Anthomyia ornata ( Bigot, 1885 )

Ackland, D. M., 2001, Revision of afrotropical Anthomyia Meigen, 1803 (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), with descriptions of ten new species, African Invertebrates 42, pp. 1-94 : 44-47

Anthomyia ornata ( Bigot, 1885)

( Figs 95–102 )

Hylemyia ornata Bigot, 1885: 300 ; Stein, 1907: 282; Stein, 1908: 173; Bezzi, 1908: 96.

Anthomyia ornata: Stein, 1913: 564 ; Stein, 1919: 147; Malloch, 1924: 268, 272; Emden, 1941 b: 260; Pont

& Ackland, 1980: 715; Pont, 2000: 21.

‘ Anthomyia griseobasis Malloch. ’ Malloch, 1924: 273 (in part).

Holotype ^ of ornata : SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: standing over the label: ‘ H.[ylemyia] ornata ^ / Port Natal J. Bigot’ [rectangular white handwritten label with black line border]; on the pin: ‘Holotype’ [white printed label with red perimeter]; ‘Ost Afrika / Port Natal / (coll. Bigot)’ [rectangular blue handwritten label]; ‘ H. ornata / EX COLL. BIGOT’ [white rectangular printed and handwritten label]. The specimen is rather damp, with some setae rubbed off. In UMO, revised during present study.

Material examined: ANGOLA: 15 mls N Sa da Bandiera, ca. 6500 ft, 3.iii.1972, Southern African Exp. , 1972 ( BMNH) . NAMIBIA: 14Ò33^, Brandberg, Wasserfallflache at: 21 ° 10'42''S: 14 ° 32'56''E, 2000 m, 19–21.x.1998, R. Butlin & J. Altringham, yellow pan traps 8 ( NMWN) . SOMALIA:1Ò, Bohotle , 1903, Vety-Major A. F.Appleton, (paratype of Anthomyia griseobasis Malloch ) ( BMNH) . SOUTH AFRICA: Mpumalanga: 1Ò, Gladdespruit River, nr. Nelspruit airfield, 2530DB, 2975 ft, 23.ii.1971, B. Stuckenberg, streamside bush ( NMSA) ; 2Ò, Houtbosloop River, nr. Rivulets, Nelspruit dist. , 2530BC, xi.1970, B. Stuckenberg, gallery forest ( NMSA) . North West: 2Ò, Brits , 7.iii.1955, Paterson, under fig ( BMNH) ; 1Ò, same locality but 8.iii.1955, near water in kloof ( BMNH) ; 1Ò1^, Ottoshoop , iv.1916, H. G. Breyer ( NMSA) .). Gauteng: 1^, Irene , 23.viii.1970, Dr C. K. Brain ( NMSA) ; 1Ò, Johannesburg , i.1971 ( BMNH) ; 1Ò, Johannesburg, Parktown North , 1.ii.1930 ( BMNH) . KwaZulu-Natal: 2Ò, Hluhluwe , 29.vi.1973, Zumpt ( BMNH) ; 1^, Ndumu , 25.iv.1956, Paterson ( BMNH) ; 1Ò, Pietermaritzburg, Town Bush , 4.v.1972. B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1^, same data but 5.vii.1956 ( NMSA) ; 1Ò, Maritzburg , 25.xii.1903, Paulus ( NMSA) ; 1Ò, Gillitts, Pinewood dist. , 29.xi.1962, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1Ò, Karkloof , 18.xi.1961, T. Schofield ( NMSA) ; 1Ò, Weenen , iv. 1924, H. P. Thomaseet ( NMSA) ; 1^, same data ( BMNH) ; 1^, Howick , 29 ° 28'40''S: 30 ° 13'20''E, 8.viii.1990, A. E.Whittington, mercury blended light ( NMSA) ; 1Ò, Marley, Durban , i.1915 ( NMSA) . Eastern Cape: 1^, Katberg , 15–30.i.1933, R. E.Turner ( BMNH) . Western Cape: 1^, Mossel Bay , ii.1922, R. E. Turner ( BMNH) .

Male: Similar to A. maculigena , differs as follows:

Colour: Head with the brownish non-shifting spot in vibrissal angle extending above genal groove and almost or completely reaching eye margin when viewed in profile, but more narrowly than in maculigena . Thorax ( Figs 95, 96 ) with transverse postsutural band across the scutum complete between wing bases but anterior and posterior margins more or less straight; presutural spots smaller, generally joined behind head (in some examples the spots are discrete), and not reaching or extending posteriorly much beyond 1st presutural dorsocentral seta; scutellum almost entirely black, with only its tip and along base silvery grey. Pleura (including notopleural depression) partly orange in ground- colour under grey dusting.Abdomen largely densely dusted over black to orange ground-colour, with extensive contrasting black and grey pattern on tergites, central vitta as wide as depth of hind femur (absent on 1st and 2nd tergites) and joined to a brownish black crossband on anterior third of tergites which widens along lateral margins to about half width of tergite; hypopygium and 5th sternite largely orange in ground-colour; 5th sternite shining reddish brown laterally on processes, the flattened lobes on processes sclerotised and semi-shining. Legs largely orange-brown, especially femora and tibiae in basal half, trochanters and coxae orange, latter rather dusted.

Head: As in maculigena , short proclinate interfrontal setae apparently absent.

Thorax: Prealar seta 1.2–1.5 times length of posterior notopleural seta. Wing length up to 6.0 mm.

Abdomen: slightly more than twice as long as wide, semi-dorsoventrally compressed in basal two-thirds in lateral view. 4th sternite ( Fig. 98 ) about twice as long as wide, with a pointed posterior margin. Pregonite ( Fig. 99 ) longer than maculigena , constricted in middle with a concave dorsal margin; postgonite with a less expanded setula (with outer lobe strongly projecting above its base). Distal section of aedeagus ( Fig. 101 ) with a long proclinate dorsal process separated from its base by its length.

Female: Similar to the female of maculigena except for the following differences:

Colour: Thoracic pattern with presutural spots reduced (as in the male; in some specimens they are not joined behind head), scutellum base often narrowly grey dusted. Pleura (including notopleural depression) generally pale orange in ground colour, with areas of translucent orange under grey dusting. Abdomen with tergites extensively orange or yellow, with central and lateral black marks only narrowly connected along anterior margins of tergites. Legs largely orange, femora and tibiae darker in distal half.

Wing length up to 7.0 mm.

Discussion: Malloch (1924) listed two males as ‘ ornata Bigot var.?’ (Estcourt and Upper Tongaat, Natal) which differed from ornata as follows: anepisternum without a black mark on lower posterior angle; hind femur with an almost complete series of sparse pv setae; presutural black spots on thorax round, isolated on disc. These specimens represent a distinct species, with genitalia quite different from ornata , but very similar to those of subabyssinica sp. n. This species is described in this paper as subornata sp. n.

Emden (1941 b) only mentioned ornata in a key, and did not comment on Malloch’s ornata var.

The specimens from Namibia have a rather different appearance from typical ornata from Natal. Thorax ( Fig. 97 ) with the dark markings much reduced, presutural spots small and isolated, postsutural band much narrower (hardly reaching 2nd postsutural dorsocentral seta) and base of scutellum grey dusted at base. The genitalia (gonites Fig. 100 ) hardly differ from typical ornata .

Distribution: Apart from the single male from Somalia, all material of ornata is from South Africa, Angola and Namibia. The species will probably be found in East African countries between South Africa and Ethiopia.

Figures

Figs 95–102. Anthomyia ornata (Bigot) Ò. 95. Thorax, dorsal view (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa). 96. Ditto, lateral view (KwaZulu-Natal). 97. Thorax, dorsal view (Namibia). 98–102. Ò terminalia (all from KwaZulu-Natal, except 100). 98. 4th and 5th sternites, ventral view. 99. Gonites. 100. Gonites (Namibia). 101. Distal section of aedeagus. 102. Central process of synsternite (6+7).