Physocephala microvena, Brunetti, 1925

Stuke, Jens-Hermann & Clements, David K., 2019, New conopid records from the Afrotropical Region (Diptera) - Part 3: Physocephalini, Bonn zoological Bulletin 68 (2), pp. 209-273 : 252-256

P. microvena Brunetti, 1925

( Figs 94–101 )

Physocephala microvena Brunetti 1925

= Pseudophysocephala nigritarsis Kröber 1939 (syn. nov.)

New conopid records from the Afrotropical Region ( Diptera ) – Part 3: Physocephalini 253 Primary type material examined. 1♀ syntype of Physocephala microvena Brunetti 1925 : (1) “ Syn- / type”; (2) “H. S. Stannus / Zomba. / Nyasaland.”; (3) “Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / Brit. Mus. / 1924-306”; (4) “ Physo. / microvena / Brun Type ♀ / Det. E. Brunetti 1924”; (5) “BMNH(E)# / 249157”; coll. NHML.

1♂ syntype of Physocephala microvena Brunetti 1925 : (1) “ Syn- / type”; (2) “ H. S. Stannus / Zomba. / Nyasa- land.”; (3) “Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / Brit. Mus. / 1924- 306”; (4) “ Physo. / microvena / Brun / Type ♂ / Det. E. Brunetti 1924”; (5) “BMNH(E)# / 249156”; coll. NHML .

1♂ syntype of Physocephala microvena Brunetti 1925 : (1) “ Syn- / type”; (2) “ H. S. Stannus / Zomba. / Nyasa- land.”; (3) “Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / Brit. Mus. / 1924- 306”; (4) “ Physo. / microvena / Brun / Cotype ♂ / Det. E. Brunetti 1924”; (5) “BMNH(E)# / 249158”; coll. NHML .

1♀ syntype of Physocephala microvena Brunetti 1925 : (1) “ Syn- / type”; (2) “ H. S. Stannus / Zomba. / Nyas- aland.”; (3) “ Physo. / microvena / Brun / Cotype ♂ / Det. E. Brunetti 1924”; (4) “BMNH(E)# / 249158”; coll. NHML .

1♀ syntype of Physocephala microvena Brunetti 1925 : (1) “ Syn- / type”; (2) “ H. S. Stannus / Zomba. / Nyasa- land.”; (3) “Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / Brit. Mus. / 1924- 306”; (4) “ Physocephala / microvena Brun. / ♂. Cotype. / (Det. E. Brunetti 1924)”; (5) “BMNH(E)# / 249160”; coll. NHML .

♀ holotype of Pseudophysocephala nigritarsis Kröber 1939 : (1) “ Holo - / type”; (2) “ Type ”; (3) “ Fort Portal / Nyakasura / 24.i.1935 / J. W. Edwards ”; (4) “ Uganda: / Ruwenzori Range / xii.1934 – i.1935. / B. M. E. Afr. Exp. / B. M. 1935-203”; (5) “ Pseudophysocephala / nigritarsis, Krb. / examined & det. / O. Krober, 1938.”; (6) “ Pseodophysoce - / phala nigri - / tarsis Krb”; (7) “BMNH(E)# / 249147”; coll. NHML .

Additional material. BENIN: 1♀, 1.xii.2011, Lokoli , swamp forest [07°03’40.00″N 02°15’50.00″E], leg. G. Goergen, coll. IITA ; BURUNDI: 2♀♀, 5.–12.iii.1953, Bururi, 1800–2000 m [-3.949 29.623], det. as P. nigritarsis by Camras 1962, leg. P. Basilewsky, coll. FMNH, MRAC ; 1♀, 4.vi.1952, Colline Muramba, Bugoni, Terr. de Muhinga [-2.930 30.357], 1400 m, det. as P. nigritarsis by Janssen 1955, leg. F. J. François, coll. ISNB ; CAM- EROON: 1♂, no date, Neu Kamerun, det. as P. nigritarsis by Camras 2000, leg. G. Tessmann, coll. ZMHB ; DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 1♀, no date, Elisabethville [Lubumbashi] [-11.664232 27.482626], det. as P. microvena by Camras 1962, leg. M. Bequaert, coll. FMNH ; 1♀, 10.xi.1928, Ituri, Blukwar , syntype of P. curta but not conspecific with designated lectotype, leg. A. Collart, coll. MRAC ; 1♀, 12.iv.1953, Kivu, Kiten- ga, près riv. Ruzizi [-6.896 25.975], leg. J. Verbeke, coll. ISNB ; 1♀, 9.iv.1945, Rumangabo , riv. Bugombwa, det. as P. gigantea by Janssens 1950, leg. G. F. de Witte, coll. MRAC ; 1♀, 29.iii.1954, Secteur Tshiaberimu, riv. Kaliv- ina, affl. Talia Nord , 2350 m [-0.13 29.42], 2350 m, leg. P. Vanschuytbroeck & H. Synave, coll. MRAC ; 1♂, 21.– 27.viii.1931, Tshibinda [-0.287 28.776], det. as P. nigritarsis by Camras 1962, leg. J. Ogilvie, coll. FMNH ; KENYA: 1♂, 12.iii.1993, 5 km e Kaimosi , se Kakamega [0.125 34.892], 1750 m, leg. B. Merz, coll. TAUI ; 1♂, 10.x.1998, Bungoma [0.5645 34.558], leg. F. Kaplan, A. Freidberg, coll. TAUI ; 2♂♂, 12.–13.i.1996, Bungo- ma [0.5645 34.558], leg. I. Yarom, A. Freidberg, coll. TAUI ; 1♀, 8.x.1998, Gilgil [-0.500043 36.326122], leg. F. Kaplan, A. Freidberg, coll. TAUI ; 3♂♂ 1♀, 10.x.1998, Kakamega [0.281 34.753], leg. F. Kaplan, A. Freidberg, coll. TAUI ; 1♂, 7.–8.ii.2011, Kakamega Forest , 1586 m [0°13′37.2″N 34°52′49.8″E], 1586 m, leg. M. Mei, P. Ceretti, D. Whitmore, coll. PMME ; 1♂, 1.–10.ii.2002, Kakamega Isecheno Nature Reserve [0.24′N 34.86′E], 1800 m, leg. Okeka, coll. PMHA ; 1♂, 11.–20.i.2003, ditto ; 1♂, iv.1969, Karen nr Nairobi , leg. van Someren, coll. NHML [ NHMUK010922149 ] ; 1♀, 9.x.1998, Keri- cho [-0.368726 35.281219], leg. F. Kaplan, A. Freidberg, coll. TAUI ; 1♂, 11.–12.iv.1957, Molo, Mau Escarpment , 2150–2200 m, det. as P. nigritarsis by Camras 1962, leg. P. Basilewsky, N. Leleup, coll. MRAC ; 1♂, ix.1939, Naivasha, det. as P. nigritarsis by Camras 1999, leg. H. J. A. Turner, coll. NHML [ NHMUK010922138 ] ; 1♀, ix.1939, Naivasha, det. as P. nigritarsis by Camras 2000, leg. H. J. A. Turner, coll. NHML [ NHMUK010922141 ] ; 1♂, 12.iii.1993, near Kaimosi , se Kakamega [0.125606 34.844837], 1750 m, leg. Muhangani, coll. TAUI ; 1♀, 16.xi.–22.xii.1998, Rift Valley Province, Mpala research Station [00°19′N 36°53′E], Malaise trap, leg. S. Miller, coll. NMKE ; 1♂, 2.–9.i.2000, Western Province, Ka- kamega Forest , Malaise trap [0°14.13′N 34°51.87′E], leg. R. Copeland, coll. NMKE ; UGANDA: 1♂, 22.iv.1966, 20 miles e Mubende, leg. D. J. Greathead, coll. NHML [ NHMUK010922147 ] ; 1♂, 19.x.1958, Kawanda, det. as P. nigritarsis by Camras 2000, [collector unknown], coll. NHML [ NHMUK010922137 ] ; 1 specimen, xii.1934 – i.1935, Ruwenzori Range, det. as P. nigritarsis by Camras 2000, leg. B. M. E. Africa Expedition, coll. NHML [ NHMUK010922140 ] ; 1♂, 20.iii.2012, Rwenzo- ri Gebirge, Nyakalengila [N002100 E300149], 1705 m, leg. Oehlke, coll. PASS ; 1♂, 16.xi.1949, Shangugu [= Cyangugu] [-2.483333 28.896667], 1460 m, det. as P. platycephala by Janssen 1954, leg. F. J. François, coll. ISNB ; ZIMBABWE: 1♀, 2.–6.xii.2015, Chirinda Forest, Mt. Selinda [20°25′S 32°43′E], 1000 m, leg. J. Halada, coll. CULSP ; 1♂, 18.vi.1964, n Vumba [= Bvumba] [-19.093432 32.740631], det. as P. microvena Camras 2000 , leg. D. Cookson, coll. FMNH ; 2♂♂, 4.vii.1964, n Vumba [= Bvumba] [-19.093432 32.740631], det. as P. microvena Camras 2000 , leg. D. Cookson, coll. FMNH ; 1♀, 18.vii.1964, n Vumba [= Bvumba] [-19.093432 32.740631], det. as P. microvena by Camras 2000, leg. D. Cookson, coll. FMNH ; 1♀, 8.x.1964, n Vumba [= Bvum- ba] [-19.093432 32.740631], det. as P. microvena by Cam- ras 2000, leg. D. Cookson, coll. FMNH ; 1♂, 20.ii.1965, n Vumba [= Bvumba] [-19.093432 32.740631], det. as P. microvena Camras 2000 , leg. D. Cookson, coll. FMNH ; 1♀, 8.v.1965, n Vumba [= Bvumba] [-19.093432 32.740631], det. as P. microvena by Camras 1999, leg. D. Cookson, coll. FMNH ; 1♀, 8.v.1965, n Vumba [= Bvum- ba] [-19.093432 32.740631], det. as P. microvena by Camras 2000, leg. D. Cookson, coll. FMNH ; 1♀, v.1932, Xmas Pas, Umtali [= Christmas Pass near Mutare], leg. J. Ogilvie, coll. NHML [ NHMUK010922146 ] ; 1♂, v.1932, ditto [NHMUK010922148] .

Most P. microvena specimens characteristically have veins M and R 4+5 fused, thus lacking any radial-medial crossvein ( Figs 98, 100 ). A minority of specimens do have a very short radial-medial crossvein present, how- ever, and a reduced crossvein rm may also occur occa- sionally in specimens of other species, causing complica- tions in identification. Females of P. microvena are easily identified by the short, broad theca ( Fig. 97 ) and short abdominal segments ( Fig. 96 ), with confusion only really likely with P. pseudomicrovena , which may be conspe- cific. Conversely, males of P. microvena are extremely difficult to identify reliably and could be easily confused with males of other species-groups and also with males of P. constricta where these also have a reduced radial-medial crossvein. Where present, the distance between 256 Jens-Hermann Stuke & David K. Clements

the two short dark submedial stripes in the microtrichial dusting on the anterior scutum may be the best character for separating P. constricta and P. microvena , these being separated by a wider medial dusted stripe in the former ( Fig. 81 ) than in the latter ( Fig. 99 ).

As mentioned by Camras (2001) there are several inter- mediates between typical P. microvena and P. nigritarsis . Therefore, Pseudophysocephala nigritarsis Kröber, 1939 is herewith placed as a junior synonym of Physocephala microvena Brunetti, 1925 (syn. nov.).

Figures

Figs 94–101. Physocephala microvena Brunetti, 1925. 94. ♂ abdomen, dorsal view (♂, n Vumba); 95. ♀ abdomen, dorsal view (♀, n Vumba); 96. ♀ abdomen, lateral view (♀, n Vumba); 97. ♀ theca, ventral view (♀, n Vumba); 98. Wing, dorsal view (♀, n Vumba); 99. Scutum with dusting stripes, anterodorsal view (♂, n Vumba); 100. Completely reduced radial-medial crossvein, dorsal view (♀, n Vumba); 101. ♂ epandrium, dorsal view (♂, Bumgoma).

Figs 76–83. Physocephala constricta Kröber, 1915. 76. ♀ abdomen, dorsal view (♀, Cathedral peak); 77. Tip of ♀ abdomen, lateral view (♀, Cathedral peak); 78. ♂ abdomen, dorsal view (♂, Harrismith Scotland farm); 79. Arista, lateral view (♂, Harrismith Scot- land farm); 80. Indentation on posterior margin of eye, lateral view (♀, Cathedral peak); 81. Scutum, dorsal view (♂, Harrismith Scotland farm); 82. Epandrium, dorsal view (♂, Mamathes); 83. Wing, ventral view (♀, Cathedral peak).