Pygophora papuana Vikhrev, 2015

Vikhrev, N. E., 2019, Notes on taxonomy of Pygophora Schiner, 1868 (Diptera: Muscidae), Russian Entomological Journal 28 (4), pp. 464-469 : 465-467

Pygophora papuana Vikhrev, 2015

Fig. 3 .

Pygophora papuana Vikhrev, 2015 .

MATERIAL. Holotype ♂: INDONESIA, W Papua prov., Lake Habbema , 3350 m asl, 4.14°S 138.71°E, 26.12.2014, N. Vikhrev. The same locality, 10.12.2017, N. Vikhrev, 1♂, 1♀.

DISTRIBUTION. An endemic of the highlands of New Guinea.

NOTES ON MALE. This species was known from single male holotype [ Vikhrev, 2015], the second collected male generally fits well the description, but some points could be specified. Orbital chaetotaxy should be described as follows: apart from typical 2 inclinate and 2 reclinate setae there are 2– 3 strong supernumerary inclinate setae and 4–6 additional setulae around inclinate setae (1). Chaetotaxy of t2 of the holotype was described as “3 strong pd ”, the second male has 1 ad and 3 pd on left t2 and 4 pd on right t2 (2). Additional presutural dc seta is unusually strong for Pygophora , so it is better to describe dc as: 2+3 (3). The type locality was indicated as West Papua Province, actually it is Papua Province of Indonesia (4) .

FEMALE ( Fig. 3 ) of this species was unknown. According to examination of the first female specimen collected in 2017, it differs from male as follows: body length larger: 7.7 mm; wings darkened on anterior half only; t1 with 2 pv; t2 with 4 pd and a dense row of 4–5 shorter ad setae in middle 1/3; t3 without apical lobe; shape of abdomen typical for Pygophora female, with pointed apex.

Pygophora unicolor Stein, 1920 REMARKS. In 1920 Paul Stein described a new species of Pygophora by single female from Java. Crosskey’s [1962] diagnosis of P. unicolor was: “distinguished from all other species yet known by entirely dark … colour (of body)”. When Crosskey [1962] published his revision of the genus, the male of P. unicolor was still unknown, while females were recorded also from India (Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states), Peninsular Malaysia (Pahang state) and Papua New Guinea. A single male of P. unicolor was finally found in 1993 again in Tamil Nadu and described [ Shinonaga, Tewari, 2008]. In ZMUM collection P. unicolor is now represented by 18 males and 26 females. Such a rich material allows to specify the taxonomy of this species.

1. Diagnosis. ♂ ♀: Small Pygophora with entirely black body. Frons not widened, supernumerary inclinate setae absent, arista long plumose in basal part and bare apically. ♀: Typical “ Pygophora ” femoral chaetotaxy: 3 strong and long pv setae on basal half of f2 and f3 and a complete row of av on f3 of which 2–3 in apical third are long and strong. Postpedicel unmodified. All femora dark in basal 2/3. ♂: The most remarkable character of male P. unicolor is the reduced leg chaetotaxy: strong pv and av setae on f2 and f3 described for female are reduced to 1(2) short and fine setulae on each surface, except for 1 medium strong preapical av on f3 ( Figs 4–5 ). Postpedicel long, almost reaching mouth-margin (failing short by about 0.1 of its length). Both calypters are hyaline brown ( Figs 4–5 ).

2. The diagnosis given above quite contradicts the description of male P. unicolor by Shinonaga, Tewari [2008] which in my opinion has significant errors: “upper and lower squama creamy white … f2 with 2 long bristles on the middle of pv surface … f3 with a sparse row of long bristles on av surface…”. The most important error is that the most remarkable character of male P. unicolor , the reduced femoral chaetotaxy is missing.

3. Examination of our material of P. unicolor shows that there are 2 geographical forms which I regard here in the subspecies rank. The nominotypical P. u. unicolor Stein, 1920 is represented by larger specimens and males with all femora basally dark. Crosskey [1962] examined the holotype of P. unicolor (type locality: Indonesia, Java, Wonosobo (7.35°S 109.90°E, 750 m asl)) and described it as having body length 5 mm and abdomen entirely black. Our specimens from Borneo and Bali belong to the nominotypical subspecies, the geographical reason (Java situating between Bali and Borneo) also confirms it. The South Asian mainland from India to Vietnam is inhabited by a subspecies described below as P. unicolor crosskeyi ssp.n. It has a smaller size and males with mostly or entirely yellow femora.

Figures

Figs 1–3. Pygophora spp.: 1 — ♂ hind tarsus, P. hirtimana, by Crosskey [1962: 531, fig. 24]; 2 — ♂ hind tarsus, P. tarsaseta, by Snyder [1965: 230, fig. 13f]; 3 — ♀ P. papuana. Рис 1–3. Pygophora spp.: 1 — ♂ ЗаднЯЯ лапка, P. hirtimana по Crosskey [1962: 531, fig. 24]; 2 — ♂ ЗаднЯЯ лапка, P. tarsaseta [по Snyder [1965: 230, fig. 13f]; 3 — ♀ P. papuana.

Figs 4–7. Pygophora spp.: 4 — ♂ P. unicolor unicolor (Borneo); 5 — ♂ P. unicolor crosskeyi ssp.n. (Thailand); 6 — ♂ Holotype P. yanbulat sp.n.; 7 — ♀ paratype P. yanbulat sp.n. Рис 4–7. Pygophora spp.: 4 — ♂ P. unicolor unicolor (Борнео); 5 — ♂ P. unicolor crosskeyi ssp.n. (Таиланд); 6 — ♂ Голотип P. yanbulat sp.n.; 7 — ♀ паратип P. yanbulat sp.n.