Hermetia pulchra Wiedemann, 1830

Pujol-Luz, José Roberto, Godoi, Fabio Siqueira Pitaluga De & Barros-Cordeiro, Karine Brenda, 2016, Description of the puparium of Hermetia pulchra (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from Brazil, Zootaxa 4205 (4), pp. 357-364 : 359-361

Hermetia pulchra Wiedemann, 1830

Hermetia Latreille, 1804: 192 . Type species, Musca illucens Linnaeus , by monotypy.

Thorasena Macquart, 1838: 177 . Type species, Hermetia pectoralis Wiedemann , by original designation.

Stenothorax Agassiz, 1846: 369 . Unjustified emendation of Thorasena Macquart. Preoccupied by Harris, 1826; Harris, 1827; and Harris, 1842.

Massicyta Walker, 1856: 8 . Type species, Massicyta bicolor Walker , by monotypy.

Acrodesmia Enderlein, 1914: 3 . Type species, Acrodesmia luederwaldti Enderlein [= Hermetia albitarsis Fabricius ], by original designation.

Scammatocera Enderlein, 1914: 5 . Type species, Scammatocera virescens Enderlein , by original designation, Syn. by James (1975:31).

pulchra Wiedemann.

Hermetia pulchra Wiedemann, 1830: 24 . [Zoologisches Museum an der Humboldt- Universität ( ZMHU), Berlin, Germany] : Suriname. Neotropical: Brazil (Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Bahia *, Goiás, Distrito Federal *, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Santa Catarina) , Guyana, Suriname. [*New records]

Puparium: Length 23,4 mm, terrestrial; formed from the last instar (L6) larval skin (pupa exarata pharate), comprising head ( Figs. 5–7 ), three thoracic segments ( Figs. 5–9 ) and eight abdominal segments ( Figs. 8–9 ); cuticle dark-brown, densely covered with a bright golden pubescence; body soft, broad and dorsoventrally flattened; the integument more strongly hardened than in the larval stage, but preserving the larval features, especially the upper surface of the body, where the cuticle is impregnated by deposits of calcium carbonate, showing the appearance of a mosaic of hexagonal cells.

Head. Moderately flattened and conical in lateral view ( Fig. 7 ); mouthparts (mandibular-maxillary complex) forming a rigid, cylindrical structure, almost as long as the labrum in dorsal view; antenna short ( Figs. 10 ) and cylindrical, arising at the anterior part of the head; eyes prominent, rounded, arising at the middle part of the head ( Figs. 5–7 , 10, 12 ); chaetotaxy ( Figs. 10, 12 ): 2 pairs of labral setae (LB), 2 pairs of clypeofrontal setae (CF), 1 pair of lateral setae (L), 1 pair of dorsolateral setae (DL), 1 pair of sublabral setae (SL), 3 pairs of ventrolateral setae (VL), and 3 pairs ventral setae (V).

Thorax. First segment shorter than the others; chaetotaxy ( Figs. 10, 11 ): with 2 rows of setae, 2 pairs of anterodorsal setae (AD) and 3 pairs of dorsal setae (D); in ventral view 2 pairs of ventral setae ( Figs. 11 , 16 ), the median pair (V1) short, the second pair (V2) bifid and barbed ( Fig. 16 ); respiratory spiracle strongly sclerotized, prominent, setae absent ( Figs. 10, 11 ). Second and third segments with one row of setae, with 3 pairs of dorsal setae (D) and 3 pairs of ventral setae (V), third ventral setae (V3) bifid and barbed.

Abdomen. Abdominal segments 1–7 with the same shape ( Figs. 8–9 ), chaetotaxy ( Figs. 14–15 ): with a row of 3 pairs of dorsal setae (D); 3 pairs of ventral setae (V) and one pair of ventrolateral setae (VL) near the external margin of the body; in lateral view 1 pair of lateral setae (L), 1 dorsolateral (DL) and 1 ventrolateral (VL); ventromedial line of segment 6 with an elliptical-shaped sternal patch (spa); segment 8 rounded, with one pair of dorsocentral setae (DC), 1 pair of lateral setae (L), 1 pair of apical setae (AP), 1 subapical setae (SAP), 5 pairs of ventral setae (V), anal slit short, its outer border with a dense pilosity, the inner border with various small spines.

Taxonomic notes. The puparium of H. pulchra was compared with 16 puparia of H. illucens . They shared a similar chaetotaxy ( Figs. 10–13 ), except by the presence of the short first pair of ventral setae (V1), and the second pair of bifid ventral setae (V2), with equal length of branches, and barbed in H. pulchra ( Fig 16 ). In contrast, H. illucens ( Fig. 17 ) presents a longer first pair of ventral setae (V1), and the second pair of bifid ventral setae (V2), with different length of branches, bearing two accessory short setae. Much of the setae of H. pulchra are fully or partially broken as can be seen in related figures and this was primarily due by the manipulation of the puparium for observation and fixation in microtube. Nevertheless, the observations related to the puparium of H. pulchra occurred soon after emergence while the majority of the setae were intact, so it was possible to safely establish all the variations related to the chaetotaxy of the two species.

The most notably difference between the puparia, is a very dense and bright golden pubescence covering the body of H. pulchra ( Figs. 10–11 ). This is a quite striking feature between the two species and clearly visible without magnification, where H. pulchra stands out. Larvae and puparia of H. illucens exhibit a wide variation, and may also present golden setae ( Figs. 12–13 ), but never the same way and intensity displayed by H. pulchra . Despite this, all the images taken, with different equipment, were unable to highlight this feature satisfactorily.

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 9. Hermetia pulchra. (5) Head and thoracic segment 1, in dorsal view; (6) head and thoracic segment 1, in ventral view; (7) head and thoracic segment 1, in lateral view; (8) thoracic segments 2 – 3 and abdominal segments 1 – 8, in dorsal view; (9) thoracic segments 2 – 3 and abdominal segments 1 – 8, in ventral view. Scale bar = 1 mm (Figs. 4 – 6) and = 5 mm (Figs. 7 – 8).

FIGURES 10 – 13. Head and thoracic segment 1. Hermetia pulchra: (10) in dorsal view, (11) in ventral view. Hermetia illucens: (12) in dorsal view, (13) in ventral view.

FIGURES 16 – 17. Prothoracic ventral setae (V 1 and V 2) in frontal view: (16) Hermetia pulchra, (17) Hermetia illucens.

FIGURES 14 – 15. Hermetia pulchra. (14) Abdominal segment 6 – 8 in dorsal view; (15) abdominal segments 6 – 8 in ventral view. Scale bar = 1 mm.