Podocera variegata L. PAPP, 2006

Papp, L., Merz, B. & Földvári, M., 2006, DIPTERA OF THAILAND A summary of the families and genera with references to the species representations, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 52 (2), No. 2, pp. 97-269 : 215-216

Podocera variegata L. PAPP , sp. n.

( Fig. 139 )

Holotype female ( HNHM): THAILAND: Fang , Mae Fang National Park, Doi Pha Hom Pok,

2000 m, 22–23. XI. 2003, swept along forest road and creeks, No. 11, leg. M. FÖLDVÁRI.

Measurements in mm: body length 1.51, wing length 1.91 (!), wing breadth 0.60.

Frons greyish, mat, thickly grey microtomentose. Antenna greyish yellow.

Facial, genal and fronto-orbital setae dark, vertical and postocellar setae yellow. “Vti” in a true postocellar position, Anterior pair of ors large and inclinate. Facial genal setae long (as in Fig. 138 ): “pseudovibrissae” plus a half as long facial plus 2 pairs of long, slightly ventrally curved pairs. More caudally only 2 pairs of weak genal setae. Arista with 5 long dorsal rays and only 2, very long ventral rays behind the very small apical fork.

Thorax light brown, ventral part of pleura almost yellow, mesonotum matte with dense grey microtomentum. Scutellum and metanotum darker brown. One short pprnt, 2 np, 1 supralar dorsocentral (plus some short but distinct dorsocentrals anteriorly). Acrostichals uniseriate. Scutellar pair comparatively long, 0.22 mm. One long katepisternal.

Legs yellow, incl. coxae, basal 2/7 of hind tibia brown, apical tarsomeres darker brown.

Wing clear yellowish, even longer than in other Podocera spp. , more than 3 times longer than its largest width. Discal cell very long. Veins whitish. Vein R2+3 ends near wing apex, 3 rd costal section shorter than 4th section. Length of intracrossvein section of M and dM-Cu 8:3, i.e. 0.35: 13 mm. Haltere greyish yellow.

Abdomen patterned ( Fig. 139 ). Tergites 1 and 2 light brown, only caudal lateral edges of T2 yellowish, tergite 3 brown medially and laterally, sublateral parts light brownish yellow, tergites tregites 4 and 5 similar but sublateral yellow area large. Tergite 6 short, diffuse light brown medially, yellow on lateral 1/3. Tergites 7 and 8 brown and leave leaving a large trapezoidal dorsal membranous area open.

The specific name refers to its patterned abdomen.

P. variegata sp. n. does not key to species in SABROSKY’ s (1965) key for the Oriental Stenomicra : its wings are clear but it has no hyaline white basal part. There are numerous undescribed Oriental Podocera and Stenomicra species in the Diptera collections in the world (incl. that of the HNHM), but only P. claripennis sp. n. is comparable to P. variegata . The length/width ratio of wing is lower in claripennis , its anepisternum and anepimeron are definitely darker, its abdominal pattern is are different and its apical fork of arista longer. Until males are collected and studied, the best differentiating character is that the female sternite 7 is yellow and caudally rounded in P. variegata , while it is long, brown and with a sharp medial apex caudally in P. claripennis .

Figures

Figs 136–139. 136 = Cyamops fumipennis sp. n. wing; 137 = Stenomicra flava sp. n., holotype male, head laterally; 138 = Podocera claripennis sp. n., holotype male, head, lateral view, 139 = Podocera