Blepharella persimilis Shima, Zhang and Tachi, 2025

Shima, Hiroshi, Tachi, Takuji & Zhang, Wenxia, 2025, The genus Blepharella Macquart (Diptera: Tachinidae) from the Oriental Region, Journal of Natural History 59 (21 - 24), pp. 1647-1687 : 1670-1673

Blepharella persimilis Shima, Zhang and Tachi sp. n.

( Figure 7 )

Diagnosis

A medium-sized blackish goniine; fronto-orbital plate with yellowish pruinosity which contrasts to the whitish pruinose face and parafacial; antenna mainly black in ground colour; palpus reddish yellow; thorax black in ground colour with whitish pruinosity on anterior 1/3 of presutural area of scutum; scutellum black or dark brownish; mid-tibia with 3 anterodorsal setae in male, 4 in female; male claws and pulvilli longer than 5th tarsomeres; abdominal dorsum with rather thin whitish pruinosity on anterior 1/3 of 4th tergite and anterolateral margin of 5th tergite in male, anterior 1/3 of 3rd tergite and anterior 3/4 of 4th in female; syntergite 1 + 2 and 3rd tergite usually without median marginal setae in male, 3rd tergite with a pair of median marginal setae in female.

Description

Holotype male. CHINA / Yunnan, Xishuang-/banna, Xiaomeng- /yang, 4.x.1989, H. Shima ( IZCAS) . Paratypes, 1 male, CHINA, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Meng-man, 800 m, 11 .x .1989, H. Shima ; 4 males, 2 females, Xishuangbanna, Mengla, 3–5 . viii .1990, S. Lin and H . Shima ( BLKU, KUM, KIZ) ; 1 female, NEPAL, Kathmandu ,

Kathmandu Valley , Dakushinkali, 26 .vii .1992, R. Kano ( KUM); 1 female, Thailand, NE Chiangmai, Doi Suthep, 1278 m, 29 .iii–4 .v.1958, T.C. Maa ( BPBM) .

Other specimens examined: 1 male (abdomen missing, terminalia glued on a pin with specimen), CHINA, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Menglun , 500–700 m, 6–9 .viii .1990, H. Shima; 1 female, China, Simao, 15 km E Jing-gu , 900 m, 17 .viii .1990, H. Shima ( KUM) .

Male. Differing from B. fuscibasis Shima and Zhang sp. n. as follows: Fronto-orbital plate and upper half of postocular area with dense yellow pruinosity, parafacial, face, lower half of postocular area and occiput with dense whitish pruinosity, genal dilation with dense greyish pruinosity; antenna brown-black, marginal area of scape and pedicel and base of postpedicel sometimes reddish; vertex 0.19–0.23 of head width, frontal vitta subequal in width to, of slightly narrower than, fronto-orbital plate at middle; gena 0.24–0.25 of eye height; occiput without black setulae on upper 1/2 of occiput; thoracic dorsum with whitish pruinosity on presutural area and anterior 1/3 of postsutural scutum, pruinosity fading posteriorly, 4 longitudinal vittae distinct; wing without distinct tinge on basal area; mid-tibia with 2 anterodorsal setae in male and 4 in female; hind tibia without submedian strong setae on closely set row of anterodorsal setae in male, a strong seta in female; syntergite 1 + 2 without median marginal setae in male and female, 3rd tergite usually without median marginal setae in male and a pair of strong setae in female; 5th sternite weakly constricted near median 1/3 of anterior margin, with broad median cleft, lateral lobe with several long hairs on outer margin, without distinct projection.

Male terminalia. Similar to those of B. fuscibasis Shima and Tachi. sp. n.; 6th tergite separated into 2 rather large hemitergites, without hairs; cerci in lateral view nearly straight, anterior portion weakly swollen ventrally, in dorsal view weakly narrowed from base to apex, apical 3/5 narrowly separated from each other; surstylus in lateral view nearly long triangular in form, nearly straight, with many long fine hairs; dorsal arms of hypandrium separated from each other; pregonite narrow, with several fine hairs on posterior margin; epiphallus rather weakly sclerotised apically, inclined posteriorly.

Female. Differing from male as follows: Frons wider, 0.22–0.24 of head width; frontal vittae narrower, about 5/8 of fronto-orbital plate at middle; outer vertical setae developed, about 1/2 as long as inner vertical seta; 2 subequally long proclinate orbital setae, about 3/4 as long as inner vertical seta; gena 0.25–0.26 of eye height; claws and pulvilli shorter than 5th tarsomeres; 3rd abdominal tergite with a pair of rather small (about 1/2 as long as 4th tergite) median marginal setae; 4th abdominal tergite without sexual hair patches.

Female terminalia. Sixth tergite broadly separated at middle, with strong setae on posterior 1/3; 6th abdominal spiracle on anteroventral corner of 6th tergite and 7th spiracle on posteroventral 1/3 of 6th tergite; 6th sternite 2/3 as long as 7th sternite; 7th tergite broadly separated into rather rounded quadrate hemitergites, smaller than 6th tergite, with several rather fine hairs on posterior margin; 7th sternite well narrowed posteriorly with a prolongation on posteroventral margin, with many fine hairs on posterior 2/3; 8th tergite reduced to short and C-shaped hemitergites, lower portion broadened, without hairs; 8th sternite reduced to a small quadrate sclerite, with fine short hairs on marginal 1/3; epiproct strongly reduced to a pair of dot-like sclerites, without hair; cerci short.

Egg. Length: 0.20–0.21 mm. Dark brownish; almost roundish; chorion with strong pentagonal and hexagonal ridges and small punctuations within ridges; aeropylar structure with some small ridges in anterior portion of egg.

Body length: 9.2–10.1 mm.

Host. Unknown.

Etymology

This species is very similar in colour and general appearance to the Japanese B. bomolocha Shima and Tachi , Southeast Asian B. fuscibasis Shima and Zhang sp. n., and B. flavipicta Shima and Zhang sp. n., and so is named using the Latin prefix ‘ per ’ (very) plus the adjective ‘ similium ’ (similar).

Distribution

China (Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna), Nepal, Thailand (Chiangmai).

Remarks

This species closely resembles B. bomolocha , B. fuscibasis Shima and Zhang sp. n. and B. malayana Shima and Zhang sp. n., but differs from them by the wing base not darkened and thoracic pruinosity not yellow but whitish, occiput white and lacking black setulae behind the post ocellar setae, and the features of the male cerci and surstylus.

Figures

Figure 7. Blepharella persimilis Shima, Zhang and Tachi sp. n. (A) Adult male in lateral view. (B) Same in dorsal view. (C) Adult female head in lateral view. (D) Male terminalia in lateral view. (E) Epandrium, cerci and surstylus in lateral view. (F) Same in dorsal view. (G) Hypandrium, pre- and postgonite, epiphallus and aedeagus in lateral view. (H) Same in lateral view. (I) Female terminalia in lateral view. (J) Same in ventral view. (K) Egg in dorsal view. (L) Same in lateral view. Scale bars: D–J = 0.2 mm; K, L = 0.1 mm.