Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) tetrix, Whitmore, Daniel, 2011

Whitmore, Daniel, 2011, New taxonomic and nomenclatural data on Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), with description of six new species, Zootaxa 2778, pp. 1-57 : 14

Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) tetrix sp. nov.

( Figs 30–35 )

Type material. Holotype 3: Messina [Sicily] / 5-40 [1940] // [red label] HOLOTYPE 3 / Sarcophaga / ( Heteronychia ) / tetrix sp. n. / D. Whitmore 2009 ( MZUR). Paratypes: 1 3: same data as holotype but with additional identification label “ penicillata ” ( MZUR); 1 3: Italy, Sicily, Randazzo, Lago di Gurrida, 870 m, 11.VI.1999, leg. B. Merz ( MMBC); 3 3: Italy, Sicily, Paternò, Fiume Simeto, 7.V.1968, S. Langemark leg. ( ZMUC) [one with terminalia dissected and glued to a piece of card beneath the source specimen].

Diagnosis (3). A small species of Heteronychia ; lower facial margin slightly protruding in lateral view; scutellum with a pair of apical setae; wing vein R1 with several setulae on dorsal surface; mid femur with a subapical posteroventral comb of short, spine-like setae; abdomen with dense grey microtrichosity forming a maculate pattern in posterior view; abdominal tergite 3 without median marginal setae; epandrium red; cercus with a dorsal saddle; surstylus densely covered with microtrichia; distiphallus elongated; juxta with lateral membranous ‘ear-like’ processes and medially divided apically, the two resulting parts distinctly curling outwards; vesica elongated, with a tridentate tip.

Description (3). Length. 5.5–7.0mm. Colour. Ground colour black, with dense light-grey microtrichosity on parafacials, fronto-orbital plate, thorax and abdomen. Thorax with three longitudinal dark vittae; microtrichosity of abdomen forming typical chequered pattern changing with the incidence of light, lateral black markings on tergites 3−4 reduced to an anterior spot when viewed posteriorly. Protandrial segment with a very small patch of microtrichosity near margin; epandrium red, slightly darkened ventrally. Cercus black; surstylus, phallus and gonites brown (pregonite light brown at tip). Head ( Fig. 30 ). Arista thickened on approximately basal 1/5–1/3. Postpedicel ca. 1.5 times as long as pedicel. Frons at its narrowest point about 0.45–0.55 times the width of an eye in dorsal view. Lateral vertical setae only slightly longer and stronger than longest postocular setae. Parafacial at its narrowest point about 0.20–0.25 times eye width. Lower facial margin slightly protruding in lateral view below vibrissa. Gena in profile about 0.25–0.30 times height of eye; postgena entirely covered with white setulae. Occipital setulae white below the first two rows. Thorax. Scutum with 2–4 (weak, short, unarranged) + 1 acrostichal, 4 + 3 dorsocentral, 1–2 posthumeral (outer one weak if present), 1 presutural, 4 notopleural, 2 intraalar and 3 supraalar setae. Scutellum with a pair of strong apical setae; discal setae situated far from margin. Legs. Mid femur with a subapical posteroventral comb of short, spine-like setae. Mid tibia with 3 anterodorsal, 2 posterodorsal, 1 dorsal and 1 anteroventral setae. Hind trochanter with a ventral brush of tightly-spaced, spine-like setae. Hind femur with several anteroventral setae in addition to subapical one. Hind tibia with 1–3 anteroventral setae; hind tibia without long, wavy setulae on posteroventral surface. Wing. Costal spine well developed. Vein R1 with several setulae on dorsal surface. Second costal section approximately the same length as fourth costal section. Abdomen. Tergite 3 without median marginal setae. Terminalia. Setae on sternite 5 thickened and shortened, marginal ones distinctly longer. Protandrial segment with a row of setulae along posterior margin. Epandrium with an elongated ventral margin. Cercus ( Fig. 31 ) with a dorsal saddle and a downcurved, hooked tip. Surstylus ( Fig. 31 ) subtriangular, densely covered with microtrichia. Pregonite ( Fig. 32 ) with short sparse setulae on approximately basal half to twothirds; tip flattened and weakly sclerotized, slightly curved inwards. Distiphallus ( Fig. 33 ): proximal part of harpes protruding, rounded in lateral view, with a flat inner surface; distal part of harpes distinctly inset compared to proximal part; apical process arising from inner part of harpes and directed apically, with a sharply pointed, hooked, cylindrical tip ( Fig. 34 ); juxta medium-length, apically with two elongated lateral processes distinctly curling laterally (dorsal view, Fig. 35 ); juxta with large ‘ear-like’ lateral membranous processes; lateral styli not elongated, apically truncate; vesica ( Fig. 34 ) elongated, widening distally to form a tridentate tip.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Sicily.

Etymology. Named after the black grouse, Tetrao tetrix (Aves, Phasianidae ), due to the resemblance of the juxta with the lyre-shaped tail of this bird.

Differential diagnosis. Morphologically, Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) tetrix sp. nov. closely resembles S. (H.) villeneuveana ( Enderlein, 1928) , from which it can be distinguished by the shape of the apical part of juxta, the processes of which are strongly diverging and curling outwards in S. (H.) tetrix while they are subparallel in S. (H.) villeneuveana ( Fig. 43 ), and by the shape of the apical process of harpes: cylindrical and sharply pointed, hooked in S. tetrix , flattened and tapering to a blunt tip in S. (H.) villeneuveana ( Fig. 44 ). The latter species has not yet been recorded from Sicily or the rest of Italy ( Pape 2004a).

Figures

FIGURES 30 – 35. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) tetrix sp. nov. 30 – 31. Paratype from Sicily, Randazzo (MMBC). 30. Head, scale bar 0.5 mm. 31. Cercus and surstylus, scale bar 0.1 mm. 32 – 35. Paratype from Sicily, Paternò (ZMUC). 32. Gonites, scale bar 0.1 mm. 33. Distiphallus (lateral), scale bar 0.15 mm. 34. Distiphallus (ventral), scale bar 0.05 mm (arrow showing vesica). 35. Juxta (dorsal), scale bar 0.05 mm.

FIGURES 42 – 53. 42. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) thirionae (Lehrer), juxta (dorsal); specimen from Greece, Olympos (MMBC), scale bar 0.1 mm. 43 – 44. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) villeneuveana (Enderlein), specimen from France, Maury (CNBFVR). 43. Juxta (dorsal), scale bar 0.05 mm. 44. Distiphallus (ventral), scale bar 0.1 mm. 45 – 46. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) ancilla Rondani, scale bars 0.05 mm. 45. Distiphallus (lateral), specimen from France, Bouches-du-Rhône (NHRS). 46. Distiphallus (apical), specimen from Spain, Sierra de Boumort (ZMUC). 47 – 48. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) belanovskyi (Verves), specimen from Italy, Castelporziano (MZUR), scale bars 0.05 mm. 47. Distiphallus (lateral). 48. Distiphallus (apical). 49 – 50. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) chiquita (Peris et al.). 49. Cercus and surstylus, paratype from Spain, Pina de Ebro (UCME), scale bar 0.1 mm. 50. Juxta (lateral), holotype of Heteronychia morenita Peris et al., scale bar 0.05 mm. 51 – 53. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) croca Pape. 51. Cercus and surstylus, specimen from Croatia, Hvar (NHRS), scale bar 0.25 mm. 52 – 53. Specimen from Greece, Skotina (MMBC). 52. Pregonite, scale bar 0.05 mm. 53. Distiphallus (lateral), scale bar 0.1 mm.