Poecilosomella additionalis, Papp, 2010

Papp, L., 2010, Seven New Afrotropical Species Of Poecilosomella Duda (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (1), pp. 9-41 : 11-13

Poecilosomella additionalis sp. n.

( Figs 1–8 , 69 )

Holotype male ( NMSA): SOUTH AFRICA, NATAL, Pietermaritzburg , “Epworth, 10. IX. 1987, light”, A. E. Whittington.

Paratypes: 1 male (abdomen with genitalia in a microvial, NMSA): SOUTH AFRICA: Natal, Pietermaritzburg, “Sept. 5”, 1976, col. Ray M. Miller. 1 female ( NMSA): Karkloof range nr. Mt. Alida, Natal, S. Africa , B. & P. Stuckenberg , 24. XII. 1961 . 1 female ( HNHM, right wing on a slide): SOUTH AFRICA: Natal, Mtunzini Malaise Tr. 28°58’S: 31°46’E, Barringtonia Raphia swamp forest, iii 1990, Coll: P. E. Reavell . 1 male ( HNHM): RSA, Eastern Cape Prov., Sunland , wet meadow, Jan 12, 2007, GPS12, S33°30’12.5” E25°36’31.0”, 42 m, leg. L. Papp & M. FÖLDVÁRI (gen. prep.) .

Measurements in mm: body length 2.58 (holotype), 2.36–2.48 (paratypes), wing length 1.97 (holotype), 1.88–2.13 (paratypes), wing width 1.05 (holotype), 0.93–1.08 (paratypes).

Body dark brown, silvery pattern of head and mesonotum incl. scutellum as in related species.

Head dark brown, only at most anterior margin reddish. Fronto-orbitals subequal, anterior pair 0.165 mm long. 3 (4) pairs of medium-long interfrontals. Gena rather narrow 0.12 mm broad below eye. A distinct genal seta present. Aristal cilia long, 0.03 mm.

Both anterior dorsocentral and prescutellar (acrostichal) pairs strong. Anterior katepisternal 0.275 mm, posterior pair 0.31 mm long.

Wing ( Fig. 69 ) rather broad and patterned: brown with dark diffuse colour basally and in r 1 cell below apical part of R 1 and around apical part of R 2+3. Two diffuse light spots in subcostal cell, subbasally and apically, clear though narrow “windows” around cross-veins and 3 confluent “windows” discernible in r 2+3, r 4+5 and m cells. Cilia on wing membrane rather long. Costa thick, longest cilia on first costal section 0.09 mm. Second costal section much shorter than third section (0.385 mm vs. 0.57 mm). Costa overruns apex of R 4 +5 by 0.022 mm. Vein R 2 +3 strongly but not perpendicularly curved with a 0.08 mm (paratype) to 0.10 mm (holotype) long vein appendage. R 4 +5 strongly curved up. Inter-crossvein section of M 0.20 mm, hind cross-vein 0.17 mm. Anal vein thickened basally and continued into a long dark spot (actually not a vein) and a similar but curved dark spot present, which “closes” cubital cell .

Femora and tibiae all dark, no lighter rings, only knees dirty yellowish. Mid tibia (of the holotype) with anterodorsals at 19/61 (short), 23/61 (longer and thick), 36/61 (medium-long), 40/61 (long and thick); dorsals at 42/61 (medium), 49/61 (very long and thick); posterodorsals at 14/61 (short), 19/61 (long), 34/61 (long), 46/61 (very long and thick). Several slightly curved ventroapicals present. Fore tarsus white, except for basitarsus (one male and one female paratypes with light apex of basitarsus). Mid tarsi light: basitarsus lighter brown with yellowish apex, 2nd tarsomere light brown but both ends broadly yellow, 3rd and 4th tarsomeres yellow, 5th tarsomere light brown. Mid basitarsus long and slender, length 0.37 mm, thickness 0033 mm, ventrally with close set rows of anteroventral and posteroventral black though not thick setae. Hind tarsi darker brown, 3rd and 4th tarsomeres as well as apex of 2nd tarsomere yellow.

Abdomen all dark brown. Abdominal tergites 1 and 2 with a large broad crocodile-heartshaped (i.e. the shape of heart in love messages) desclerotised area. Longest marginal-lateral setae on tergite 4 and tergite 5 only 0.20–0.22 mm. Male sternite 3 and sternite 4 quadrate. Male sternite 5 ( Fig. 1 ) strongly asymmetrical, with a large medio-caudal black setulose process, which bears thicker curved setae caudally ( Fig. 1 ). Sternite 6 ( Fig. 2 ) with a bilobed medial plate almost perpendicular to body axis (i.e. almost horizontal). Sternite 8 part comparatively long. Epandrium strongly asymmetrical, right half much larger (longer). Medial part of hypandrium comparatively large, as long as phallapodeme. Cerci large, protruding in lateral view ( Fig. 3 ). Cerci protruding along the sagittal line, with fine hairs there, otherwise bare medially. Subepandrial sclerite high. Apical half of surstylus in 2 lobes ( Fig. 3 ), cranial process well-sclerotised with numerous medium-long setae; caudal lobe (process) long and rather thin in caudal view ( Figs 4–6 ) with a comparatively small apical thorn. Caudal lobe rather short setose. Inner (medial) plate of surstylus rather large (covered on Fig. 5 ). Postgonite long, broadened at its middle ( Fig. 7 ), apical fourth with minute hairs. Basiphallus ( Fig. 8 ) compact rather than curved, ventral caudal part with short thornlets.

Female cercus with a pair of thick thorns of 0.04 mm.

Poecilosomella additionalis sp. n. is related to P. pallidimana (DUDA) , but it is easy to separate them. Also the wings are different, however, there are numerous distinct differences in male genitalia. Fortunately, also the female sex is identifiable through the thick thorn pair of cerci.

Etymology. It was a surprise to find an additional species to P. pallidimana , resulting in the formation of a species group instead of a very distinct species, as thought before; the specific epithet reflects this.

Figures

Figs 1–4. Poecilosomella additionalis sp. n., paratype male, postabdomen and genitalia. 1 = sternite 5, ventral view, 2 = postabdominal sclerites, ventral view, 3 = contours of epandrium, cercus and surstylus, lateral view (i.e. when caudal borders of epandrium overlapping), 4 = epandrium with modified cerci, subepandrial sclerite, anal plates and surstyli, subcaudal view, perpendicular to cerci (most of the epandrial setae omitted). Scales: 0.2 mm for Figs 1–2, 4, 0.4 mm for Fig. 3

Figs 5–8. Poecilosomella additionalis sp. n., paratype male, genitalia.5 = surstylus in broadest extension, 6 = same, caudal process in higher magnification, 7 = postgonite, in broadest (sublateral) view, 8 = basiphallus, lateral view. Scales: 0.2 mm for Fig. 5, 0.1 mm for Figs 6–8

Figs 69–72. Wings of Poecilosomella spp. n. 69 = P. additionalis sp. n. (paratype female); 70 = P. duploseriata sp. n. (paratype male), 71 = P. setimanus sp. n. (holotype male); 72 = P. setosissima sp. n.