Megaselia necalbiclava Disney & Karimzadeh, 2024

Disney, R. Henry L., Karimzadeh, Javad, Besharatnejad, Mohammad-Hassan, Gilasian, Ebrahim & Sheikhigarjan, Aziz, 2024, Scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) reared from Spodoptera exigua (Hübner, 1808) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Iran, Zootaxa 5448 (2), pp. 292-300 : 295

Megaselia necalbiclava Disney & Karimzadeh sp. n.

( Figs 17–26 )

Diagnosis. In Disney (1989) ’s key to the males of the British species this runs to couplet 123, which leads to M. albiclava (Schmitz) from which it differs by having a long bristle on the epandrium and the left hypandrium being longer and curved upwards instead of downwards. There are no additions to this couplet or similar species from elsewhere.

Description. Male. Frons as Fig. 17 ; Fig. 18 , postpedicels, which lack SPS vesicles, palps and proboscis. Fig. 19 , side of thorax, the mesopleuron having dozen hairs and a bristle and there being 2 notopleural bristles. Scutellum with an anterior pair of small hairs and a posterior pair of bristles. Abdomen ( Fig. 20 ) with hairs on segments 3-6 of venter. Hypopygium as Figs 21 and 22 . The legs are yellowish. Front tarsus ( Fig. 23 ) with a near dorsal palisade on segments 1-5. Mid tibia and basitarsus as Fig. 24 and hind femur as Fig. 25 . Wing ( Fig. 26 ) 1.90 mm long. Costal index 0.59. Costal ratios 2.96/1.43/1. Sc free. Costal cilia 0.13 mm. Vein 3 hair 0.10. mm. Longest axillary bristle 0.11 mm. Halteres brown.

Material examined. Holotype: IRAN • 1 ♂; Esfahan province, Mobarakeh, Arazi ; 32.4036°N, 51.6097 E; alt. 1646 m a.s.l.; 14 Sep. 2022; J. Karimzadeh leg.; reared from larvae of Spodoptera exigua feeding on cauliflower; UCMZ, 26–97; deposited in UCMZ (Cambridge, UK).

Etymology. Named after it not (nec) being M. albiclava .

Figures

FIGS 17–26. Megaselia necalbiclava sp. n. male. 17, frons; 18, postpedicels, palps and proboscis; 19, side of thorax; 20, abdomen; 21-22, hyppygium; 23, front tarsus; 24, mid tibia and basitarsus; 26, wing.