A new species of Bama McAlpine (Diptera, Platystomatidae) from New Guinea

ABSTRACT

Bama McAlpine is a genus of Platystomatidae restricted to Papua New Guinea. Here, we present the description of the new species, Bama (Bama) dichroma. Additionally, we provide an updated identification key and a distribution map for all known species of Bama.

Keywords:
New Guinea; Tephritoidea; Platystomatinae

Introduction

The genus Bama (Platystomatidae, Platystomatinae) includes two subgenera: Bama (Bama) and Bama (Polimen) (McAlpine, 2001). The subgenus Bama (Bama) was proposed by McAlpine (2001) based on Xiria papuana Hennig, 1940 and included all species, Bama bipunctatum (Hendel, 1914) and Bama strigatum (Hennig, 1940), except B. (Polimen) shinonagai McAlpine, 2001, which was named as the sole species in the subgenus.

Later, McAlpine (2015) revised Bama, described 13 new species in the subgenus Bama, and synonymized Bama strigatum with B. papuanum. The genus occurs in Papua New Guinea and probably many more species occur on mainland New Guinea (including Indonesian, West New Guinea) (McAlpine, 2015).

Currently, Bama is composed of 16 species: B. (B.) aurantium McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) bickeli McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) bipunctatum; B. (B.) brevitarse McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) divergens McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) flavifrons McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) flexifer McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) grande McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) gressitti McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) ismayi McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) martini McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) monstrans McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) papuanum; B. (B.) robertsi McAlpine, 2015; B. (B.) signifer McAlpine, 2015; and B. (P.) shinonagai McAlpine, 2001 (McAlpine, 2015).

In this contribution, Bama (Bama) dichroma sp. nov. is described, and its external morphology and terminalia are illustrated. An updated key based on McAlpine (2015), and a distributional map to all known species of Bama, are also given.

Material and methods

All the specimens studied were borrowed from the Natural History Museum, London UK. In order to observe the terminalia, the abdomen of some specimens was removed and treated with 10% KOH solution overnight, then neutralized with acid acetic and washed in distilled water, dehydrated in an alcoholic series (60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100%), dissected, placed on a depression, with glycerin, and photographed. The dissected abdomens are stored in glycerin in a microvial attached to the pin of the specimen.

Photos were obtained at the Photo studio of Staatliche Museum für Naturkunde, Stuttgart, Germany. Equipment used: Canon EOS 5DsR, Canon macro photo lens MP-E 65mm 1:2.8; software used: Photoshop 2021, Helicon Focus 8.1.0. The map (Fig. 3) was made using QGIS 3.16.11, Google Earth Pro 7.3.6.9345. Shape files were obtained in geoBoundaries (Runfola et al., 2020). The terminology used follows Galinskaya and Shatalkin (2013), Galinskaya and Ovtshinnikova (2015), Bodner and Freidberg (2016), and Cumming and Wood (2017).

Figure 3
Distributional map of the species of Bama.

Results

Bama McAlpine, 2001

Bama McAlpine, 2001: 165. Type species: Xiria papuana Hennig, 1940 (original designation); McAlpine, 2015: 26 (new species, new synonym, key).

Diagnosis: two orbital setae; face without medial carina; arista micropubescent; scutellum bare; mid tibia with one large terminal ventral spur, longer than tibial diameter, any additional spurs very small; stem vein setose dorsally on base of Rs before level of humeral; cua cell bare or with a microtrichose only along anterior margin and distally; lower calypter reduced, not or only slightly larger than that of alula; female with abdominal tergite 3 much longer than tergites 4–5 (McAlpine, 2001, 2015).

Key to the adults of Bama, adapted from McAlpine (2015)

1. Scutellum dorsally bare, laterally setulose; lateral scutellar setae shorter than basal scutellar seta; wing with one stripe bordering C vein, one complete subcostal band, and a band on r-m (McAlpine, 2001: figs. 76–78; McAlpine, 2015: fig. 53) ………………………… B. (P.) shinonagai McAlpine

- Scutellum covered by pruinescence, without lateral setulae; all scutellar setae of similar size; wing marks not as above ………………………………………….. 2

2. Anterior half of wing dark brown, males with darker spots around veins R₄₊₅ and M₁ (McAlpine 2015: figs. 23–24) ………………………………………….. 3

- Anterior half of wing hyaline or pale yellow; R₄₊₅ and M₁ without dark spots (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 1 & 3) ……... 6

3. Medial segment of M₄ with distal brown stripe; dm-m straight; palpus dark grey-brown; males only: R₄₊₅ and M₁ veins with darker spots (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 23–26) ………………….. B. (B.) gressitti McAlpine

- M₄ completely hyaline; dm-m sinuous; palpus variable in color; males only: R₄₊₅ and M₁ veins uniform in color (McAlpine 2001: fig. 8) ……………………… 4

4. R₂₊₃ slightly curved at level of r-m; dm-m hyaline; acrostichal setae absent; arista bare throughout its length, with lanceolate apical expansion at least in female …………………. (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 17–20) B. (B.) signifier McAlpine

- R₂₊₃ abruptly curved at level of r-m; dm-m with infuscate band; one acrostichal seta; arista uniformly micropubescent (McAlpine, 2015: fig. 8) ……………………….. 5

5. Palpus elongated, yellowish; r₄₊₅ with posterodistal hyaline mark; male terminalia with distal lobe on glans ……………… (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 7–10) B. (B.) flexifer

- Palpus short, dark brown; r₄₊₅ with medial light brown band; male terminalia without distal lobe on glans (Figs.: 1a–e & 2 a–e) …….………………… B. (B.) dichroma sp nov.

6. CuA₂ shape with middle projection; wing hyaline with dark brown fasciae, including medial band, discal band and broad apical band; fore femur entirely brown; hind femur yellow (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 1–2) ............................................. B. (B.) bipunctatum (Hendel)

- CuA₂ shape with projection on apical portion; wings and legs variable (McAlpine, 2015: fig. 3) ………………… 7

7. Halter knob dark brown to black; cell cua largely hyaline ………………………………………………. 8

- Halter knob white or yellow; cell cua with apical portion often partly brown ………………………………. 9

8. Basal section of R₄₊₅ and M₁ almost straight, diverging at apex; wing hyaline with brown marks on sc, half of r₁, half of r₂₊₃, medial band ending at dm, one discal band, dm-m with subtriangular mark, and two distal black dots in r₄₊₅ (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 3–4) …………………………………………… B. (B.) divergens McAlpine

- Apical section of R₄₊₅ and M₁ curved and parallel; wing hyaline with medial, and pre-apical bands (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 5–6) … ………………………………………………. B. (B.) robertsi McAlpine

9. Hind basitarsus less than one third length of hind tibia; dm-m curved, but not oblique; wing diffuse and irregular brown marks, at least in males (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 11–16) ………………………… B. (B.) brevitarse McAlpine

- Hind basitarsus more than one-third length of hind tibia; dm-m with oblique orientation; wing markings not as above …………………………… 10

10. Scutellum yellowish orange …………………………………. 11

- Scutellum black or dark yellow …………………………………….. 13

11. Mid coxa with brush-like setae on dorsal surface (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 39–41) .......................... B. (B.) aurantium McAlpine

- Mid coxa without such brush-like setae …………………………… 12

12. Wing hyaline with subcostal and discal bands, one apical stripe on r₄₊₅ and one stripe on apical segment of M₁; r-m and dm-m of similar size … (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 35–38) B. (B.) martini McAlpine

- Wing hyaline with inconspicuous infuscate brown on r-m and dm-m; dm-m more than two times longer than r-m (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 33–34) …………………………… B. (B.) grande McAlpine

13. Frons yellow, with small black marks on sides of ocellus; fore femur entirely dark brown; wing hyaline with one subtriangular band on subcostal vein, one medial band joined with one discal band posteriorly, one Costal stripe on distal 1/3 (McAlpine, 2015: fig. 21) ........................................................ B. (B.) flavifrons McAlpine

- Frons largely black; fore femur yellow at least on basal third; wing markings not as above ……………………… 14

14. M₁ segment between r-m and dm-m as long as of dm-m; wing with one medial and one discal band (McAlpine, 2015: fig. 22) ………………………………………. B. (B.) ismayi McAlpine

- M₁ segment between r-m and dm-m shorter than dm-m; wing marks not as above …………………….. 15

15. Fore femur yellow basally, brown distally; wing with one medial band ending at M₁, an inclined band on discal cell; M₁ segment between r-m and dm-m as long as r-m; dorsal surface at distal margin of mid coxae with setae; male with hind basitarsus broadened and compressed (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 27–32) ……………… B. (B.) bickeli McAlpine

- Fore femur entirely yellow; wing marks not as above; M₁ segment between r-m and dm-m shorter than r-m; dorsal surface at distal border of mid coxae with one seta; male with hind basitarsus slender, cylindrical …………………. 16

16. Wing of male hyaline with one costal yellow stripe, one brown medial band, posteriorly joined with one preapical band; apex of with dark brown; M₁ segment between r-m and dm-m as long as r-m; mid coxae with finger-like extension on ventral surface; lobe of preglans with many peg-like spinules (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 42–47) ………………………. B. (B.) monstrans McAlpine

- Wing of male with one discal band; one costal stripe, one stripe at M₁ on distal portion; M₁ segment between r-m and dm-m shorter than r-m; mid coxa with dorsal extension narrow, but less elongate; lobe of preglans without spinules (McAlpine, 2015: figs. 48–52) ……………………………………… B. (B.) papuanum (Hennig)

Bama (Bama) McAlpine, 2001 s. str.

Bama (Bama) McAlpine, 2001: 166. Type species: Xiria papuana Hennig, 1940 (original designation).

Diagnosis: Postpedicel rounded distally; scutellum without setulae, dorsally subshiny, covered with fine pubescence; lower calypter with very short lobe, scarcely larger than area of axillary lobe (McAlpine, 2001).

Bama (Bama) dichroma sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5F0BFC0F-4B58-41B1-895C-3E5BCC6FFF97

(Figs. 1a-e; Figs. 2a-e)

Figure 1
Bama dichroma sp. nov. (a) habitus dorsal; (b) habitus lateral; (c) head frontal; (d) wing dorsal; (e) abdomen dorsal, setae indicate the syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3. Scale: 1mm. Figs.: 1a–c and 1e holotype, Fig. 1d paratype female.

Figure 2
Bama dichroma sp. nov. terminalia. (a) male terminalia in lateral view; (b) male terminalia in ventral view; (c) male ejaculatory apodeme; (d) male aedeagal complex; (e) female terminalia with spermathecae. Scale: 0.5mm.

Diagnosis:Bama dichroma sp. nov. is similar to B. flexifer, B. gressitti and B. signifer in the presence of a broad costal stripe, covering cells sc, r₁, r₂₊₃, and r₄₊₅. It differs from B. gressitti in lacking an infuscate stripe on M₄ and lacking darker dots on R₄₊₅ and M₁. It differs from B. signifer in having a band on dm-m. It can be distinguished from B. flexifer in having cell r₄₊₅ completely dark brown with one medial light brown stripe, whereas B. flexifer has hyaline dot near apex of cell r₄₊₅.

Head: (Figs. 1a-c) frons rectangular, longer than wider, dark brown; two orbital setae, of same size, inner vertical seta convergent, outer vertical seta divergent; ocellar setae reduced, divergent; postocellar setae reduced, erect; silver pruinescence on fronto-orbital plate, parafacialia, and postgena; pedicel dark brown; postpedicel 2.5 times height of pedicel, covered by whitish microtrichia; arista longer than face, micropubescent; face dark brown; gena about 1/5 height of eye; clypeus dark brown, short, about height of pedicel; palpus dark brown; proboscis dark brown.

Thorax: (Figs.: 1a–1b, and 1d) scutum with dark blue-green metallic luster, with lateral borders dark brown; one postpronotal seta; two notopleural setae; one supra-alar seta; one intra-alar seta; one postalar seta; one prescutellar acrostichal seta; one prescutellar dorsocentral seta; scutellum dark brown, flat, V-shaped in dorsal view; three scutellar setae, of same size; one anepisternal seta. Legs: coxae yellowish; femora yellowish; tibiae and tarsi dark brown; fore coxa with four setae at distal border of ventral surface; fore femur with row of long setae on distal half ventrally; mid coxa with five setae on ventral surface; mid tibia with one apical spur; hind coxa with two setae on posterior surface, and one seta on anterior surface. Wings (Fig. 1d): hyaline; costal stripe broad, dark brown, covering the cells sc, r₁, r₂₊₃, and r₄₊₅, with one hyaline triangular mark at r-m level, and one hyaline band on cell r₄₊₅; one light brown band on apex of discal cell, covering dm-m; Sc straight, incomplete but ending near C; R₁ straight; R₂₊₃ sinuous at r-m level; second segment of M₁ sinuous; Rs with fine microtrichia dorsally; R₁ and R₄₊₅ setulose dorsally; lower calypter reduced to linear fringe; halter with base of rod brown, apical part and knob pale yellow.

Abdomen: (Fig. 1e) oval; dark brown, with metallic blue green luster; sparsely covered by whitish microtrichia; female with tergite 3 longer than tergites 4–5; male tergite 5 with three lateral marginal setae. Male terminalia: (Figs. 2a-d) in lateral view, epandrium round, covered by setae (Fig. 2a); cercus globose, covered by setae; lateral as long as epandrium, with setae at apex; inner surstylus shorter than lateral surstylus; one apical prensiseta, fang like in ventral view (Fig. 2b); cercus bilobate; ejaculatory apodeme fanlike (Fig. 2c); aedeagus cylindrical; preglans reduced; glans well developed, half as wide as long, without process or lobe; terminal filaments Y-shaped, unequal size, the longer one about the same width of glans; (Fig. 2d). Female terminalia: (Fig. 2e) oviscape conical, length and width similar; taenia longer than oviscape; eversible membrane with scale-like denticles; sternite 8 narrow and pointed; cercus fused, with two setae; three (2+1) spermathecae, drop-like, atrium reduced, basal disc absent.

Sexual dimorphism Substantial sexual dimorphism was not observed in the specimens studied.

Type Material: Holotype female and six paratypes, two males and four females, all deposited at the Natural History Museum, London.

Holotype. (1): Stn. No. | 78; (2): NEW GUINEA: | Madang Dist., | Finisterre Mts. | Moro C 5550ft. 30.x-15.xi.1964; (3): M.E. Bacchus. | B.M. 1965-120; (4): NHMUK 013444736 | Qr code; (5): Bama | dichroma | det. J.P.V. Rodrigues, 2023; (6): HOLOTYPE (female).

Paratypes with same data as holotype, except: (4) NHMUK 013444733, and (6) PARATYPE (female); (4) NHMUK 013444734, and (6) PARATYPE (female); (4) NHMUK 013444735, and (6) PARATYPE (female); (4) NHMUK 013444737, and (6) PARATYPE (male); (4) NHMUK 013444738, and (6) PARATYPE (female); (4) NHMUK 013444740, and (6) PARATYPE (male).

Distribution: Papua New Guinea, Finisterre Mountains (Fig. 3).

Etymology: The epithet dichroma is formed from the union of di= two and chroma= color, Greek, an allusion of the wing pattern, half wing dark brown and half hyaline. Gender neutral.

Discussion

The inclusion of B. dichroma sp. nov. in Bama is corroborated by the presence of two orbital setae (Figs. 1a, b), by the second segment of M₁ sinuous (Fig. 1d), by the abdominal tergite 3 enlarged and the reduction of tergites 4 and 5 in females (Fig. 1e: white setae), and by the presence of an aedeagus with pair of terminal filaments of unequal size, arising from a bulb (Fig. 2d) (McAlpine, 2001, 2015). The differences in the palpus, r₄₊₅ and the patterns between B. flexifer, B. gressitti, and B. signifer distinguish B. dichroma as a new species. Currently, the genus is composed of 17 species, 16 in the subgenus (Bama) and one in the (Polimen).

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Duncan Sivel and Zoe Addams, British Natural History Museum, for the loan of specimens used in this study. Daniel Whitmore hosted JPVR at the Staatliche Naturkunde Museum, Stuttgart. Thank the editor and reviewers, Andrew Whittington and Allen Norrbon, for their contribution in improving this manuscript.

• urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C35CCB18-5FAA-468A-B7C7-B43816C430A5

• Funding

  JPVR was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001. CJBC thanks to the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Brazil, grant #307959/2021–9.

References

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Edited by

Associate Editor: Marcia Couri

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  26 Aug 2024
• Date of issue
  2024

History

• Received
  08 Apr 2024
• Accepted
  02 July 2024