Stylogaster hirsutifemora, 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 : 297-301

Stylogaster hirsutifemora sp. n.

Figs 91–103

Etymology: From Latin hirsutus (hairy) and femur (thigh), referring to characteristically long setulae on the hind femur, this being an important diagnostic feature.

Diagnosis: Stylogaster hirsutifemora sp. n. belongs to a species-group possessing long setulae on the mid and hind femur ( Fig. 94 ), no white setulae on the hind femur and black markings on the abdomen ( Fig. 92 ). Stylogaster hirsutifemora sp. n. is distinguished from the other species in this group ( S. acanthocercus sp. n.) by the yellow frons ( Fig. 95 ), the unique terminalia ( Figs 97–103 ) with 2 pairs of black spines on the ventral junction of the cerci ( Figs 100, 101 – spines appear fused in illustration), and the (a) hemisperical and (b) finger­like extension of the surstylus ( Fig. 97 ).

Description (based on holotype): Male.

Overall length: ca 7.7 mm. Head: 1.8 mm high. Eye brown, with a few scattered, inconspicuous ommatrichia. Facets on inner side slightly enlarged. Ocelli orange­yellow. Ocellar tubercle blackish brown, with 1 pair of ocellar setae (1 damaged). Ocellar triangle occupying most of frons, but smaller distally, reaching as far as antennae ( Fig. 95 ). Ocellar triangle dark brown basally, pale brown distally. Frons orange­brown lateral to ocellar triangle, with 2 defined fronto­orbital setae. Scapus and pedicellus yellow­orange, basal flagellomere slightly darker.Arista yellow-brown basally becoming black distally, 3 segments evident. Arista situated dorsally at apex of basal flagellomere ( Fig. 93 ). Scapus with few black setulae dorsally. Pedicellus with black setulae. Shape of antenna as illustrated in Fig. 93 . One distinct black vertical seta (1 damaged). Face pale yellow with silver pruinosity. Occiput black, distinctly silver pruinose; with row of regularly-arranged small white setulae dorsally and ventrally with several longer white setulae. Some long white setulae on mouth opening. Proboscis yellow-brown basally, becoming dark brown distally, but yellow-brown distal division of labellum. Labrum ca 3.7 mm, labellum approximately same length.

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

Wing: Length 6.1 mm. Generally clothed in microtrichia, except for base of r 1 and r 2+3, partly br, bm, base of dm, cup, base of cua 1 and base of anal lobe. Hind margin of wing with black or brown setulae. Venation as in Fig. 96 . Haltere uniformly pale yellow, knob brown, with areas of sensillae at base. Fore leg damaged. Mid leg pale yellow-white. Hind leg pale brown dorsally, hind tibia white distally, contrasting with black hind tarsi.

Legs: Mainly with black or brown setulae, only mid tibia 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 short lateral black seta, and with strong black setulae distally on anterior surface. Hind trochanter with dense black setulae. Mid femur with row of regularly-arranged black setulae posteriorly on basal half, and black setulae ventrally, slightly longer than diameter of mid tibia. Mid tibia with short, dense black setulae ventrally. Hind femur with long black setulae posteroventrally. Hind tibia with 4 short black spines on anterior surface. Claws dark brown basally, black distally. Pulvilli orange-brown. Empodia short, orange-brown.

Abdomen: Mainly pale yellow, tergite 1 mostly brown, tergites 2–4 with brown hind margin, tergite 6 mainly brown, epandrium pale brown laterally ( Fig. 92 ). Tergites with semi-adpressed black setulae. Tergite 1 with long white setulae laterally, tergite 2 with 5 white lateral setae on either side of anterior margin.Abdomen of holotype not dissected, but apparently matches terminalia of a paratype.Terminalia as in Figs 97–103 . Cercus rounded distally ( Fig. 100 ). Dorsal margin slightly concave. Cercus with 2 pairs of blunt, black spines and long spines ( Figs 100, 101 ). Surstylus with 2 black spines, 1 situated on a small evagination and other on hemispherical broad extension. Some setulae on inner surface of base of the surstylus. Phallus sheath as illustrated in Fig. 102 .

Female. Unknown.

Holotype: ♂ MADAGASCAR: (1) “Madagascar: Prov. Antananarivbo, 46 km NE / of Ankazobe: Ambohitantely, 700m, 1­14.XI.2004 / 18°11.88S, 47°16.89E, Irwin, Harin H’Hala / malaise trap in sclerophyl forest. MG 27-20”; (2) “CASLOT 021141”; (3) “ Holotypus / Stylogaster / hirsutifemora ♂ / des. Stuke, 2011 ( CAS)”. Fore legs damaged, left hind tarsi damaged, some setae damaged. Abdomen dissected,

macerated and deposited in glycerine in a microvial pinned beneath specimen, holotype otherwise in reasonable condition.

Paratypes: MADAGASCAR: 2♂ same data as for holotype, except 6–8.ii.2005 ( CAS & J­HS). Distribution: Endemic to Madagascar .

Bionomics: Sampled in sclerophyl forest at low elevation (700 m).

Figures

Figs 91–96. Stylogaster hirsutifemora sp. n. (♂ holotype): (91) habitus, lateral view; (92) abdomen, dorsal view; (93) antenna, lateral view; (94) hind femur, ventral view; (95) frons, dorsal view; (96) wing. Not to scale.

Figs 97–103.Terminalia (♂) of Stylogaster hirsutifemora sp. n. (paratype):(97) surstylus, lateral view; (98) same; (99) same, ventral view; (100) cercus, lateral view; (101) teeth at ventral conjunction of cerci, dorsal view (spines appear fused); (102) phallus sheath of hypandrium, lateral view; (103) sperm pump and ejaculatory apodeme. Not to scale.