Poecilosomella, DUDA, 1920

Papp, L., 2010, Seven New Afrotropical Species Of Poecilosomella Duda (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (1), pp. 9-41 : 38-40

A KEY FOR THE SPECIES AND GROUPS OF THE AFROTROPICAL POECILOSOMELLA (incl. species of P. angulata species group)

1 Fore tarsomeres 2–5 or all the fore tarsi white. 2 well developed pairs of katepisternal setae. 2

– Fore tarsomeres incl. basitarsus may be light (yellow) but not white, or, fore tarsomeres 1 to 3 white. Anterior katepisternal seta may be reduced. 3

2 Wing clear, only apex of vein R 2+3 diffuse brown. Vein R 2+3 without even a short vein appendage. Postgonite ( Fig. 55 ) with narrow basal part and broad apical part. P. hyalipennis HACKMAN, 1965

– Wing richly patterned ( Fig. 69 ), R 2+3 with or without a vein appendage. Postgonite long, broadened at its middle ( Figs 7 , 13 ). P. pallidimana species group ( P. additionalis sp. n., P. pallidimana ( DUDA, 1925))

3 Cercal part of the male epandrial complex with a simple sagittal projection ( Fig. 35 ), surstylus compact (i.e. lobes not long or emerging, Figs 36–37 ). Mid basitarsus (usually shorter) with thick black setae, at least a complete anteroventral row, always present. P. angulata species group 5

– Cerci and surstylus are different (e.g. Figs 46–47 , 59–60 ). Mid basitarsus (usually longer) with rows of at least 1 anteroventral and 1 posteroventral rows of small flexible, mostly not black setae. 4

4 Genal seta always present, moderate or strong. Wings not intensively patterned, costa overruns apex of R 4+5 considerably, a vein appendage at terminal curvature of vein R 2+3 present or absent. Male sternite 6 and 7 complex with large medial parts, forming a second vault below epandrium. 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). P. longecostata species group ( P. capensis L. PAPP, 1990 , P. kittenbergeri sp. n., P. longecostata ( DUDA, 1925) , P. occulta sp. n.)

– Other set of characters. Other Poecilosomella spp. ( P. arnaudi L. PAPP, 1990 , P. duploseriata sp. n., P. setimanus sp. n. and P. setosissima sp. n.)

5 First radial cell with an additional crossvein, halving cell into two. A single long fronto-orbital seta present. Togo, Zaire, Uganda, Sudan P. mirabilis VANSCHUYTBROECK, 1951

– First radial cell normal. Two pairs of fronto-orbital setae 6

6 All fore basitarsus light. Costal vein continued distinctly beyond apex of R 4+5. Vein R 4+5 strongly, S-shaped sinuate. Vein R 2+3 with vein appendage. Genal seta rather weak. Also anterior katepisternal seta distinct. Abdominal tergites 1 and 2 conspicuously desclerotised medially. Male surstylus very large, with extremely large cranially curved process and very thick strong apical thorn. Widespread in Africa P. maxima ( VANSCHUYTBROECK, 1950)

– At least base of fore basitarsus dark. Costal vein terminates at apex of R 4+5. Vein R 4+5 less strongly, not S-shaped curved. Vein R 2+3 mostly without a vein appendage. Desclerotisation of abdominal tergites 1 and 2 indistinct. Male surstylus smaller, compact, without a cranially curved process and only with a small apical thorn. 7

7 Mid basitarsus with 3 rows of stronger setae: an anterior row, a strong anteroventral row and a complete row of posteroventral setae. Dorsal half of male hind tibia with normal setae. Male genitalia ( PAPP 1991: figs 6–10): cerci less separated from epandrium (fig. 6), apical thorn of surstylus longer and more caudally positioned (figs 7–8), than in P. parangulata ; postgonite (fig. 10) curved, angular in lateral view, apical part narrower and its setulae longer. Female spermathecae ( PAPP 1990: fig. 1) slightly ovoid, sclerotised ducts somewhat shorter than in P. parangulata . Originally Afrotropical, but human activity has made it widespread in South and Central America (incl. the Caribbean’s) and also in North America up to Florida and Texas; in the Palaearctic found on the Canary Is. P. angulata (THOMSON, 1869)

– Only the anteroventral row of setae is strong on mid basitarsus; only 2 or 3 posteroventral setae present and only thin normal setae are in the anterior row. Dorsal half of male hind tibia with short thick sharp spiniform setae ( Fig. 33 ). Male genitalia ( Figs 34–41 ): cerci more separated from epandrium ( Fig. 35 ), apical thorn of surstylus shorter and more centrally positioned ( Figs 36–37 ), than in P. angulata ; postgonite ( Fig. 39 ) not angular curved, apical part thicker and its setulae shorter. Some of the female genital parts ( Figs 42–45 ) also characteristic, spermathecae ( Fig. 45 ) globular with slightly longer sclerotised ducts than in P. angulata . Southern Africa P. parangulata sp. n.

Figures

Figs 52–57. Poecilosomella hyalipennis HACKMAN, male postabdomen and genitalia.52 = outlineof sternite 5 in ventral view and medio-caudal part of the sternite in higher magnification, 53 = epandrium with cerci, surstyli and subepandrial sclerite, caudal view, 54 = surstylus in its broadest extension (a sublateral view), 55 = postgonite, in broadest view, 56 = same, caudal view, 57 = apical thread-like process of phallus with contours of distiphallus. Scales: 0.2 mm for Figs 52–53, 0.1 mm

Figs 69–72. Wings of Poecilosomella spp. n. 69 = P. additionalis sp. n. (paratype female); 70 = P. duploseriata sp. n. (paratype male), 71 = P. setimanus sp. n. (holotype male); 72 = P. setosissima sp. n.

Figs 5–8. Poecilosomella additionalis sp. n., paratype male, genitalia.5 = surstylus in broadest extension, 6 = same, caudal process in higher magnification, 7 = postgonite, in broadest (sublateral) view, 8 = basiphallus, lateral view. Scales: 0.2 mm for Fig. 5, 0.1 mm for Figs 6–8

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 33–35. Poecilosomella parangulata sp. n., paratype male. 33 = hind tibia, dorsal view, 34 = sternite 5, ventral view, 35 = epandrium with modified cerci and subepandrial sclerite, caudal view. Scales: 0.2 mm for Figs 34–35, 0.4 mm for Fig. 33

Figs 36–41. Poecilosomella parangulata sp. n., paratype male, postabdomen and genitalia. 36–37 = surstylus in broadest (sublateral) view: 36 = outer view, 37 = inner (medial) view, 38 = hypandrium, dorsal view, 39 = postgonite in widest extension, i.e. sublateral view, 40 = basiphallus and phallapodeme, lateral view (outset: caudal part in higher magnification), 41 = distiphallus, dorsal view. Scales: 0.2 mm for Figs 36–38, 40, 0.1 mm for Figs 39, 41

Figs 46–51. Poecilosomella duploseriata sp. n., paratype male, genitalia. 46 = ventral part of epandrium with cerci and subepandrial sclerite, caudal view, 47 = surstylus in broadest extension (a sublateral view), 48 = outline of surstylus, caudal view at its longest extension, 49 = hypandrium, ventral view, 50 = postgonite in broadest (sublateral) view, 51 = phallus, phallapodeme and post- gonite, lateral view. Scales: 0.2 mm for Figs 46–49, 51, 0.1 mm for Fig. 50

Figs 58–63. Poecilosomella setimanus sp. n., male postabdomen and genitalia. 58 = sternite 5 of a paratype, ventral view, 59 = ventral part of epandrium with cerci and subepandrial sclerite (holotype, most of the epandrial setae omitted), 60 = surstylus of the holotype in broadest extension (a sublateral view), 61 = postgonite of the holotype, broadest extension, in a ± lateral view, 62 = same, of a paratype, 63 = basiphallus with postgonite of a paratype, lateral view. Scales: 0.2 mm for Fig. 58, 0.1

Figs 42–45. Poecilosomella parangulata sp. n., paratype female, postabdomen and genitalia. 42 = outlines of the female postabdomen, caudal view, 43 = epiproct, dorsal view; 44 = sternite 8, ventral view, 45 = spermathecae (one of the paired ones reduced), lateral view. Scales: 0.2 mm for Figs 42–44, 0.1 mm for Fig. 45