Pachylophus varipes Adams 1905
Creators: name: Deeming, John C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Chloropidae
Pachylophus
Pachylophus varipes

description: Pachylophus varipes Adams, 1905
(Plate 2, Figs 6, 7; plate 5, Fig. 25; plate 16, Figs 80, 81)
Pachylophus varipes Adams, 1905: 195
Described from Rhodesia and further recorded from Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and South Africa.
Material: 1♂ 3♀, ETHIOPIA: Mulu, above Muger Valley, c. 8000 ft., 18–23.xii.1926, H. Scott (NHMUK); 1♀, Oromo Prov., Zwai, ILRI, 1650m, 21–23.ii.2005, Malaise trap in Pennisetum purpureum, M.R. Wilson (NMWC); 1♀, Gonder Province, 39km E. of Lake Tana, 26.iii.1995, M. v. Tschirnhaus (X1029); 96♂ 177♀, (7♀ with Laboulbeniales on abdomen, this of two types, being filamentous and short) Gojam Province, swamp 1km N. of most southerly point of Tana Lake, swamp, 27.iii.1995, (X1031), M. v. Tschirnhaus; 23♂ 44♀, (4♀ with Laboulbeniales on tip of abdomen) Shewa Distr., River Awash Wenz S. of Nazret, 15.iii.1995, M. v. Tschirnhaus, (X1015); 14♂ 18♀, Gonder Prov., Blue Nile at T'is Isat Fwafwate waterfall, 28.iii.1995, (X1032), M.v. Tschirnhaus (all in ZSM); 1♀, with individual puparium N. NIGERIA: Zaria, Samaru, em. 2.ii.1973 ex shoot Leersia hexandra coll. 17.i., J. C. Deeming; 1♂ 7♀, Bauchi, pond with Oryza barthii, 1–12.iv.1990, J. C. Deeming; 8♂ 6♀, same data but 1–7.iii.1997; 3♀, KENYA: Kikuyu marsh, 17.iv.1983, K. A. Spencer; 1♀, Kasarani, 10–11.viii.1989, J. W. Ismay; series of both sexes Kisumu, c. 1000m, rice plot in marshland, 27.x.2004, M. R. Wilson (NMWC); 1♀, Nairobi, 7.i.1971, A.E. Stubbs (det. label in the handwriting of J.W. Ismay) (NHMUK); 1♂, Nature reserve NNW of Isiola, 17.iii.1970, (X332) M. v. Tschirnhaus (ZSM); 7♂ 2♀, GAMBIA: Central River Div., N. Bank, Barrajelli Tenda, on rice, 24.viii.1997, D.J. Mann (2♂ 1♀ infected with Laboulbeniales in NMWC, remainder in OUM); 1♂, Abuko, 3.iv.1977, (X85), both M. v. Tschirnhaus (both in ZSM); 1♂, W. Div., Kombo Distr., Lamin Bridge, rice field near Lamin Bolan, tidal waterway, on young rice, 2.ix.1997, D.J. Mann (OUM); 1♂, ZIMBABWE: Harare, Nat. Botanic Gdns., 20.ii.1997, J.W. Ismay (OUM); 1♀, SOUTH AFRICA: Natal, Oribi Gorge, 10.x.1983, A Freidberg (NMWC); 1♀, ANGOLA: Salazar, I.I. A. A. Farm, 7.iii.1972, BMSAE; 1♀, Dulce de Breganza Falls, at light, 12.iii.1972, BMSAE (both in NHMUK); 2♀, MADAGASCAR: Imerimandroso, Rive N. du Lac Alaotra, vi. 1921, R. Decary; 2♂ 2♀, Amparafaravola (O. du Lac Alaotra), 1921, R. Decary (all in MNHN).
All of the Madagascan material in the MNHN collection stood under fossulatus and one of the males is on the same mount as a female halteratus. One of the females from Mulu was found to contain a single larva that did not have its cephalopharyngeal skeleton sclerotized. This was loosely surrounded by a fine membrane and was equal to three fifths of the length of the mother's abdomen. As to whether this represented a first or second instar larva and as to whether the membrane surrounding it was egg shell membrane or first instar cuticle remains in doubt. To pass through one or two instars within the egg would be possible, it being the case in the Muscidae: Phaoniini (Skidmore 1985: 440). The second female of same data contained a larva of similar size, in which segmentation was apparent and the cephaloskeleton vaguely discernible. The third female of same data contained a single unruptured egg as long as its abdomen and in which a segmented larva with weakly sclerotized and coloured cephalopharyngeal skeleton could be seen clearly. Puparium 4.4mm in length, 0.8mm in greatest width, tubular in shape and dirty yellow in colour; mandibular sclerite (plate 5, Fig. 25); anterior spiracles ventrally situated, parallel, with long axis longitudinal; posterior spiracles each with the usual 3 respiratory pores, uncoloured, with bases hardly raised.
Further material collected with the above-listed Bauchi 1997 specimens was found to have Laboulbeniales. This was sent to Dr. W. Rossi, who discovered it to be a distinctive new species of Laboulbenia.
description: Published as part of Deeming, John C., 2018, A revision of the Afrotropical species of Pachylophus Loew (Diptera: Chloropidae) and some related Ovoviviparous genera, pp. 1-51 in Zootaxa 4482 (1) on page 24, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4482.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1454415