Phaonia nigrisquama Stein, 1908

Michelsen, Verner & Pont, Adrian C., 2024, Macaronesian Muscidae (Diptera). V. The genera Phaonia Robineau-Desvoidy and Muscina Robineau-Desvoidy, Zootaxa 5458 (4), pp. 581-596 : 590

5. Phaonia nigrisquama Stein

( Figs 4A–F )

Phaonia (Aricia) nigrisquama Stein ; Becker 1908a: 94 (Gran Canaria, Tenerife); Santos Abréu 1976: 159 ff., fig. 23 (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma).

Phaonia nigrisquama Stein ; Frey 1936: 135 (Tenerife); Hennig 1963b: 847 (Tenerife); Kirchberg 1967: 334 (Hierro); Báez 1983: 183 ff., pl. 4 figs. 3, 4 (Tenerife, Hierro, La Palma).

Phaonia (Aricia) nigrisquama var. brunnicornis SantosAbréu ; SantosAbréu 1976: 160 [Canary Is.]. [Unavailable infrasubspecific name.]

Phaonia (Aricia) nigrisquama var. fulvescens Santos Abréu ; Santos Abréu 1976: 160 (La Palma). [Unavailable infrasubspecific name.]

Material examined. CANARY ISLANDS: [ BMNH, CNC, MZH, NHMD] GRAN CANARIA: El Valle, 27°54’N 15°32’W, 730‒935m, 1♂ 19‒24.i.2017 (V. Michelsen) ; San Isidro, 28°01’N 15°33’W, 910‒975m, 2♂, 1♀ 13‒ 18.i.2014 (V. Michelsen) ; Sagrado Corazón, 28°02’N 15°33’W, 700‒825m, 1♂, 2♀ 12‒17.i.2017 ( V. Michelsen). TENERIFE: Orotava, 1♀ no date (R. Storå) ; Puerto Cruz, 2♀ 22.xii.1972 ; Sta Cruz, 1♂ 1.i.1962 (J.M. Fernández) ; Los Carrizales, 28°19’N 16°51’W, 350‒700m, 1♂, 2♀ 9‒10.ii.2008, 3♂, 1♀ 18‒23.i.2012 (V. Michelsen) ; Carrizal Alto, 28°19’N 16°51’W, 640‒730m, 1♀ 30.i‒3.ii.2016 (V. Michelsen) . LA GOMERA: Agulo, Lepe , 1♂, 2♀ 11‒ 13.i.2006 (V. Michelsen) ; La Laja, 28°06´N 17°11´W, 480‒600m, 2♀ 22‒29.i.2016 (V. Michelsen) ; Los Loros, 28°09’N 17°16’W, 520‒770m, 3♂, 2♀ 31.i‒5.ii.2008, 1♀ 18‒23.i.2012 (V. Michelsen ; Roque Blanco, 28°10´N 17°14´W, 700–900m, 2♀ 30.1‒ 5.ii.2020 (V. Michelsen) ; Lomito Fragoso, 28°07’N 17°10’W, 220‒250m, 1♂, 1♀ 19‒24.i.2019, 1♂ 24‒29.i.2020 (V. Michelsen) ; Epina, 28°10’N 17°18’W, 600‒670m, 1♀ 13‒16.i.2019 (V. Michelsen) ; Aguamul, 28°11’N 17°17’W, 600‒750m, 1♀ 14.i.2019 (V. Michelsen) . LA PALMA: Tigalate, 28°32’N 17°48’W, 680m, 1♂, 1♀ 10‒21.i.2013 (V. Michelsen) .

Description. Medium sized, wing length 5.9–7.9 mm. Male: Ground colour of head (including antennae and palpi), body and legs black; thorax and abdomen shiny bluish black through thin cover of uniform light grey pruinosity that only leaves traces of a dark striping pattern on the anterior declivity of mesonotum and on basal part of the abdomen; anterior spiracle with greyish brown fringes; those of posterior spiracles brownish black; calypteres and halter blackish; wing membrane pale grey, cross-veins r-m and m-cu not shadowed. Eyes with enlarged facets medio-dorsally and dense, moderately long pilosity; arista plumose, longest aristal branches nearly as long as width of postpedicel; frons at narrowest point 1–2 times as wide as anterior ocellus; fronto-orbital plates at this point more or less contiguous. Dorsocentral setae 2 + 4; acrostichal setae 2–3 + 3 (including prescutellar); notopleuron with setulae; prealar seta longer than anterior notopleural seta; katepisternal setae 1 + 2; katepimeron bare; meron with some setulae beneath posterior spiracle; vein C bare dorsally. Fore tibia with 0(–1) p seta; mid tibia with 0 ad and 2–3 p setae; hind femur with complete row of av setae and shorter pv setae confined to basal two-thirds; hind tibia with 3–5 av and 2 ad setae. Female: Apart from usual sexual differences of the head and abdomen very similar to the male. Pile on eyes less dense and slightly shorter.

Distribution. A Canarian endemic species found exclusively on the western islands Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, Hierro, and La Palma.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Phaonia nigrisquama Stein, male. Habitus (A); head and thorax (B); abdomen (C); sternite V (D); hypopygium, caudal (E) and lateral (F).