Amblypsilopus Bigot, 1888

Grichanov, Igor Ya., 2021, Eleven new species of Amblypsilopus Bigot (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Sciapodinae) and a key to the species of Madagascar and adjacent islands, European Journal of Taxonomy 755 (1), pp. 47-87 : 49-52

Genus Amblypsilopus Bigot, 1888

Type species

Psilopus psittacinus Loew, 1861 [as “ psitacinus Fabricius”] (original designation).

Notes

Bickel (1994) associated the genus with the tribe Chrysosomatini . Grichanov & Brooks (2017) provided a key to all Afrotropical genera of the subfamily Sciapodinae . See Bickel (2019) and Grichanov & Brooks (2017) for a diagnosis of the genus. About sixty (including the new) species of Amblypsilopus are known from the Afrotropical Region. Males usually have modified and ornamented podomeres (male secondary sexual characters or MSSC) diagnostic in defining species and species groups; tarsomeres are elongated or shortened. Male surstylus and cercus are greatly variable. Females of closely related species are generally indistinguishable morphologically (e.g., Irwin 1974; Grichanov 1998).

Key to species of Amblypsilopus from Madagascar and adjacent islands (males)

1. Fore coxa yellow; halter yellow with brown knob ........................................................................... 2

– Fore coxa black on at least basal half or entirely brown to black; halter black-brown (yellowish brown in A. prysjonesi ) ................................................................................................................... 21

2. Fore tibia with long modified posterior apical or subapical seta ...................................................... 3

– Fore tibia without such seta .............................................................................................................. 6

3. All coxae wholly yellow ................................................................................................................... 4

– Mid and hind coxae black ................................................................................................................. 5

4. Antenna yellow; face broad, about three times as wide as postpedicel; fore tibia as long as basitarsus; fore basitarsus ventrally at base with cluster of very short bristles and one longer and stronger black bristle; cercus with capitate seta at middle ( Hardy & Kohn 1964: fig. 61h); 4.5–5.5 mm ( Madagascar, Mahe, Praslin, Silhouette; also Oriental, Pacific islands) ............ A. pallidicornis (Grimshaw, 1901)

– Antenna black; face narrow, about as wide as postpedicel; fore tibia 3/5 as long as basitarsus; fore basitarsus with long white ventral hairs on basal 1/5; cercus without flagellate seta at middle ( Fig. 7 ); 5 mm ( Madagascar) .......................................................................................... A. freidbergi sp. nov.

5. Fore and mid femora bare; hind femur with light ventral cilia; fore basitarsus three times as long as segment 2; cercus bifurcated, with wide lobes ( Grichanov 1998: fig. 25); 4.5 mm ( Madagascar) .... ................................................................................................................. A. bruneli Grichanov, 1998

– All femora with long dark ventral cilia; fore basitarsus two times as long as segment 2; cercus bifurcated, with thin lobes ( Grichanov 1998: fig. 26); 3.8 mm ( Madagascar) ................................... ............................................................................................................... A. dallastai Grichanov, 1998

6. All coxae wholly yellow, at most mid or hind coxa with orange spot .............................................. 7

– At least mid coxa dark brown or with blackish brown spot ........................................................... 12

7. Mesonotum and abdomen mostly blue-green; fore tarsus simple; cercus narrow, elongate, as long as epandrium, sparsely covered with long setae dorsally and ventrally ( Grichanov 1999: fig. 13); 7.25 mm ( Madagascar) ........................................................................ A. kaplanae Grichanov, 1999

– Mesonotum and abdomen almost entirely yellow; some segments of fore tarsus modified or bearing elongate setae; cercus various ........................................................................................................... 8

8. Fore basitarsus shorter than fore tibia; cercus as long as epandrium, swollen at base and bearing long setae ( Fig. 12 ); 4.1 mm ( Madagascar) .................................................................. A. romani sp. nov.

– Fore basitarsus as long as or longer than fore femur and tibia combined; cercus various ............... 9

9. Segment 3 of fore tarsus two times as long as segment 2, with 1–2 long dorsoapical setae, longer than segment 4; segments 4 and 5 of fore tarsus flattened; cercus with 2 long dorsal setae; 3–4 mm ( Madagascar) ................................................................... A. stuckenbergi ( Vanschuytbroeck, 1957)

– Segment 3 of fore tarsus as long as segment 2, without long dorsoapical setae; cercus with several short dorsal setae ............................................................................................................................. 10

10. Segments 4 and 5 of fore tarsus black; cercus with subequal in length median and ventral lobes ( Fig. 9 ); 6.3 mm ( Madagascar) .............................................................................. A. leonidi sp. nov.

– At least segment 5 of fore tarsus silvery white; median (distal) lobe of cercus much longer than ventral lobe ......................................................................................................................................11

11. Segment 4 of fore tarsus black and segment 5 silvery white; long lobe of cercus with 2 long setae at middle, without modified setae at apex ( Fig. 2 ); 5.2 mm ( Madagascar) ..... A. andasibensis sp. nov.

– Segments 4 and 5 of fore tarsus white; long lobe of cercus ending with one long and one short thick setae, without long setae at middle ( Fig. 11 ); 5.7 mm ( Madagascar) ....................... A. olgae sp. nov.

12. Antenna mostly yellow ................................................................................................................... 13

– Antenna black ................................................................................................................................. 17

13. Mid tibia with dorsal row of erect hairs, slightly longer than tibia diameter; fore basitarsus as long as tibia, flattened; cercus simple, narrow, not longer than surstylus, with long apical seta ............ 14

– Mid tibia without dorsal pectination; other characters various ...................................................... 15

14. Mid tibia except basal fifth with dorsal row of short erect cilia; fore and mid basitarsi without erect setae; ventral lobe of cercus expanded distally; apical bristle on dorsal lobe of cercus at most 1.5 times as long as other cercal setae ( Grichanov 1998: fig. 27); 5–6 mm ( Madagascar) ................ ............................................................................................................. A. grootaerti Grichanov, 1998

– Mid tibia with full dorsal row of short erect hooked setae; fore and mid basitarsi with long erect setae; ventral lobe of cercus narrow to apex; apical bristle on dorsal lobe of cercus at least two times as long as other cercal setae ( Fig. 10 ); 5.2 mm ( Madagascar) ............................ A. marinae sp. nov.

15. Fore basitarsus 1.5 times as long as tibia, with ventral and dorsal pectination; cercus with broad ovoid basal part and long filiform distal part ( Fig. 4 ); 5.7 mm ( Madagascar) ....... A. bairae sp. nov.

– Fore basitarsus at least two times as long as tibia, with ventral pectination; cercus bifurcated, with long thin lobes ................................................................................................................................. 16

16. Fore and mid femora with anteroventral and posteroventral rows of setae, nearly as long as respective femur diameter; fore tibia and basitarsus each with group of elongate ventral setae at base, longer than podomere diameter; cercus with one bristle between lobes, nearly as long as ventral lobe ( Fig. 8 ); 5.9 mm ( Madagascar) ......................................................................... A. friedmani sp. nov.

– Fore and mid femora with at most few elongate anteroventral and posteroventral setae, at most half as long as respective femur diameter; fore tibia and basitarsus without groups of elongate ventral setae at base; cercus with one bristle between lobes, half as long as ventral lobe ( Fig. 6 ); 6.5 mm ( Madagascar) ............................................................................... A. flavus ( Vanschuytbroeck, 1962)

17. Mid and hind coxae black; tibia and tarsi simple, without modified setulae; segment 8 of abdomen with pair of rather long bristles in addition to short ordinary setae ................................................ 18

– Hind coxa yellow; mid coxa coxa yellow with orange or brown spot; at least fore tibia or some tarsomeres modified, with erect ciliation; segment 8 of abdomen with short setae of equal length .. ......................................................................................................................................................... 19

18. Segment 8 of abdomen with pair of very long bristles; the longest bristle about three times as long as epandrium; cercus with dorsal lobe shorter than ventral lobe ( Grichanov 2003: fig. 12); 4.9–5.1 mm ( Réunion) ....................................................................................... A. reunionensis Grichanov, 2003

– Segment 8 of abdomen with the longest bristle about ⅔ times as long as epandrium; cercus with dorsal lobe longer than ventral lobe ( Grichanov 2003: fig. 13); 4.65 mm ( Réunion) ........................ ............................................................................................................. A. takamaka Grichanov, 2003

19. Fore tibia and tarsus with erect ciliation; fore tarsus simple in other respects, at most two times as long as fore tibia, entirely brown; cercus trilobed, with dorsal lobe with strong and long dorsal bristle at apex; surstylus large, about as large as epandrium ( Grichanov 1999: fig. 12); 3.75 mm ( Madagascar) ............................................................................... A. ankaratrensis Grichanov, 1999

– Fore tibia and tarsus without distinct erect ciliation; fore tarsus distinctly longer than three times fore tibia, with at least segment 5 white; cercus bilobed; surstylus trilobed, with short narrow lobes .. 20

20. Fore tarsus nearly three times as long as fore tibia, with segment 4 yellow, flattened and widened, with posterior comb of 8–9 long flattened setae; segment 2 distinctly longer than segment 3 ( Fig. 5 ); 4.7 mm ( Madagascar) ................................................................................... A. fianarantsoa sp. nov.

– Fore tarsus at least 4 times as long as fore tibia, with segment 4 black, simple; segment 2 distinctly shorter than segment 3 ( Fig. 1 ); 4.7 mm ( Madagascar) ............................ A. analamazaotra sp. nov.

21. Hind femur mostly yellow; fore tibia with very long posterior seta at apical third or fourth; cercus trilobed, with unequal lobes; dorsal lobe of cercus with 3 very long apical bristles ...................... 22

– Hind femur mostly black or dark brown; fore tibia with or without long setae; cercus simple, with relatively short setae ( Amblypsilopus abruptus species group) ...................................................... 23

22. Fore femur with yellow ciliation below; cercus with long median and short dorsal lobes ( Grichanov 2003: fig. 10); 3.9 mm ( Madagascar) ...................................................... A. ambila Grichanov, 2003

– Fore femur with black ciliation below; cercus with short and fused median and dorsal lobes ( Grichanov 2003: fig. 11); 4.8 mm ( Madagascar) .......................... A. ranomafana Grichanov, 2003

23. At least fore femur with long brown-black ventral bristles ............................................................ 24

– Fore femur with white ciliation below, sometimes with few dorsal or preapical black hairs, or bare ......................................................................................................................................................... 25

24. Fore basitarsus 1.5 times as long as segment 2; fore tibia with posteroventral row of 4–5 long fine setae on distal ⅔; fore tarsomeres 1 and 2 with posterior row of elongate setae, about as long as tarsomere diameter; cercus with black hairs and setae ( Fig. 3 ); 3.7 mm ( Madagascar) ..................... ........................................................................................................................... A. ankarana sp. nov.

– Fore basitarsus distinctly shorter than segment 2; fore tibia and tarsus devoid of long setae; cercus with short pale dorsal and dark apical hairs (see redescription of holotype in Grichanov 1998: 118); 4.5 mm ( Madagascar) .............................................. A. madagascariensis (Vanschuytbroeck, 1952)

25. Cercus long and narrow, at least twice as long as epandrium, with slightly enlarged base, thickened apex and stronger hairs on apex ( Becker 1923: fig. 16); fore tibia with two ventral setae on apical half; fore basitarsus slightly widened, as long as tibia and longer than tarsomeres 2–5 combined, with 5 strong dorsal setae; 4 mm ( Madagascar) .................................... A. flabellifer ( Becker, 1923)

– Cercus short, usually broad, not much longer than epandrium; fore tibia without conspicuous ventral setae; fore basitarsus without strong setae ...................................................................................... 26

26. Cercus very broad, triangular, with pointed apex ( Grichanov 1998: fig. 28); fore tibia with posterior seta at apical fourth; fore basitarsus slightly widened, with ventral pile; 5.2 mm ( Madagascar) ....... ................................................................................................................. A. kraussi Grichanov, 1998

– Cercus narrow, digitiform; fore tibia without remarkable setae ..................................................... 27

27. Surstylus broad, about as long as wide, with basal seta 2 times as long as other setae; epandrial setae unequal in length ( Grichanov 1998: fig. 25); 3.4–3.8 mm ( Madagascar, Continental Africa) ........... ................................................................................................................... A. cilifrons (Parent, 1937)

– Surstylus narrow, distinctly longer than wide, with basal seta not much longer than other setae; epandrial setae equal in length ( Meuffels & Grootaert 2007: fig. 5); body length: 3.0– 3.2 mm (Aldabra) ........................................................................ A. prysjonesi ( Meuffels & Grootaert, 2007)

Figures

Fig. 7. Amblypsilopus analamazaotra sp. nov. A–E. Holotype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). F–G. Paratype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Antenna. D. Fore tarsomeres 2–5. E. Wing. F. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. G. Distoventral appendages of hypopygium, transmitted light.

Fig. 12. Amblypsilopus olgae sp. nov. Holotype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Head. B. Antenna. C. Fore tarsomeres 2–5. D. Wing. E. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. F. Distal appendages of hypopygium, transmitted light.

Fig. 9. Amblypsilopus fianarantsoa sp. nov. Holotype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Habitus.B. Head.C. Antenna. D. Fore tarsus, with inset showing segments 3–5, dorsal view. E. Mid femur. F. Wing. G. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. H. Distoventral appendages of hypopygium, lateral view, transmitted light.

Fig. 2. Amblypsilopus bairae sp. nov. Holotype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Antenna. D. Fore tibia. E. Wing. F. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. G. Epandrial lobe, surstylus and base of cercus, lateral view, transmitted light.

Fig. 11. Amblypsilopus leonidi sp. nov.A–E. Holotype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). F–G. Paratype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Antenna. D. Fore tarsomeres 4–5. E. Wing. F. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. G. Cercal lobes, lateral view, transmitted light.

Fig. 10. Amblypsilopus freidbergi sp. nov. A–F. Holotype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). G–H. Paratype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Antenna. D. Fore basitarsus. E. Fore tarsomeres 2–5. F. Wing. G. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. H. Distoventral appendages of hypopygium, transmitted light.

Fig. 4. Amblypsilopus friedmani sp. nov. A–E. Holotype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). F–G. Paratype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Antenna. D. Fore tarsomeres 2–5. E. Wing. F. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. G. Distoventral appendages of hypopygium, transmitted light.

Fig. 8. Amblypsilopus andasibensis sp. nov. Holotype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Antenna. D. Fore tarsomeres 2–5, lateral view, with inset showing segments 4–5, dorsal view. E. Wing. F. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. G. Cercal lobes, lateral view, transmitted light. H. Cercal lobes, dorsal view, transmitted light.

Fig. 6. Amblypsilopus romani sp. nov.A–F. Holotype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). G–H. Paratype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Habitus. B. Head, frontal view. C. Head and antenna, frontolateral view. D. Fore femur. E. Fore tarsus. F. Wing. G. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. H. Distal appendages of hypopygium, transmitted light.

Fig. 5.Amblypsilopus marinaesp. nov.A–F. Holotype, ♂(SMNHTAU).G–H. Paratype, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Antenna. D. Fore tarsus. E. Mid tarsus. F. Wing. G. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. H. Cercal lobes and surstylus, transmitted light.

Fig. 1. Amblypsilopus ankarana sp. nov. Holotype, ♂ (AMGS). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Antenna. D. Fore femur and tibia. E. Fore tarsus. F. Wing. G. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light. H. Surstylus, ventrolateral view, transmitted light.

Fig. 3. Amblypsilopusflavus (Vanschuytbroeck, 1962), ♂,Andasibe,Analamazaotra Forest (SMNHTAU). A. Head. B. Antenna.C. Fore tarsomeres 2–5. D. Wing.E. Hypopygium, left lateral view, reflected light.