Opacifrons afrobrevisecunda, Papp, 2012

Papp, L., 2012, Five New Afrotropical Species Of Opacifrons (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 58 (2), pp. 121-143 : 124-127

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5735739
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039187E2-FB00-FFFC-D356-F9CBFD28FE3D
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Opacifrons afrobrevisecunda
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Opacifrons afrobrevisecunda View in CoL sp. n.

( Figs 1–7 View Figs 1–8 , 56 View Figs 56–57 )

Holotype male ( HNHM): Ghana, Kumasi, air plancton [sic] – Kum.[asi] – Accra road, 25 km, 17:15–18:15, 25. 6. 1969, No. 376, leg. ENDRŐDY- Y. The holotype and a paratype had been prepared from alcohol to minuten pin rather recently. That is, they were kept in alcohol for nearly 40 years. They are dirty (with very small particles) and their body is somewhat constricted.

Paratypes ( HNHM) : 1 male: same data [abdomen and genitalia in a plastic microvial with glycerol; 1 male: ibid., Kumasi , 1–25. VI. 1965. [abdomen and genitalia in a plastic microvial with glycerol]. 1 male: Congo, Brazzaville , ORSTOM park, 30. XII. 1963, No. 563, S. ENDRŐDY- Y. 1 male: ibid., 19. XI., No. 214; 1 male (genitalia lost while in alcohol): Congo, Loudima, Sagro, 15. XII. 1963, No. 468, J. BALOGH – A. ZICSI.

Measurements in mm: body length 1.15 (holotype), 1.07–1.21 (paratypes), wing length 1.06

(holotype), 1.15 –1.37 (paratypes), wing width 0.41 (holotype), 0.46 –0.54 (paratypes).

Body dark greyish brown, mesonotum with some weak shine.

Mouth edge less protruding than in the other Afrotropical species, inter-antennal triangle continued in a sagittal ridge. Although this ridge is slightly concave, it supports 2 more concave hollows below antennae. 3 medium long pairs of interfrontal setae (longest one 0.05 mm), and a 4th anterior minute interfrontal (not seen on holotype). Gena below eye 0.06 mm, longest (oblique) diameter of eye 0.19 mm. Genal seta 0.07 mm. Arista 0.41 mm long (not precisely measurable along its curvature). Aristal cilia at most 0.015 mm, cilia on first flagellomere apically even shorter.

Wing ( Fig. 56 View Figs 56–57 ) without any pattern. Veins yellowish. Costal ratio 0.22 mm / 0.37 mm, i.e. 60 (holotype). Vein R 2+3 more arcuately curved than in the other Afrotropical species. Inter-crossvein section 0.10 mm, M-M crossvein 0.06 mm (holotype), ratio about 2.0 in the other specimens. Knob of halter dirty yellow, stalk greyish brown.

Legs all yellowish brown on holotype (discoloured), actually darker brown, coxae, trochanters and small parts of pleura reddish. Anterodorsal setae on mid tibia at 9/27 and at 17/27 (small) a dorsal seta at 21/27 and a comparatively small posterodorsal at 22/27. Ventral seta on mid basitarsus comparatively short.

Abdominal tergal setae comparatively short. Male sternite 5 with a paired, almost symmetrical pair of caudal processes ( Figs 1–2 View Figs 1–8 , cf. PAPP 1991: fig. 42). Sternite 6 part of the syntergosternite thin medially and on the right side and definitely lengthened to the right. Subepandrial sclerite of a specific shape, cercal part of the epandrial complex high, cercal pegs just below its mid level, cercal peg comparatively small. Surstylus subquadrate ( Fig. 6 View Figs 1–8 , cf. Fig. 8 View Figs 1–8 and PAPP 1991: fig. 43) with a caudal subapical thorn, caudal (posterior) margin with a few setae only. Distiphallus ( Fig. 7 View Figs 1–8 ) with a strong apical, dorsally curved process, postgonite ( Fig. 5 View Figs 1–8 ) long, comparatively thin and curved.

Female unknown but probably close to O. brevisecunda , incl. cerci and spermathecae (see PAPP 1991: figs 40–41).

The relationships of this new species cannot be judged by the key below. Indeed, it is very different from the rest of the Afrotropical species. Actually O. afrobrevisecunda sp. n. is closely related to O. brevisecunda L. PAPP, 1991 , but I found some details in the male genitalia, which are distinctive enough to define another species. The caudal processes of sternite 5 in O. afrobrevisecunda males are distinctly longer ( Figs 1–2 View Figs 1–8 , cf. PAPP 1991: fig. 42). The surstylus of O. brevisecunda ( Fig. 8 View Figs 1–8 ) has more and much longer setae posteriorly than the new species (it is true also for the types but those setae were omitted from PAPP’ s (1991) fig. 43). It is conspicuous that the distiphallus of O. brevisecunda is more curved, and consequently the distiphallus of O. afrobrevisecunda seems longer

1, 3, 0.1 mm for Figs 2, 4–8 View Figs 1–8

( Fig. 7 View Figs 1–8 , cf. PAPP 1991: fig. 44). Female genitalia are probably similar to those of O. brevisecunda (cf. PAPP 1991: fig. 40).