Poecilosomella longecostata (DUDA, 1925) Duda

Papp, L., 2010, Seven New Afrotropical Species Of Poecilosomella Duda (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (1), pp. 9-41 : 14-18

Poecilosomella longecostata species group

Shared characters of the group are as follows. Genal seta always present, moderate or strong. Wings not extensively patterned, costa overruns apex of R 4+5 considerably. The presence or absence of a vein appendage at terminal curvature of vein R is not a constant character. Abdominal tergites 1 and 2 with large desclerotised medial part. Male sternite 2 transverse, sternite 3 and sternite 4 subquadrate, sternite 5 strongly asymmetrical with a medio-caudal broad (0.15–0.20 mm) weakly sclerotised plate, covered by thin sharp hairs. Sternite 6 and 7 complex with large medial parts, forming a second vault below epandrium, phallapodeme moves in the spaces between this vault and the epandrium plus sternite 8. The sclerotised structures include a right-side ring of thin black sclerotisation (it is without a hole). Cerci (pseudocerci) without large lobes, caudally with or without 2 ridges. Subepandrial sclerites broader than high. Surstylus consist largely of 3 parts: caudal process with large black thick thorn, cranial lobe with more or less long setae and a “membranous” smaller lobe between them, which bears shorter thin setae. Postgonite with thin basal half and broad apical half, latter covered by thin hairs (at least partly).

2+3

Poecilosomella capensis L. PAPP, 1990 – Types: the holotype (Cape Province, Storms Rivier) and most paratypes are deposited in CAS, 15 male and 5 female paratypes in the HNHM . Material studied: Specimens in the NMSA : 1 male: Cape , Hermanus Nature Res., 23. ix.1979, 3419 AC , J. Londt, Swept vegetation stream banks & kloof ; 2 male 3 females: Natal #88 Weza State Forest, 30°32’S: 29°42’E, 1220 m, 21–22. xi. 1991, Coll.: D.A. Barraclough, Indig. Forest margin ; 1 male 3 females: Transvaal , Entabeni For. Station, Zoutpansberg Range, Jan. 1975, Stuckenberg, Matiwa Summit. 2230 CC ; 1 male 1 female: ibid., 23°00’S: 30°14’E, Vera Kop Forest c. 1350 m, 15-i–1974, Stuckenberg ; 2 males: Natal , Pietermaritzburg, Town Bush, September 1976, R . Miller ; 1 female: ibid., 29.10.71., M.E. Irwin ; 1 male: W Cape #5 Montagu Pass 3322 Cd, Camferu George Road, 12. i. 1983, SAR bridge, R . Miller & P. Stabbins ; 1 male: Cape Prov. , Betty’s Bay, 3.ix.1988, 34°21’S: 18°55’E, Coll. B. R . Stuckenberg , Botanical Gardens in Gorge Forest ; 1 male 2 female: Coldstream , Tsitsikama area, Cape Province, 25–28 October 1964, B.&P. Stuckenberg ; 1 female: W Cape #4, Robinson Pass , 3322 Cc, 35 km N Mosel Bay, 12. i. 1983, mnt Spring, R . Miller & P. Stabbins ; 1 female: Van Stadens Pass, Port Elizabeth District , 30 October 1964, B & P Stuckenberg ; 1 female: Transvaal , 12 km S. Sabi, 2530 BB, XII 3, 1976, R Miller , indigenous bush ; 1 female: Natal Prov. , Drakensberg Mts (2929 Ad), Giants Castle reserv., Oct 18, 1971, 5800 ft., BR Stuckenberg & ME Irwin; Zimbabwe : 1 female: N. Vumba, S. Rhodesia 26.6.1965. D. Cookson .

Specimens in the HNHM other than paratypes: Republic of South Africa, 2007, leg. L. PAPP & M. FÖLDVÁRI: 1 male: Eastern Cape Prov., Hogsback, Wolf Ridge Road, undergrowth along a small brook, Jan 8, GPS03, S32°35’42.2” E26°56’51.3”, 1143 m, No. 5 ; 1 male: ibid., nr Kettlespout Falls, Jan 8–9, GPS04, S32°35’27.9” E26°57’36.1”, 1338 m, No. 6 ; 1 male: Eastern Cape Prov., Bloukrans Pass, in a side valley, Jan 14–16, GPS16, S33°57’09.6” E23°37’59.4”, 70 m, No. 23 ; 1 male 1 female: KwaZulu Natal, S Drakensberg, over and along Mashai River, Jan 24, GPS26, S29°45’13.4” E29°11’30.4”, 1897 m, No. 37 ; 10 males 1 female: KwaZulu Natal, N Drakensberg, Rainbow Gorge, Jan 26–28, GPS29, S28°57’36.7” E29°13’33.6”, 1529 m, No. 39 ; 3 males 1 female: KwaZulu Natal, N Drakensberg, over and along iMpofane River, Jan 29, GPS32, S29°03’12.7” E29°23’06.2”, 1531 m, No. 42 . 1 male 1 female: South Africa, őserdő [primary forest], 1978. XII. 12., leg. Endrődy [Sebő, Sr.] ; 1 male 1 female: S. Africa, Drakensberg , 15. xii. 1979, Dung Trap and Sweeping, S. Peck ; 2 males 1 female: ibid., Forest mega, dung trap, 31. xii .; 1 male 1 female: Natal, 75 km SW Eastcourt, Cathedral Peaks For. Sta. , 1400 m, 10–11. xii., S&J Peck, Dung Trap .

Anterior row of setae on mid basitarsus long, and composed of stronger black setae (in contrast to P. longecostata ). Subapical (terminal) curvature of vein R 2+3 usually more or less edged, with a short vein appendage. Inter-crossvein section of M as long as or longer than hind crossvein. Male genitalia ( Figs 15–16 ). The original figure in PAPP (1990: fig. 6) on its cerci and subepandrial sclerite is not properly positioned, and so a new figure is given for it ( Fig. 15 ). A pair of comparatively high ridges present on ventral part of the fused cerci, which seem “broken”, but which are higher caudally than those of P. longecostata (cf. Fig. 22 ). Dorsal lobes of subepandrial sclerite rather large. My original figure of the postgonite ( PAPP 1990: fig. 7) was satisfactory, but another drawing of it is given in higher magnification ( Fig. 16 ) in order to show the fine differences between the species in the group. Apical half of postgonite rather short and broad, dorsally with fine hairs.

The cerci of the female are vivid yellow; this is a good character in separating its females from those of P. longecostata and P. kittenbergeri sp. n.. Female cercus with 4 long setae each: medial, apical and 2 shorter lateral pairs. The females of two new species of this group have been unknown. Three females of the P. capensis group in the HNHM were left unnamed as Poecilosomella sp. f.

Distribution. Republic of South Africa, Zimbabwe.

Poecilosomella longecostata ( DUDA, 1925) ( Leptocera ( Poecilosomella )) – Type locality: Ethiopia, Tshertsher. Lectotype male, designated by PAPP, 1990 b: 145 (HNHM). Material studied (HNHM): lectotype, 19 male 3 female paralectotypes: Abyssinia, Kovács, Tsertsher, 1911. X., “ P. longecostata m/f” [DUDA’ s handwriting], Det. Dr. O. DUDA. 1 female: Abyssinia, Kovács, Dire-Daua, 1911.11.19. “ P. longecostata f” [DUDA’ s handwriting], Det. Dr. O. DUDA. Kenya: 2 males: 25 mi NW. Nakuru (Kisumu-Nak. Rd.), 2300 m, XI–28–1957, E.S: Ross & R. E. Leech (cf. PAPP 1990: 145).

Nearly two decades ago one male and one female paralectotypes were sent to the IRSN (Brussels) for exchange with other sphaerocerid paratypes. Unfortunately, as I found in my files, the male was from Tshertsher, so it must be a specimen of P. longecostata , the female was from Kibosho , so it is in all probability a female of P. kittenbergeri sp. n. (see below) .

Male genitalia ( Figs 22–26 ) distinctly different from those of P. kittenbergeri sp. n. Cerci (pseudocerci) with a pair of unbroken ridges ( Fig. 22 ), which are less high ventrally than in P. capensis ; cerci bare in their ventral half. Dorsal lobes of subepandrial sclerite high but thin.

Surstylus with a thick and long thorn on caudal process, this process without long setae ( Fig. 23 , cf. Fig. 17 of P. kittenbergeri ). Caudal surface of surstylus slightly concave ( Fig. 24 ). Shape of postgonite in its broadest view and hairs on it resemble those of P. capensis but hairs are shorter ( Fig. 25 ). Postgonite is distinctly shoe-shaped, incl. its sole. Basiphallus ( Fig. 26 ) with curved and longer pegs (thornlets) than in P. kittenbergeri sp. n.

Female cerci dark brown or blackish in contrast to the vivid yellow cerci of P. capensis .

Reliable differentiating characters of this new species compared to the rest of the group are in details of the male genitalia only.

Distribution. Formerly it was recorded from most parts of the Afrotropical region: Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, South Africa, Zaire. Now I can corroborate its occurrence from Ethiopia and Kenya only.

Figures

Figs 9–14. Poecilosomella pallidimana (DUDA), male postabdomen and genitalia. 9 = sternite 5, ventral view (outset: medial lobe in higher magnification), 10 = epandrium with modified cerci, subepandrial sclerite, anal plates and surstyli, subcaudal view, perpendicular to cerci (most of the epandrial setae omitted), 11 = surstylus in broadest extension, 12 = same, caudal process in higher magnification, 13 = postgonite, in broadest (sublateral) view, 14 = basiphallus, lateral view. Scales: 0.2 mm for Figs 9–11, 0.1 mm for Figs 12–14

Figs 15–21. Poecilosomella spp., male genitalia. 15–16 = P. capensis L. PAPP, paratype: 15 = epandrium with cerci and subepandrial sclerite, caudal view, 16 = postgonite, in broadest (sublateral) view. 17–21 = P. kittenbergeri sp. n., paratypes: 17 = surstylus, broadest view, 18 = same, ventral (!) view, most of the setae on proximal part omitted, 19 = postgonite of a Kibosho specimen, in broadest (a slightly sublateral) view, 20 = the same, a specimen from Uganda, 21 = basiphallus, lateral view. Scales: 0.2 mm for Figs 15, 17–18, 0.1 mm for Figs 16, 19–21

Figs 22–26. Poecilosomella longecostata (DUDA), paralectotype male. 22 = epandrium with cerci and subepandrial sclerite, caudal view (outset: ventral-most part in higher magnification), 23 = surstylus, broadest (a sublateral) view, 24 = same, ventral (!) view, 25 = postgonite in broadest view, 26 = basiphallus, lateral view. Scales: 0.2 mm for Figs 22–24, 0.1 mm for Figs 25–26