Bathycranium: synonymised with Syntormon, distinction between Parasyntormon and Syntormon discussed and S. bicolorellus and S. luteicornis (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) redescribed

It is demonstrated that there is no valid basis on which to sustain the monotypic genus Bathycranium Strobl and concluded that Bathycranium should be recognised as a junior synonym of Syntormon Loew (new status). The species Syntormon bicolorellus Zetterstedt (new combination) falls into a natural grouping of Syntormon species with downcurved facial hairs in females. This species and S. luteicornis Parent are redescribed. Distinctions between Syntormonand Parasyntormon are discussed

Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) gallica Whitmore, Richet, Pape & Blackith, 2009, sp. nov.

Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) gallica sp. nov. Holotype ɗ. FRANCE: Hautes Alpes / Villaron Bas SE St-Crépin / (Vallée de la Durance) / 44 ° 42 ' 18 N 006° 36 ' 83 E / 04.VIII. 1998, 1000 m / legit C. Lange & J. Ziegler // NRM-DIPT / 0 0 11312 // HOLOTYPE ɗ / Sarcophaga / (Heteronychia) / gallica sp. nov. / det. D. Whitmore, R. Richet, / T. Pape & R. Blackith 2008 (NHRS) [terminalia cut off at level of the epandrium and placed in glycerine in a microvial pinned beneath the rest of the specimen]. Paratypes. 1 ɗ: France, Aveyron / Dept. 12, La Cresse / sandy pasture / by river / coll. R. & R. Blackith / 3.IX. 1990 // Sarcophaga / (Heteronychia) / infixa Böttcher / det. R. Blackith / 2006 (RBC) [terminalia glued to a slip of card pinned with the specimen]; 1 ɗ: France, Lot (46) / St. Pantaléon / limestone ridge / coll. R. & R. Blackith / 30.V. 1993 // Sarcophaga / (Heteronychia) / infixa Böttcher / det. R. Blackith / 2006 (RBC) [terminalia stored in glycerine in a small plastic tube pinned with the specimen]; 2 ɗɗ: Réc. R. Richet / 84 Bédoin / VII. 1991 (MNHN); 1 ɗ: Réc. R. Richet / 26 VILLEBOIS- / LES-PINS / VII. 1991 (MNHN) [the terminalia of these three paratypes in MNHN are mounted on a single slide, in Canada balsam]; 1 ɗ: Hérault / Vailhauquès / 18.VI. 2003 / M. Martinez leg // Chasse à vue sur / des Paliurus en / fleurs (INRA) [terminalia stored in glycerine in a small plastic tube pinned with the specimen]; 1 ɗ: Hérault / Vailhauquès / 19.VI. 2003 / M. Martinez leg // Chasse à vue sur / des Paliurus en / fleurs (INRA) [terminalia stored in glycerine in a small glass tube pinned with the specimen]. Diagnosis (male). Parafacial narrow; scutellum usually with a pair of apical setae; mid tibia with one anteroventral seta; hind trochanter with a brush of short spine-like setae; hind femur with a strong subapical seta but no additional anteroventral setae; hind tibia with a row of fine setulae on anteroventral surface; wing vein R 1 setose dorsally; abdominal tergite 3 without median marginal setae; protandrial segment with a row of marginal setae and a large spot of grey microtrichosity; epandrium red; cercus with a dorsal inflexion when viewed in profile and with a slight dorsal excavation medially; pregonite with a rounded tip, not widening apically; phallus: apical process of harpes short, with main width oriented in the same plane as transverse plane of distiphallus; juxta between 0.97 and 1.09 times the length of base of distiphallus; juxta with short, thin, parallel-sided appendages at base, variable in length and thickness. Description (male). Length. 7.5mm [3.8–7.5]. Apart from minor differences, such as the absence of prescutellar acrostichal setae in several specimens (but not in the holotype), S. gallica is identical to S. infixa in the external morphology other than the distiphallus. Distiphallus. Apical process of harpes short, with main width oriented in the same plane as transverse plane of distiphallus (Fig. 24); juxta between 0.97 and 1.09 times the length of base of distiphallus (Fig. 25); juxta in lateral view with a distinct subapical ventral indentation (Fig. 25); juxta in apical view usually with two or three median longitudinal folds (Fig. 24). Female unknown. Etymology. A Latin adjective deriving from Gallia (= Gaul), the ancient name of the region of Western Europe occupied by present-day France, Belgium and neighbouring areas. Distribution. Currently known only from southern France. Peris et al. (1998) published line drawings of S. infixa from Spain (Huesca, Valbanera) which were likely based on S. gallica. However, without a direct examination of these specimens, Spain cannot be included with certainty in the known distribution of the species. Biology. Unknown. Remarks. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) gallica and S. (H.) infixa are undoubtedly very closely related. The differences found in the orientation of the apical process of the harpes, in the length of the juxta and shape of the juxta in apical view (compare Figs 20–22 and 24–25) appear to be constant and fully justify the description of a new species. Discussion of Sarcophaga infixa and S. gallica . The position of these two species within the subgenus Heteronychia is unclear: at a superficial glance they could be considered close to species of the “ haemorrhoa - group” [e.g. S. haemorrhoa Meigen, 1826, S. haemorrhoides, S. kataphygionis (Povolný, 1999)], with which they share the following combination of character states: 1) occipital setae white; 2) wing vein R 1 with dorsal setae; 3) epandrium red; 4) juxta long and with a pair of membranous basal appendages. However, they differ by the absence of median marginal setae on tergite 3, the different shape of the cercus and the much smaller juxtal appendages, not widening apically (compare Figs 22 and 25 with Fig. 26). An overall similarity exists also with S. plotnikovi Rohdendorf, 1925 from Central Asia and China – which shares with S. infixa and S. gallica the shape of the juxta and juxtal appendages (Fig. 27) and the absence of median marginal setae on tergite 3 but is generally of much larger size, lacks dorsal setae on vein R 1 and shows differences in structures of the phallus – and with S. abramovi (Rohdendorf, 1938) and S. violovitshi (Rohdendorf & Verves, 1979), two far-eastern Palaearctic species with a superficially similar phallic structure. These are only tentative affiliations, and a thorough cladistic analysis is needed in order to obtain more solid information on relationships within this complex group of species.Published as part of Whitmore, Daniel, Richet, René, Pape, Thomas & Blackith, Ruth M., 2009, Redescription of Sarcophaga (Discachaeta) bezziana Böttcher and Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) infixa Böttcher, and description of a new Heteronychia Brauer & Bergenstamm from southern France (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), pp. 27-40 in Zootaxa 1993 on pages 37-38, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18560

Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) infixa Bottcher 1913

Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) infixa Böttcher, 1913 sp. rev. Sarcophaga infixa Böttcher, 1913 a: 124. Type locality: Hungary, “Gegend von Budapest”. Type material. Holotype ɗ: Gyón [Hungary] / 16.VI.02 // Sarcophaga / infixa / i. lit. Villen. // G. Böttcher (SMF) // HOLOTYPE / det. D. Whitmore, R. Richet, T. Pape & R. Blackith 2008 [holotype in moderate condition with torn wings, somewhat abraded chaetotaxy and front right leg glued to a piece of card pinned with the specimen; the terminalia were removed from the abdomen, dissected and placed in glycerine in a small plastic tube pinned with the rest of the specimen]. Other material. Austria. 1 ɗ: Austria inf., Obenweiden, 29.6. 93, Mik, S. infixa Villen. ɗ det. G. Böttcher (NMW). Hungary. 1 ɗ: [Hungary], Pócsmegyer, Fegyveres-sz., 1958. V. 20, leg. Kakassné (HNHM); 1 ɗ: [Hungary], Ágasegyháza homokbuckás, 1959. VII. 9, leg. Mihályi (HNHM); 1 ɗ: [Hungary], Mecsek-hg., Tubes, 1960. VI. 15, leg. Soós (HNHM); 1 ɗ: [Hungary], Tompa, Zsiros-kuti erdő, 1962. V. 8, leg. Zsirkó (HNHM); 1 ɗ: [Hungary], Csévahaszrt borókás, 1971. VIII. 11, leg. Mihályi (HNHM). Diagnosis (male). Parafacial narrow; scutellum with a pair of apical setae; mid tibia with one anteroventral seta; hind trochanter with a brush of short spine-like setae; hind femur with a strong subapical seta but no additional anteroventral setae; hind tibia with a row of fine setulae on anteroventral surface; wing vein R 1 setose dorsally; abdominal tergite 3 without median marginal setae; protandrial segment with a row of marginal setae and a large spot of grey microtrichosity; epandrium red; cercus with a dorsal inflexion when viewed in profile and with a slight dorsal excavation medially; pregonite with a rounded tip, not widening apically; phallus: apical process of harpes short, with main width oriented in the same plane as median longitudinal plane of distiphallus; juxta long, 1.11–1.47 times the length of basal part of distiphallus; juxta with short, thin, parallel-sided appendages at base, variable in length and thickness. Redescription. Male (measurements refer to the holotype, with the variation range of the species given in square brackets). Length: 4.8mm [4.8–7.5]. Colour. Head black, with dense silver-grey microtrichosity on parafacials and fronto-orbital plate, changing with the incidence of light. Frontal vitta black. Gena, face and occiput grey-microtrichose. Antenna: pedicel black, brown at tip; postpedicel black. Prementum dark brown, palpus brown. Ground colour of thorax black, grey-microtrichose with three longitudinal dark vittae; legs black; tegula black, basicosta light yellow. Abdomen black, densely grey-microtrichose; when viewed posteriorly, abdomen almost entirely light grey with central dark stripes (wider on tergites 3 and 4) and small lateral dark spots (often very reduced) on tergites 3–5 (Fig. 16). Protandrial segment black with a large spot of grey microtrichosity distally, occupying 2 / 3 of the width of the segment; epandrium red; cercus black; surstylus brown; phallus, pre- and postgonites brown. Head. Arista thickened on basal 1 / 4 [1 / 4 – 1 / 3]. Postpedicel 2.00 [1.82 –2.00] times as long as pedicel. Frons at its narrowest point 0.47 [0.47–0.55] times as wide as an eye in dorsal view. Frontal vitta 0.56 [0.48–0.56] times as wide as frons at its narrowest point, widening towards antennal insertion. Lateral vertical seta strong, about 1.5 times as long as longest postocular setae. Five to 6 frontal setae, not descending below level of middle of pedicel. Fronto-orbital plate with a few scattered, fine setulae. Parafacial with a row of fine hair-like setulae near eye margin. Parafacial at its narrowest point 0.13 [0.13–0.21] times as wide as eye width in strict lateral view. Lower facial margin slightly visible in lateral view below vibrissa. Facial ridge above vibrissa with a few decumbent setulae. Gena in profile 0.25 [0.25–0.31] times the vertical height of eye (measured in the same vertical plane as height of head); gena entirely covered with black setulae; postgenal setulae white. Two rows of black occipital setulae behind postocular row, remaining occipital setulae white. Prementum about three times as long as wide. Thorax. Postpronotum with 3 stronger setae forming a triangle. Scutum with 2–3 + 1 (prescutellar) acrostichal, 4 + 3 dorsocentral, 2 intraalar, 1 posthumeral (sometimes an additional weak outer seta present), 1 presutural, 4 notopleural and 3 supraalar setae; postalar callus with 2 setae. Katepisternum with 3 setae. Katepimeron with fine setulae on posterior half. Scutellum with 3 pairs of marginal setae (basal, subapical, apical) and one pair of discal setae. Legs. Fore tibia with 2–3 anterodorsal and 1 posterior setae. Mid femur with 2–5 anterior setae near middle, 2–4 anteroventral setae, 2–3 subapical posterodorsal setae, only fine, long setulae on posteroventral surface, some with wavy tip; mid femur without a subapical posteroventral comb. Mid tibia with 2–3 (sometimes a few additional short) anterodorsal, 2–3 posterodorsal, 1 posterior and 1 anteroventral setae. Hind trochanter with a posteroventral brush of widely spaced, short, spine-like setae. Hind femur with a strong subapical seta but no additional anteroventral setae (although always with a few stronger setulae), and with several stronger posteroventral setulae in basal third. Hind tibia with a row of anterodorsal setae of irregular length, 2 posterodorsal and 2–3 anteroventral setae; hind tibia usually with a row of fine setulae on posterovental surface, usually in a more or less straight line (such setulae shorter in smaller specimens, e.g. in the holotype). Wing. Costal spine well developed, about as long as crossvein R-M or slightly longer. Vein R 1 with several setae along dorsal surface. Setae on dorsal surface of vein R 4 + 5 extending over halfway to crossvein R-M. Second costal section [0.87–0.95] times fourth costal section [not measurable in holotype, which has a damaged costa]. Small spines on costa reaching about 2 / 3–4 / 5 of the way across fourth costal section. Wing cell r 4 + 5 open at wing margin (closed in holotype but without a petiole). Abdomen. Syntergite 1 + 2 and tergite 3 without median marginal setae. Tergite 4 with a pair of strong median marginal setae and 2–3 lateral marginal setae. Tergite 5 with a complete row of marginal setae. Terminalia. Sternite 5 (Fig. 17) strongly indented, v-shaped, with tightly spaced stout, short setae at base of and along each of its processes, the innermost ones visibly longer. Protandrial segment with a row of setulae along posterior margin. Epandrium with a gently curved dorsal margin, about as long as high. Cercus (Fig. 18) with a dorsal inflexion and downcurved apex when viewed in profile, and with a slight dorsal excavation medially. Surstylus (Fig. 18) sub-triangular. Pregonite (Fig. 19) thin and curved with a rounded, not enlarged tip and with fine setulae along dorsal surface. Postgonite (Fig. 19) with a hooked tip. Distiphallus (Fig. 20): apical process of harpes short, more or less ventrally directed, with main width oriented in the same plane as median longitudinal plane of distiphallus (Fig. 21); juxta long, approximately 1.47 [1.11–1.47] times the length of basal part of distiphallus (see Fig. 20) with short, thin (parallel-sided) appendages arising from base, somewhat variable in length and thickness (see Figs 20, 22); juxta not separated from rest of distiphallus by a distinct suture; juxta, in apical view (Fig. 21), with two small, upturned processes at sides (see Figs 20–22) and a deep subtriangular median depression delimited by two conspicuous folds converging dorsally (Fig. 21); lateral styli funnel-shaped, slightly widening apically (Fig. 22); vesica small, laminar (Fig. 23). Female unknown. Biology. Unknown. Distribution. Austria, Czech Republic, Germany and Hungary (cf. Pape 1996; Povolný & Verves 1997). Mentioned from Germany by Verves (1986) and later also by Pape (1996) and Rudzinski (1999); Povolný and Verves (1997) were more precise in listing the species from “Southern Bavaria”, but they did not give a reference for this record and its origin could not be retraced by us. Sarcophaga infixa seems to be rare throughout its range, and very few specimens exist in museum collections. Remarks. Sarcophaga infixa was described on a single male from Hungary (see above). Based solely on Böttcher’s (1913 a: 124) very schematic original illustration, Rohdendorf (1937) placed S. infixa in Pierretia subgenus Pandelleola Rohdendorf, 1937 (= what we consider the “ filia -group”). Mihályi (1979) studied new material from Hungary (probably the specimens from HNHM listed above) and provided a more detailed illustration of the phallus showing the short appendages at the base of the juxta (not visible in Böttcher’s original illustration). Verves (1986) still placed S. infixa in subgenus Pandelleola, but placed the subgenus under genus Heteronychia. He later transferred S. infixa to Heteronychia sensu stricto after examining the male terminalia (Verves 1989). Povolný and Verves (1997) reproduced Mihályi’s drawing and gave a brief description of S. infixa without discussing affinities with other species. Pape (1996) moved Heteronychia to Sarcophaga, recognizing it as a subgenus with Pandelleola in synonymy and recognizing S. (Heteronychia) infixa as a valid species. Pape et al. (2002) synonymized S. infixa with S. (Heteronychia) haemorrhoides, stressing the need for a modern revision of these two nominal species; following our examination of the holotype of the former, we here reinstate S. (Heteronychia) infixa as valid, sp. rev.Published as part of Whitmore, Daniel, Richet, René, Pape, Thomas & Blackith, Ruth M., 2009, Redescription of Sarcophaga (Discachaeta) bezziana Böttcher and Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) infixa Böttcher, and description of a new Heteronychia Brauer & Bergenstamm from southern France (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), pp. 27-40 in Zootaxa 1993 on pages 33-37, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18560

FIGURES 16 – 21 in Redescription of Sarcophaga (Discachaeta) bezziana Böttcher and Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) infixa Böttcher, and description of a new Heteronychia Brauer & Bergenstamm from southern France (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

FIGURES 16 – 21. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) infixa Böttcher, 1913, male (scale bars = 0.1 mm). 16. Abdomen in posterior view; specimen from Obenweiden, Austria (NMW). 17. Sternite 5; specimen from Obenweiden, Austria (NMW). 18. Cercus and surstylus in lateral view; specimen from Mecsek, Hungary (HNHM). 19. Gonites; specimen from Obenweiden, Austria (NMW). 20. Distiphallus in lateral view, holotype (SMF); the black lines show the beginning and end of the juxta. 21. Distiphallus in apical view; specimen from Csévahaszrt borókás, Hungary (HNHM); the arrows show the folds at the tip of the juxta, and the orientation of the apical process of harpes