Strongylophthalmyia splendida Yang & Wang

Galinskaya, Tatiana V. & Shatalkin, Anatoly I., 2016, Eight new species of Strongylophthalmyia Heller from Vietnam with a key to species from Vietnam and neighbouring countries (Diptera, Strongylophthalmyiidae), ZooKeys 625, pp. 111-142 : 132-133

Taxon classification Animalia Diptera Strongylophthalmyiidae

Strongylophthalmyia splendida Yang & Wang Figure 9

Strongylophthalmyia splendida Yang & Wang, 1998 (1996): 459 (female).

Material.

1 male, Vietnam, Lai Châu Province, Hoáng Liên (22.347948°N, 103.769714°E), 1700 m, 22.V.2014 (A.L. Ozerov); 1 female, Vietnam, Lai Cai Province, So Pa (22.34147°N, 103.85818°E), 1490 m, 24.X.2015 (D. Gavryushin).

Diagnosis.

Strongylophthalmyia splendida was described based on single female from Tibet (China), caught at a height of 2050 m. This species is characterized by some interesting and unique characters, including a head that is nearly 1.4 times longer than high (which is caused mainly by lengthening of the occiput). In other Strongylophthalmyia , the head is globular (approximately as high as long) and the occiput part is short, only 0.1-0.2 times shorter than length of the eye. Furthermore, the outer vertical seta is absent, the frontal setae are absent and only one short hair-like orbital seta is developed. We also note yellow coloration of frons with a brown round spot between the ocellar tubercle and the vertex.

Other interesting character of the species is the presence of a large seta situated on the anterior part of the mesonotum near the postpronotum in front of posthumeral line (Fig. 9b). Vein R4+5 is slightly arcuate, terminating behind the wing apex (Fig. 9a); vein CuA2 is more or less straight; cell bm is rather long, terminating approximately at the level of the costal break; cell bm is shorter than the discal cell by approximately in 0.8 times.

Description of male.

Head yellow, shining in black area, 1.4 times longer than height. frons with brownish to blackish (in view from different angles) rounded spot not reaching eye that extends from level of hind ocelli to postocellar setae. Ocellar tubercle slightly shifted anteriorly: ratio between height of frons from its anterior margin to hind ocelli and from hind ocelli to vertex or vti equal to 1.4. Occiput convex. Face yellow, with row of short setulae along suture. Parafacial covered with silvery grey tomentum. Antenna yellow. First flagellomere rounded, length almost equal to height, very large, 1.9 times less than eye length, with short yellow dorsal setulae. Arista dark brown, basally yellow, bare. Palpus yellow. Chaetotaxy: One short orbital seta, 1 ocellar seta, 1 postocellar seta, 1 inner vertical seta, outer vertical seta absent; frontal setae absent.

Thorax black. Postpronotum laterally and dorsally, propleuron, anepisternum around spiracle, basisternum yellow. Mesonotum matte, covered with short yellowish setulae; pleuron shining. Scutellum bare matte. Legs yellow, mid and hind femora with narrow dark brown apical ring; mid tibia with brownish stroke in basic quarter; hind tibia darkened, yellowish basally and apically. Fore femur dorsally with row of 10 black setae. Fore femur laterally with row of long dense yellowish setulae situated apically aside of femoral apex; basally these setulae 1.3 times longer than those occurring apically. Wings greyish, without apical spot and without median transverse band. Vein R2+3 short, section of C between R1 and R2+3 equal to following section (between R2+3 and R4+5). R4+5 and M1+2 convergent and almost parallel apically. Section of M1+2 between r-m and dm-cu 2.2 times longer than proximal section and 0.45 times shorter than distal section. Calypter brownish grey with 4 long dark setulae on margin. Halter with yellow stem and whitish knob. Chaetotaxy: postpronotal seta absent, 1 + 2 dorsocentral setae, two notopleural setae, one supraalar seta, one postalar seta, one large anepisternal seta, one stout apical scutellar seta. All setae black. Mesonotum with large seta anteriorly, near postpronotum (Fig. 9b: marked by arrow), which we consider as sublateral ( Hennig 1973: 184, fig. 109).

Abdominal tergites black, shining; tergite 6 brownish yellow; sternites yellow.

Body length 3.4 mm; wing length 3.7 mm.