Pherbellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830

Li, Zhu, Yang, Ding & Murphy, William L., 2019, Review of genera of Sciomyzidae (Diptera: Acalyptratae) from China, with new records, synonyms, and notes on distribution, Zootaxa 4656 (1), pp. 71-98 : 76-78

3. Pherbellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830

( Figs. 1, 8, 35–38, 67)

Pherbellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830: 695 . Type species: Pherbellia vernalis Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (monotypy) [= Sciomyza schoenherri Fallén, 1826 ].

Diagnosis. Frons with 2 orbital seta. Prosternum bare. Propleural seta strong. Wing of most species hyaline without spots, of several species with reticulated pattern, and of a few species with infuscation.

Remarks. Comprising 95 described species (with 4 described subspecies), Pherbellia is the largest genus of Sciomyzidae . Species diversity is highest in the Palearctic Region, with 50 species, of which 42 are restricted to the Palearctic Region, with the range of 1 species, Pherbellia cinerella ( Fallén, 1820) , extending into the Oriental Region. The next highest species diversity is found in the Nearctic Region, with 32 species.

Before our study, only 5 species (including 1 subspecies) of Pherbellia were known from the Oriental Region: P. causta (Hendel, 1913) [= Hendel, 1913b], P. cinerella , P. javana ( Meijere, 1919) , P. nana reticulata ( Thomson, 1869) , and P. terminalis ( Walker, 1858) , and only 6 species (including 1 subspecies) of Pherbellia were known from China: P. brevistriata , P. causta , P. griseola , P. nana reticulata , P. orientalis , and P. terminalis ( Knutson 1977; Rozkošný & Elberg 1984; Rozkošný 1987; Rozkošný & Knutson 1991; Li, Yang & Gu 2001). The type localities of 3 of these species are in China: P. nana reticulata , from Kwangtung (Guangdong Province); P. causta , from Taiwan; and P. orientalis , from Harbin (Heilongjiang Province).

As a result of our study, at least 15 species of Pherbellia are now known from China, from both the Palearctic and Oriental Regions.

Pherbellia brevistriata Li, Yang & Gu 2001 was described as a new species. Examination of additional specimens during this study convinced us that P. brevistriata is identical to P. nana reticulata ; thus P. brevistriata becomes a junior synonym of P. nana reticulata .

1. Pherbellia albocostata ( Fallén, 1820) , lateral view of thorax.

2. Colobaea eos Rozkošný & Elberg, 1991 , lateral view of thorax.

3. Colobaea sp., wing.

4. Sepedon spinipes ( Scopoli, 1763) , wing.

5. Ditaeniella grisescens ( Meigen, 1830) , foretibia.

6. Sciomyza dryomyzina Zetterstedt, 1846 , foretibia.

7. Ditaeniella grisescens ( Meigen, 1830) , frons.

8. Pherbellia schoenherri ( Fallén, 1826) , frons.

Abbreviations: a orb s = anterior orbital seta; A 2 = anal vein 2; CuA 1 = anterior cubitus vein 1; CuA 2 +A 1 = anterior cubitus vein 2+ anal vein 1; dpr s = dorsal preapical seta; f cx = forecoxa; M 1+2 = medial vein 1+2; p orb s = posterior orbital seta; prpl s = propleural seta; R 1 = radial vein 1; R 2+3 = radial vein 2+3; R 4+5 = radial vein 4+5; Sc = subcosta.

Pherbellia ditoma Steyskal, 1956 is unique among Palearctic species of Pherbellia in having 2 stump veins on M 1+2. The original description ( Steyskal 1956) was based on a male from Andong, Korea (in the Palearctic Region). During our study we determined 1 male P. ditoma from Jiangxi, 1 male from Zhejiang, and 1 female from Inner Mongolia. Located in the south of China, Jiangxi and Zhejiang are typical Oriental Region areas. Thus, in addition to being found in the Palearctic Region ( Vala et al. 2012), our study shows for the first time that P. ditoma also is found in the Oriental Region. During our study we discovered 1 female of P. ditoma ( Fig. 35), the first female specimen known of this species, from Inner Mongolia.

Pherbellia orientalis Rozkošný & Knutson, 1991 was described as a new species on the basis of 1 female from Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, in the north of China (Palearctic Region). During our study we determined 4 males and 3 females from Yueyang, Hunan Province, in the south of China. The male of this species ( Fig. 36) was previously unknown. We also report here the first occurrence of this species in the Oriental Region.

Pherbellia schoenherri ( Fallén, 1826) is one of the few species in this genus with a reticulated wing pattern ( Fig. 38). Two described allopatric subspecies are known: P. s. schoenherri ( Fallén, 1826) from the Palearctic Region and P. s. maculata ( Cresson, 1920) from the Nearctic Region. Collectively, this species (including both subspecies) was known previously from only the Holarctic Region ( Vala et al. 2012, 2013). During our study we identified 2 males and 1 female of this species from Beijing and 2 males and 1 female of this species from Yunnan. The specimens from Yunnan represent the first record of P. schoenherri (P. s. schoenherri ) from the Oriental Region. Only 2 species in this genus, P. schoenherri and P. cinerella , are known from both the Palearctic and Oriental Regions.