Aphromyia Courtney

Courtney, Gregory W., 2015, A new genus and species of net-winged midge from Madagascar (Diptera: Blephariceridae: Blepharicerinae), Zootaxa 4052 (1), pp. 107-116 : 108-109

Aphromyia Courtney , new genus

“Apistomyinae, Mt Andringitra Ampatsikahaitra type I” Paulian 1953: 434 [brief larval description]. “ Apistomyiinae ” Stuckenberg 1958: 7 [brief mention in discussion of Paulianina ].

“unnamed apistomyiine” Courtney 2003: 704 [photomicrographs of larvae and pupae].

“unnamed Madagascan blepharicerine” Stuckenberg 2004: 235 [discussion of colocephaly].

Diagnosis. Larva (instar IV) ( Figs. 1–3 , 7–9 ): Cranium with deep lateral incisions, each extended anteriorly to include eyespots; anteroventral margin with prominent clypeal shield. Antenna two-segmented, with narrow intersegmental membrane. Body onisciform (chiton-shaped), body nearly half as wide as long, compressed dorsoventrally, abdominal divisions at least as wide as cephalic division. Body divisions mostly glabrous dorsally, lateral margins with rows of fan-shaped or obovoid setae. Abdominal divisions laterally recessed at proleg insertions. Prolegs simple, unpaired; seventh pair minute, with single pair of apical bristles. Posterior margin of anal division without prominent setae. Gill filaments five in number. Pupa ( Figs. 4–6 , 10 ): Broad, oval. Respiratory organ with 4 lamellae, closely bunched at anterior edge of pupa; outer lamellae erect, elongate, tapered to acute point. Proboscis theca not extending beyond base of foreleg sheath. Abdominal tergites set with broad, flattened, dorsal papillae, each set with numerous minute spicules; tergites laterally with numerous parallel grooves. Ventrolateral adhesive organ on each of abdominal segments IV–VI. Adult ( Figs. 11–15 ): Colocephalous, head broad, eyes dichoptic, set with short ommotrichia. Mandibles absent. Maxillary palpus two-segmented. Labellum short, length much less than height of head, without pseudotrachea; labial palpi reduced. Antenna with 12 flagellomeres. Hind legs much longer than fore- and midlegs, with one tibial spur. Wing with costal vein terminating in radial sector; reduced subcostal vein; radial sector with three veins, R4+5 forked; medial sector with single vein, M1; anal lobe prominent.

Etymology. From the Greek terms for “froth” or “foam” (aphros) and “fly” (myia), in reference to the habitat where Dr. Brian Stuckenberg collected adults.

Type species. Aphromyia stuckenbergi Courtney by present designation.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Light micrographs of larval and pupal Aphromyia stuckenbergi. 1, Larval habitus, dorsal view. 2, Larval habitus, ventral view. 3, Larval habitus, lateral view. 4, Female pupa, frontal view. 5, Female pupa, dorsal view. 6, Female pupa, ventral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURES 7 – 10. Scanning electron micrographs of larval and pupal Aphromyia stuckenbergi. 7, Larval prolegs on abdominal segment IV and V, dorsal view on right side. 8, Larval proleg on abdominal segments V, ventral view. 9, Larval proleg (VII) on anal division, dorsal view on right side. 10, Microsculpture, pupal abdominal tergite III. Scale bars = 200 µm (Fig. 7), 100 µm (Figs. 8, 9), 20 µm (Fig. 10).

FIGURES 11 – 15. Adults of Aphromyia stuckenbergi. 11, Male head, frontal view. 12, Male wing. 13, Male terminalia, dorsal view. 14, Male terminalia, transparent dorsal view. 15, Male terminalia (phallic structures), dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm (Fig. 11), 0.5 mm (Fig. 12), 0.1 mm (Figs. 13 – 15).