Bengalia wyatti ( Lehrer, 2005 ) Rognes, 2012

Rognes, Knut, 2012, 3553, Zootaxa 3553, pp. 1-79 : 66-69

10. Bengalia wyatti ( Lehrer, 2005) , comb. nov.

Figs. 217–235.

Shakaniella wyatti Lehrer, 2005: 82 . Holotype male (BMNH, examined), by original designation. Type locality: South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal: Richmond ).

Shakaniella sakinehae Lehrer, 2011a: 8 . Holotype male (TAU, not examined), by original designation. Type locality: Malawi (“ Viphya Mts. , Chikangawa ”). Syn. nov.

Note. Lehrer does not diagnose this nominal species, i.e., he does not list the features by which it is separable from B. wyatti . The frontal vitta is described as bare. The abdominal chaetotaxy is incompletely described. The ST5 flap is figured as having sharply pointed posterior corners. The various processes shown in his drawing of the distal part of the distiphallus are not easy to interpret and relate to factual features, such as upper lip, basal tooth and the broad antler with the medial shelf projecting over the sides of the upper lip. The differences in the illustrations by Lehrer of the antlers in B. wyatti and B. sakinehae cannot be given any weight as he has chosen to illustrate this structure in lateral view only, whereas an apical view is necessary to understand its true morphology. In addition, Lehrer’s figure seems to indicate a rupture of the antler or upper lip. The differences may be artifacts resulting from his method of preparation of genitalia for microscopy ( Lehrer 2011b).

Diagnosis. Male. Length: 9.5–11mm (n=2) [first number from Lehrer 2005]. Frons at vertex / head width ratio: 0.29–0.32 (mean 0.31, n=2) [first number from measurements of photograph of holotype head in anterior view]. Not easily identified because many of its traits mimic the condition in members of the B. spinifemorata speciesgroup, but the structure of the distiphallus is unmistakable.

A dark brown almost shining spot at junction of fronto-orbital plate and parafacial. Frontal vitta practically bare, at most up to six sparse and exceedingly minute setulae. Only pale setulae on anepimeron in the holotype, but there is a small upper group of 3–5 dark setulae in the NMSA specimen. No strong setae in its upper part. Fore tibia with a row of 3–5 strong setae on proximal half of ventral surface. Fore femur with 2–7 pv spinous setae. Hind tibia with no or a much reduced fringe.

T4 with a median marginal pair of setae close together and widely separated from lateral marginals ( Fig. 220). T5 with 2 discal setae.

ST5 flap as in Fig. 234, mimicking to some extent the ST5 flap in B. seniorwhitei (Lehrer) (cf. Rognes 2011a: 14, fig. 33), but being shorter anteroposteriorly.

Cerci slender and curved in dorsal view, leaving an oval space between them distally. Surstylus complex and bifid distally. Bacilliform sclerite process is a blunt weakly projecting triangle.

The dorsolateral wing of the distiphallus flaring out posteriorly in a broad, almost unsclerotised horizontal projection on each side. Distally the dorsolateral wing is well sclerotised and projects upwards and laterally, as usual. The antler is very broad and extensive, transparent and fan-shaped, and its upper and lateral edge is coarsely serrate ( Fig. 232). The antler is concave on the anteroventral and anterolateral side forming a kind of broad gutter, starting from under the upper lip on each side and proceeding upwards and forwards. At the base of the antler is a prominent well sclerotised basal tooth. The upper lip is straight in anterior view. On the inside of each antler there is a small horizontal transparent medial projection, forming a kind of shelf above the upper lip on each side ( Figs 229, 231, 232). The lateral finger is rather large. The external hypophallic lobe is prominent and broad in ventral view.

Female. Unknown.

Discussion. Lehrer (2005: 82) describes the dorsolateral wing (“paraphallus”) as having a large mediodorsal excavation followed by a posterior curvature (“une forte excavation médiodorsal suivie d’une courbure postérieure“). The fact is that there is no excavation at all, but in lateral view there appears to be one, because the posterior part of the dorsolateral wing is weakly sclerotised and projecting outwards horizontally. He has not properly characterized the complex structure of the antler (“apophyses latérales”), described briefly as rather long but not bifid (“assez longues, mais pas bifides”). Had he seen the antler in apical view ( Fig. 232) he would certainly have used other words.

Biology. Unknown. Dates of capture of material examined are in November and December.

Distribution. Malawi, * South Africa.

Material examined. Type material. Shakaniella wyatti Lehrer : 2005. Holotype male, in BMNH labelled (1) HOLOTYPE [printed on round label with red rim]; (2) HOLOTYPUS [printed on red label]; (3) Richmond / Natal / 22. XI. 73 [Zumpt’s handwriting]; (4) Bengalia [male symbol] / spinifemorata / Villen. [Zumpt’s handwriting]; (5) Bengalia [male symbol] / wyatti Lehrer n. sp. / HOLOTYPUS / Det. Dr. A. Z. LEHRER / 2004 [printed]. The genitalia were transferred from Lehrer’s big plastic vial to a small glass microvial. The genitalia had a layer of an undissolved substance making photography difficult.

Other material. NMSA. South Africa: 1 male labelled (1) S. AFRICA: E. Transvaal / 10 km ne Sabie 2530BB / Frankfort For. Res. / XII 4, 1976. R. Miller / seepage area [printed]; (2) Bengalia / spinifemorata / Villen. [Zumpt’s handwriting]; (3) NMSA-DIP / 17780 [printed]; (4) NATAL MUSEUM / Pietermaritzburg / South Africa [printed on green label] (5) KR’s determination label. Note. Zumpt had extracted the hypopygium from the tip of the abdomen and glued it to a card on the pin. The ST5 flap is intact and in situ on the abdomen. In order to study the genital parts, I removed the whole card and soaked it in 10% KOH. After a while the genitalia loosened and could be further treated according to usual procedure. The genitalia are now in glycerol in a glass microvial on pin below label no. 4. The specimen has only a single discal seta on T5; median marginal pair of setae on T4 very close together and widely separated from lateral marginals.