Paralimosina sinelineata, Papp, 2013

Papp, László, 2013, The first record of the genus Paralimosina L. Papp (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) in the Afrotropical Region, with descriptions of six new species, African Invertebrates 54 (2), pp. 315-315 : 330-332

Paralimosina sinelineata sp. n.

Figs 55–61

Etymology: From Latin sine (without) and linea (line), in reference to the absence of the M-shaped pattern on the frons.

Description:

Measurements in mm: body length 1.39 (holotype), 1.25–1.70 (paratypes), wing length 1.30 (holotype), 1.25–1.76 (paratypes), wing width 0.61 (holotype), 0.60–0.82 (paratypes).

Body brown, grey microtomentose, legs darker brown, tarsi only slightly lighter.

Frons without M-shaped mark, finely microtomentose brown, anterior part ochre. Four ifr pairs, anteriormost one prominent but not more than 0.05 mm. Antennae well separated.Medial seta on scape 0.06 mm long, genal seta 0.06 mm.First flagellomere with cilia 0.025 mm long (apical aristomeres broken off, so aristal cilia not measurable).

Anterior katepisternal seta only 0.04 mm long, posterior one 0.14 mm. Wing comparatively short, rounded, uniformly light brown, veins slightly darker, only costal vein darker brown. Basal seta on costa 0.09 mm. Costa overruns R 4+5 by 0.02 mm. Second costal section 0.44 mm, third section 0.63 mm, costal index 0.71. R-M–M-M 0.19 mm, M-M 0.09 mm. Male mid tibia with ad at 9/31 (short), 15/31, 22/31, 24/31 (all three strong); pd at 12/31 and 25/31 (both very strong).

Male S5 ( Fig. 55 ) broad and rather long with a broad, medial caudal extension that continued into a narrow membranous margin, which bears short hairs; there are mediumlength setae caudally, medially and also on lateral edges. S6–7 parts of synsternite strongly and broadly fused, medial part of S6 not extended much to the right, dorsal part of S7 small. S8 component of synsternite not fused to S7 part, broad on the left side dorsally, narrowed to the right side. No cercal lobes on epandrial complex but the connection of the two halves is broad sagittally ( Fig. 57 ). Subepandrial sclerite almost as high as broad, ventral processes rather short. Hypandrium robust, with a large asymmetrical ventral process ( Fig. 59 ). Surstylus ( Fig. 58 ) with rounded, less sclerotised and melanised anterior part, with comparatively broad connecting part and rather large posterior section, which bears numerous long and medium-length setae. Phallapodeme ca 0.22 mm long, slightly curved in lateral view. Phallus ( Fig. 60 ) short (<0.2 mm), basiphallus short but comparatively high, distiphallus with a dorsal, short process medially and a pair of subapical processes, having a serrated apex ( Fig. 60 ). Postgonite with broad base, apical ⅓ narrowed, apex sharp ( Fig. 61 ).Anterior edge with 2 medium-length (a little more than 0.02 mm) setae.

Female abdomen 0.75 as broad as long (postabdomen not at all telescopic), without any long setae, longest marginal setae of tergites only 0.08 mm. S2 trapezoid, medially very weakly sclerotised and melanised; as a result of NaOH preparation, it looks bipartite. S3–5 are ⅓ to / as broad as tergites. S 7 in its natural position (arched) 0.10 mm long and 0.25 mm broad. S8 shield-shaped, with broadly rounded caudal margin, 0.12mm wide, 0.11 mm long with setae ca 0.05–0.06 mm in length on its apical 0.6. Syntergite 0.4 section as long as wide, T1 part weakly sclerotised and light medially, T2 component less darkly melanised medially but not less sclerotised than other parts. T3–6 are 0.25, 0.25, 0.23, 0.2 as long as width of abdomen at their position. T7 is 0.3× as broad as syntergite. T 8 in 2 completely laterally placed, comparatively large sclerites (ca 0.11mm long and 0.15 mm broad), and with a ca 0.04 mm long and nearly 0.20 mm wide membranous central part. Epiproct 0.175 mm broad but only 0.050 mm long, no setal pair on epiproct. Hypoproct 0.18 mm in width, broader than a semicircle, with numerous marginal setulae 0.020 –0.025 mm long. Cerci strongly oblique to the body axis (ca 45°), with a seta 0.11mm in length and several shorter pairs of setae. Spermathecal ducts not long, so spermathecae are situated in the 7 th segment. Spermathecae pear-shaped,

0.045 –0.050 mm broad and 0.055 mm long, apical part of the paired ones slightly obtuse. Proximal part of the ducts extended, the single one slightly and the paired ones more markedly so, where diameter of duct is a little more than 0.02 mm. Spectacles-shaped sclerite distinct, with more obviously sclerotised central part.

Holotype: ♂ SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: forest near R102 road, 33°56'57.3"S 23°36'20.8"E, 224 m, 15–16.i.2007, L. Papp & M. Földvári ( HNHM, abdomen and genitalia prepared and preserved in glycerol in a plastic microvial).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: 6♂ 4♀ Tsitsikamma National Park, Plaatbos Nat. Res. , 33°59.137'S 23°54.895'E, 20–22.i.2009, A. Kirk-Spriggs & S. Otto, Malaise trap in indigenous forest ( BMSA, 1♂ 1♀ in the HNHM) ; 1♀ same data but 33°57.863'S 23°54.454'E, 300 m, 31.iii–1.iv.2009, A. Kirk-Spriggs & S. Otto ( BMSA) ; 9♂ 3♀ Tsitsikamma National Park, Plaatbos Nat. Res., Bloukrans Pass , 33°56.558'S 23°37.556'E, 22–25.i.2009, A. Kirk-Spriggs & S. Otto ( BMSA) ; 1♀ same data but 26–28.i.2009 ( BMSA) . Western Cape: 1♂ Tsitsikamma National Park, Keurbos forest , 33°64.435'S 23°43.714'E, 500 m, 28–30. iii.2009, A. Kirk-Spriggs & S. Otto, sweeping in indigenous mountain vegetation ( BMSA) .

Figures

Figs 55–61. Paralimosina sinelineata sp. n., holotype male, postabdomen and genitalia: (55) S5, ventral view; (56) synsternite, ventral view; (57) left half of subepandrial sclerite with base of surstylus, subventral-subcaudal view; (58) surstylus, broadest (sublateral) view; (59) hypandrium, lateral view; (60) phallus and phallapodeme, lateral view, with the apical process of phallus enlarged; (61) postgonite, lateral view. Scale bars: Figs 55, 56, 60 = 0.2 mm, Figs 57–59, 61 = 0.1 mm.