Helina clara (Meigen)

Michelsen, Verner, 2023, Macaronesian Muscidae (Diptera). IV. The genus Helina Robineau-Desvoidy, and description of the male of Spilogona maderensis Michelsen, Zootaxa 5293 (2), pp. 251-276 : 261

7. Helina clara (Meigen)

( Figs 7A–E )

Mydaea (Spilogaster) clara (Meigen) ; Becker 1908a: 96 (Tenerife); Santos Abréu 1976: 117 (Tenerife, La Palma).

Spilogaster clara (Meigen) ; Becker 1908b: 194 (Madeira).

Helina clara (Meigen) ; Frey 1936: 133 (La Palma); Hennig 1957: 169 ff. (Canary Is., Madeira); Báez 1983: 177 ff., pl.1 fig. 4, pl. 2 figs 5, 11 (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma).

Mydaea (Spilogaster) clara var. selecta Santo Abréu ; Santos Abréu 1976: 119, fig. 18 (La Palma). [Unavailable infrasubspecific name.]

Material examined. CANARY ISLANDS: [ NHMD]. TENERIFE: Guayonge , 28°29´N 16°24´W, c. 420m, 1♁ 16.ii.2008 ( V. Michelsen). LA GOMERA: Los Loros, 28°09´N 17°16´W, 520‒770m, 1♁ 6.ii.2008 ( V. Michelsen); La Laja, 28°06´N 17°11´W, 480‒600m, 1♁ 22‒29.i.2016 ( V. Michelsen); Lomito Fragoso, 28°07´N 17°10´W, 220‒ 250m, 1♁ 19‒24.i.2019 ( V. Michelsen) .

Description. Medium to large sized, wing length 6.5–8.4 mm. Male: Habitus, lateral ( Fig. 7A ). Thorax ( Fig. 7B ) black except for yellowish postpronotal lobes and scutellum, covered in dense light grey pruinosity except for three or five black scutal marks behind the suture and a black band on basal part of scutellum covered in brown pruinosity. Legs yellow with black tarsi and a brown dorsal stripe on fore femur. Abdomen translucent yellow through thin light grey pruinosity and with a brownish black pattern consisting of a narrow dorsal stripe on all tergites flanked by paired subtriangular marks on tergites III and IV and oblong marks laterally on tergites II, IV and V. Eyes bare. Arista plumose, longest branches reaching same length as width of postpedicel. Frons at narrowest point c. 2 times as wide as ocellar tubercle; frontal vitta at this point at least as half as wide as frons. Dorsocentral setae 2 + 3; presutural acrostical field with two rows of setulae slightly standing out from surrounding ground setulae; prealar seta absent; katepisternal setae 2 + 2. Cross-veins r-m and dm-cu barely shadowed. Fore tibia with 1 p seta; mid tibia with 2–3 p setae; hind femur with 1 short pv near middle; hind tibia with 1–2 av and 2–3 ad setae, without pd or p setae. Sternite V and hypopygium as in Figs 7C–E . Female: Apart from usual sexual differences of the head and abdomen differing from the male by the smaller dark marks on mesonotum and abdomen and the frequent presence of a short prealar seta.

Distribution. Canary Islands: Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma. Madeira. Mediterranean parts of Europe, North Africa and the Near East.

Taxonomic note. The handsome Helina clara is obviously closely related H. sexmaculata on account of the distinctive colour pattern, almost identical male terminalia and absence of a pv setal row on the male hind tibia.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Helina clara (Meigen), male. Habitus (A); head and thorax (B); sternite V (C); hypopygium, caudal (D) and lateral (E). Same scale for C–E.