Ptecticus aurifer

Rozkošný, Rudolf & Hauser, Martin, 2009, Species groups of Oriental Ptecticus Loew including descriptions of ten new species with a revised identification key to the Oriental species (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), Zootaxa 2034, pp. 1-30 : 17-18

1. Ptecticus aurifer group

Species: P. aurifer , P. aurobrunneus , P. kerteszi , P. melanurus , P. sarawakensis sp. nov., P. subaurifer sp. nov.

Characteristics: (1) Upper frons, vertex and median occipital sclerite yellow; (2) scutum uniformly yellow to brownish, (3) wings bicoloured or more or less darkened; (4) vein R2+3 slightly sinuate, shorter than Rs, radial triangle (r2+3) higher than crossvein R-M, crossvein M-Cu well developed ( Figs 34–35 ); (5) M3 slightly sinuate, postcubitus (CuP) well developed, pigmented; (6) male cerci relatively short and broad (only in P. kerteszi slender and rather elongate-triangular), epandrium usually shorter than broad, at most subquadrate, ventral surface of proctiger deeply concave, genital capsule subquadrate, gonostyli relatively short and simply pointed but rather slender and blade-like in P. kerteszi and bicuspidate apically in P. subaurifer sp. nov. Aedeagus mostly tube-like or somewhat flattened dorsoventrally, gonocoxal apodemes short, by far not reaching proximal margin of genital capsule.

Remarks: The wing venation is of a plesiomorphic type and the very characteristic, roof-like (i.e. ventrally deeply concave) proctiger represents a distinct synapomorphy of this group. No distinguishing structures were found in the male terminalia of P. aurifer , P. aurobrunneus and P. melanurus . Whereas P. aurobrunneus can be separated at least by the almost uniformly darkened wing membrane, the rest of the species are characterised by the bicoloured wings. They are currently distinguished only by extremely variable colour characters (essentially by the different extent of the wing, hind leg and abdomen darkening). The actual identity of these species needs a further detailed study with respect to their very large distributional area.

P. wulpii , which was included in the last version of the identification key ( Rozkošný & Kovac 2003), was proposed by Brunetti (1923) as a new name for P. apicalis Wulp, 1885 being reportedly preoccupied by P. apicalis Loew, 1855 . Brunetti (l.c.) stated that P. wulpii “is easily recognised by the black 5th and 6th abdominal segments in conjuction with the all orange genitalia“ whereas P. melanurus has the abdominal tip beginning from the 5th segment completely black. However, we stated that this character is largely variable and examined the types of both species under discussion. We found that P. apicalis Wulp (3 syntypic males from Sumatra and Borneo, deposited in RMNH) and P. apicalis Loew (male syntype from „ Pulo Penang“, Malaysia, deposited in ZMHB) are actually conspecific and both identical with the lectotype of P. melanurus ( Walker, 1848) (in BMNH, cf. Rozkošný 2002). P. wulpii is thus a new synonym of P. melanurus syn. nov.

The male holotype of P. okinawae James, 1950 from Japan (Okinawa, Chizuka; deposited in CAS) was examined (cf. Fig. 50 ) and it was concluded that this specimen agrees with the concept of P. aurifer . The metallic bluish reflections mentioned by James are barely discernable and can also be found in other specimens of P. aurifer . This synonymy was already suspected by Nagatomi (1975).

A comparison of recently collected specimens of P. kerteszi from Laos and Thailand with the description and figures of P. zhejiangensis Yang & Yang, 1995 , resulted in the conclusion that both species are identical. Consequently, P. zhejiangensis Yang & Yang, 1995 from the Zhejijang Province in SE China is a syn. nov. of P. kerteszi de Meijere, 1924 .

Figures

FIGURES 34 – 41. 34 – 35. Ptecticus aurifer (Walker), right wing (34) and medial part of costal margin (35). Scale: 5 mm (34); 1 mm (35). 36 – 37. Ptecticus australis Schiner, right wing (36) and medial part of costal margin (37). Scale: 5 mm (36). 38 – 39. Ptecticus cingulatus Loew, right wing (38) and medial part of costal margin (39). Scale: 5 mm (38); 1 mm (39). 40 – 41. Ptecticus proximus Rozkošný & Kovac (histrio group), right wing (40) and medial part of costal margin (41). Scale: 5 mm (40); 0.5 mm (41). See introduction for abbreviations.

FIGURES 50 – 51. Holotype of Ptecticus okinawae James (50) and holotype of Ptecticus japonicus Thunberg (51).