Etymology:
elachys Greek adjective = little, small. Referring to the small size of this species.
Diagnosis :
The species is distinguished from congeners by the very small size, the entirely grey pruinose abdominal tergites, the overall light brown coloration in females, the relatively short antennae, the very short proboscis, the parallel longitudinal ridges on the bullae, the presence of lateral furcal apodemes in females, and its apparent distribution in northern Zimbabwe.
Description Male:
Head: brown, in general densely grey pruinose; width distinctly greater than thorax, interocular distance on vertex larger than at ventral eye margin, vertex between compound eyes ± horizontally straight, medially only slightly below dorsal eye margin, parafacial area more than ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; facial gibbosity distinct, well-developed and discernible in lateral view; mystax light brown, covering entire facial gibbosity or white, covering entire facial gibbosity; frons entirely grey pruinose, vertex entirely grey pruinose, postgenae apruinose or lightly silver pruinose; setation: vertex light brown or white, frons light brown or white, ocp setae white, pocl setae white; ocellar triangle apruinose; proboscis light brown, very short, vestigial, knob-like; labella small, as wide as prementum, only forming distal tip of proboscis, unsclerotised laterally; maxillary palpi cylindrical, light brown, slightly longer than proboscis.
Antenna: brown or orange, scape and pedicel brown setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½ , symmetrically bulbous in distal ½ , ≥ 4.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚ seta-like‘ sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Thorax: brown, predominantly grey pruinose; scutum medially bluish-black, laterally brown, surface entirely smooth, predominantly grey pruinose, asetose median and sublateral stripes sparsely grey pruinose, setose areas densely grey pruinose, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of long dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; dc setae pre- and postsuturally white, acr setae absent, lateral scutal setae white, npl, spal, and pal setae absent; postpronotal lobe light brown, grey pruinose; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes long white setose; scutellum entirely grey pruinose, asetose, apical scutellar setae absent; mesopostnotum, anatergite, and katatergite grey pruinose, mesopostnotum asetose, anatergite long white setose, katatergite long white setose; katatergite ± flat; anterior anepisternum asetose, supero-posterior anepisternum long white setose; posterior anepimeron long white setose, katepimeron white setose; metepimeron ± flat, same colour as T1, grey pruinose, long white setose; metepisternum grey pruinose, asetose.
Leg: light brown or yellow, setation predominantly white; all coxae grey pruinose, white setose; met trochanter setose medially; femora brown or light brown, met femora ± cylindrical only slightly wider than pro and mes femora, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; all tibiae laterally arched, met tibia cylindrical, ventral keel absent; pro and mes tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-4; pulvilli well-developed, as long as well-developed claws, and as wide as base of claws; empodium absent.
Wing: length = 5.6-7.5 mm; hyaline throughout, veins light brown, microtrichia absent; cells r1, r4, r5, m3, + cup closed; C terminates at junction with R1; R4 terminatesin R1; R5 terminates in R1; stump vein (R3) at base of R4 present, short not reaching R2; R4 and R5 ± parallel medially; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein; M1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M1 (or M1+M2) terminates in R1; CuA1 and CuA2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m3 narrow proximally); M3+CuA1 do not terminate together in C; A1 undulating, cell a1 wide, A1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally, alula well-developed; halter light brown.
Abdomen: brown; setation comprised of scattered white setae, surface entirely smooth; T1-7 brown, yellow posterior margins; T1 and anterior ¼ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 brown and white setose; T entirely grey pruinose; S1-7 brown; S1 asetose, S2-3 sparsely yellow setose; S entirely grey pruinose; T2-4 parallel-sided and not constricted waist-like; bullae on T2 brown, transversely elongate, surface with parallel longitudinal ridges, T2 surface anterior to bullae smooth.
Male terminalia: T1-8 well-developed; T7-8 anteriorly with 2 lateral apodemes; S6 regular, without any special setation postero-medially, S8 well-developed and simple, not fused to T8 dorso-laterally, entire (undivided) ventro-medially; epandrium formed by single sclerite (fused medially ± entirely), rounded postero-laterally; subepandrial sclerite without lateral or median protuberances; hypandrium strongly concave, cup-shaped, entirely sclerotised ventrally (forming a single sclerite), entirely fused with gonocoxite, forming a gonocoxite-hypandrial complex; gonocoxites dorso-ventrally flattened in distal ½ , higher in proximal ½ , without median or lateral protuberance, gonocoxal apodeme absent; 2 functional aedeagal prongs, short and wide, medio-distally free, parallel or diverging laterally, distally straight or only diverging slightly laterally; aedeagal epimere present, distally simple, evenly rounded; lateral ejaculatory processes absent; ejaculatory apodeme formed by single dorso-ventrally oriented plate; ventro-median margin of dorsal aedeagal sheath heavily sclerotised (appearing entirely closed); dorsal aedeagal sheath long, sperm sac entirely covered; sperm sac appearing ± heavily sclerotised.
Description Female:
Head: brown, facial gibbosity light brown; parafacial area about as wide as ½ the width of central facial gibbosity.
Antenna: postpedicel ≥ 3.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel.
Thorax: scutum uniformly brown; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes short white setose; anatergite short white setose; katatergite short white setose; supero-posterior anepisternum asetose; posterior anepimeron short white setose.
Leg: brown, setation brown and white; all coxae grey pruinose, brown setose; pro and mes tarsomere 1 longer than tarsomere 2, but less than combined length of tarsomeres 2-3.
Wing: length = 8.9-9.2 mm; slightly brown stained throughout, veins brown; halter brown.
Abdomen: setation comprised of sparsely scattered short brown setae, T1-7 brown; T1-3 sparsely brown setose; T predominantly apruinose; S1-3 asetose; S predominantly apruinose; bullae on T2 light brown, transversely elongate.
Female genitalia: densely arranged anteriorly directed setae absent, only few on T7-8 and S7-8; T8 with broad anterior rectangular apodeme; T9 formed by wide,rectangular sclerite with median protuberance; T9+10 entirely fused, T10 divided into 2 heavily sclerotised acanthophorite plates, 5-7 acanthophorite spurs per plate; 2 spermathecae, all equally large, formed by ± expanded weakly sclerotised ducts and spherical weakly sclerotised reservoirs; individual spermathecal ducts short; S9 (furca) formed by 1 sclerite, ring-like (joined anteriorly and posteriorly), anterior furcal apodeme present, 2 lateral projections forming divided apodeme, lateral furcal apodeme present, median furcal bridge absent.
Material examined:
Zimbabwe: Mashonaland East: 1 ♂ Kotwa, Broken Causeway, 17°03'00"S; 032°46'00"E, 7.ix.1986 , M. Lillig S. Potel (AAM-001111 paratype, ZSMC); 1 ♂ Kotwa, Broken Causeway, 8.ix.1986 , M. Lillig S. Potel (AAM-001112 paratype, ZSMC); 1 ♂ Kotwa, Broken Causeway, 31.viii.1986 , M. Lillig S. Potel (AAM-001113 paratype, ZSMC); 1 ♂ Kotwa, Broken Causeway, 25.viii.1986 , M. Lillig S. Potel (AAM-001114 paratype, ZSMC); 1 ♀ Kotwa, Chimana Causeway, 17°06'00"S; 032°38'00"E, 26.viii.1986 , M. Lillig S. Potel (AAM-001115 paratype, ZSMC); Mashonaland West: 1 ♀ 3 ♂ Rukommetje Research Station, 16°06'00"S; 029°15'00"E, -. viii.1988 , J. Weyrich (AAM-001117 1 ♂ holotype, AAM-001116, AAM-001118-AAM-001119 paratypes, ZSMC); 1 ♂ Rukommetje Research Station, -. viii.1988 , J. Weyrich (AAM-001120 paratype, ZSMC); 4 ♂ SE Angwe Bridge, 16°05'00"S; 030°09'00"E, -. viii.1988 , J. Weyrich (AAM-001121-AAM-001124 paratypes, ZSMC).
Type locality and distribution:
Rukommetje Research Station (16°06'00"S; 029°15'00"E), Zimbabwe (Fig. 48). Biodiversity hotspot/high-biodiversity wilderness area: -/Miombo-Mopane Woodlands and Savannas.
Remarks:
This species does not belong to the subgenus Notobates as defined by Hesse (1969: 274) and it might therefore present the southernmost distribution of the primarily Palaearctic subgenus Syllegomydas . The monophyly of Syllegomydas (Notobates) needs to be investigated and will be tested with a phylogenetic study of Mydidae currently in preparation by the author.
Etymology:
elachys Greek adjective = little, small. Referring to the small size of this species.
Diagnosis :
The species is distinguished from congeners by the very small size, the entirely grey pruinose abdominal tergites, the overall light brown coloration in females, the relatively short antennae, the very short proboscis, the parallel longitudinal ridges on the bullae, the presence of lateral furcal apodemes in females, and its apparent distribution in northern Zimbabwe.
Description Male:
Head: brown, in general densely grey pruinose; width distinctly greater than thorax, interocular distance on vertex larger than at ventral eye margin, vertex between compound eyes ± horizontally straight, medially only slightly below dorsal eye margin, parafacial area more than ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; facial gibbosity distinct, well-developed and discernible in lateral view; mystax light brown, covering entire facial gibbosity or white, covering entire facial gibbosity; frons entirely grey pruinose, vertex entirely grey pruinose, postgenae apruinose or lightly silver pruinose; setation: vertex light brown or white, frons light brown or white, ocp setae white, pocl setae white; ocellar triangle apruinose; proboscis light brown, very short, vestigial, knob-like; labella small, as wide as prementum, only forming distal tip of proboscis, unsclerotised laterally; maxillary palpi cylindrical, light brown, slightly longer than proboscis.
Antenna: brown or orange, scape and pedicel brown setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½ , symmetrically bulbous in distal ½ , ≥ 4.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like‘ sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Thorax: brown, predominantly grey pruinose; scutum medially bluish-black, laterally brown, surface entirely smooth, predominantly grey pruinose, asetose median and sublateral stripes sparsely grey pruinose, setose areas densely grey pruinose, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of long dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; dc setae pre- and postsuturally white, acr setae absent, lateral scutal setae white, npl, spal, and pal setae absent; postpronotal lobe light brown, grey pruinose; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes long white setose; scutellum entirely grey pruinose, asetose, apical scutellar setae absent; mesopostnotum, anatergite, and katatergite grey pruinose, mesopostnotum asetose, anatergite long white setose, katatergite long white setose; katatergite ± flat; anterior anepisternum asetose, supero-posterior anepisternum long white setose; posterior anepimeron long white setose, katepimeron white setose; metepimeron ± flat, same colour as T1, grey pruinose, long white setose; metepisternum grey pruinose, asetose.
Leg: light brown or yellow, setation predominantly white; all coxae grey pruinose, white setose; met trochanter setose medially; femora brown or light brown, met femora ± cylindrical only slightly wider than pro and mes femora, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; all tibiae laterally arched, met tibia cylindrical, ventral keel absent; pro and mes tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-4; pulvilli well-developed, as long as well-developed claws, and as wide as base of claws; empodium absent.
Wing: length = 5.6-7.5 mm; hyaline throughout, veins light brown, microtrichia absent; cells r1, r4, r5, m3, + cup closed; C terminates at junction with R1; R4 terminatesin R1; R5 terminates in R1; stump vein (R3) at base of R4 present, short not reaching R2; R4 and R5 ± parallel medially; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein; M1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M1 (or M1+M2) terminates in R1; CuA1 and CuA2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m3 narrow proximally); M3+CuA1 do not terminate together in C; A1 undulating, cell a1 wide, A1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally, alula well-developed; halter light brown.
Abdomen: brown; setation comprised of scattered white setae, surface entirely smooth; T1-7 brown, yellow posterior margins; T1 and anterior ¼ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 brown and white setose; T entirely grey pruinose; S1-7 brown; S1 asetose, S2-3 sparsely yellow setose; S entirely grey pruinose; T2-4 parallel-sided and not constricted waist-like; bullae on T2 brown, transversely elongate, surface with parallel longitudinal ridges, T2 surface anterior to bullae smooth.
Male terminalia: T1-8 well-developed; T7-8 anteriorly with 2 lateral apodemes; S6 regular, without any special setation postero-medially, S8 well-developed and simple, not fused to T8 dorso-laterally, entire (undivided) ventro-medially; epandrium formed by single sclerite (fused medially ± entirely), rounded postero-laterally; subepandrial sclerite without lateral or median protuberances; hypandrium strongly concave, cup-shaped, entirely sclerotised ventrally (forming a single sclerite), entirely fused with gonocoxite, forming a gonocoxite-hypandrial complex; gonocoxites dorso-ventrally flattened in distal ½ , higher in proximal ½ , without median or lateral protuberance, gonocoxal apodeme absent; 2 functional aedeagal prongs, short and wide, medio-distally free, parallel or diverging laterally, distally straight or only diverging slightly laterally; aedeagal epimere present, distally simple, evenly rounded; lateral ejaculatory processes absent; ejaculatory apodeme formed by single dorso-ventrally oriented plate; ventro-median margin of dorsal aedeagal sheath heavily sclerotised (appearing entirely closed); dorsal aedeagal sheath long, sperm sac entirely covered; sperm sac appearing ± heavily sclerotised.
Description Female:
Head: brown, facial gibbosity light brown; parafacial area about as wide as ½ the width of central facial gibbosity.
Antenna: postpedicel ≥ 3.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel.
Thorax: scutum uniformly brown; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes short white setose; anatergite short white setose; katatergite short white setose; supero-posterior anepisternum asetose; posterior anepimeron short white setose.
Leg: brown, setation brown and white; all coxae grey pruinose, brown setose; pro and mes tarsomere 1 longer than tarsomere 2, but less than combined length of tarsomeres 2-3.
Wing: length = 8.9-9.2 mm; slightly brown stained throughout, veins brown; halter brown.
Abdomen: setation comprised of sparsely scattered short brown setae, T1-7 brown; T1-3 sparsely brown setose; T predominantly apruinose; S1-3 asetose; S predominantly apruinose; bullae on T2 light brown, transversely elongate.
Female genitalia: densely arranged anteriorly directed setae absent, only few on T7-8 and S7-8; T8 with broad anterior rectangular apodeme; T9 formed by wide,rectangular sclerite with median protuberance; T9+10 entirely fused, T10 divided into 2 heavily sclerotised acanthophorite plates, 5-7 acanthophorite spurs per plate; 2 spermathecae, all equally large, formed by ± expanded weakly sclerotised ducts and spherical weakly sclerotised reservoirs; individual spermathecal ducts short; S9 (furca) formed by 1 sclerite, ring-like (joined anteriorly and posteriorly), anterior furcal apodeme present, 2 lateral projections forming divided apodeme, lateral furcal apodeme present, median furcal bridge absent.
Material examined:
Zimbabwe: Mashonaland East: 1 ♂ Kotwa, Broken Causeway, 17°03'00"S; 032°46'00"E, 7.ix.1986 , M. Lillig S. Potel (AAM-001111 paratype, ZSMC); 1 ♂ Kotwa, Broken Causeway, 8.ix.1986 , M. Lillig S. Potel (AAM-001112 paratype, ZSMC); 1 ♂ Kotwa, Broken Causeway, 31.viii.1986 , M. Lillig S. Potel (AAM-001113 paratype, ZSMC); 1 ♂ Kotwa, Broken Causeway, 25.viii.1986 , M. Lillig S. Potel (AAM-001114 paratype, ZSMC); 1 ♀ Kotwa, Chimana Causeway, 17°06'00"S; 032°38'00"E, 26.viii.1986 , M. Lillig S. Potel (AAM-001115 paratype, ZSMC); Mashonaland West: 1 ♀ 3 ♂ Rukommetje Research Station, 16°06'00"S; 029°15'00"E, -. viii.1988 , J. Weyrich (AAM-001117 1 ♂ holotype, AAM-001116, AAM-001118-AAM-001119 paratypes, ZSMC); 1 ♂ Rukommetje Research Station, -. viii.1988 , J. Weyrich (AAM-001120 paratype, ZSMC); 4 ♂ SE Angwe Bridge, 16°05'00"S; 030°09'00"E, -. viii.1988 , J. Weyrich (AAM-001121-AAM-001124 paratypes, ZSMC).
Type locality and distribution:
Rukommetje Research Station (16°06'00"S; 029°15'00"E), Zimbabwe (Fig. 48). Biodiversity hotspot/high-biodiversity wilderness area: -/Miombo-Mopane Woodlands and Savannas.
Remarks:
This species does not belong to the subgenus Notobates as defined by Hesse (1969: 274) and it might therefore present the southernmost distribution of the primarily Palaearctic subgenus Syllegomydas . The monophyly of Syllegomydas (Notobates) needs to be investigated and will be tested with a phylogenetic study of Mydidae currently in preparation by the author.
General.
The genus Syllegomydas comprises 24 valid species distributed primarily in northern Africa, with a few species in sub-Saharan Africa (Chad, Mali, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Zimbabwe), as well as Afghanistan, Israel, and Spain (e.g., Arias 1914a , b , Bezzi 1924 , Séguy 1941 , Bequaert 1951 , 1961 , Hesse 1969 , Bowden 1980 , Carles-Tolrá 2006 , see placement of Syllegomydas bucciferus Séguy , 1928 from India in the Discussion). The subgenus Syllegomydas (Notobates) Hesse, 1969 has been described for 2 species from southern Africa (Mozambique and Zimbabwe).
General.
The genus Syllegomydas comprises 24 valid species distributed primarily in northern Africa, with a few species in sub-Saharan Africa (Chad, Mali, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Zimbabwe), as well as Afghanistan, Israel, and Spain (e.g., Arias 1914a , b , Bezzi 1924 , Séguy 1941 , Bequaert 1951 , 1961 , Hesse 1969 , Bowden 1980 , Carles-Tolrá 2006 , see placement of Syllegomydas bucciferus Séguy , 1928 from India in the Discussion). The subgenus Syllegomydas (Notobates) Hesse, 1969 has been described for 2 species from southern Africa (Mozambique and Zimbabwe).
Hesse (1969: 274) described the subgenus Notobates to accommodate two species, Syllegomydas arnoldi Bequaert, 1938 and Syllegomydas rhodesiensis Bequaert, 1938, from Mozambique and Zimbabwe and provided a key to the species. He did not place Syllegomydas dispar (Loew, 1852), also from Mozambique, in this subgenus, because he had not studied specimens of this species. Having studied the type specimens of Syllegomydas dispar at the ZMHB as well as additional specimens from several collections, it becomes clear that this species should also be placed in Syllegomydas (Notobates) based, for example, on the undulating vein A1 and the long antennae (longer than scutum). Both Hesse (1969: 295) and Bowden (1980: 333) listed Syllegomydas dispar as Syllegomydini incertae sedis. Therefore, this species is here re-described and illustrated to allow identification in the future.
Hesse (1969: 274) described the subgenus Notobates to accommodate two species, Syllegomydas arnoldi Bequaert, 1938 and Syllegomydas rhodesiensis Bequaert, 1938, from Mozambique and Zimbabwe and provided a key to the species. He did not place Syllegomydas dispar (Loew, 1852), also from Mozambique, in this subgenus, because he had not studied specimens of this species. Having studied the type specimens of Syllegomydas dispar at the ZMHB as well as additional specimens from several collections, it becomes clear that this species should also be placed in Syllegomydas (Notobates) based, for example, on the undulating vein A1 and the long antennae (longer than scutum). Both Hesse (1969: 295) and Bowden (1980: 333) listed Syllegomydas dispar as Syllegomydini incertae sedis. Therefore, this species is here re-described and illustrated to allow identification in the future.
Etymology:
heothinos Greek adjective = eastern. Referring to the distribution in eastern Africa.
Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the relatively large size, the brown and yellow abdominal tergites in males and even more pronounced in females, the absence of lateral furcal apodemes in females, and its apparent distribution in Kenya and Uganda.
Description Male:
Head: black, facial gibbosity light brown, in general grey pruinose; width distinctly greater than thorax, interocular distance on vertex larger than at ventral eye margin, vertex between compound eyes ± horizontally straight, medially only slightly below dorsal eye margin, parafacial area less than ½ the widthof central facial gibbosity; facial gibbosity distinct, well-developed and discernible in lateral view; mystax white, covering entire facial gibbosity; frons medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose, vertex predominantly apruinose, only lateral margins grey pruinose, postgenae apruinose; setation: vertex white, frons white, ocp setae white, pocl setae white; ocellar triangle apruinose; proboscis light brown, short, about ½ length of oral cavity; labella small, as wide as prementum, as long as prementum, unsclerotised laterally; maxillary palpi cylindrical, light brown, longer than ½ the length of proboscis.
Antenna: brown or orange, scape and pedicel white setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ⅔, symmetrically bulbous in distal ⅓, ≥ 7.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚ seta-like‘ sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Thorax: dark brown to bluish-black, predominantly grey pruinose; scutum medially bluish-black, laterally brown, surface entirely smooth, predominantly grey pruinose, broad sublateral stripes (interrupted postsuturally) and narrow paramedial stripes (not reaching posterior margin) apruinose, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of long dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; dc setae pre- and postsuturally white, acr setae present, lateral scutal setae white, npl, spal, and pal setae absent; postpronotal lobe light brown, grey pruinose; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes long white setose; scutellum silver pruinose proximally, apruinose distally, asetose, apical scutellar setae absent; mesopostnotum, anatergite, and katatergite grey pruinose, mesopostnotum entirely long white setose, anatergite long white setose, katatergite long white setose; katatergite ± flat; anterior anepisternum asetose, supero-posterior anepisternum long white setose; posterior anepimeron long white setose, katepimeron white setose; metepimeron ± flat, yellow, grey pruinose, long white setose; metepisternum grey pruinose, asetose.
Leg: brown or light brown, setation predominantly white; all coxae grey pruinose, white setose; met trochanter setose medially; femora brown or light brown, met femora ± cylindrical only slightly wider than pro and mes femora, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; all tibiae laterally arched, met tibia cylindrical, ventral keel absent; pro and mes tarsomere 1 about as long as individual tarsomeres 2, 3, or 4, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3; pulvilli well-developed, as long as well-developed claws, and as wide as base of claws; empodium absent.
Wing: length = (10.5 –)12.0– 12.5 mm; hyaline throughout, slightly brown stained along veins, veins brown, microtrichia absent; cells r1, r4, r5, m3, + cup closed; C terminates at junction with R1; R4 terminates in R1; R5 terminates in R1; stump vein (R3) at base of R4 present, short not reaching R2; R4 and R5 widest apart medially; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein; M1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M1 (or M1+M2) terminates in R1; CuA1 and CuA2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m3 narrow proximally); M3+CuA1 do not terminate together in C; A1 undulating, cell a1 wide, A1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally, alula well-developed; halter light brown.
Abdomen : brown and yellow; setation comprised of scattered white and brown setae, surface entirely smooth; T1 brown, narrow yellow posterior margin, T2-7 brown, broad yellow posterior margins, expanding antero-laterally particularly on T2-3; T1 and anterior ½ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 brown setose; T predominantly apruinose; S1-7 brown; S1 asetose, S2 long white setose, S3 short brown setose; S predominantly apruinose; T2-4 parallel-sided and not constricted waist-like; bullae on T2 brown, oval, surface entirely smooth, T2 surface anterior to bullae smooth.
Male terminalia: T1-7 well-developed, entirely sclerotised, T8 postero-medially weakly sclerotised, with anterior transverse sclerotised bridge connecting lateral sclerites; T7-8 anteriorly with 2 lateral apodemes; S6 regular, without any special setation postero-medially, S8 well-developed and simple, not fused to T8 dorso-laterally, entire (undivided) ventro-medially; epandrium formed by single sclerite (fused medially ± entirely), pointed postero-laterally; subepandrial sclerite without lateral or median protuberances; hypandrium strongly concave, cup-shaped, entirely sclerotised ventrally (forming a single sclerite), entirely fused with gonocoxite, forming a gonocoxite-hypandrial complex; gonocoxites dorso-ventrally flattened in distal ½ , higher in proximal ½ , without median or lateral protuberance, gonocoxal apodeme absent; 2 functional aedeagal prongs, short and wide, medio-distally free, parallel or diverging laterally, distally straight or only diverging slightly laterally; aedeagal epimere present, distally simple, evenly rounded; lateral ejaculatory processes absent; ejaculatory apodeme formed by single dorso-ventrally oriented plate; ventro-median margin of dorsal aedeagal sheath heavily sclerotised (appearing entirely closed); dorsal aedeagal sheath long, sperm sac entirely covered; sperm sac appearing ± heavily sclerotised.
Description Female:
Head: brown, facial gibbosity light brown; parafacial area about as wide as ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; vertex medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose.
Antenna: postpedicel ≥ 5.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel.
Thorax: scutum brown, postero-medially bluish-black, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of short dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes short white setose; scutellum grey pruinose proximally, apruinose distally, asetose; supero-posterior anepisternum short white setose; metepimeron light brown.
Leg: all coxae apruinose, short white setose; met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-4.
Wing: length = 14.3-16.3 mm; slightly brown stained, darker brown around veins.
Abdomen: T1-7 yellow, narrow brown anterior margins that are widest laterally and medially; T1 and anterior ¼ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 sparsely white setose; S1-7 brown, yellow postero-laterally; S1 asetose, S2-3 sparsely brown setose.
Female genitalia: densely arranged anteriorly directed setae present on T7-8 and S7-8; T8 with broad anterior rectangular apodeme; T9 formed by wide, rectangular sclerite with median protuberance; T9+10 entirely fused, T10 divided into 2 heavily sclerotised acanthophorite plates, 9-10 acanthophorite spurs per plate; 2 spermathecae, all equally large, formed by ± expanded heavily sclerotised ducts; individual spermathecal ducts short; S9 (furca) formed by 1 sclerite, ring-like (joined anteriorly and posteriorly), anterior furcal apodeme present, 2 lateral projections forming divided apodeme, lateral furcal apodeme absent, median furcal bridge absent.
Material examined:
Kenya: Eastern Province: 1 ♂ Archers Post, 00°39'00"N; 037°41'00"E, 5.v.1976 , I. Bampton (AAM-001137 paratype, NMSA); 3 ♂ Athi River, 02°38'31"S; 038°21'59"E, 5-10.vii.1999 , R. Copeland (AAM-001126 1 ♂ holotype, AAM-001127-AAM-001128 paratypes, NMKE); 1 ♂ Athi River, 2-9.viii.1999 , R. Copeland (AAM-001129 paratype, NMKE); 2 ♂ Athi River, 24-27.v.1999 , R. Copeland (AAM-001130-AAM-001131 paratypes, NMKE); 1 ♂ Athi River, 19-24.vii.1999 , R. Copeland (AAM-001132 paratype, NMKE); 1 ♂ Lake Baringo, 00°37'05"N; 036°01'35"E, -. xii.1994 , R. Copeland (AAM-001133 paratype, NMKE); 1 ♂ Samburu National Park, near Eawso Ng‘iro River, 00°34'05"N; 037°32'08"E, 874 m, Malaise Trap, riverine forest next to headquarters, 29.v.- 12.vi.2007 , R. Copeland (AAM-001134 paratype, NMKE); 2 ♂ Samburu National Park, near Eawso Ng‘iro River, 874 m, Malaise Trap, riverine forest next to headquarters, 12-16.vi.2007 , R. Copeland (AAM-001135-AAM-001136 paratypes, NMKE); 2 ♀ Samburu National Park, near Eawso Ng‘iro River, 874 m, 26.vi.- 10.vii.2007 , R. Copeland (coll. Copeland); 1 ♀ 1 ♂ Kiboko, 02°10'00"S; 037°43'00"E, 16.vii.1981 , R. Markham (AAM-000138-AAM-000139 paratypes, BMNH); 1 ♀ 5 ♂ Kiangeni River, Simba, 02°08'46"S; 037°36'28"E, -. vii.1958 , B. Pearsons (AAM-001101-AAM-001106 paratypes, BMNH); 1 ♂ Makueni, 01°48'00"S; 037°37'00"E, -.-.1957, B. Pearsons (AAM-001108 paratype, BMNH); 1 ♀ British East Africa, -.-.-, S. Neave (AAM-001107 paratype, BMNH); Uganda: Karamoja: 1 ♂ Atumatak Catchment Area, 02°14'00"N; 034°38'00"E, in dry + sandy flume bed, -. xi.1960 (AAM-001109 paratype, BMNH).
Type locality and distribution:
Athi River (02°38'31"S; 038°21'59"E), Kenya. Kenya, Uganda (Fig. 48). Biodiversity hotspot/high-biodiversity wilderness area: -/-.
Remarks:
This species was first recognised as new by me based on material made available by R. Copeland in 2002. However, when I visited the BMNH in February 2010 , I found several specimens labelled as types of a yet unpublished name by J. Bowden. Bowden had divided the species into three subspecies, the nominal subspecies based on the material from the Kiangani River and Makueni, one subspecies based on the single female from 'British East Africa’ , and another subspecies based on the single male from Uganda. The material from Kiboko collected in 1981 was interestingly not included by J. Bowden in his type material. I regard all these specimens as well as all other listed material as belonging to the same species. This species represents the first Mydidae known from Uganda (Fig. 48) and also the northernmost distribution of the subgenus Notobates .
Etymology:
heothinos Greek adjective = eastern. Referring to the distribution in eastern Africa.
Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the relatively large size, the brown and yellow abdominal tergites in males and even more pronounced in females, the absence of lateral furcal apodemes in females, and its apparent distribution in Kenya and Uganda.
Description Male:
Head: black, facial gibbosity light brown, in general grey pruinose; width distinctly greater than thorax, interocular distance on vertex larger than at ventral eye margin, vertex between compound eyes ± horizontally straight, medially only slightly below dorsal eye margin, parafacial area less than ½ the widthof central facial gibbosity; facial gibbosity distinct, well-developed and discernible in lateral view; mystax white, covering entire facial gibbosity; frons medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose, vertex predominantly apruinose, only lateral margins grey pruinose, postgenae apruinose; setation: vertex white, frons white, ocp setae white, pocl setae white; ocellar triangle apruinose; proboscis light brown, short, about ½ length of oral cavity; labella small, as wide as prementum, as long as prementum, unsclerotised laterally; maxillary palpi cylindrical, light brown, longer than ½ the length of proboscis.
Antenna: brown or orange, scape and pedicel white setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ⅔, symmetrically bulbous in distal ⅓, ≥ 7.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like‘ sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Thorax: dark brown to bluish-black, predominantly grey pruinose; scutum medially bluish-black, laterally brown, surface entirely smooth, predominantly grey pruinose, broad sublateral stripes (interrupted postsuturally) and narrow paramedial stripes (not reaching posterior margin) apruinose, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of long dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; dc setae pre- and postsuturally white, acr setae present, lateral scutal setae white, npl, spal, and pal setae absent; postpronotal lobe light brown, grey pruinose; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes long white setose; scutellum silver pruinose proximally, apruinose distally, asetose, apical scutellar setae absent; mesopostnotum, anatergite, and katatergite grey pruinose, mesopostnotum entirely long white setose, anatergite long white setose, katatergite long white setose; katatergite ± flat; anterior anepisternum asetose, supero-posterior anepisternum long white setose; posterior anepimeron long white setose, katepimeron white setose; metepimeron ± flat, yellow, grey pruinose, long white setose; metepisternum grey pruinose, asetose.
Leg: brown or light brown, setation predominantly white; all coxae grey pruinose, white setose; met trochanter setose medially; femora brown or light brown, met femora ± cylindrical only slightly wider than pro and mes femora, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; all tibiae laterally arched, met tibia cylindrical, ventral keel absent; pro and mes tarsomere 1 about as long as individual tarsomeres 2, 3, or 4, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3; pulvilli well-developed, as long as well-developed claws, and as wide as base of claws; empodium absent.
Wing: length = (10.5 –)12.0– 12.5 mm; hyaline throughout, slightly brown stained along veins, veins brown, microtrichia absent; cells r1, r4, r5, m3, + cup closed; C terminates at junction with R1; R4 terminates in R1; R5 terminates in R1; stump vein (R3) at base of R4 present, short not reaching R2; R4 and R5 widest apart medially; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein; M1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M1 (or M1+M2) terminates in R1; CuA1 and CuA2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m3 narrow proximally); M3+CuA1 do not terminate together in C; A1 undulating, cell a1 wide, A1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally, alula well-developed; halter light brown.
Abdomen : brown and yellow; setation comprised of scattered white and brown setae, surface entirely smooth; T1 brown, narrow yellow posterior margin, T2-7 brown, broad yellow posterior margins, expanding antero-laterally particularly on T2-3; T1 and anterior ½ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 brown setose; T predominantly apruinose; S1-7 brown; S1 asetose, S2 long white setose, S3 short brown setose; S predominantly apruinose; T2-4 parallel-sided and not constricted waist-like; bullae on T2 brown, oval, surface entirely smooth, T2 surface anterior to bullae smooth.
Male terminalia: T1-7 well-developed, entirely sclerotised, T8 postero-medially weakly sclerotised, with anterior transverse sclerotised bridge connecting lateral sclerites; T7-8 anteriorly with 2 lateral apodemes; S6 regular, without any special setation postero-medially, S8 well-developed and simple, not fused to T8 dorso-laterally, entire (undivided) ventro-medially; epandrium formed by single sclerite (fused medially ± entirely), pointed postero-laterally; subepandrial sclerite without lateral or median protuberances; hypandrium strongly concave, cup-shaped, entirely sclerotised ventrally (forming a single sclerite), entirely fused with gonocoxite, forming a gonocoxite-hypandrial complex; gonocoxites dorso-ventrally flattened in distal ½ , higher in proximal ½ , without median or lateral protuberance, gonocoxal apodeme absent; 2 functional aedeagal prongs, short and wide, medio-distally free, parallel or diverging laterally, distally straight or only diverging slightly laterally; aedeagal epimere present, distally simple, evenly rounded; lateral ejaculatory processes absent; ejaculatory apodeme formed by single dorso-ventrally oriented plate; ventro-median margin of dorsal aedeagal sheath heavily sclerotised (appearing entirely closed); dorsal aedeagal sheath long, sperm sac entirely covered; sperm sac appearing ± heavily sclerotised.
Description Female:
Head: brown, facial gibbosity light brown; parafacial area about as wide as ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; vertex medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose.
Antenna: postpedicel ≥ 5.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel.
Thorax: scutum brown, postero-medially bluish-black, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of short dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes short white setose; scutellum grey pruinose proximally, apruinose distally, asetose; supero-posterior anepisternum short white setose; metepimeron light brown.
Leg: all coxae apruinose, short white setose; met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-4.
Wing: length = 14.3-16.3 mm; slightly brown stained, darker brown around veins.
Abdomen: T1-7 yellow, narrow brown anterior margins that are widest laterally and medially; T1 and anterior ¼ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 sparsely white setose; S1-7 brown, yellow postero-laterally; S1 asetose, S2-3 sparsely brown setose.
Female genitalia: densely arranged anteriorly directed setae present on T7-8 and S7-8; T8 with broad anterior rectangular apodeme; T9 formed by wide, rectangular sclerite with median protuberance; T9+10 entirely fused, T10 divided into 2 heavily sclerotised acanthophorite plates, 9-10 acanthophorite spurs per plate; 2 spermathecae, all equally large, formed by ± expanded heavily sclerotised ducts; individual spermathecal ducts short; S9 (furca) formed by 1 sclerite, ring-like (joined anteriorly and posteriorly), anterior furcal apodeme present, 2 lateral projections forming divided apodeme, lateral furcal apodeme absent, median furcal bridge absent.
Material examined:
Kenya: Eastern Province: 1 ♂ Archers Post, 00°39'00"N; 037°41'00"E, 5.v.1976 , I. Bampton (AAM-001137 paratype, NMSA); 3 ♂ Athi River, 02°38'31"S; 038°21'59"E, 5-10.vii.1999 , R. Copeland (AAM-001126 1 ♂ holotype, AAM-001127-AAM-001128 paratypes, NMKE); 1 ♂ Athi River, 2-9.viii.1999 , R. Copeland (AAM-001129 paratype, NMKE); 2 ♂ Athi River, 24-27.v.1999 , R. Copeland (AAM-001130-AAM-001131 paratypes, NMKE); 1 ♂ Athi River, 19-24.vii.1999 , R. Copeland (AAM-001132 paratype, NMKE); 1 ♂ Lake Baringo, 00°37'05"N; 036°01'35"E, -. xii.1994 , R. Copeland (AAM-001133 paratype, NMKE); 1 ♂ Samburu National Park, near Eawso Ng‘iro River, 00°34'05"N; 037°32'08"E, 874 m, Malaise Trap, riverine forest next to headquarters, 29.v.- 12.vi.2007 , R. Copeland (AAM-001134 paratype, NMKE); 2 ♂ Samburu National Park, near Eawso Ng‘iro River, 874 m, Malaise Trap, riverine forest next to headquarters, 12-16.vi.2007 , R. Copeland (AAM-001135-AAM-001136 paratypes, NMKE); 2 ♀ Samburu National Park, near Eawso Ng‘iro River, 874 m, 26.vi.- 10.vii.2007 , R. Copeland (coll. Copeland); 1 ♀ 1 ♂ Kiboko, 02°10'00"S; 037°43'00"E, 16.vii.1981 , R. Markham (AAM-000138-AAM-000139 paratypes, BMNH); 1 ♀ 5 ♂ Kiangeni River, Simba, 02°08'46"S; 037°36'28"E, -. vii.1958 , B. Pearsons (AAM-001101-AAM-001106 paratypes, BMNH); 1 ♂ Makueni, 01°48'00"S; 037°37'00"E, -.-.1957, B. Pearsons (AAM-001108 paratype, BMNH); 1 ♀ British East Africa, -.-.-, S. Neave (AAM-001107 paratype, BMNH); Uganda: Karamoja: 1 ♂ Atumatak Catchment Area, 02°14'00"N; 034°38'00"E, in dry + sandy flume bed, -. xi.1960 (AAM-001109 paratype, BMNH).
Type locality and distribution:
Athi River (02°38'31"S; 038°21'59"E), Kenya. Kenya, Uganda (Fig. 48). Biodiversity hotspot/high-biodiversity wilderness area: -/-.
Remarks:
This species was first recognised as new by me based on material made available by R. Copeland in 2002. However, when I visited the BMNH in February 2010 , I found several specimens labelled as types of a yet unpublished name by J. Bowden. Bowden had divided the species into three subspecies, the nominal subspecies based on the material from the Kiangani River and Makueni, one subspecies based on the single female from 'British East Africa’ , and another subspecies based on the single male from Uganda. The material from Kiboko collected in 1981 was interestingly not included by J. Bowden in his type material. I regard all these specimens as well as all other listed material as belonging to the same species. This species represents the first Mydidae known from Uganda (Fig. 48) and also the northernmost distribution of the subgenus Notobates .
Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the brown and yellow abdominal tergites in males and females, the long antennae, the presence of long acrostichal setae, the yellow metepimeron, which is coloured differently than the adjacent abdominal tergite 1, the absence of lateral furcal apodemes in females, and its apparent distribution in south-eastern lowland and coastal Mozambique.
Re-description Male:
Head: brown, in general grey pruinose; width distinctly greater than thorax, interocular distance on vertex larger than at ventral eye margin, vertex between compound eyes ± horizontally straight, medially only slightly below dorsal eye margin, parafacial area less than ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; facial gibbosity distinct, well-developed and discernible in lateral view; mystax white, covering entire facial gibbosity; frons medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose, vertex medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose, postgenae apruinose; setation: vertex white, frons white, ocp setae white, pocl setae white; ocellar triangle apruinose; proboscis light brown, very short, vestigial, knob-like; labella small, as wide as prementum, as long as prementum, unsclerotised laterally; maxillary palpi cylindrical, light brown, slightly longer than proboscis.
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel white setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ⅔, symmetrically bulbous in distal ⅓, ≥ 7.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚ seta-like‘ sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Thorax: dark brown to bluish-black, predominantly grey pruinose; scutum medially bluish-black, laterally brown, surface entirely smooth, predominantly grey pruinose, only broad sublateral stripes and narrow paramedial stripes (not reaching posterior margin) apruinose, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of long dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; dc setae pre- and postsuturally white, acr setae present, lateral scutal setae white, npl, spal, and pal setae absent; postpronotal lobe light brown, grey pruinose; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes long white setose; scutellum apruinose, asetose, apical scutellar setae absent; mesopostnotum, anatergite, and katatergite partly grey pruinose, anatergite and katatergite apruinose, mesopostnotum entirely long white setose, anatergite long white setose, katatergite long white setose; katatergite ± flat; anterior anepisternum asetose, supero-posterior anepisternum long white setose; posterior anepimeron long white setose, katepimeron white setose; metepimeron ± flat, yellow, apruinose, long white setose; metepisternum grey pruinose, asetose.
Leg: brown or light brown, setation predominantly white; all coxae apruinose, long white setose; met trochanter setose medially; femora brown, met femora ± cylindrical only slightly wider than pro and mes femora, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; pro and mes tibiae laterally arched, met tibia straight, met tibia cylindrical, ventral keel absent; pro and mes tarsomere 1 about as long as individual tarsomeres 2, 3, or 4, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3 or less than combined length of tarsomeres 2-3; pulvilli well-developed, as long as well-developed claws, and as wide as base of claws; empodium absent.
Wing: length = 9.5-11.8 mm; slightly brown stained throughout, veins brown, microtrichia absent; cells r1, r4, r5, m3, + cup closed; C terminates at junction with R1; R4 terminates in R1; R5 terminates in R1; stump vein (R3) at base of R4 present, short not reaching R2; R4 and R5 widest apart medially; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein; M1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M1 (or M1+M2) terminates in R1; CuA1 and CuA2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m3 narrow proximally);M 3+CuA1 do not terminate together in C; A1 undulating, cell a1 wide, A1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally, alula well-developed; halter light brown.
Abdomen: brown and yellow; setation comprised of scattered white and brown setae, surface entirely smooth; T1 brown, narrow yellow posterior margin, T2-7 brown, broad yellow posterior margins, expanding antero-laterally particularly on T2-3; T1 and anterior ½ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 brown setose; T predominantly apruinose; S1-7 brown, yellow posterior margins; S1 asetose, S2 long white setose, S3 short white setose; S predominantly apruinose; T2-4 parallel-sided and not constricted waist-like; bullae on T2 brown, oval, surface entirely smooth, T2 surface anterior to bullae smooth.
Male terminalia: T1-7 well-developed, entirely sclerotised, T8 postero-medially weakly sclerotised, with anterior transverse sclerotised bridge connecting lateral sclerites; T7-8 anteriorly with 2 lateral apodemes; S6 regular, without any special setation postero-medially, S8 well-developed and simple, not fused to T8 dorso-laterally, entire (undivided) ventro-medially; epandrium formed by single sclerite (fused medially ± entirely), pointed postero-laterally; subepandrial sclerite without lateral or median protuberances; hypandrium strongly concave, cup-shaped, entirely sclerotised ventrally (forming a single sclerite), entirely fused with gonocoxite, forming a gonocoxite-hypandrial complex; gonocoxites dorso-ventrally flattened in distal ½ , higher in proximal ½ , without median or lateral protuberance, gonocoxal apodeme absent; 2 functional aedeagal prongs, short and wide, medio-distally free, parallel or diverging laterally, distally straight or only diverging slightly laterally; aedeagal epimere present, distally simple, evenly rounded; lateral ejaculatory processes absent; ejaculatory apodeme formed by single dorso-ventrally oriented plate; ventro-median margin of dorsal aedeagal sheath heavily sclerotised (appearing entirely closed); dorsal aedeagal sheath long, sperm sac entirely covered; sperm sac appearing ± heavily sclerotised.
Re-description Female:
Head: parafacial area about as wide as ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; maxillary palpi brown.
Thorax: brown, scutum medially brown, laterally light brown, predominantly grey pruinose, broad sublateral stripes (interrupted postsuturally) and narrow paramedial stripes (not reaching posterior margin) apruinose, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of short dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes short white setose; katatergite short white setose; supero-posterior anepisternum short white setose; metepimeron light brown.
Leg: all tibiae laterally arched.
Wing: length = 10.2 mm.
Abdomen: T1 brown, narrow yellow posterior margin, T2-7 brown, broad yellow posterior margins that are widest medially; T1 and anterior ¼ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 sparsely white setose; S1-7 brown; S1 asetose, S2-3 sparsely yellow setose.
Female genitalia: densely arranged anteriorly directed setae present on T7-8 and S7-8; T8 with broad anterior rectangular apodeme; T9 formed by wide, rectangular sclerite with median protuberance; T9+10 entirely fused, T10 divided into 2 heavilysclerotised acanthophorite plates, 7-8 acanthophorite spurs per plate; 2 spermathecae, all equally large, formed by ± expanded weakly sclerotised ducts; individual spermathecal ducts short; S9 (furca) formed by 1 sclerite, ring-like (joined anteriorly and posteriorly), anterior furcal apodeme present, 2 lateral projections forming divided apodeme, lateral furcal apodeme absent, median furcal bridge absent.
Material examined:
Mozambique: Inhambane: 2 ♀ 1 ♂ Inhambane, 23°51'54"S; 035°22'60"E, -.-.-, Peters (♂ lectotype, ♀ paralectotypes, ZMHB); Sofala: 1 ♀ 3 ♂ 1? Beira, 19°50'37"S; 034°50'20"E, 2.ix.1961 , G. Heinrich (AAM-000185-AAM-000189, CAS, CNC); 1 ♀ 1 ♂ Beira, 10.vii.1973 , R. Erasmus (AAM-000287-AAM-000288, NMSA); 1 ♂ Beira, -. viii.1903 , P. Krantz (AAM-000549, TMSA); 1 ♂ Beira, -. vi.1932 , J. Ogilvie (AAM-000713, BMNH); 1 ♀ Upper Nhamapaza river, forest S Maringue, 17°57'52"S; 034°23'26"E, 11.vi.1929 , P. Lesne (AAM-003272, MNHN); 1 ♀ 2 ♂ Nova Chupanga, 17°07'32"S; 034°51'34"E, 27.x.-, J. Surcouf (AAM-003268-AAM-003270, MNHN); Zambezia: 1 ♀ near Sone, 16°46'17"S; 037°45'16"E, 24.v.1928 , P. Lesne (AAM-003271, MNHN).
Distribution:
Mozambique (Fig. 47). Biodiversity hotspot/high-biodiversity wilderness area: Coastal Forest of Eastern Africa/-.
Remarks:
In order to preserve taxonomic stability and make more universal the use of this specific name, the ♂ specimen from the syntype series deposited in the ZMHB is here designated as the lectotype, making the two remaining ♀ specimens paralectotypes. The specimen from Beira deposited in the TMSA (AAM-000549) has been studied by Hesse (1969: 277) and was identified as Syllegomydas arnoldi . I believe that it is a representative of the smaller species Syllegomydas dispar as this species appears to inhabit the coastal and lowland parts of Mozambique while the larger species Syllegomydas arnoldi appears to inhabit higher elevation areas within Zimbabwe (although 2 specimens from the Lowveld of South Africa from Kruger National Park are deposited in the SANC (South African National Collection of Insects, Pretoria, AAM-000088-AAM-000089)).
Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the brown and yellow abdominal tergites in males and females, the long antennae, the presence of long acrostichal setae, the yellow metepimeron, which is coloured differently than the adjacent abdominal tergite 1, the absence of lateral furcal apodemes in females, and its apparent distribution in south-eastern lowland and coastal Mozambique.
Re-description Male:
Head: brown, in general grey pruinose; width distinctly greater than thorax, interocular distance on vertex larger than at ventral eye margin, vertex between compound eyes ± horizontally straight, medially only slightly below dorsal eye margin, parafacial area less than ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; facial gibbosity distinct, well-developed and discernible in lateral view; mystax white, covering entire facial gibbosity; frons medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose, vertex medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose, postgenae apruinose; setation: vertex white, frons white, ocp setae white, pocl setae white; ocellar triangle apruinose; proboscis light brown, very short, vestigial, knob-like; labella small, as wide as prementum, as long as prementum, unsclerotised laterally; maxillary palpi cylindrical, light brown, slightly longer than proboscis.
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel white setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ⅔, symmetrically bulbous in distal ⅓, ≥ 7.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like‘ sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Thorax: dark brown to bluish-black, predominantly grey pruinose; scutum medially bluish-black, laterally brown, surface entirely smooth, predominantly grey pruinose, only broad sublateral stripes and narrow paramedial stripes (not reaching posterior margin) apruinose, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of long dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; dc setae pre- and postsuturally white, acr setae present, lateral scutal setae white, npl, spal, and pal setae absent; postpronotal lobe light brown, grey pruinose; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes long white setose; scutellum apruinose, asetose, apical scutellar setae absent; mesopostnotum, anatergite, and katatergite partly grey pruinose, anatergite and katatergite apruinose, mesopostnotum entirely long white setose, anatergite long white setose, katatergite long white setose; katatergite ± flat; anterior anepisternum asetose, supero-posterior anepisternum long white setose; posterior anepimeron long white setose, katepimeron white setose; metepimeron ± flat, yellow, apruinose, long white setose; metepisternum grey pruinose, asetose.
Leg: brown or light brown, setation predominantly white; all coxae apruinose, long white setose; met trochanter setose medially; femora brown, met femora ± cylindrical only slightly wider than pro and mes femora, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; pro and mes tibiae laterally arched, met tibia straight, met tibia cylindrical, ventral keel absent; pro and mes tarsomere 1 about as long as individual tarsomeres 2, 3, or 4, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3 or less than combined length of tarsomeres 2-3; pulvilli well-developed, as long as well-developed claws, and as wide as base of claws; empodium absent.
Wing: length = 9.5-11.8 mm; slightly brown stained throughout, veins brown, microtrichia absent; cells r1, r4, r5, m3, + cup closed; C terminates at junction with R1; R4 terminates in R1; R5 terminates in R1; stump vein (R3) at base of R4 present, short not reaching R2; R4 and R5 widest apart medially; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein; M1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M1 (or M1+M2) terminates in R1; CuA1 and CuA2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m3 narrow proximally);M 3+CuA1 do not terminate together in C; A1 undulating, cell a1 wide, A1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally, alula well-developed; halter light brown.
Abdomen: brown and yellow; setation comprised of scattered white and brown setae, surface entirely smooth; T1 brown, narrow yellow posterior margin, T2-7 brown, broad yellow posterior margins, expanding antero-laterally particularly on T2-3; T1 and anterior ½ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 brown setose; T predominantly apruinose; S1-7 brown, yellow posterior margins; S1 asetose, S2 long white setose, S3 short white setose; S predominantly apruinose; T2-4 parallel-sided and not constricted waist-like; bullae on T2 brown, oval, surface entirely smooth, T2 surface anterior to bullae smooth.
Male terminalia: T1-7 well-developed, entirely sclerotised, T8 postero-medially weakly sclerotised, with anterior transverse sclerotised bridge connecting lateral sclerites; T7-8 anteriorly with 2 lateral apodemes; S6 regular, without any special setation postero-medially, S8 well-developed and simple, not fused to T8 dorso-laterally, entire (undivided) ventro-medially; epandrium formed by single sclerite (fused medially ± entirely), pointed postero-laterally; subepandrial sclerite without lateral or median protuberances; hypandrium strongly concave, cup-shaped, entirely sclerotised ventrally (forming a single sclerite), entirely fused with gonocoxite, forming a gonocoxite-hypandrial complex; gonocoxites dorso-ventrally flattened in distal ½ , higher in proximal ½ , without median or lateral protuberance, gonocoxal apodeme absent; 2 functional aedeagal prongs, short and wide, medio-distally free, parallel or diverging laterally, distally straight or only diverging slightly laterally; aedeagal epimere present, distally simple, evenly rounded; lateral ejaculatory processes absent; ejaculatory apodeme formed by single dorso-ventrally oriented plate; ventro-median margin of dorsal aedeagal sheath heavily sclerotised (appearing entirely closed); dorsal aedeagal sheath long, sperm sac entirely covered; sperm sac appearing ± heavily sclerotised.
Re-description Female:
Head: parafacial area about as wide as ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; maxillary palpi brown.
Thorax: brown, scutum medially brown, laterally light brown, predominantly grey pruinose, broad sublateral stripes (interrupted postsuturally) and narrow paramedial stripes (not reaching posterior margin) apruinose, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of short dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes short white setose; katatergite short white setose; supero-posterior anepisternum short white setose; metepimeron light brown.
Leg: all tibiae laterally arched.
Wing: length = 10.2 mm.
Abdomen: T1 brown, narrow yellow posterior margin, T2-7 brown, broad yellow posterior margins that are widest medially; T1 and anterior ¼ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 sparsely white setose; S1-7 brown; S1 asetose, S2-3 sparsely yellow setose.
Female genitalia: densely arranged anteriorly directed setae present on T7-8 and S7-8; T8 with broad anterior rectangular apodeme; T9 formed by wide, rectangular sclerite with median protuberance; T9+10 entirely fused, T10 divided into 2 heavilysclerotised acanthophorite plates, 7-8 acanthophorite spurs per plate; 2 spermathecae, all equally large, formed by ± expanded weakly sclerotised ducts; individual spermathecal ducts short; S9 (furca) formed by 1 sclerite, ring-like (joined anteriorly and posteriorly), anterior furcal apodeme present, 2 lateral projections forming divided apodeme, lateral furcal apodeme absent, median furcal bridge absent.
Material examined:
Mozambique: Inhambane: 2 ♀ 1 ♂ Inhambane, 23°51'54"S; 035°22'60"E, -.-.-, Peters (♂ lectotype, ♀ paralectotypes, ZMHB); Sofala: 1 ♀ 3 ♂ 1? Beira, 19°50'37"S; 034°50'20"E, 2.ix.1961 , G. Heinrich (AAM-000185-AAM-000189, CAS, CNC); 1 ♀ 1 ♂ Beira, 10.vii.1973 , R. Erasmus (AAM-000287-AAM-000288, NMSA); 1 ♂ Beira, -. viii.1903 , P. Krantz (AAM-000549, TMSA); 1 ♂ Beira, -. vi.1932 , J. Ogilvie (AAM-000713, BMNH); 1 ♀ Upper Nhamapaza river, forest S Maringue, 17°57'52"S; 034°23'26"E, 11.vi.1929 , P. Lesne (AAM-003272, MNHN); 1 ♀ 2 ♂ Nova Chupanga, 17°07'32"S; 034°51'34"E, 27.x.-, J. Surcouf (AAM-003268-AAM-003270, MNHN); Zambezia: 1 ♀ near Sone, 16°46'17"S; 037°45'16"E, 24.v.1928 , P. Lesne (AAM-003271, MNHN).
Distribution:
Mozambique (Fig. 47). Biodiversity hotspot/high-biodiversity wilderness area: Coastal Forest of Eastern Africa/-.
Remarks:
In order to preserve taxonomic stability and make more universal the use of this specific name, the ♂ specimen from the syntype series deposited in the ZMHB is here designated as the lectotype, making the two remaining ♀ specimens paralectotypes. The specimen from Beira deposited in the TMSA (AAM-000549) has been studied by Hesse (1969: 277) and was identified as Syllegomydas arnoldi . I believe that it is a representative of the smaller species Syllegomydas dispar as this species appears to inhabit the coastal and lowland parts of Mozambique while the larger species Syllegomydas arnoldi appears to inhabit higher elevation areas within Zimbabwe (although 2 specimens from the Lowveld of South Africa from Kruger National Park are deposited in the SANC (South African National Collection of Insects, Pretoria, AAM-000088-AAM-000089)).
Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the overall dark coloration in the male, the narrow yellow bands on the posterior margin of the abdominal tergites, the dark patterning of the female abdominal tergites, and its apparent distribution on the southern and western edges of the Sahara.
Re-description Male:
Head: brown, in general grey pruinose; width distinctly greater than thorax, interocular distance on vertex larger than at ventral eye margin, vertex between compound eyes slightly depressed, parafacial area less than ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; facial gibbosity distinct, well-developed and discernible in lateral view; mystax white, covering entire facial gibbosity; frons medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose, vertex medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose, postgenae apruinose; setation: vertex white, frons white, ocp setae white, pocl setae yellow; ocellar triangle apruinose; proboscis light brown, very short, vestigial, knob-like; labella small,as wide as prementum, only forming distal tip of proboscis, unsclerotised laterally; maxillary palpi cylindrical, light brown, slightly longer than proboscis.
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel white setose dorsally, brown setose ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½ , symmetrically bulbous in distal ½ , ≥ 3.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚ seta-like‘ sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Thorax: light brown, predominantly grey pruinose; scutum uniformly brown, surface entirely smooth, predominantly grey pruinose, broad sublateral and median stripes (not reaching posterior margin) brown pruinose, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of long dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; dc setae pre- and postsuturally white, acr setae absent, lateral scutal setae white, npl, spal, and pal setae absent; postpronotal lobe yellow, white pruinose; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes long white setose; scutellum entirely grey pruinose, asetose, apical scutellar setae absent; mesopostnotum, anatergite, and katatergite grey pruinose, mesopostnotum laterally (close to anatergite) long white setose, anatergite long white setose, katatergite long white setose; katatergite ± flat; anterior anepisternum asetose, supero-posterior anepisternum long white setose; posterior anepimeron long white setose, katepimeron white setose; metepimeron ± flat, yellow, grey pruinose, long white setose; metepisternum grey pruinose, asetose.
Leg: brown, setation brown and white; all coxae grey pruinose, brown setose; met trochanter setose medially; femora brown, met femora ± cylindrical only slightly wider than pro and mes femora, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; pro and mes tibiae laterally arched, met tibia straight, met tibia cylindrical, ventral keel absent; pro and mes tarsomere 1 longer than tarsomere 2, but less than combined length of tarsomeres 2-3, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-4; pulvilli well-developed, as long as well-developed claws, and as wide as base of claws; empodium absent.
Wing: length = 9.0-9.7 mm; hyaline throughout, veins light brown or light yellow, microtrichia absent; cells r1, r4, r5, m3, + cup closed; C terminates at junction with R1; R4 terminates in R1; R5 terminates in R1; stump vein (R3) at base of R4 absent or only very short; R4 and R5 widest apart medially; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein; M1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M1 (or M1+M2) terminates in R1; CuA1 and CuA2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m3 narrow proximally); M3+CuA1 do not terminate together in C; A1 undulating, cell a1 wide, A1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally, alula well-developed; halter light brown.
Abdomen: brown; setation comprised of scattered white and brown setae, surface entirely smooth; T1-T7 brown with narrow yellow posterior margins; T1 and anterior ½ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 brown setose; T lightly grey pruinose; S1-7 brown, yellow posterior margins; S1 asetose, S2-3 sparsely brown setose; S predominantly apruinose; T2-4 parallel-sided and not constricted waist-like; bullae on T2 light brown, small and circular, surface entirely smooth, T2 surface anterior to bullae smooth.
Male terminalia: T1-7 well-developed, entirely sclerotised, T8 postero-medially weakly sclerotised, with anterior transverse sclerotised bridge connecting lateral sclerites ; T7-8 anteriorly with 2 lateral apodemes; S6 regular, without any special setation postero-medially, S8 well-developed and simple, not fused to T8 dorso-laterally, entire (undivided) ventro-medially; epandrium formed by single sclerite (fused medially ± entirely), rounded postero-laterally; subepandrial sclerite without lateral or median protuberances; hypandrium strongly concave, cup-shaped, entirely sclerotised ventrally (forming a single sclerite), entirely fused with gonocoxite, forming a gonocoxite-hypandrial complex; gonocoxites dorso-ventrally flattened in distal ½ , higher in proximal ½ , without median or lateral protuberance, gonocoxal apodeme absent; 2 functional aedeagal prongs, short and wide, medio-distally free, parallel or diverging laterally, distally straight or only diverging slightly laterally; aedeagal epimere present, distally simple, evenly rounded; lateral ejaculatory processes absent; ejaculatory apodeme formed by single dorso-ventrally oriented plate; ventro-median margin of dorsal aedeagal sheath heavily sclerotised (appearing entirely closed); dorsal aedeagal sheath long, sperm sac entirely covered; sperm sac appearing ± heavily sclerotised.
Re-description Female:
Head: in general densely grey pruinose; vertex between compound eyes ± horizontally straight, medially only slightly below dorsal eye margin; parafacial area more than ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; mystax white, covering entire facial gibbosity, sparse; pocl setae white.
Antenna: scape and pedicel white setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel ≥ 4.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel.
Thorax: scutum uniformly light brown; mesopostnotum laterally (close to anatergite) short white setose; anatergite short white setose; katatergite short white setose; posterior anepimeron short white setose; supero-posterior anepisternum short white setose; metepimeron same colour as T1, white pruinose, short white setose.
Leg: light brown, setation predominantly white; all coxae grey pruinose, white setose; femora light brown or yellow; pulvilli reduced, half length of well-developed claws.
Wing: length = 11.2-11.5 mm; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein.
Abdomen: light brown; setation comprised of sparsely scattered short yellow setae, T1 light brown, T2-7 light brown with brown lateral longitudinal and sublateral circular markings; T1-3 sparsely yellow setose; T1-2 anteriorly lightly grey pruinose, T3-7 apruinose; S1 brown, S2-7 light brown with brown lateral longitudinal and median circular markings; S1-3 asetose.
Female genitalia: densely arranged anteriorly directed setae present on T7-8 and S7-8; T9 formed by wide, rectangular sclerite with median protuberance; T9+10 entirely fused, T10 divided into 2 heavily sclerotised acanthophorite plates, 6-8 acanthophorite spurs per plate; 2 spermathecae, all equally large, formed by ± expanded weakly sclerotised ducts and spherical weakly sclerotised reservoirs; individual spermathecal ducts short; S9 (furca) formed by 1 sclerite, ring-like (joined anteriorly and posteriorly), anterior furcal apodeme present, 2 lateral projections forming divided apodeme, lateral furcal apodeme present, median furcal bridge absent.
Material examined:
Niger: Niamey: 1 ♂ Niamey, 13°31'00"N; 002°07'00"E, -. xii.1938 , L. Chepard (AAM-001219, MNHN); 3 ♂ Niamey, 16.xi.1977 , millet field, J. Ritchie (AAM-000140, AAM-000663-AAM-000664, BMNH); Zinder: 3 ♀ 4 ♂ Dungass (= Dengas), 13°04'05"N; 009°20'23"E, -. xi.1910 , R. Gaillard (1 ♂ holotype, AAM-001220-AAM-001225, MNHN); Mauritania: Trarza: 1 ♂ Nouakchott, 153 km NE, 18°59'45"N; 015°13'56"W, 20.x.1993 , W. Pulawski (AAM-000116, CAS).
Distribution:
Niger, Mauritania. Biodiversity hotspot/high-biodiversity wilderness area: -/-.
Remarks:
The ♂ specimen (AAM-000116) of this small species from the western edges of the Sahara represents the first Mydidae species recorded from Mauritania. The species is primarily known from specimens collected in southern Niger (see material examined above that was first mentioned by Séguy 1928 , 1941 ). It has also been recorded from Mali ( Bowden 1980: 333 ) and North Africa ( Sack 1934: 26 ). The specimen that Bowden based his assessment on has not been found in the BMNH so that I cannot verify the record from Mali. The northern African distribution is also questionable as this species has not been listed in the Palaearctic catalogue ( Richter and Zaitzev 1988 ).
Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the overall dark coloration in the male, the narrow yellow bands on the posterior margin of the abdominal tergites, the dark patterning of the female abdominal tergites, and its apparent distribution on the southern and western edges of the Sahara.
Re-description Male:
Head: brown, in general grey pruinose; width distinctly greater than thorax, interocular distance on vertex larger than at ventral eye margin, vertex between compound eyes slightly depressed, parafacial area less than ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; facial gibbosity distinct, well-developed and discernible in lateral view; mystax white, covering entire facial gibbosity; frons medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose, vertex medially apruinose, laterally grey pruinose, postgenae apruinose; setation: vertex white, frons white, ocp setae white, pocl setae yellow; ocellar triangle apruinose; proboscis light brown, very short, vestigial, knob-like; labella small,as wide as prementum, only forming distal tip of proboscis, unsclerotised laterally; maxillary palpi cylindrical, light brown, slightly longer than proboscis.
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel white setose dorsally, brown setose ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½ , symmetrically bulbous in distal ½ , ≥ 3.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like‘ sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Thorax: light brown, predominantly grey pruinose; scutum uniformly brown, surface entirely smooth, predominantly grey pruinose, broad sublateral and median stripes (not reaching posterior margin) brown pruinose, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of long dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae; dc setae pre- and postsuturally white, acr setae absent, lateral scutal setae white, npl, spal, and pal setae absent; postpronotal lobe yellow, white pruinose; proepisternum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes long white setose; scutellum entirely grey pruinose, asetose, apical scutellar setae absent; mesopostnotum, anatergite, and katatergite grey pruinose, mesopostnotum laterally (close to anatergite) long white setose, anatergite long white setose, katatergite long white setose; katatergite ± flat; anterior anepisternum asetose, supero-posterior anepisternum long white setose; posterior anepimeron long white setose, katepimeron white setose; metepimeron ± flat, yellow, grey pruinose, long white setose; metepisternum grey pruinose, asetose.
Leg: brown, setation brown and white; all coxae grey pruinose, brown setose; met trochanter setose medially; femora brown, met femora ± cylindrical only slightly wider than pro and mes femora, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; pro and mes tibiae laterally arched, met tibia straight, met tibia cylindrical, ventral keel absent; pro and mes tarsomere 1 longer than tarsomere 2, but less than combined length of tarsomeres 2-3, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-4; pulvilli well-developed, as long as well-developed claws, and as wide as base of claws; empodium absent.
Wing: length = 9.0-9.7 mm; hyaline throughout, veins light brown or light yellow, microtrichia absent; cells r1, r4, r5, m3, + cup closed; C terminates at junction with R1; R4 terminates in R1; R5 terminates in R1; stump vein (R3) at base of R4 absent or only very short; R4 and R5 widest apart medially; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein; M1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M1 (or M1+M2) terminates in R1; CuA1 and CuA2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m3 narrow proximally); M3+CuA1 do not terminate together in C; A1 undulating, cell a1 wide, A1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally, alula well-developed; halter light brown.
Abdomen: brown; setation comprised of scattered white and brown setae, surface entirely smooth; T1-T7 brown with narrow yellow posterior margins; T1 and anterior ½ of T2 long white setose, remaining T2 and T3 brown setose; T lightly grey pruinose; S1-7 brown, yellow posterior margins; S1 asetose, S2-3 sparsely brown setose; S predominantly apruinose; T2-4 parallel-sided and not constricted waist-like; bullae on T2 light brown, small and circular, surface entirely smooth, T2 surface anterior to bullae smooth.
Male terminalia: T1-7 well-developed, entirely sclerotised, T8 postero-medially weakly sclerotised, with anterior transverse sclerotised bridge connecting lateral sclerites ; T7-8 anteriorly with 2 lateral apodemes; S6 regular, without any special setation postero-medially, S8 well-developed and simple, not fused to T8 dorso-laterally, entire (undivided) ventro-medially; epandrium formed by single sclerite (fused medially ± entirely), rounded postero-laterally; subepandrial sclerite without lateral or median protuberances; hypandrium strongly concave, cup-shaped, entirely sclerotised ventrally (forming a single sclerite), entirely fused with gonocoxite, forming a gonocoxite-hypandrial complex; gonocoxites dorso-ventrally flattened in distal ½ , higher in proximal ½ , without median or lateral protuberance, gonocoxal apodeme absent; 2 functional aedeagal prongs, short and wide, medio-distally free, parallel or diverging laterally, distally straight or only diverging slightly laterally; aedeagal epimere present, distally simple, evenly rounded; lateral ejaculatory processes absent; ejaculatory apodeme formed by single dorso-ventrally oriented plate; ventro-median margin of dorsal aedeagal sheath heavily sclerotised (appearing entirely closed); dorsal aedeagal sheath long, sperm sac entirely covered; sperm sac appearing ± heavily sclerotised.
Re-description Female:
Head: in general densely grey pruinose; vertex between compound eyes ± horizontally straight, medially only slightly below dorsal eye margin; parafacial area more than ½ the width of central facial gibbosity; mystax white, covering entire facial gibbosity, sparse; pocl setae white.
Antenna: scape and pedicel white setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel ≥ 4.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel.
Thorax: scutum uniformly light brown; mesopostnotum laterally (close to anatergite) short white setose; anatergite short white setose; katatergite short white setose; posterior anepimeron short white setose; supero-posterior anepisternum short white setose; metepimeron same colour as T1, white pruinose, short white setose.
Leg: light brown, setation predominantly white; all coxae grey pruinose, white setose; femora light brown or yellow; pulvilli reduced, half length of well-developed claws.
Wing: length = 11.2-11.5 mm; r-m distinct, R4+5 and M1 apart, connected by crossvein.
Abdomen: light brown; setation comprised of sparsely scattered short yellow setae, T1 light brown, T2-7 light brown with brown lateral longitudinal and sublateral circular markings; T1-3 sparsely yellow setose; T1-2 anteriorly lightly grey pruinose, T3-7 apruinose; S1 brown, S2-7 light brown with brown lateral longitudinal and median circular markings; S1-3 asetose.
Female genitalia: densely arranged anteriorly directed setae present on T7-8 and S7-8; T9 formed by wide, rectangular sclerite with median protuberance; T9+10 entirely fused, T10 divided into 2 heavily sclerotised acanthophorite plates, 6-8 acanthophorite spurs per plate; 2 spermathecae, all equally large, formed by ± expanded weakly sclerotised ducts and spherical weakly sclerotised reservoirs; individual spermathecal ducts short; S9 (furca) formed by 1 sclerite, ring-like (joined anteriorly and posteriorly), anterior furcal apodeme present, 2 lateral projections forming divided apodeme, lateral furcal apodeme present, median furcal bridge absent.
Material examined:
Niger: Niamey: 1 ♂ Niamey, 13°31'00"N; 002°07'00"E, -. xii.1938 , L. Chepard (AAM-001219, MNHN); 3 ♂ Niamey, 16.xi.1977 , millet field, J. Ritchie (AAM-000140, AAM-000663-AAM-000664, BMNH); Zinder: 3 ♀ 4 ♂ Dungass (= Dengas), 13°04'05"N; 009°20'23"E, -. xi.1910 , R. Gaillard (1 ♂ holotype, AAM-001220-AAM-001225, MNHN); Mauritania: Trarza: 1 ♂ Nouakchott, 153 km NE, 18°59'45"N; 015°13'56"W, 20.x.1993 , W. Pulawski (AAM-000116, CAS).
Distribution:
Niger, Mauritania. Biodiversity hotspot/high-biodiversity wilderness area: -/-.
Remarks:
The ♂ specimen (AAM-000116) of this small species from the western edges of the Sahara represents the first Mydidae species recorded from Mauritania. The species is primarily known from specimens collected in southern Niger (see material examined above that was first mentioned by Séguy 1928 , 1941 ). It has also been recorded from Mali ( Bowden 1980: 333 ) and North Africa ( Sack 1934: 26 ). The specimen that Bowden based his assessment on has not been found in the BMNH so that I cannot verify the record from Mali. The northern African distribution is also questionable as this species has not been listed in the Palaearctic catalogue ( Richter and Zaitzev 1988 ).
