Muscina prolapsa fuscisquama, Michelsen & Pont, 2024

Michelsen, Verner & Pont, Adrian C., 2024, Macaronesian Muscidae (Diptera). V. The genera Phaonia Robineau-Desvoidy and Muscina Robineau-Desvoidy, Zootaxa 5458 (4), pp. 581-596 : 593-594

3. Muscina prolapsa fuscisquama ssp. nov.

( Figs 5C, D )

“ Muscina pascuourum (Meigen) ”; Becker 1908a: 112 (Gran Canaria, Tenerife); Santos Abréu 1976: 133 ff. (Canary Is.). Misidentifications.

Muscina pabulorum (Fallén) ; Frey 1936: 136 (Tenerife); Hennig 1962: 762 ff. (Gran Canaria, Tenerife); Kirchberg 1967: 334 (La Gomera, Hierro); Báez 1983: 179 ff., pl. 3 figs 1, 2 (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Hierro).

Muscina prolapsa (Harris) ; Pont 1986: 60 ff. (p.p., Canary Is.); Vikhrev & Esin 2023: 38 (Tenerife).

Taxonomic note. The western Canary Islands are populated by a distinctive bluish black colour form of Muscina prolapsa that has earlier been taken for the widespread Holarctic and northern Oriental Muscina pascuorum (Meigen) , but that species differs by the expanded lower calypteres, presence of setulae on anterior half of notopleuron and stronger forward curvature of vein M1+2. Hennig (1962) pointed out that the Canarian “ Muscina pascuorum ” belongs to Muscina prolapsa [as M. pabulorum ]. He also noted that the Canarian population deviates substantially from continental specimens in respect to colour and stated that it might deserve status as a separate subspecies. We agree and here recognize the Canarian population as a subspecies of Muscina prolapsa .

Material examined. CANARY ISLANDS: Type material [ NHMD] (holotype ♂, paratypes 4♂, 4♀) : LA PALMA: Tigalate, 28°32’N 17°48’W, 680m, holotype ♂ 10‒21.i.2013 (V. Michelsen) ; GRAN CANARIA: El Valle, 27°54’N 15°32’W, 730‒935m, 1♂ 19‒24.i.2017 (V. Michelsen) ; San Isidro, 28°01’N 15°33’W, 910‒975m, 1♀ 13‒18.i.2014 (V. Michelsen) ; TENERIFE: Los Carrizales, 28°19’N 16°51’W, 350‒700m, 1♂, 1♀ 10‒16.i.2012 (V. Michelsen) ; LA GOMERA: La Laja, 28°06´N 17°11´W, 480‒600m, 1♂ 22‒29.i.2016 (V. Michelsen) ; Roque Blanco, 28°10´N 17°14´W, 700–900m, 1♂, 2♀ 30.1‒ 5.ii.2020 (V. Michelsen). Other material [ NHMD, MZH] . TENERIFE: Tacoronte, 1♂ 1931 (R. Frey) ; La Zarza, 1♂ 20.i.2006 (V. Michelsen) ; Guayonge, 28°29´N 16°24´W, c. 420m, 3♂ 16.ii.2008 (V. Michelsen) ; Cueva del Viento , 28°20´N 16°43´W, c. 800m, 1♀ 14.ii.2008 (V. Michelsen) ; Las Portelas, 28°19’N 16°50’W, 830‒860m, 1♂ 16.i.2012 (V. Michelsen) ; Carrizal Alto, 28°19’N 16°51’W, 640‒ 730m, 1♂, 1♀ 30.i‒3.ii.2016 (V. Michelsen) . LA GOMERA: Las Carretas, 1♂ 1.xii.2006 ; La Palmita, 1♂ 3.ii.2008 (V. Michelsen) . LA PALMA: Las Tricias, 28°47´N 17°58´W, 660m, 1♂ 11‒16.i.2013 (V. Michelsen) .

Description. Closely agreeing with the nominal subspecies of Muscina prolapsa in all respects other than colour (cp. Figs 5A, B and 5C, D ): Calypteres grey with blackish margins and dark fringes (vs. calypteres white with white fringes except for a tuft of dark hairs at lateral base of upper calypter); dorsum of thorax and abdomen covered in thin bluish white pruinosity (vs. dorsum of thorax and abdomen covered in dense white pruinosity); shifting dark reflections on abdomen obsolete (vs. shifting dark reflections on abdomen prominent).

Distribution. Endemic to the western Canary Islands: Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, Hierro and La Palma.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Muscina prolapsa prolapsa (Harris), (A, C), M. prolapsa fuscisquama ssp. nov., (B, D). (A, B), habitus, male; (C, D), abdomen, male.