Silba hambai, Macgowan, Iain, 2015

Macgowan, Iain, 2015, A review of the Silba admirabilis McAlpine species group (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) with descriptions of thirteen new species from the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 4032 (5), pp. 515-534 : 522

Silba hambai sp. nov.

Description. Male: Head: Eyes bare. Frons 0.5x width of an eye, subshining black, dulled by microsculpture, frontal and interfrontal setulae less than 0.25x length of orbital seta. Orbital plates shining black. Lunule with brownish ground colour, covered in silver pollinosity as to a lesser extent are the parafacials and face. Anterior genal setulae in a single row of 5–6 along mouth margin, these slightly separated from the other setulae. Antennae; 1st flagellomere black apart from an obscure brownish area at extreme medial base, length to depth ratio 3:1. Arista plumose, ratio of plumosity at maximum extent to depth of 1st flagellomere 1:1

Thorax: mesonotum subshining blue black. Anepisternum with all setae either broken or obscured by the mounting pin and glue. Katepisternum with 2 setae near the dorsal margin, the posterior longer and stronger than anterior. Proepimeron and proepisternum each with 1 seta. Scutellum with disc almost as subshining blue black as the mesonotum, on margin between lateral and apical setae with 2 setulae on each side, none between apical setae. Calypteres white with white fringes. Wings clear, wing length 3.2mm. Legs entirely black, basal tarsomeres yellow/brown, apical segments darkened.

Male terminalia ( Figs. 11–12 ): epandrium and associated structures of the standard S. admirabilis group type. Phallus: Basal plate, in ventral view widening steadily from base, at apex forming two processes separated by a wide V shaped incision. In lateral view apices expanded and laterally flattened, resembling paddles. Apex of phallus broken off, basiphallus significantly swollen, bearing spicules on inner surfaces.

Type material. Holotype ♂. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO; P.N.G. (Park Nationale Garamba ), II/gd/9, 8.xi.1951. Miss. H. de Saeger.

Only known from the holotype, specimen in MRAC.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Hamba people of the Congo.

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 12. Silba hambai sp. nov. 11. Phallus lateral view (apex broken off). 12. Same, ventral view. FIGURES 13 – 14. Silba inimvua sp. nov. 13. Phallus lateral view. 14. Same, ventral view.