Melanothereva lugubris (Macquart)

Winterton, Shaun L. & Irwin, Michael E., 2023, Revision of the South American stiletto fly genera Entesia Oldroyd and Melanothereva Malloch, with the description of a new genus (Therevidae: Agapophytinae), Zootaxa 5269 (1), pp. 1-82 : 63-64

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5269.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FE9E6180-3AC3-4CC3-9F09-F279EBC37692

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7846138

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9F4C617C-491E-FFCE-C6B6-F9F7FD8AFCB1

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Melanothereva lugubris (Macquart)
status

 

Melanothereva lugubris (Macquart) View in CoL View at ENA

( Figs 13C View FIGURE 13 ; 41 View FIGURE 41 ; 42 View FIGURE 42 ; 43C, D View FIGURE 43 ; 44 View FIGURE 44 ; 53 View FIGURE 53 )

Thereva lugubris Macquart, 1841a: 302 View in CoL — Macquart (1841b: 24, plate 5 [wing figure]); Blanchard (1852: 417, fig. 4a, b [redescription]); Philippi (1865: 769 [checklist]); Reed (1888: 294 [catalogue]); Holston (2004: 55 [checklist]).

Psilocephala lugubris ( Macquart, 1841a) — Kertész (1909: 163 [checklist, combination change, synonymy]); Kröber (1911: 497, 498, 500, 505 [catalogue, keys, redescription]; 1912: 223, 226, 228, 237 [keys, checklist, redescription]; 1913: 31, 36, 37–39 [checklist, keys]; 1914: 39, 41 [keys]; 1928b: 6, 8, 10 [checklist, keys]); Cole (1923: 63 [checklist]).

Melanothereva lugubris ( Macquart, 1841a) View in CoL — Malloch (1932: 250 [combination change]); Stuardo-Ortiz (1946: 86 [catalogue]); Hennig (1957: 410 [checklist]); Holston (2004: 55 [checklist]); Webb et al. (2013: 14 [catalogue]); Winterton et al. (2016: fig. 3 [phylogeny]).

Psilocephala nigra Bellardi, 1861: 92 View in CoL — Osten Sacken (1878: 96 [catalogue]); 1887: 163 [checklist]); Reed (1888: 294 [synonymy]); Aldrich (1905: 247 [catalogue]); Lyneborg (1969: 409 [redescription, lectotype designation]).

Thereva morio Rondani, 1863: 44 View in CoL —[unjustified replacement name]; Dallas (1865: 655 [checklist]); Kertész (1909: 163 [checklist, synonymy]); Holston (2004: 56 [checklist]).

Psilocephala penthoptera Schiner, 1868: 146 View in CoL —[unjustified replacement name]; Osten Sacken (1878: 96 [note, synonymy]); Reed (1888: 294 [catalogue]); Aldrich (1905: 247 [note]).

Psilocephala morio ( Rondani, 1863) — Kertész (1909: 163 [checklist, synonymy]).

Common name. Darwin’s black stiletto fly.

Diagnosis. Dark flies with numerous robust macrosetae and markings absent; male with additional macrosetae on occiput; small black setae on frons above antenna; wing dark infuscate; thorax and legs black; female with spermathecal sac absent.

Redescription. Body length. 8.0–9.0 mm (male), 9.5–12.0 mm (female). Head. Relatively broad; frons flat, pubescence silver ventrally, brown dorsally, small patch of short black setae above antenna in male, female setae short and sparse, male with eyes almost contiguous below anterior ocellus; postocular setae black, elongate and recurved, additional macrosetae irregularly arranged on occiput, occiput relatively convex, pubescent silver; antennal scape shorter than flagellum, black, overlain with grey pubescence, relatively few large, black setae; flagellum brown. Thorax. Scutum black, overlain with sparse light brown pubescence, short black setae, denser anteriorly, macrosetae black, chaetotaxy: np, 4; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 4–6; sc, 1; scutellum black, overlain with grey pubescence; pleuron black with sparse grey pubescence, black setae on anepisternum, katepisternum and katatergite; coxae black, overlain with silver-grey pubescence, setae black, macrosetae few in number; femora dark brown, short black setae admixed with longer white setae, hind femur lacking subapical macroseta; tibiae and tarsi black with black macrosetae; wing dark infuscate, darker anteriorly, venation dark, costal margin setae arranged in two rows; haltere brown. Abdomen. Dark brown to black with brown pubescence dorsally, mostly dark setae, longer laterally in male, male abdomen without silver velutum, abdominal tergite 2 with patch of short modified setae posteromedially; terminalia brown. Male terminalia. Epandrium elongate, pointed posterolaterally; cerci elongate, brown; macrosetae dark and robust on epandrium and gonocoxites; gonocoxites and appendages brown; outer gonocoxite process triangular; phallus with dorsal apodeme of parameral sheath narrowly forked; distiphallus straight and tapered; ejaculatory apodeme narrow; gonocoxal apodemes relatively broad. Female terminalia.As per genus description, spermathecal sac absent.

Comments. Melanothereva lugubris is one of the few entirely black stiletto flies, with a black body and wings. Similar colouration is found in some members of the Australian genus Johnmannia Irwin & Lyneborg, 1989 ; interestingly, both genera also exhibit the relatively rare condition of matte red eye colour in living individuals. Melanothereva lugubris is distributed in Chile, Peru and western Argentina. Kröber (1912) and Webb et al. (2013) mention that it is also found in Bolivia, which appears likely, but we were not able to locate any specimens from that country. In addition, the type locality of Psilocephala nigra Bellardi is recorded as Messico ( Mexico), but this is unverified and considered to be likely erroneous (see discussion by Webb et al., 2013). Notably, Charles Darwin collected a male specimen of this species during his visit to Valparaiso, Chile; this specimen was examined as part of this study.

Type material. Thereva lugubris Macquart, 1840a — CHILE: Syntype female, 889/36, Gay coll. 1836 (MEI119896; MNHN) [examined].

Psilocephala nigra Bellardi, 1861 — MEXICO: Lectotype male, 168, Messico, Semper ( MRSN).

Other material examined— ARGENTINA: Rio Negro Province: 1 male, 1 female, El Bolsón [-41.9715, -71.5477], 29.XII.1957, A. Kovacs (MEI074218, 118021; AMNH, CSCA) GoogleMaps . CHILE: Araucania Region: 1 male, 20 km E Temuco [-38.7359, -72.3899], 8.I.1951, Ross, Michaelbacker (MEI147629; CASC) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Angol [- 37.8098, -72.7177], 8.XII.1934 (MEI113132; UCCC) GoogleMaps ; 1 male, Villarrica, Fdo. Los Coigues [-39.2876, -72.2385], 15.I.1965, M. Rivera (MEI113118; UCCC) GoogleMaps . Antofagasto Region: 5 km S San Pedro de Atacama Solor [-22.9433, -68.1747], 15.XI–21.XII.2003, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, Malaise near dunes, 2414 m (MEI178087; CSCA) GoogleMaps Biobío Region: 1 female, Concepción [-36.8501, -73.0275], 10.XII.1958, Carocca (MEI 113116; UCCC) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, 30 km E Quilleco [-37.5460, -71.6444], 23.I.1967, L. Campos (MEI156217; CASC) GoogleMaps . Coquimbo Region: 1 male, Illapel [-31.6396, -71.1679], 1–6.XI.1954, L. Peña (MEI147586; USNM) GoogleMaps . Los Lagos Region: 1 male, Trumao [-40.3615, -73.1666], 28.XII.1932, Fr. Atunasio (MEI112390; USNM) GoogleMaps ; 2 females, Castro [-42.4752, -73.7845], XII.1926, R.&E. Shannon (MEI112379–80; USNM) GoogleMaps ; 1 male, Castro [-42.4752, -73.7845], 4.XI.1966, M.E. Irwin, Gonzalez, in window (MEI028426; CSCA) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Riñihue [-39.8168, -72.4429], 7.II.1958 (MEI113125; UCCC) GoogleMaps . Maule Region: 2 females, Estero la Jaula [-35.0129, -70.7466], I.1964, L.E. Peña, Nothofagus (MEI146588–9; CSCA) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Tregualemu [-36.0039, -72.7722], 7.XII.1953, L.E. Peña (MEI147587; CSCA) GoogleMaps . Ñuble Region: 1 male, Las Trancas, Cord Chilian [-36.9124, -71.4723], 14–21.I.1971, Ocare (MEI112323; UCCC) GoogleMaps . Santiago Metropolitan Region: 2 males, 4 females, Quebrada de la Plata, Rinconada, Maipú [-33.4984, -70.9042], 510 m, 10.XI.1966, M.E. Irwin, Malaise (MEI147573–6, 147591; CSCA) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, San Cristobal [-33.4206, -70.6281], 28.XI.1942 (MEI147648; UCCC) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, El Canelo [-33.5753, -70.4553], 1976 (MEI112322; UCCC) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Maipu [-33.5189, -70.8168] (MEI112387; UCCC) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, El Bollenar, 2 km N Pichi Alhue [-33.5729, -71.0215], 1–10.I.2000, M.E. Irwin, E.I. Schlinger, 100m Malaise in wash ( CSCA) GoogleMaps . Tarapacá Region: 2 males, Mamiña [- 20.0747, -69.2171], 8–16.XI.1964, Herrera (MEI147578, 147616; UCCC) GoogleMaps . Valparaiso Region: 1 male, Valparaiso [-33.0638, -71.6033], C. Darwin, 85–119, ( NHMUK010922290 View Materials ; NHM) GoogleMaps ; 1 male, Piscicultura Rio Blanco [-32.9319, -70.2811], 17–20.XI.1958, L.E. Peña (MEI070589; CNC) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Quebrada Verde [-33.1109, -71.6571], 9.X.1964, J. Gonzalez (MEI147645; UCCC) GoogleMaps ; 40 males, 23 females, Palma de Ocoa Campanas National Park [-32.9324, - 71.0781], various dates 6–31.XII.1997, 29.XII.1999, 2–10.I.2000, M.E. Irwin, E.I. Schlinger, Malaise in hillside draw, 215 m (MEI121384–423; 121332–354; CSCA) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, La Cruz [-32.8281, -71.2229], 15XI.1971, R. Ripa (MEI112324; UCCC) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Limache [-32.9954, -71.2513], X.1924, Faz (MEI112391; USNM) GoogleMaps . PERU: Junin Region: 1 female, Rio Charape [-10.3888, -74.9091], C.H.T. Townsend (MEI112384; USNM) GoogleMaps ; 1 male, 1 female, Tarma [-11.4345, -75.6853], 1.XII.1942, Weyrauch, 3000 m (MEI147564–5; MCZ) GoogleMaps . Moquegua Region: 2 males, Yacango , Moquegua [-17.1949, -70.9387], 8.X.1965, J.C. Hitchcock Jr. ( MEI147596–7 ; CNC) GoogleMaps . Arequipa Region: 1 male, Arequipa [-16.4141, -71.5621], VIII–IX.1936, R.M. Straw, 2400 m ( MEI147598 ; USNM) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Yura [-16.2475, -71.6901], A ca. 27465 ( FSCA) GoogleMaps .

MNHN

Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle

MRSN

Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali

AMNH

American Museum of Natural History

CSCA

California State Collection of Arthropods

UCCC

Universidad de Concepcion, Museo de Zoologia

USNM

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History

NHM

University of Nottingham

CNC

Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes

MCZ

Museum of Comparative Zoology

FSCA

Florida State Collection of Arthropods, The Museum of Entomology

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Diptera

Family

Therevidae

Genus

Melanothereva

Loc

Melanothereva lugubris (Macquart)

Winterton, Shaun L. & Irwin, Michael E. 2023
2023
Loc

Melanothereva lugubris ( Macquart, 1841a )

Webb, D. W. & Gaimari, S. D. & Hauser, M. & Holston, K. C. & Metz, M. A. & Irwin, M. E. & Kampmeier, G. E. & Algmin, K. 2013: 14
Holston, K. C. 2004: 55
Hennig, W. 1957: 410
Stuardo-Ortiz, C. S. 1946: 86
Malloch, J. R. 1932: 250
1932
Loc

Psilocephala lugubris ( Macquart, 1841a )

Cole, F. R. 1923: 63
Krober, O. 1911: 497
Kertesz, K. 1909: 163
1909
Loc

Psilocephala morio ( Rondani, 1863 )

Kertesz, K. 1909: 163
1909
Loc

Psilocephala penthoptera

Aldrich, J. M. 1905: 247
Reed, E. C. 1888: 294
Osten Sacken, C. R. 1878: 96
Schiner, J. R. 1868: 146
1868
Loc

Thereva morio

Holston, K. C. 2004: 56
Kertesz, K. 1909: 163
Dallas, W. S. 1865: 655
Rondani, C. 1863: 44
1863
Loc

Psilocephala nigra

Lyneborg, L. 1969: 409
Aldrich, J. M. 1905: 247
Reed, E. C. 1888: 294
Osten Sacken, C. R. 1878: 96
Bellardi, L. 1861: 92
1861
Loc

Thereva lugubris

Holston, K. C. 2004: 55
Reed, E. C. 1888: 294
Philippi, R. A. 1865: 769
Blanchard, E. 1852: 417
Macquart, P. J. M. 1841: 302
Macquart, P. J. M. 1841: 24
1841
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