Helina evecta (Harris)

Michelsen, Verner, 2023, Macaronesian Muscidae (Diptera). IV. The genus Helina Robineau-Desvoidy, and description of the male of Spilogona maderensis Michelsen, Zootaxa 5293 (2), pp. 251-276 : 252-254

1. Helina evecta (Harris)

( Figs 1A–E )

Helina lucorum (Fallén) ; Frey 1936: 133 (Gran Canaria); Tiensuu 1938: 7 (Madeira); Frey 1949: 44 (Madeira).

Helina laetifica (Robineau-Desvoidy) ; Hennig 1957: 188 ff. (Canary Is., Madeira); Báez 1983: 178 ff. (Gran Canaria).

Helina evecta (Harris) ; Pont 1986: 141 (Canary Is., Madeira).

Material examined. CANARY ISLANDS: [ MZH, NHMD]. GRAN CANARIA: Tafira, 1♁ 23.vi.1931 ( R. Storå); San Isidro, 28°01´N 15°33´W, 910‒975m, 1♁ 13‒18.i.2014 ( V. Michelsen); Sagrado Corazón, 28°02´N 15°33´W, 700‒825m, 1♁ 12‒17.i.2017 ( V. Michelsen); El Valle, 27°52´N 15°31´W, 730‒935m, 1♀ 21.i.2017 ( V. Michelsen); La Montaña, 27°55´N 15°33´W, 690‒710m, 1♁ 1‒6.ii.2018 ( V. Michelsen). TENERIFE: Guayonge, 28°29´N 16°24´W, c. 420m, 1♁ 16.ii.2008 ( V. Michelsen); Las Portelas , 28°19´N 16°50´W, 830‒860m, 1♁ 16.i.2012 ( V. Michelsen). LA GOMERA: La Palmita , 1♁ 10.i.2006 ( V. Michelsen). MADEIRA: [ MZH]. Funchal , Monte , 1♁ 30.iv–1.v.1938 ( R. Storå); Santo do Serra , 1♁ 5.v.1938 ( R. Storå); Rabaçal , 1♁ 6–7.v.1938 ( R. Frey) .

Description. Medium to large sized, wing length 6.5–8.0 mm. Male: Ground colour of head, body and appendages wholly dark; thorax and abdomen densely ash-grey pruinose, in posterior views with brownish black pattern in terms of four scutal stripes and paired abdominal marks ( Fig. 1A ) being small and inconspicuous on tergite II and large, subtriangular on tergites III and IV; abdomen sometimes even traces of a narrow mid-dorsal stripe; calypteres dirty white, paler than wing base; cross-veins r-m and m-cu narrowly shadowed. Eyes with long and dense pile. Longest aristal branches c. 1.25 times as long as width of postpedicel. Frons at narrowest point narrower than ocellar tubercle and narrowed to 2–3 times diameter of anterior ocellus; frontal vitta at this point more or less suppressed by fronto-orbital plates. Dorsocentral setae 2 + 4; presutural acrostichal field with fine setulae only in multiple, irregular rows; notopleuron with setulae around posterior seta; prealar seta much shorter than posterior notopleural seta; katepisternal setae 2 + 2; meron with fine setulae beneath posterior spiracle and along hind margin; scutellum with setulae immediately below lateral setae as well as at lateroventral margin. Vein C bare dorsally. Fore tibia with 1 p seta; mid tibia with 0 ad and 2–3 p setae; hind femur with complete row of av setae being very long on subdistal half and a row of fine pv setae confined to distal quarter; hind tibia with 3–4 fine av and 2 ad setae and with a comb of fine p setae on subbasal half. Abdomen ( Fig. 1A ) broadly ovoid; sternite V and hypopygium as in Figs 1C–E . Female: Apart from usual sexual differences of the head and abdomen differing from the male by the abdomen ( Fig. 1B ) with paired dark marks blurred by tessellating dark reflections; eye pile shorter and less dense, hind femur without long pv setae on distal part, and hind tibia without row of fine p setae.

Distribution. Canary Islands: Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera. Madeira. Very widespread Holarctic, Oriental and northern Neotropical species.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Helina evecta (Harris). Abdomen, male (A), female (B); sternite V, male (C); hypopygium, caudal (D) and lateral (E). Same scale for C–E.