Stylogaster latifrons, Stuke, 2012

Stuke, Jens-Hermann, 2012, A revision of Afrotropical species of Stylogaster Macquart (Diptera: Conopidae), with descriptions of twenty-one new species and an identification key, African Invertebrates 53 (1), pp. 267-267 : 316-319

Stylogaster latifrons sp. n.

Figs 163–172

Etymology: From the Latin latus (broad) and frons (forehead), a significant character of the new species being the broad frons with vertical setae close to the eye margin.

Diagnosis: Stylogaster latifrons sp. n. has a broad frons, the distance of the vertical seta to lateral ocellus being greater than the distance between the lateral ocelli ( Fig. 166 ); occiput with only 3 long white setulae ventrally, and mouth opening with 5 or 6 short black setulae. The terminalia are diagnostic, with some long setulae distally on cercus ( Fig. 171 ).

Description (based on holotype):

Male.

Overall length ca 4.7 mm.

Head: 1.3 mm high. Eye red-brown, with a few scattered inconspicuous ommatrichia. Facets on inner side slightly enlarged. Ocelli pale yellow. Ocellar tubercle brown, with 1 pair of ocellar setae. Ocellar triangle occupies virtually entire frons, reaching as far as antennae ( Fig. 166 ). Ocellar triangle brown. Frons brown lateral to ocellar triangle, with 2 discernible small fronto­orbital setae.Antenna yellow, basal flagellomere brown distally and dorsally. Arista brown, 3 segments evident. Arista situated dorsally at apex of basal flagellomere ( Fig. 165 ). Scapus with few black setulae dorsally. Pedicellus with black setulae. Shape of antenna as illustrated in Fig. 165 . One vertical seta positioned close to eye ( Fig. 166 ). Face pale yellow with silver pruinosity. Occiput blackish brown, distinctly silver pruinose; with row of regularly-arranged small white setulae, and three long white setulae ventrally. Five or six short, black setulae on mouth opening. Proboscis pale yellow basally, becoming black distally, except for yellow-brown distal division of labellum. Labrum ca 1.9 mm, labellum approximately same length.

Thorax: Yellow-white; mesoscutum (with exception of postpronotum and postalar calli), scutellum and triangular area of mediotergite brown. All setae black. Two notopleural setae, 1 supra-alar seta (1 damaged), 2 postalar setae (1 damaged), 1 praescutellar dorsocentral seta (1 damaged), 1 apical scutellar seta (2 damaged), 1 seta on anepimeron (2 damaged) and 1 seta above fore coxa on propleuron (1 damaged). A few black setulae on anepimeron. Black semi-adpressed setulae on mesoscutum partly arranged in rows and forming medial row of denser setulae.

Wing: Length 4.6 mm. Generally clothed in microtrichia, but bm and partly cup without microtrichia. Hind margin of wing with black or brown setulae. Venation as in Fig. 167 . Haltere uniformly pale yellow, with areas of sensillae at base. Fore and mid leg pale yellow-white. Hind leg brown with pale area medially on hind femur and hind tibia with yellow-white subapical area.

Legs: Mainly with black or brown setulae, only fore and mid tibiae with pale yellow setulae. All setae black. Fore coxa with 2 distinct setae and several black setulae. Mid coxa with 1 black seta and additional black setulae. Hind coxa with 1 lateral black seta and with strong black setulae distally on anterior surface. Hind trochanter without teeth or dense setulae. Mid femur with a row of regularly-arranged, black setulae posteriorly in basal half. Hind tibia with 4 short, black spines on anterior surface. Claws dark brown basally, distally black. Pulvilli brown. Empodia short, brown.

Abdomen: Mainly pale brown, tergite 1 dark brown, tergites 2–4 with dark brown hind margin, tergite 6 dark brown laterally ( Fig. 164 ). Tergites with semi­adpressed black setulae. Tergite 1 with long black setulae laterally, tergite 2 with 3 black lateral setae on either side of anterior margin. Terminalia as illustrated in Figs 168–172 . Cercus triangular ( Fig. 171 ). Dorsal margin concave. Some conspicuous long setulae distally ( Fig. 171 ). Cercus with small inconspicuous lappet ventrally. No black setae. Surstylus without black teeth. No setulae on inner surface. Phallus sheath as illustrated in Fig. 170 . Black setae basally and slightly darkened apex conspicuous.

Female. Unknown.

Holotype: ♂ MADAGASCAR: (1) “ Madagascar: Province / Fianarantsoa, Parc National / Ranomafana , radio tower / at forest edge, elev. 1130 m / 8. Aug. ­ 23. Sept.2004 / 21°15.05'S 47°24.43'E ”; (2) “coll: M. Irwin, R. Harin’Hala / California Acad of Sciences / malaise, mixed tropical / forest MA­02­09B­98”; (3) “ Holotypus / Stylogaster / latifrons ♂ / des. Stuke, 2011” ( CAS). Right hind leg and left arista damaged. Abdomen dissected, macerated and deposited in glycerine in a microvial pinned beneath specimen, holotype is otherwise in good condition.

Distribution: Endemic to Madagascar.

Bionomics: Sampled in primary rainforest at moderately high elevation (1130 m).

Figures

Figs 163–167. Stylogaster latifrons sp. n. (♂ holotype): (163) habitus, lateral view; (164) abdomen, dorsal view; (165) antenna, lateral view; (166) frons; (167) wing. Not to scale.

Figs 168–172. Terminalia (♂) of Stylogaster latifrons sp. n. (holotype): (168) surstylus, lateral view; (169) same, ventral view; (170) phallus sheath of hypandrium, lateral view; (171) cercus, lateral view; (172) sperm pump and ejaculatory apodeme. Abbreviations: ce – cercus; hys – phallus sheath of hypandrium; su – surstylus. Not to scale.