Silba candidala McAlpine, 1964

Macgowan, Iain, 2019, New species of Lonchaeidae Diptera: Schizophora) from Madagascar, Israel Journal of Entomology (Oxford, England) 49 (2), pp. 223-242 : 236-237

Silba candidala McAlpine, 1964

( Figs 27–29)

Originally described, but not illustrated, by McAlpine (1964) on the basis of the holotype male (Navana-Antongil, Maroantsetra, 20–25.iii. 1958, B. Stuckenberg (Museum National Histoire Naturelle, Paris) and the allotype female and 1 male paratype (both from Antongonivirsira, viii.1950, J. Vadon ( RMCA)).

Description (summarized after McAlpine (1964: 705) and updated): Antennae: postpedicel slightly paler brownish basally, extending well beyond oral margin; approx. 3.0× as long as wide. Arista pale yellow on basal sixth; otherwise shining black; extremely long-plumose, plumosity at its widest 1.6× depth of postpedicel. Scutellum uniformly greyish dusted; margin with five to six setulae between lateral and apical setae, two between apical setae. Anepisternum with three anterodorsal and four posterior bristles. Calypteres, margins and fringes snow white. Wings remarkably white, even to naked eye; apical fifth or sixth appearing somewhat smoky from some angles; veins white.

Male terminalia ( Figs 27–29): In lateral view surstylus projecting as a rounded lobe beyond posteroventral angle of epandrium; inner surface with 11–12 prensisetae that become smaller, more widely separated and scattered anteriorly; inner surface striated. Phallus simple, non-segmented, C-shaped tube. Pregonites large, finely spiculate on basal half or more. Postgonites extremely small, phallic guide in form of two anteroventrally curved spines, each of which larger than apical portion of phallus.