Aphaniosoma angulitergum, Ebejer, 2023

Ebejer, Martin J., 2023, The genus Aphaniosoma Becker, 1903 (Diptera: Chyromyidae) in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, with descriptions of new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 872, pp. 1-161 : 23-28

Aphaniosoma angulitergum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:81FD092F-808C-4659-9774-EAF8DBF26413

Figs 6–8

Diagnosis

Similar to A: acitergum sp. nov.; a yellow species with brown to pale brown longitudinal scutal vittae; 2 well-developed fronto-orbital setae. Male with the ventral margin of tergite 4 produced into an acute angled projection (similar to the foregoing species but shorter and broader) ( Fig. 6A ); a short narrow yellow surstylus subapically bifid and setulose on both branches; pregonite a little larger curved and apically with small black tip; large black sharply pointed epiphallus. A. acitergum sp. nov. and A. palestinense sp. nov. are the most similar species to A. angulitergum sp. nov. in this geographical area. They are much the same size with a similar colour pattern, although darker in A. palestinense sp. nov.; all three have a shiny black epiphallus usually clearly visible. They differ in the shapes of the surstylus and gonites. Other differences are outlined under A. acitergum sp. nov.

Etymology

The species epithet is a combination of the Latin ‘ angulus’ (‘angle’) and ‘ tergum ’and refers to the angular extension of tergite 4.

Material examined

Holotype

ISRAEL • ♂; ‘ En Zin; 13 Nov. 1999; I. Yarom and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix negevensis ; SMNHTAU 405819 .

Paratypes

ISRAEL • 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 13 Nov. 1999; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; ‘ Enot Zuqim ; 30 Mar. 1995; I. Yarom leg.; on Tamarix sp. ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; ‘ Enot Zuqim ; 25 Aug. 1995; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; ‘ Enot Zuqim ; 3 Mar. 1998; N. Meltzer and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix nilotica ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; ‘ Enot Zuqim ; 1 Feb. 1999; N. Meltzer and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix nilotica ; SMNHTAU • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 3 Mar. 1999; SMNHTAU • 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 30 Mar. 1999; SMNHTAU • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 28 Apr. 1999; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 24 Nov. 1999; SMNHTAU • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 12 Apr. 2000; SMNHTAU • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; on Tamarix jordanis ; SMNHTAU • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; ‘ En Zin ; 9 Feb. 1999; I. Yarom and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix negevensis ; SMNHTAU • 7 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 13 May 1999; SMNHTAU • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 13 Sep. 1999; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; ‘ En Yahav ; 24 Jul. 1995; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 4 ♀♀; ‘ En Zin ; 15 Dec. 1998; I. Yarom and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix negevensis ; SMNHTAU • 4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 19 Oct. 1999; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 18 Jan. 2000; on Tamarix parviflora ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 12 Apr. 1999; SMNHTAU • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; on Tamarix negevensis ; SMNHTAU • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 14 Jan. 1999; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; on Tamarix parviflora ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; Nahal Neqarot , N of Sappir; 6 Apr. 1998; I. Yarom and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix parviflora var. sodomensis ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 10 May 1998; on Tamarix sp. ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 8 Mar. 1999; SMNHTAU • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 17 Oct. 1999; on Tamarix nilotica ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; on Tamarix parviflora ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; Nahal Zin ; 2 Mar. 1998; I. Yarom and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix sp. ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 6 Apr. 1998; on T. negevensis ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; on Tamarix sp. ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 8 Jun. 1998; SMNHTAU • 2 ♂♂; Ne’ot haKikkar ; 29 Mar. 1996; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; Ne’ot haKikkar ; 3 Feb. 1998; N. Meltzer and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix deserti ; SMNHTAU • 8 ♂♂, 1 ♀; ‘ Iddan ; 19 Mar. 1995; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 6 ♀♀; ‘ Iddan ; 20 Jun. 1995; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU • 12 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Qalya ; 2 Jan. 1997; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 7 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; S. Paz leg.; SMNHTAU • 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀; ‘ En Mor ; 11 Oct. 1994; F. Kaplan and A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 10 ♂♂; Zomet Zohar ; 19 Mar. 1995; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Sappir pond; 9 Jul. 1996; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; Nahal Qumeran ; 3 Feb. 199; N. Meltzer and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix sp. ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; Elot ; 19 Mar. 1995; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; Ma‘ agan Mikha‘el ; 19 Apr. 2000; N. Meltzer and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix tetragyna ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 23 Apr. 1998; on Tamarix sp. ; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; Iddan spring ; 19 Mar. 1995; B. Merz leg.; MHNG • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; MHNG • 1 ♂; Western Negev , Nahal Lavan; 30°58ʹ N, 34°24ʹ E; 24 Mar. 2000; M.J. Ebejer leg.; shrubs on sand; MJE • 7 ♂♂, 1 ♀; N. Arava valley ; 30°46ʹ N, 35°14ʹ E; 25 Mar. 2000; M.J. Ebejer leg.; on Tamarix and chenopods; MJE • 2 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀; Dead Sea , Zomet Zohar; 31°08ʹ N, 35°21ʹ E; alt. - 338 m; 25 Mar. 2000; M.J. Ebejer leg.; on Tamarix sp. ; MJE • 5 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; Dead Sea , ‘ Enot Zuqim; 31°43ʹ N, 35°27ʹ E; alt. - 400 m; 25 Mar. 2000; M.J. Ebejer leg.; on Tamarix sp. ; MJE .

Other material

ISRAEL • 1 ♂, preserved in alcohol; Arava valley , Qetura [Ketura]; 50 km north of Eilat; 29°58ʹ07″ N, 35°03ʹ38″ E; alt. 126 m; 3–8 May 2013; Z.A. Yefremova leg.; Malaise trap; coll. code 140907 ; ZSM • 1 ♂; N. Arava valley ; 30°46ʹ N, 35°14ʹ E; 25 Mar. 2000; M.J. Ebejer leg.; on Tamarix and chenopods; MJE .

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra, Houbara protected area; 28 Feb. 2017; A. Saji and A. van Harten leg.; Malaise trap; NMWC .

Description

MEASUREMENTS. Body length: male 1.2 mm, female 1.3 mm. Wing length: male 1.4 mm, female 1.4 mm.

Male (holotype)

HEAD. Yellow, including ocellar triangle and occiput, ocelli ringed in black; gena about 2 / × as high as 5 eye at middle and with scattered pale yellow setulae; 2 vibrissal setae; frons narrow at anterior margin about 0.5 × as wide as at level of anterior ocellus; ocellar setae, weaker than anterior fronto-orbital, 2 well-developed fronto-orbital setae and 3 short setae anterior to these; about 10 very pale short setae on frons and a distinctly longer pair in front of the anterior ocellus narrowly spaced from each other; 1 inner and 1 outer vertical well-developed; paravertical setae short and convergent; postocular setae strong and in one row; face short, poorly sclerotized and depressed; median carina poorly developed; antenna yellow, pedicel a little paler than basal flagellomere and with distinct short seta dorsally; basal flagellomere with fine pubescence along anterior margin; basal ¼ of arista yellow contrasting with black distal ¾.

THORAX ( Fig. 7A ). Yellow; scutum with brown longitudinal vittae separated by narrow yellow lines and covered with pale yellow microtomentum; scutellum entirely yellow; pleura yellow with black triangular patch on katepisternum; meron and mediotergite black; chaetotaxy: 1 postpronotal, 1 presutural, 1 incurved intra-postpronotal, 2 notopleurals, 0+3 intra-alars, 1 postalar, 4+5 dorsocentrals, 1+4 acrostichals with no prescutellar setae, 4 scutellars, 1 anepisternal, 1 katepisternal at upper posterior corner.

WING. Veins all pale yellow; distance on costa between R 2+3 and R 4+5 about 0.4 × that between R 4+5 and M 1; distance between crossveins about 1.3 × as long as posterior crossvein, which is about 0.25 × as long as apical section of M 4. Haltere pale yellow.

LEGS. Fore femur with long setulae on posterior aspect; numerous pale yellow setulae scattered on all legs; apico-ventral seta on mid tibia present; claws black, pulvilli normal; tarsi yellow; hind trochanter not modified.

ABDOMEN. Basal tergites brown dorsally, becoming paler laterally; tergites 4–6 mostly yellow; tergite 4 ( Fig. 8A ) with triangular projection at postero-ventral margin; tergites 5 and 6 unremarkable; tergites with fine pale setulae; sternite 6 modified ( Fig. 8C ).

HYPOPYGIUM ( Figs 7B , 8 ). Epandrium large, bearing a small narrow surstylus that is bifid subapically with both branches setulose; pregonite larger, sickle-shaped and black tipped, often visible externally without dissection in most specimens; postgonite not identified and may be absent; aedeagus black with epiphallus shining black and apically acutely pointed; cercus pale yellow, fused with the opposite side.

Female

As in male, but without secondary sexual characters.

Variation

Chromatic variation in this species is significant with some specimens having darker scutal vittae and others having only a pale brown mark on the katepisternum; abdominal tergites can be almost entirely yellow or mostly brown. In all cases, however, the brown bands on the tergites tend to become paler laterally on the posterior tergites of the abdomen. The curvature and thickness of the pregonite is also a little variable.

Distribution

Israel, United Arab Emirates.

Figures

Fig. 6. Aphaniosoma angulitergum sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SMNHTAU 405819). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Hypopygium in situ, posterior view.

Fig. 7. Aphaniosoma angulitergum sp. nov., ♂, paratype (SMNHTAU). A. Thorax, dorsal view. B. Hypopygium in situ, lateral view.

Fig. 8. Aphaniosoma angulitergum sp. nov., ♂, paratype (MJE). A. Hypopygium in situ, extended in alcohol, lateral view. B–C. ♂, paratype (SMNHTAU). B. Hypopygium, lateral view. C. Sternite 6, ventral view. Abbreviations: See Material and methods. Scale bar: B–C = 0.15 mm.