Phaonia modesta, Sorokina, Vera S., 2015

Sorokina, Vera S., 2015, New species of the genus Phaonia R. - D., 1830 (Diptera, Muscidae) from Central Asia, Zootaxa 4013 (4), pp. 571-587 : 579-581

15. Phaonia modesta sp. nov.

Figs 4 A, B, 5A, B, 6

Remarks. All the specimens of Phaonia modesta sp. nov. were found in the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Zoological Museum of the Moscow State University, under the determination labels “ Phaonia trimaculata ” (det. Sychevskaya), “ Phaonia sp. near trimaculata ” (det. Pont, 1966 and 1969) and “ Phaonia af. trimaculata ” (det. Zinoviev, 1984). In Hennig’s key to Palaearctic Phaonia (1963a) these flies run to Phaonia trimaculata (Bouché, 1834) and agree with the description of this species except for the colour of the body and the fore tibia. All specimens of this species were collected in Central Asia and most of them were bred from larvae or puparia. Zinoviev (1983: 186) studied these specimens and recorded Phaonia trimaculata (Bouché, 1834) from Middle Asia but with the remark that the “species needs additional studying”.

To establish the status of these specimens, their male terminalia were dissected and compared to the male terminalia of European Phaonia trimaculata (Bouché, 1834) . The terminalia of European specimens and the terminalia of Asian specimens are very different ( Fig. 5 A–D), and this forms the basis for the description of this new species from Central Asia. Phaonia trimaculata (Bouché, 1834) has a solely West Palaearctic distribution (Europe and North Africa).

Diagnosis. The new species is very similar to Phaonia trimaculata (Bouché, 1834) and can be distinguished as follows: arista long plumose, scutellum yellowish at tip, two pairs of elongated presutural acrostichals, notopleuron haired, male eyes densely long haired, fronto-orbital plates touching or narrowly separated, antenna and palpus black.

Etymology. The species name is based on the Latin adjective “modestus” what means “unpretentious”.

Type material examined: Holotype male, Uzbekistan, Samarkand, emergence from faeces 8.v.1949, V. Sychevskaya [ ZIN]. Paratypes: 1 male, same data as holotype; Uzbekistan, Samarkand: 4 males, emergence from faeces 15.iv.1949, V. Sychevskaya, 1 male and 2 females, emergence from dump 26.iv.1949, V. Sychevskaya, 2 males and 3 females, emergence from faeces 31.iii.1949, V. Sychevskaya; 1 male, Uzbekistan, Shakhimardan [39º58'N 71º47'E], 29.viii.1955, V. Sychevskaya; 1 male, Uzbekistan, Ferghana [40º23'N 71º47'E], 8.v.1953, V. Sychevskaya; 1 male, Uzbekistan, Termez [37º13'N 67º16'E], 24.ii.1958, V. Sychevskaya; 1 female, Uzbekistan, Baysun [38º12'N 67º11'E], 9.vi.1957, V. Sychevskaya [ ZIN]; 1 female, Turkmenistan, Kara-Kala, bank of Sumbar River [Makhtumkuli, 38º26'N 56º17'E], 1933, Ushinsky [ ZIN]; 1 male, No. A, Turkmenistan, Geok Tepe [Gokdepe, 38º09'N 57º57'E], Chyuli [gorge in Kopet Dag Range], collected 13.vi.1984, emergence from fungus 10.vi.1984, N. Krivosheina [ ZMUM]; 1 male, Tajikistan, Varzob [25 km N Dushanbe, ~ 38º46'N 68º49'E], 14.v.1939, A. Romanov [ ZMUM].

Description. The description of this new species was prepared in comparison with P. trimaculata ; for a full description of both sexes of P. trimaculata please refer to Hennig (1963c: 884).

In both male and female of the new species, the chaetotaxy and colour do not differ from Phaonia trimaculata except in minor characters: the body of the new species with more dense pale dust and lines and spots on scutum, scutellum and abdomen which are not as distinct as in Phaonia trimaculata ( Figs. 4 A, C); crossveins not infuscated; legs yellow-brown, femora more or less dark brown, sometimes black, tibiae yellow or brown, fore tibia without posterior seta, hind tibia with 3–4 anteroventrals; sternite 5 and male terminalia of Phaonia modesta sp. nov. ( Fig. 4 B and 5A, B) very different from Phaonia trimaculata ( Figs. 4 D, 5C, D) (see below).

Male terminalia: Epandrium of P. modesta sp. nov. 2 times higher than wide; surstylus short, shorter than cerci in lateral view, bent medially with apex rounded ( Fig. 5 A); cercal plate about as high as wide, square-shaped, with outer ventral projection narrowed in apex, longer than broad and blunt inner projection ( Fig. 5 B). While P. trimaculata has epandrium as high as wide, surstylus slightly longer than cerci, cercal plate trapezoid ( Fig. 5 C, D).

Ovipositor: elongate with narrow lateral tergal plates ( Figs 6 A–D).

Measurements: Length of body, 6.0– 7.5 mm. Length of wing, 6.5–7.5 mm.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Phaonia spp., males: A, B: Phaonia modesta sp. nov. (paratype); C, D: Phaonia trimaculata. A, C, Habitus, dorsal view. B, D, Sternite 5.

FIGURE 5 Phaonia spp., male terminalia: A, B: Phaonia modesta sp. nov. (paratype); C, D: Phaonia trimaculata. A, C, Terminalia, lateral view. B, D, Cercal plate, posterior view.

FIGURE 6. Phaonia modesta sp. nov., female ovipositor (paratype): A, C, Dorsal view. B, D, Ventral view.