Parapterogramma Papp, 2008

Kuwahara, Gregory K., Marshall, Stephen A. & Luk, Stephen P. L., 2025, A revision of Parapterogramma Papp and Pseudopterogramma Papp, with a review of the Parapterogramma genus group of the Pacific and Indomalayan regions (Diptera, Sphaeroceridae, Limosininae), European Journal of Taxonomy 998, pp. 1-124 : 11-12

Genus Parapterogramma Papp, 2008

Parapterogramma Papp, 2008: 97 (neuter). Type species: Parapterogramma asiaticum Papp, 2008 by original designation. Minialula Papp, 2008: 91 (feminine). Type species: Minialula poeciloptera Papp, 2008 by original designation. Syn. nov.

Parapterogramma – Marshall et al. 2011: 257 (world catalog).

Minialula – Marshall et al. 2011: 249 (world catalog). — Hayashi 2013: 351 (redescription).

Diagnosis

In addition to the synapomorphies that define the Parapterogramma genus group, Parapterogramma is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: head and scutum with pale yellow and grey microtomentum; anterior pair of dorsocentral bristles just behind suture; mid tibia with 3–4 dorsal bristles on proximal half; R 2+3 strongly curved towards costa to almost straight; R 4+5 strongly curved and meeting costa well before wing tip; first section of R 4+5 0.5–1.0 × length of M 1 between crossveins; male S6 simple; surstylus usually divided into larger anterior lobe and smaller posterior lobe; postgonite short; female S8 large, usually convex anteromedially.

Definition

Parapterogramma is defined by the following synapomorphies: silver-gold microtomentum on the orbital and interfrontal plates, anterior dorsocentral bristles just behind the suture, 3–4 dorsal bristles on the proximal half of the mid tibia (proximal 1–2 smaller), first section of R 4+5 shorter than or equal to length of M 1 between crossveins, and R 4+5 strongly curved forwards to end well before the wing tip.

Redescription

BODY. Colour light to dark brown. Length 1.0– 1.9 mm.

HEAD. Yellow to dark brown, with silver-gold microtomentum on interfrontal plate, orbital plate, lunule, around the inner vertical bristle and/or the ocellar triangle. Frontal width 2.0–2.5 × interfrontal height. Interfrontal bristles in three fine pairs, middle pair largest with tips almost touching; two moderate lateroclinate orbital bristles, anterior orbital smaller (0.5–0.7 ×) than posterior; ocellar bristles large and diverging; inner orbital bristle very large; postvertical bristle large; postocellar bristle small. Lunule small; face shiny and translucent. Vibrissa large, vibrissal angle with subvibrissal seta; gena with a large, upcurved, anteroventral seta and several smaller setulae. Palpus small (~0.5 × median width of eye, not strongly reduced as Papp (2008) describes), clavate, narrow with two subapical setulae. Eye with a slight notch at about level of anterior edge of frons, eye height 2.0–4.0× genal height.

THORAX. Yellow to dark brown, scutum often with complex patterns of grey-brown microtomentum. Two pairs of large dorsocentral bristles, anterior pair just behind suture and large (0.7–0.8 × posterior pair), separated by 7–10 rows of fine acrostichal setulae. Two postpronotal bristles, outer bristle large and inner bristle smaller; two notopleural bristles, anterior notopleural slightly larger than posterior; two strong supra-alar bristles; postalar and intrapostalar bristles strong. Katepisternum with a strong posterior seta and usually a few smaller setae below. Scutellum subtriangular, densely microtomentose with darker anteromedial triangle and four large marginal bristles, apical pair 1.4× length of basal pair.

LEGS. Light to dark brown; tarsi pale brown. Mid tibia with three dorsal bristles (two anterodorsal and one posterodorsal) on proximal half and three dorsal bristles (two anterodorsal and one posterodorsal) on distal half. Ventral surface of mid tibia with a stout apical bristle and two rows of stout setae or with only an apical bristle in males (mid femur with two corresponding rows of strong proximoventral setae) and with a strong apical bristle in females; never with a distinct midventral bristle. Mid basitarsus without distinctly enlarged ventral setae. Hind tibia with several longer, fine, curved dorsal setulae in both proximal and distal halves.

WING. Patterned, membrane slightly to strongly infuscate with pale spots typically forming distinct pale vertical bands, sometimes with darkened spots along anterior edge. CS2 short, 0.4–0.5 × CS3. Vein R 2+3 short, straight for most of its length and apically bent or gently curved over its entire length, reaching costa at an angle of 30–40° but meeting costa at an angle of 60–70°; R 4+5 strongly upcurved, meeting costa well before wing tip; costa extending far beyond apex of R 4+5 (except in Pa. continentalis ( Hayashi, 2013) , Pa. magnum sp. nov., Pa. poeciloptera ( Papp, 2008) , and Pa. tropicalis ( Hayashi, 2013) in which it extends only slightly beyond). M 1 and M 4 usually distinct beyond dm-m. CuA+CuP usually long and distinct but non-tubular. Halter pale.

MALE ABDOMEN. Preabdomen brown, shiny. T2–5 and S2–4 desclerotized along margins, uniformly long-setose on posterior half. S5 usually broad and short, often with a posteromedial desclerotized part (except in the type species) and long posterolateral setae. Synsternite 6+7 large, S6 curved or sinuate, S7 usually small; sensory setae large; S6+7 strongly fused to S8 dorsally. Epandrium short dorsally and long ventrally (thus somewhat wedge-shaped) and uniformly long-setose; cercus small, flat, and fused (at least dorsomedially) to form a subanal plate; subepandrial sclerite usually pentagonal or hexagonal and medially darkened. Hypandrium Y-shaped, posterolateral arms strongly fused to anteromedial apodeme but not to the anteroventral corners of the epandrium; arms also bifurcate posteriorly. Surstylus typically large, varying widely between species, usually divided (almost entirely) into anterior and posterior lobes. Postgonite in two forms: relatively simple, curved, and tapered or more elaborate, split into inner and outer lobes. Phallapodeme elongate and sinuate; basiphallus well-developed, usually box- or trough-like with a large, elongate epiphallus (which is sometimes larger than the basiphallus). Distiphallus usually with a sclerotized basal part and a membranous apical part.

FEMALE ABDOMEN. T2–5 and S2–5 brown, shiny and desclerotized along margins, uniformly long-setose on posterior two-thirds. T1+2 broad, T3–5 and S1–5 stouter. Abdomen slightly shorter than length of head + thorax. T6–7 and S6–7 usually rectangular and long-setose in the posterior half, S7 sometimes modified to receive anterior margin of S8. T8 often divided into two setulose, lateral sclerites. Epiproct greatly reduced, without setae. Cercus densely microtomentose, subtriangular with two large setae (one apical and one dorsal) and several smaller setae. S8 usually large, microtomentose, and with several posteromedial setae. Hypoproct usually rectangular and reduced. Internal vaginal sclerotization absent. Spermathecae (2+1) usually stout, spherical to cylindrical and lightly grooved, stem membranous.

Distribution

Parapterogramma is known from Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam ( Fig. 42 ).

Species descriptions (in alphabetical order)

Figures

Fig. 42. Distribution map of Parapterogramma Papp, 2008.