Atherigona flaviheteropalpata, Muller, 2015

Muller, B. S., 2015, Illustrated key and systematics of male South African Atherigona s. str. (Diptera: Muscidae), African Invertebrates 56 (3), pp. 845-845 : 871-872

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5733/afin.056.0301
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039387FE-FFC7-E004-FE5D-FAB0FE19FA31
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Atherigona flaviheteropalpata
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Atherigona flaviheteropalpata View in CoL sp. n.

Fig. 39 View Figs 37–45

Etymology: From the Latin flavus (yellow), heteros (different) and palpus (feeler), pertaining to the unique colour and shape combination of the palpi.

Diagnosis: This species and A. heteropalpata sp. n. are very similar to each other due to the unique and diagnostic palpal shape (straplike compared to the usual dilated and truncated appearance of the subgenus’ palpi). A. flaviheteropalpata , however, differs from A. heteropalpata in having yellow palpi compared to the other’s infuscated palpi.

The trifoliate process and hypopygial prominence of each species is also markedly different from one another ( Fig. 17 View Figs10–18 vs. Fig. 39 View Figs 37–45 ).

Description:

Male. Measurement s: Body length: 3.596 mm; wing: 3.152 mm; rm crossvein ratio: 0.398.

Head: Ground colour dark. All head setae and setulae infuscated. Occiput grey dusted with narrow median part glossy, laterally silver-grey dusted. Ocellar triangle grey dusted. Frontal vitta yellow. Frontal plate entirely silver-grey dusted with three pairs of proclinate frontal setae and two pairs of orbital setae. Parafacial silver-grey dusted, wider at narrowest than aristal base. Scape, pedicel and arista ferruginous,postpedicel infuscated except for narrow basal area. Palpus yellow; straplike (not truncated and dilated as in most species), with hyaline hairs.

Thorax: Ground colour dark. Postpronotal lobe golden dusted, with three setae and 12 setulae. Pleura grey dusted. Proepisternum inconspicuous and gold dusted. Scutum grey dusted, with three very faint, barely visible 2-4 dorsocentral vittae, stopping before scutellum. Scutellum grey dusted; one pair of basal setae, one pair of discal setae and six discal setulae, one pair of subbasal setae and one stronger pair of apical setae (subbasal 0.75× apical).

Legs: All legs yellow except for apical halves of fore femur and tibia appearing slightly infuscated

Leg chaetotaxy: Fore tarsi without any specialised chaetotaxy.

Wings: Hyaline. Veins light brown. Knob of halteres white with stalk yellow. Calypters white.

Abdomen: All tergites yellow; tergite 1+2 with brown marking; tergites 3 and 4 with dorsal surfaces entirely covered by dark markings; tergite 5 with two small spots. Hypopygial prominence weakly bilobate. Trifoliate process stem 1.5× the length of the apical process; stem and hood lighter than rest of process (with the exception of the apical third of stem) which is infuscated, lateral plates and median piece infuscated; median piece apically very strongly dilated, bifurcate, appearing curved in profile; lateral plates with apparent double inner lobes; base of process wider than median piece in profile. Surstylus without dark markings.

Female. Unknown.

Holotype ♂: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 9 km ESE George, Kaaimansrivier , 33°59'S 22°33'E, 13.x.1994, R. Danielsson ( MZLU). GoogleMaps

Distribution: South Africa.