Melaloncha individa, Brown, 2004

Brown, Brian V., 2004, Revision of the subgenus Udamochiras of Melaloncha beekilling flies (Diptera: Phoridae: Metopininae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 140 (1), pp. 1-42 : 22

MELALONCHA INDIVIDA SP. NOV. ( FIG. 51 )

Recognition. This species can be most easily separated from M. rhypopoda by the yellow tarsomere 3 (dark brown in M. rhypopoda ). Remarkably, this species lacks divided tarsal claws.

Description. Body length 2 mm. Frons black. Setal base of all setae coloured like rest of frons. Frons 0.35 head width; with fine reticulate sculpturing, slightly shiny, with small punctures and small, black setulae restricted to lateral one-third. Median furrow absent. Frontal setae normal; arrangement of frontal setae unmodified, with ventral interfrontal setae near venter of frons. Dorsal interfrontal setae present, 0.9 length of postocellar setae, slightly dorsal to level of dorsal fronto-orbital setae. Palpus unmodified. Ocular and genal setae flattened, yellow. Fore tarsomeres yellowish-brown, except tarsomeres 4 and 5 dark brown; fore tarsomeres expanded, short. Combined length of fore tarsomeres approximately 0.8 tibial length. Fore tarsomere 1 approximately twice as long as tarsomere 2. Fore tarsomere 5 slightly expanded. Pulvilli of fore leg large. Tarsal claws of all legs entire, not bifurcate. Mid and hind leg yellowish-brown, with tarsomeres 4– 5 and apex of tarsomere 3 of mid leg dark brown dorsally. Costa 0.49 wing length. Tergite 6 of similar colour to other tergites. Tergites 2–6 lateroventrally black, with silver pollinosity. Venter of abdomen grey. Ovipositor laterally compressed in apical one-half, with sinuous lateral ridge, strongly curved ventrally. In dorsal view, lateral setae of ovipositor thin, short, relatively numerous. Ventrally, ovipositor with short, fine, sparse setae basally. Surface of ovipositor with faint, somewhat longitudinally directed sculpturing, apically glabrous.

Figures

Figures 48–55. Melaloncha spp., ovipositors. Figs 48–50: dorsal. Figs 51–55: left lateral.