior margin to region of anterior dorsocentral seta socket, 2 lateral vittae shorter, extending from ⅔ length to region of posterior dorsocentral seta socket, 2 pairs of dorsocentral setae, posterior very long and strong (shorter than lateral scutellar seta), anterior shorter and finer (ca. ½ length of posterior); 1 pair acrostichal setae finer, but as long as anterior dorsocentral seta; presutural seta moderately strong, reclinate, as long and strong as posterior notopleural seta; 2 notopleural setae the anterior slightly longer than posterior; 1 strong supra-alar seta slightly exceeding length of posterior dorsocentral seta; 2 postalar setae moderately strong, same size as acrostichal setae; postpronotum silver-grey-yellow pruinose, with 2 strong postpronotal setae, the more dorsal longer and reclinate, the more ventral shorter and proclinate, with 10 finer black-brown setulae; anepisternum silver-grey-yellow pruinose with 3 strong anepisternal setae and 2 moderately strong intermediate setae, surface with 11 fine setulae scattered across surface, 3 arranged in a group in posterior corner; anepimeron, laterotergite and meron silver-grey-yellow pruinose, glabrous; katepisternum silvergrey-yellow pruinose, with 2 katepisternal setae, the more ventral strong, slightly dorsally-directed, the more dorsal much smaller and finer, ca. 0.4 length of ventral katepisternal seta, surface with 16 short, fine setulae at base and along posterior margin.

Scutellum. Silver-grey-yellow pruinose as on mesonotum; disk clothed in black, irregular, overlapping setulae; 2 pairs of strong scutellar setae, with variable number of weaker basal and intermediate scutellar setulae.

Legs. Fore coxa silver-yellow pruinose with 2 moderately strong, brown, ventrally-directed preapical setae and comb of finer setulae medially, with 10 brown setulae on anterior surface; mid and hind coxae yellow-grey pruinose, mid-coxa with 2 very strong, lateral, ventrally-directed, black setae and comb of finer setae medially; hind coxa with 1 weaker lateral black seta, 1 brown setula and 1 strong ventral seta; femora, tibia and tarsi uniform dirty yellow; fore tibia with variable number of strong setae on lateral margin, with ctenidium of 7–8 short, sharp, black spinules, separated from each other by 1 or more basal spinule widths.

Wing ( Fig. 181 ). Long, relatively broad, tip evenly-rounded, veins chestnut-brown, membrane very faintly infuscate brown throughout, very slightly darker in region of dm–cu crossvein; costa with prominent costal spines in basal 4 / 5 from costal break; dm–cu crossvein with medial angle; cua 1 relatively long and narrow; anal fold extending less than ½ length of cua 1; anal lobe broad, squarely rounded; halter dirty yellow.

Abdomen. Ground colour of tergites 1–5 silver-yellow to grey pruinose, clothed in relatively long black, overlapping setulae, arranged in regular rows, those at apical margins longer and stronger; tergite 1 simple, devoid of maculae; tergite 2 with elongate, narrow brown-black pruinose dorsolateral macula on either side only; tergites 3–5 with narrow, brown median fascia and greatly reduced “T-shaped” brown lateral maculae, all well separated from median fascia, lateral margin of tergites 2–5 with reduced subtriangular maculae in basal ⅓; sternite 6 ( Fig. 304 ) apically expanded, narrowed basally with deep V-shaped apical excision, clothed in long black irregular brown setulae, especially medially and apically; tergite 6 absent, sternite 7 weakly sclerotised.

Terminalia ( Figs 261, 264, 267 ). Hypandrium ( Fig. 261 , hy) very long, with broad-based rounded-truncate dorsobasal lobe, posterior bridge dorsally and ventrally produced (rounded in profile); hypandrial arms narrow basally, expanded apically (viewed laterally), with 2 long, widely-spaced setulae proximal to postgonite, sclerotised area of medial lobes (viewed dorsally), closely abutting apically, but well separated; postgonite (pg) free basally, long and narrow; epandrium (ep) slightly broader dorsally than ventrally (viewed laterally), evenlyrounded on dorsal margin, posterior margin slightly angled, ventral margin with extensive row of long irregular, ventrally and apically-directed setae; cercus (ce) narrow, partially retracted into epandrium, longest setae as long as setae on ventral margin of epandrium, with elongate fused ventral process; surstylus (ss) elongate, widest basally, slightly curved apically; phallus (as in Figs 264 , ph, bp, dp; 267, bp, dp) moderately sclerotised, brown; phallapodeme ( Fig. 264 , ph) fused to basiphallus, subtriangular (viewed laterally), with basal margin developed into 2 broad lateral lobes, bifurcated at point of connection with hypandrium; ejaculatory apodeme (ea) free, duct inserted at junction of phallapodeme and basiphallus; basiphallus ( Figs 264, 267 , bp) broad basally, narrowed medially, apically expanded, with extremely long, obliquely angled, posteriorly-directed spine basally; distiphallus (dp) long, scimitar-like (viewed laterally), membranous area narrow, basal region (viewed dorsally) with small spine on left margin near junction of basiphallus and distiphallus, immediately below base of prominent elongated spine on basiphallus.

♀ Similar to ♂, except in the following respects: wing length 3.2–3.9 mm (n = 3, N-T). Postabdomen ( Figs 312, 313 ); sternite 8 (s8) weakly sclerotised and reduced; sternite 10 (s10) laterally flattened proximally, with medial division; tergite 10 (t10+ce) fused to free cerci, with long terminal setulae.

Variation. No significant variation is noted.

Differential diagnosis. The two species in the saheliense species-group, C. simile and C. saheliense , 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. [ YEMEN]: holotype ♂, “Type [paper disc; red border] // ARABIA: / S. Othman [= Shaykh ‘Uthmān] / 17.iii.1895 / C.G. Nurse. / B.M.1934–8. [handwritten & printed] // S. Othman / Nr Aden / 17.3.95 [handwritten] // Aedeagus missing / from Tsacas’ original vial // CURTONOTUM / similis n.sp. / Holotype / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [handwritten & printed] // Curtonotum ♂ / similis Tsacas, 1977 / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs vidit 2006” (BMNH). In good condition: right mid tarsus and hind tarsus damaged; re-staged on nu-poly mount; epandrium and abdomen in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen, phallus missing from original vial. Paratypes (all labelled: “ Curtonotum ♂ / similis Tsacas, 1977 / A. H. Kirk-Spriggs vidit 2006”): [ YEMEN]: 1♂, same data as holotype, except: “Para- / type [paper disc; yellow border] // CURTONOTUM / similis n.sp. / Paratype / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [handwritten & printed]” ( BMNH); 1♂, same labels, except no label “Para- / type [paper disc; yellow border]”: “ Curtonotum / anus Meig. / 3♂ s / det. J.C. Deeming 1965 [handwritten & printed] // MUSÉUM PARIS” ( MNHN) .

Remarks. Tsacas (1977: 166) cites 2♂ paratypes in the BMNH; the second specimen is in fact deposited in MNHN. Tsacas (ibid.) erroneously cited the name of the collector as “C.G. Nurce” rather than “C.G. Nurse”, the latter being correct.

Additional material examined (all labelled: “ Curtonotum simile Tsacas, 1977 ♂ [or ♀] det. A.H. Kirk-Spriggs 2006–2008”): ERITREA: 4♂, 5♀, Eritrea, Ailet egg field, em. 20.i.1956, D.J. Greathead, Natural Resources Institute coll. BMNH (E) 1997–28 [with associated puparia]; 1♂, 3♀, same except: 22.i.1956, from egg pods of S. gregaria [1♂, 2♀ with associated puparia]; 4♂, 3♀, Eritrea, Sheb , egg pods, 10.i.1957, D.J. Greathead, Natural Resources Institute coll. BMNH (E) 1997–28 [4♂, 2♀ with associated puparia]; 5♀, 15 mls N. Massawa ( Greathead 1958: 38)], Eritrea , 21.ii.[19]54, Natural Resources Institute coll. BMNH (E) 1997–28; 1♂, 3♀, same except: emerged 10.iii.1954, from egg pods (all BMNH); 8♂, 10♀, Africa or. Katona, Assab, [1]907. V–VI ( HNHM); 1♀, same data, except: Zool. Mus. Berlin ( ZMHB); 10♂, 10♀, same except: [1]907. VII ( HNHM). ISRAEL: 1♀, Nahal Perat [W. Kelt], 25.iii.1975, A . Freidberg, Curtonotum similis Tsacas , det L. Papp, 1994; 1♂, Qalya , 28.ix.1995, A . Freidberg; 1♂, Arava Valley, Moshav Hazeva, Wadi Shahak , between agricultural fields, el. - 110 m, Sharkey Malaise trap, 30°46.33'N, 35°16.32'E [GPS], 22.iii.1995, M. Irwin; 1♂, Hazeva Field School, 30°46'N, 35°15'E, Malaise trap, 4.x.1997, S. Plotkin; 1♀, Nahal Hiyyon, Rt. 40, near Ne’ot Smadar , 13.x.1997, A . Freidberg; 1♀, Ne’ot Smadar , 21.vi.1995, A . Freidberg; same except: 11♂, 10♀, 7.viii.1995, A . Freidberg; 1♂, 7.viii.1995, I. Yarom; 7♂, 11♀, 17.viii.1995, A . Freidberg; 16♂, 23♀, 20.ix.1995; 26♂, 25♀, 10.x.1995; 2♂, 2♀, 2.viii.1995, I. Yarom; 1♂, 3♀, 29.viii.1995, A . Freidberg; 1♀, 13.x.1996; 1♂, Samar , 21.vii.1982, Sh. Alterman, Curtonotum similis Tsacas , det. L. Papp, 1994; 1♂, 1♀, Elifaz , sewage, 5.iv.1997, A . Freidberg; 1♂, [Park] Timna’ , gate, 3.iv.1997, A . Freidberg; 1♀, [10 km south to] Elat, Taba , 29°29'N, 34°55'E, 7.v.2002, A . Freidberg (all TAU). OMAN: 1♀, Oman: Batinah, Şohār , 5.xii.1992, J.C. Deeming, at light, NMW.Z.1981–001; 2♂, 3♀, Oman: Muscat, Al Khuwair, x.1990, J.C. Deeming, NMW.Z.1981–001; same except: 1♂, 3–4.i.1988, M. Ebejer, NMW.Z.1985–032; 2♂, 1♀, 31.xii.1987; 1♂, 20.i.1988; 1♀, 5–9.i.1988; 1♂, 4–5.i.1988, Curtonotum sp. nr. similis Tsacas (distiphallus lacking reclinate basal spine) det. J.C. Deeming 1990; 1♂, Oman: Muscat, Wattayeh , 17– 20.iv.1988, M.D. Gallagher, Curtonotum similis Tsacas , det. J.C. Deeming ’93, NMW.Z.1981–001; 2♀, Oman: Muscat, Al Khuwair, 27–30.iv.1997, M.D. Gallagher (all NMWC); 1♂, Oman, Qurm Hotel garden, 5.iv.[19]85, PAÖ ( MZLU). UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 1♀, Oman , Ras al-Kheima [= U.A.E.: Ra’s al Khaymah], 10.vi.[19]57, G. Popov, from pod of Acrotylus sp. No. 18, Natural Resources Institute coll. BMNH (E) 1997–28 (both BMNH) [with associated puparium]; ♂, U.A.E., Al-Ajban , 1–8.iv.2006, A . van Harten, Malaise trap; 6♂, 1♀, U.A.E., Sharjah Desert Park , 30.iv–31.v.2005, A . van Harten, light trap; 1♂, 3♀, U.A.E.: Wadi Maidaq , 1– 8.vii.2006, light trap, A . van Harten (all NMWC); 3♂, United Arab Emirates: Ras Al Khayman, Farm , 25°47.91'N, 6°04'29'E, 300m, 16.iii.2008, leg. J.-H. Stuke ( J-HS). [ YEMEN]: 1♀, Arabien, 54539, Zool. Mus. Berlin ( ZMHB); 1♂, 1♀, Yemen , Ta‘izz, viii.1999, A . van Harten & A . Awad, light trap; 2♀, Yemen, 12 Km NW of Manakhah, 5.v–17.vi.2002, A . van Harten, Malaise trap (all NMWC) .

Distribution. Palaearctic: Israel, Oman, United Arab Emirates; Afrotropical: Eritrea, Yemen ( Fig. 327 ). Predominantly occurring in the Arabian Peninsula, but also across the Red Sea in Eritrea, as far east as Oman and as far north as Israel in the Palaearctic Region. Although not recorded from Saudi Arabia its occurrence there should be expected.

Bionomics. Occurring in 6 major habitat types; almost exclusively in Deserts and Xeric Shrublands, with two records in the Temperate Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands vegetation type (Appendix III). Adults have been taken at light in Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen ( Kirk-Spriggs 2008b), indicating crepuscular or nocturnal adult activity. Reared from the damaged egg pods of Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål) in Eritrea ( Greathead 1958, as Cy. cuthbertsoni ) and of Acrotylus sp. in Oman. Greathead (1958) found adult flies in Eritrea on dung, dead locusts and sand wetted by camel urine. Larvae occurred on locust egg pods crushed and exposed during the sampling of egg fields, generally in the top layers of eggs, usually more than 10 larvae per pod. A mush of decaying eggs was produced by their feeding action; pupariation took place in this mush, or in soil within one inch of the remains of the pod. He concluded that larval development was completed in two days and that the period from pupariation to eclosion was 23–25 days.

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.

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.