Entesia blackmani (Oldroyd)

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 : 7-8

Entesia blackmani (Oldroyd)

( Figs 1–3A ; 12A, B ; 49 )

Melanothereva blackmani Oldroyd, 1968: 379 .

Entesia blackmani ( Oldroyd, 1968) — Webb et al. (2013: 13 [catalogue, combination change]).

Diagnosis. Moderate-sized, pilose species; male frons narrower than anterior ocellus, eyes not contiguous; male with macrosetae scattered on occiput in addition to row of elongate postocular macrosetae, postocular macrosetae row black, occipital macrosetae yellowish; prosternum with medial pile present; two pairs scutellar macrosetae; numerous large macrosetae on forecoxa; scape relatively short, slightly longer and thicker than flagellum; scutum punctate with black setal bases; posterior surface of mid coxa and medial furrow of prosternum with setae present; sternite 1 without medial setal tuft.

Redescription. Body length. 9.5–10.0 mm (male), 10.0– 11.5 mm (female). Head. Frontal pubescence yellow to grey with dark brown markings, frons flat, patch of short, dark setae above antenna (male), sparse short setae widely distributed (female), male frons width at narrowest point narrower than anterior ocellus but eyes not contiguous; genal setae pale; male postocular ridge with single row of black setae and additional paler macrosetae irregularly arranged medially on occiput, occipital pubescence grey; antennal scape shorter than flagellum, brown, overlain with grey pubescence, densely covered with large, dark setae; flagellum orange-yellow, terminus dark. Thorax. Scutum pubescent grey with dark brown suffusion, extensive scattered dark setae, denser anteriorly, punctate with dark brown setal bases; macrosetae black; scutellum grey pubescent, similarly punctate with dark setal bases; pleuron with dense silver-grey pubescence; prosternum with setae in medial furrow; lateral lobe of cervical sclerite with a single black macroseta; pleural vestiture as sparse, white setae on anepisternum and dorsal 1/2 of katepisternum, katatergite setae white, anepisternum brownish in dorsal half; scutal chaetotaxy: np, 3–4; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 4; sc, 2; coxae yellow, overlain with dense silver-grey pubescence admixed with setae white, macrosetae numerous, strong, black; mid- and hind coxa with setae on posterior surface ( Fig. 3A ); femora dark yellow with apices brown, vestiture as uniform short dark setae; hind femur with single subapical anteroventral macroseta; tibiae yellow, dark grey-brown apically; tarsi dark yellow with brown apices; wing uniformly faint infuscate, venation dark, costal margin setae scattered, not in rows; haltere dark yellow. Abdomen. Sternite 1 lacking medial tuft of setae; abdomen base colour dark yellow, dark brown medially on tergites; vestiture mostly dark setae, elongate laterally, male abdomen without silver velutum on tergites; abdominal tergite 2 with patch of short modified setae posteromedially, terminalia dark yellow. Male terminalia. Gonocoxite with extensive large black macrosetae, longer posterolaterally; epandrium broadly rounded; outer gonocoxal process relatively short, truncated; inner gonocoxal process with tuft of strong dark setae apically; ejaculatory apodeme slightly spatulate anteriorly; lateral ejaculatory apodeme relatively small. Female terminalia. As per genus description.

Comments. Entesia blackmani was originally described in Melanothereva based on the abundant strong macrosetae on the forecoxa and was subsequently transferred to Entesia by Webb et al. (2013). Examination of the type reveals a dark appearance due to oils from the body and the actual cuticle colouration is much lighter (e.g., Fig. 1 ). Indeed Entesia was described in the same paper by Oldroyd (1968) based on the lighter (unblemished) and more slender species E. rubida (as E. tarsata ). The confusion over the generic placement of E. blackmani highlights the close morphological similarity of Entesia and Melanothereva . Entesia blackmani is the only species in the genus with setae on the posterior surfaces of the mid- and hind coxae.

Type material— Holotype male, ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires Province: F. Chacabuco [-34.6481, -60.4745], 28.II.1966 (reared) ( NHM) [examined] . Paratypes. ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires Province: 1 male, 1 female, same data as holotype ( NHM) [examined] .

Other material examined — ARGENTINA: Neuquén Province: 1 male, Lanin National Park, Pucara [- 40.1564, -71.3638], X.1952 – III.1953, Scharov (MEI154226; MLIT) ; 1 female, Rio Caleufú , 20 mi. W Collon-Curá R. [-40.5012, -71.1751], 9–14.III.1987, W.W. Middlekauff (MEI154248; CASC) . Rio Negro Province: 1 male, Pilcaniyeu [-41.1362, -70.7223], 15.III.1939, R. Maldenado (MEI154227; MLPA) . CHILE: Aysén Region: 1 male, Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez, Lake General Carrera [-46.2981, -71.9411], 12-15.I.1961, L. Peña ( CSCA) . Araucania Region: 1 female, Angol [-37.8098, -72.7177], 17.II.1943, D.S. Bullock (MEI154230; USNM) . Maule Region: 1 male, El Colgo C. Curicó [-34.9814, -71.2308], 1–20.XI.1960, L.E. Peña (MEI079715; CNC) ; 3 females, 20 km E Potrero Grande, El Relvo [-35.1869, -70.9352], 1–25.III.2004, Malaise trap, J.E. Barriga ( CSCA) . Ñuble Region: 3 males, Las Trancas [-36.9124, -71.4723], 25–18.II.1959, L.E. Peña (MEI154223, 154225, 154228; CNC) ; 1 male, 6 females, Las Trancas [-36.9124, -71.4723], III.1984 (MEI106403–8; FMNH) ; 1 female, Invernada, Recinto [- 36.8497, -71.6561], III-IV.1971, O. Ocare ( MEUC) . Santiago Metropolitan Region: 1 female, Colina [-33.1951, -70.6545], III.1980, L.E. Peña (MEI078912; FMNH) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Entesia blackmani (Oldroyd): A. Male, oblique view; B. same, lateral view.

FIGURE 2. Entesia blackmani (Oldroyd): A. Female, oblique view; B. same, lateral view.

FIGURE 3. Entesia spp.: A. Entesia blackmani (Oldroyd), male, close-up of coxae; B. Entesia glauca sp. n., male, close up of head and sternum.

FIGURE 12. Entesia spp., male terminalia: E. blackmani (Oldroyd): A. epandrium; B. gonocoxites with phallus in situ, ventral view; E. dolichochele sp. n.: C. epandrium; D. gonocoxites with phallus in situ, ventral view; E. glauca sp. n.: E. epandrium; F. gonocoxites with phallus in situ, ventral view; E. guttata sp. n.: G. epandrium; H. gonocoxites with phallus in situ, ventral view (Scale line: 0.25 mm).

FIGURE 49. Distribution map of Entesia dolichochele, E. hyaline, E. maculicornis, E. blackmani and E. delicata.