Curtonotum sao Tsacas, 1977

Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H. & Wiegmann, Brian M., 2013, <p> <strong> A revision of Afrotropical Quasimodo flies (Diptera: Schizophora; Curtonotidae). Part IV — the continental Afrotropical species of <em> Curtonotum </ em> Macquart, with descriptions of thirteen new species and a combined phylogenetic analysis of the Curtonotidae </ strong> </ p>, Zootaxa 3684 (1), pp. 1-166 : 89-90

Curtonotum sao Tsacas, 1977

Figs 117 , 141 , 177 , 249, 253, 257 , 300 , 328 , 329 .

Curtonotum sao: Tsacas, 1977: 163 ; figs 9 a–c, p. 164. Type locality: “ Nigeria: Gadau ”.

Curtonotum sao: Wirth and Tsacas (1980: 672) .

Curtonotum sao: Meier et al. (1997: 10) .

Curtonotum sao: Kirk-Spriggs (2008c: 251) .

Redescription: Male (primarily based on field-pinned N-T).

As redescribed for C. campsiphallum (above), differing in the following respects:

Measurements: Overall length unknown; 4.5–5 mm ( Tsacas 1977: 164); length of head and thorax combined 1.8–2.5 mm; length of thorax and scutellum combined 1.7–2.2 mm (n = 4, N-T); wing length 2.6–3.3 mm (n = 3, N-T).

Head ( Figs 117 , 141 ). Eye height/length ratio: 9:6 (n = 1, N-T); frons ( Fig. 141 ) markedly narrow, wider than long, frons length/width ratio: 5:7 (n = 1, N-T); arista with 8–10 dorsal branches and 4 ventral branches; 10 fine setae bordering genal groove; gena narrow, eye height/genal height ratio: 9:1 (n = 1, N-T), silver pruinose throughout; palpus pale brown.

Thorax ( Fig. 117 ). Anepisternum with 25 fine setulae 3 arranged in a group in posterior corner; katepisternum surface with 15 short, fine setulae.

Legs. Fore tibia with 5 or 6 strong setae on lateral margin, with ctenidium of 7–8 short, sharp, black spinules.

Wing ( Fig. 177 ). Dm–cu crossvein evenly arched.

Abdomen. Tergites 3–5 with narrow, brown median fascia and weakly developed “T-shaped” brown lateral maculae, none merging with median fascia, lateral margin of tergites 2–5 with reduced subtriangular maculae in basal ⅓; sternite 6 ( Fig. 300 ) markedly expanded apically, narrowed basally with shallow U-shaped, apical excision, without maculae, clothed in very short, black irregular brown setulae, with 4 setae around apical margin longer and stronger.

Terminalia ( Figs 249, 253, 257 ). Hypandrium ( Fig. 249 , hy) short, sclerotised area of medial lobes (viewed dorsally), broadest apically, widely separated; postgonite (pg); epandrium (ep); cercus (ce); surstylus (ss); phallus (as in Figs 253 , ph, bp, dp; 257, bp, dp); phallapodeme ( Fig. 253 , ph); ejaculatory apodeme (ea); basiphallus ( Figs 253, 257 , bp) broad, markedly expanded apically, with brown, heavily sclerotised scale-like baso-ventral process with 1 or 2 large teeth-like serrations on posterior margin and 1 smaller spine on ventral margin; distiphallus (dp) long, scimitar-like (viewed laterally), membranous area broad.

♀ Similar to ♂, except in the following respects: wing length 4.5 mm ( Tsacas 1977: 164). The obclavate spermatheca was figured by Tsacas (1977: 164, fig. 9c), but as the type series was captured in the same Porcupine burrow as a series of C. saheliense and the spermathecae of these two species are virtually identical (see Tsacas 1977, fig. 8c), coupled with intraspecific variation, this has little value in differentiating the species.

Variation. No substantial variation is noted.

Differential diagnosis. Curtonotum sao is probably most closely-related to a group of three species having the basiphallus relatively broad and expanded apically and the membranous area of the distiphallus broad (C. hay sp. n., C. campsiphallum and C. tsacas sp. n.). They are separable by use of the above key.

Type material examined. NIGERIA: holotype ♂, “Holo- / type [paper disc with red border] // GADAU, NIGERIA / 12N 10E / 3.1933 / BUXTON & LEWIS [printed & handwritten] // BURROW OF / PORCUPINE [handwritten] // Pres. by / Imp. Inst. Ent. / B.M.1934-137 // Cyrtonotum / nigripalpis, Hend. / Det. G.A.K. Marshall. [handwritten & printed] // CURTONOTUM / sao n.sp. / Holotype / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten] // Curtonotum / sao Tsacas, 1977 / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs vidit 2006” (BMNH). In excellent condition; restaged on nu-poly mount; dissected, abdomen and terminalia in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen. Paratypes (all labelled: “ Curtonotum / sao Tsacas, 1977 / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs vidit 2006”): NIGERIA: 1♀, same data as holotype, except: “ CURTONOTUM / sao n.sp. / Allotype / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten]” (BMNH). CHAD: 1♂, “MUSEUM PARIS / RIVE S.-E. TCHAD / BOL / (MISSION TILHO) / Dr R. GAILLARD 1910 [printed; pale blue card] // JUILLET // PARATYPE [printed; red card] // CURTONOTUM / sao n.sp. / Paratype / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten]; 1♂, same labels except: “phallus penden // Ac. 3343” (both MNHN).

Additional material examined (all labelled: “ Curtonotum sao Tsacas, 1977 ♂ det. A. H. Kirk-Spriggs 2006”): NIGERIA: 3♂, same data as holotype (topotypic), except: London School of Hygeine & Tropical Medicine Coll. BMNH (E) 1996–140 ( BMNH); 1♂, N. Nigeria, Bauchi, Yankari Game Reserve , 24.iii.1980, R. Dransfield, NMW.Z.1981–125, Curtonotum sao Tsacas ♂ det. J.C. Deeming 1982 ( NMWC) .

Distribution. Chad and Nigeria ( Figs 328 , 329 ). Occurs in both the Dry Savanna and Sahel (or Wooded Steppe) climatic zones, in the 1600–2000 and 2000–2400 m Potential Evapotranspiration zones.

Bionomics. Occurring in the Sahelian Acacia Savanna and West Sudanian Savanna major habitat types; Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands vegetation type (Appendix III). Collected resting in the burrows of Porcupine, in company with C. saheliense Tsacas , in Nigeria.

Figures

FIGURE 328. Distribution of continental Afrotropical species of Curtonotum. Topographical: C. sao, C. gonzo sp. n., C. quinquevittatum and C. tsacas sp. n.

FIGURE 329. Distribution of continental Afrotropical species of Curtonotum. Major Habitat Types: C. sao, C. gonzo sp. n., C. quinquevittatum and C. tsacas sp. n.

FIGURES 112–117. Head and thorax (lateral view) of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. (all males). 112. C. angolense (PT, Angola, 10 mi. NE Sá da Bandeira [= Lubango], CAS). 113. C. campsiphallum (N-T, Cameroon, Limbe (shore), TAU). 114. C. freidberg sp. n. (PT, Malawi, Viphya Mnts., TAU). 115. C. hay sp. n. (PT, Uganda, Mujenje, HNHM). 116. C. quinquevittatum (N-T, Malawi, Viphya Mnts., TAU). 117. C. sao (N-T, Nigeria, Gadau, BMNH). Not to scale.

FIGURES 130–141. Frons of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. (male unless stated). 130. C. herrero (N-T, Namibia, Amkarub 269, NMNW). 131. C. maculiventris (N-T, [Zimbabwe], Chipinda Pools, BMNH). 132. C. striatifrons (N-T, Nigeria, Gadau, BMNH). 133. C. marriott sp. n. (♀ PT, Cameroon, Kriba (beach), TAU). 134. C. moffatt sp. n. (PT, Uganda, Mujenje, HNHM). 135. C. platyphallum (♀ N-T, Liberia, 8 mi. NW Zorzor, CAS). 136. C. angolense (PT, Angola, 10 mi. NE Sá da Bandeira [= Lubango], CAS). 137. C. campsiphallum (N-T, Cameroon, Limbe (shore), TAU). 138. C. freidberg sp. n. (PT, Malawi, Viphya Mnts., TAU). 139. C. hay sp. n. (PT, Uganda, Mujenje, HNHM). 140. C. quinquevittatum (N-T, Malawi, Viphya Mnts., TAU). 141. C. sao (N-T, Nigeria, Gadau, BMNH). Not to scale.

FIGURES 172–181. Wing of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. (all males). 172. C. angolense (PT, Angola, 10 mi. NE of Sá da Bandeira [= Lubango], CAS). 173. C. campsiphallum (N-T, Cameroon, Limbe (shore), TAU). 174. C. freidberg sp. n. (PT, Malawi, Viphya Mts., TAU). 175. C. hay sp. n. (HT, Uganda, Mujenje, HNHM). 176. C. quinquevittatum (N-T, Malawi, Viphya Mts., TAU). 177. C. sao (N-T, Nigeria, Gadau, BMNH). 178. C. tsacas sp. n. (PT, South Africa, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, BMSA). 179. C. gonzo sp. n. (HT, [Ghana], Kwadaso, HNHM). 180. C. saheliense (N-T, Nigeria, Samaru, MNHN). 181. C. simile (N-T, Oman, Ourm, MZLU). Not to scale.

FIGURES 247–258. Male terminalia of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. 247–250. Hypandrium and epandrium (lateral view). 247. C. hay sp. n. (HT, Uganda, Mujenge, HNHM). 248. C. quinquevittatum (N-T, Malawi, Viphya Mts., TAU). 249. C. sao (N- T, Nigeria, Gadau, BMNH). 250. C. tsacas sp. n. (PT, South Africa, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, BMSA). 251–254. Phallus (right lateral view). 251. C. hay (same). 252. C. quinquevittatum (same). 253. C. sao (same). 254. C. tsacas (same). 255–258. Apical section of phallus (left lateral view). 255. C. hay (same). 256. C. quinquevittatum (same). 257. C. sao (same). 258. C. tsacas (same). Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 295–305. Male sternites of Afrotropical Curtonotum spp. 295. C. angolense (N-T, Angola, 10 mi. NE of Sá da Bandeira [= Lubango], CAS). 296. C. campsiphallum (N-T, Cameroon, Limbe (shore), TAU). 297. C. freidberg sp. n. (PT, Malawi, Viphya Mts., TAU). 298. C. hay sp. n. (HT, Uganda, Mujenge, HNHM). 299. C. quinquevittatum (N-T, Malawi, Viphya Mts., TAU). 300. C. sao (N-T, Nigeria, Gadau, BMNH). 301. C. tsacas sp. n. (PT, Kenya, Kainuk, TAU). 302. C. gonzo sp. n. (PT, [Ghana], Kwadaso, HNHM). 303. C. saheliense (N-T, Nigeria, Yankari Game Reserve, NMWC). 304. C. simile (N- T, UAE, Wadi Maidan, NMWC). 305. C. uncinatum sp. n. (PT, Namibia, Kubunyana, NMNW). Scale bars: 295–301, 303–305 = 0.5 mm; 302 = 0.6 mm.