Stylogaster parkeri, Stuke, 2012

Stuke, Jens-Hermann, 2012, A revision of Afrotropical species of Stylogaster Macquart (Diptera: Conopidae), with descriptions of twenty-one new species and an identification key, African Invertebrates 53 (1), pp. 267-267 : 320-324

Stylogaster parkeri sp. n.

Figs 182–185

Etymology: The species is named in honour of Frank D. Parker (Logan, Utah), who spent considerable time working on “An Arthropod Survey of Madagascar’s Protected Areas (1998–2009)”, which yielded numerous conopids used in this study.

Diagnosis: Stylogaster parkeri sp. n. belongs to a group of similar Stylogaster spp. occurring on Madagascar, that are only separable by reference to the male terminalia. The surstylus of S. parkeri sp. n. has conspicuous strong, black setulae on the inner surface ( Fig. 188 ), no black teeth and strong black setae on the base of the phallus sheath of the hypandrium ( Fig. 189 ). The only other species with this combination of characters is S. rinhaii sp. n., which has a white setulose area on the hind tibia.

Description (based on holotype):

Male.

Overall length: ca 7.7 mm.

Head: 1.9 mm high. Eye brown, with a few scattered, inconspicuous ommatrichia. Facets on inner side slightly enlarged. Ocelli orange-brown. Ocellar tubercle blackish brown, with 1 pair of ocellar setae (1 damaged). Ocellar triangle occupies virtually entire frons, reaching as far as antennae ( Fig. 184 ). Ocellar triangle brown. Frons black lateral to ocellar triangle with 2 or 3 defined fronto­orbital setae. Scapus and pedicellus yellow­brown, basal flagellomere pale brown. Arista brown basally, becoming black distally, 2 segments evident, situated dorsally at apex of basal flagellomere ( Fig. 183 ). Scapus dorsally with few black setulae. Pedicellus with black setulae. Shape of antenna as illustrated in Fig. 183 . One distinct black vertical seta. Face pale yellow with silver pruinosity. Occiput pale brown, distinctly silver pruinose; with a row of regularly-arranged small white setulae dorsally, and several longer white setulae ventrally. Some long white setulae on mouth opening. Proboscis yellow-brown basally, becoming dark brown distally, except for yellow-brown distal division of labellum. Labrum ca 3.7 mm, labellum approximately same length.

Thorax:Yellow-white; mesoscutum (with exception of postpronotum and postalar calli), scutellum, mediotergite and small macula on posterior margin of anepisternum brown. All setae black with exception of golden seta on propleuron. Two notopleural setae, 1 supra-alar seta, 2 postalar setae (1 damaged), 1 praescutellar dorsocentral seta, 1 apical scutellar seta, 1 seta on anepimeron and 1 seta above fore coxa on propleuron. A few black setulae on anepimeron. Black semi-adpressed setulae on mesoscutum.

Wing: Length 5.8 mm. Generally clothed in microtrichia, except for base of r 1 and r 2+3, part of br, bm, base of dm, cup, base of cua 1 and base of anal lobe without microtrichia. Hind margin of wing with black or brown setulae. Venation as in Fig. 185 . Haltere uniformly pale yellow, knob brown, with areas of sensillae at base. Fore and mid leg pale yellow-white. Hind leg brown, hind tibia white distally, contrasting with black hind tarsi.

Legs: Mainly with black or brown setulae, only fore and mid tibiae with pale yellow setulae. Setae on fore and mid coxae white, setae on hind coxa black. Fore and mid coxae without distinct setae, but with strong white setulae distally. Hind coxa with 1 lateral black seta and also distally on anterior surface with strong black setulae. Hind trochanter without teeth or dense setulae. Mid femur with a row of regularly-arranged black setulae posteriorly on basal half. Hind tibia with 4–7 short black spines on anterior surface. Claws dark brown basally, distally black. Pulvilli orange-brown. Empodia short, orange-brown.

Abdomen: Mainly pale yellow, tergites 2–4 with brown hind margin, tergite 6 and epandrium mainly brown. Only macerated abdomen available, so colouration difficult to describe. Tergites with semi-adpressed black setulae.Tergite 1 with long black and white setulae laterally, tergite 2 with 6 black lateral setae on either side of anterior margin. Terminalia as illustrated in Figs 186–194 . Cercus triangular ( Fig. 192 ). Dorsal margin concave. Cercus with long lappet ventrally. No conspicuous teeth ventrally. No black setae. Surstylus without black teeth. Strong black setulae on inner surface. Phallus sheath as illustrated in Figs 189, 190 . Strong black setulae basally conspicuous.

Female. Unknown.

Holotype: ♂ MADAGASCAR: (1) “ Madagascar , Fianarantsoa Prov., / 12 km W Ranomafana Natl Pk / entrance. radio tower, malaise in / montane tropical forest / 3.15. IV.2003 / R.H.’Hala, M.E. Irwin, 1215m / 21°15.05’S. 47°24.43’E. MG 9B­57”; (2) “ Holotypus / Stylogaster / parkeri ♂ / des. Stuke, 2011” ( CAS). Abdomen dissected, macerated and deposited in glycerine in a microvial pinned beneath specimen, holotype otherwise in good condition.

Distribution: Endemic to Madagascar.

Bionomics: Sampled in primary rainforest at moderately high elevation (1215 m).

Figures

Figs 182–185. Stylogaster parkeri sp. n. (♂ holotype): (182) habitus, lateral view; (183) antenna, lateral view; (184) frons; (185) wing. Not to scale.

Figs 186–194. Terminalia (♂) of Stylogaster parkeri sp. n. (holotype): (186) surstylus, lateral view; (187) same, dorsolateral view; (188) same, frontal view; (189) phallus sheath of hypandrium, lateral view; (190) same, ventral view; (191) distiphallus; (192) cercus, lateral view; (193) teeth at the ventral conjunction of cerci, ventral view; (194) sperm pump and ejaculatory apodeme.Abbreviations: ce – cercus; hys – phallus sheath of hypandrium; sd – sperm duct; su – surstylus. Not to scale.