Suragina monogramma
Creators: name: Muller, Burgert S.
name: Swart, Vaughn R.
name: Snyman, Louwrens P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Athericidae
Suragina
Suragina monogramma

description: Suragina monogramma (Bezzi, 1926)
Figs 27, 28, 49, 66, 70, 84
Atrichops monogramma Bezzi, 1926: 305.
Suragina monogramma: Stuckenberg 1960: 288, fig. 87; Stuckenberg 1980: 313.
Atrichops inaequalis Bezzi, 1926: 307; synonymised by Stuckenberg 1960: 288.
Type material examined.
Holotype: 1 ♀ [South Africa] • [KwaZulu-Natal], Mfongosi, Zulu L. [Land]; [28°42.69'S, 30°49.95'E]; W. E. Jones leg.; Dec. 1916; (SAM-DIP-A 006860).
Other material examined.
♂ ♀ Types of Atrichops inaequalis: South Africa • KwaZulu-Natal: K. Kloof [Kranzkloof, now Kloof], [29°45.858'S, 30°51.0529'E]; Dec. 1915, Marley leg.; (SAM-DIP-A 006861). Mozambique: • 4 ♂ 3 ♀; [Sofala Province] Gorongoza Mountain, Manica Sofala Dist; [18°45.96'S, 34°30'E]; 840 masl; Jul. 1959; B. R. Stuckenberg leg.; Gallery Forest; (♂: NMSA - DIP 028168, 158383, 158384, 162050; ♀: NMSA - DIP 027714, 158382, 158385). South Africa • 1 ♂; KwaZulu-Natal; Pinetown district, Gillitts; [29°47.85'S, 30°47.20'E]; Feb. 1963; B. R. Stuckenberg & P. Stuckenberg leg.; (♂: NMSA - DIP 158416; ♀: NMSA - DIP 158412, 158413, 158414) • 1 ♂; KwaZulu-Natal; Pinetown district, Gillitts; [29°47.85'S, 30°47.20'E]; 21 Nov. 1963; B. R. Stuckenberg & P. Stuckenberg leg.; (NMSA - DIP 028180) • 1 ♀; KwaZulu-Natal; Pinetown district, Gillitts; [29°47.85'S, 30°47.20'E]; 28 Dec. 1961; B. R. Stuckenberg & P. Stuckenberg leg.; (NMSA - DIP 028176) • 1 ♀; KwaZulu-Natal; Woodgrove Retirement Village; 30°21.9167'S, 30°21.9333'E; 10 Oct. 2018; Londt, J. G. H.; in garden; (NMSA - DIP 205579) • 1 ♀; KwaZulu-Natal; Merrivale dist.; 29°30.00'S, 30°14.00'E; 14 Nov. 2006; B. R. Stuckenberg leg.; (NMSA - DIP 158391) • 1 ♀; KwaZulu-Natal; Royal Natal National Park, Thendele Camp [nr Devil’s Hoek path, forest patch]; 28°42.62'S, 29°56.04'E; 14–17 Jan. 2019; J. Midgley & K. Williams leg.; Malaise trap; (NMSA - DIP 102630) • 1 ♀; KwaZulu-Natal; Mtamvuna Nature Reserve; 3130 AA [31°06.00'S, 30°09.6'E]; 10–15 Jan. 1982; J. G. H. Londt leg.; Malaise trap; (NMSA - DIP 158388) • 1 ♀; KwaZulu-Natal; Pietermaritzburg, Ashburton; 29°49.3167'S, 30°27.1'E; ca 630 masl; 22 Nov. 2009; R. M. Miller leg.; in house; (NMSA - DIP 192953) • 2 ♀; KwaZulu-Natal; Royal Natal National Park; 2828 DB [28°41.34'S, 28°56.7'E]; Jan. 1971; H. Townes leg.; late January; (NMSA - DIP 158448, 1588449) • 1 ♀; KwaZulu-Natal; Royal Natal National Park; [28°41.34'S, 28°56.7'E]; 6–10 Dec. 1984; J. G. H. Londt leg.; Riverine bush, Montane slopes; (NMSA - DIP 028175) • 1 ♀; KwaZulu-Natal; Shawswood, Karkloof; 29°18.1'S, 30°18.25'E; 18 Nov. 2020; L., Mva leg.; (BMSA (D) 129988) • 2 ♂; KwaZulu-Natal; K. Kloof [Krantzkloof]; [29°45.858'S, 30°51.0529'E]; Dec. 1915; Marley leg.; (NMSA - DIP 028160, 158386) • 1 ♂; Mpumalanga; Gladdespruit river, nr. Nelspruit Airfield; 2530 DB [25°30.628'S, 30°53.941'E]; 2975 ft; 3 Nov. 1970; B. R. Stuckenberg leg.; Streamside bush; (NMSA - DIP 028170) • 1 ♀; Eastern Cape; Hogsback; 3226 DB [32°35.88'S, 26°56.28'E]; 13–16 Dec. 1985; J. G. H. Londt & B. Londt leg.; Forest and Forest margins; (NMSA - DIP 158387).
Diagnosis.
An orange-yellow species (Figs 27, 28) with a black median vitta on the scutum that contrasts with the surrounding orange-yellow colour and runs down to before the scutellum. The median vitta is also flanked by bluish-grey pruinosity. Additionally, almost the entire notopleural area is covered with a dark subrectangular mark with silver-grey pruinosity. The abdomen has dark narrow median markings. Suragina monogramma is most similar to S. falsa (Fig. 19), however, the latter has the scutum with central blackish-brown vitta, and additional pre- and postsutural dark brown markings (Fig. 4), whereas S. monogramma does not have the mentioned dark brown markings. Additionally, S. monogramma has its tibia brownish-yellow to orange-yellow compared to S. falsa that has its tibiae dark brown, almost black.
Redescription.
Measurements (♂ n = 2, ♀ n = 2): Wing span: ♂ 7.0– 7.6 mm (avg. 7.3 mm); ♀ 7.5–9.7 mm (avg. 8.6 mm); body length: ♂ 7.4–9.6 mm (avg. 8.5 mm); ♀ 7.2–10.7 mm (avg. 8.9 mm); wing span to body length ratio (avg.): ♂ 0.87; ♀ 0.97.
Male (Fig. 27).
Head: Dark brown colour, with silver-white pruinosity on majority of head; eye bare; holoptic; ommatidia of similar size; lateral edge of eye with slight indentation (absent in ♀); ocellar tubercle slightly more elevated than frons, with pale setulae, colour black with slight greyish pruinosity; vertex whitish-grey pruinose, with long pale setulae; anterior ocellus same size as posterior pair; ocellar tubercle in front of dorsal margin of eye, margin less indented than in ♀; vertex narrower than in ♀; dorsal inner edge of eye without discernible paired dark markings; occiput with same silver-white pruinosity as rest of head, except for paired narrow dark brown, almost velvety-black (ca 2 × as tall in ♀) markings with short dark setulae on upper occiput, abutting posterior margin of eyes, flanking vertex; small subrectangular brownish patch below vertex; upper occiput with short pale setulae on dorsal margin and rest of upper surface, lower occiput with long pale setulae, these continue ventrally on head to mouthparts that have similar pale ventral setulae at base; frons silver-white up to narrow area before eyes touch when viewed dorsally, dark velvety-brown when viewed anteriorly; frons at narrowest where eyes touch, widening towards antennal base; frons bare; face and gena silver-white with pale setulae, lateral facial margins with markings that are same dark velvety-brown as frons when viewed anteriorly; clypeus brownish with silver-white pruinosity, bare; face separated from clypeus by a prominent, deep suture on anterior and lateral edges; face not appearing to bulge laterally when viewed in profile; clypeus visible in profile, face not; antennal bases separated ca 0.75 × width of scape, with slight longitudinal groove; scape and pedicel orange-yellow, sometime infuscated dorsally; 1 st flagellomere orange-yellow, 2 nd flagellomere brownish; 1 st flagellomere reniform, only slightly larger than pedicel and scape; 2 nd flagellomere arista-like; scape and pedicel with dark dorsal setulae, scape bare ventrally, pedicel with dark ventral setulae of similar size to dorsal setulae; palpus orange-yellow, well-developed, ca 0.5 × length of proboscis; palpus with dark setulae on apical half and longer pale setulae on lower half; proboscis comparatively shorter than that of ♀ in relation to head; proboscis orange-yellow with long dark setulae, similar setulae ventrally; some scattered small pale setulae on proboscis.
Thorax: Majority of surface orange-yellow, dorsal surface of scutum with short dark setulae; scutellum with long dark setulae similar to those on postsutural area of scutum; postsutural setulae, especially those on posterior half of postsutural area, longer than remaining setulae of scutum; postpronotal lobe yellow, lighter than surroundings; almost entire notopleural area between postpronotal lobe and suture covered in dark subrectangular mark with silver-grey pruinosity, dark colour much more visible when viewed in profile; marking separated from median vittae in majority of specimens, but in some from Mozambique, mark is joined with median vittae which is much wider (see Stuckenberg 1960: 289); scutum with black median vitta that is sparsely grey pruinose and runs anteriorly from behind pronotum down to just before scutellum; median vittae pinched at posterior end in some specimens, ending more broadly in others; median vittae bordered by bluish-grey pruinose dorsocentral vittae that fade out posteriorly; scutellum uniformly orange-yellow with basal area dark brown, some specimens basal half dark brown; postscutellum dark brown; anepisternum, katepisternum, meron, katepimeron and katatergite dark brown with bluish-grey pruinosity, remaining pleura orange-yellow with only slight whitish pruinosity; notopleuron with long dark setulae; area surrounding posterior spiracle yellow, postspiracular scale orange-yellow; proepisternum, pronotum yellow; anterior spiracle bare posteriorly, area surrounding it orange-yellow; proepimeron, proepisternum, anepisternum and katatergite with pale setulae, rest of pleura bare.
Legs: Fore and hind coxae yellow; mid coxa sometimes brown on anterior surface and some bluish pruinosity; fore coxa with pale setulae, mid and hind coxae with pale setulae, and on anterior apical surface and margins with dark setulae; all coxae with longer pale setulae on anterior surface except for long pale setulae on posterolateral margin of hind coxa; hind coxa with well-developed anterior apical point; all trochanters same yellow as coxae, with some scattered short pale setulae; all femora yellow; hind femur with a median dark band, appearing absent or very weak in specimens from Gillets, KwaZulu-Natal; mid and hind femora with small anterior apical dark mark; fore and hind tibiae and tarsi dark brown, much lighter brown, almost dark yellow in specimens from Gillets, KwaZulu-Natal; mid tibia yellow, tarsi brownish; fore tarsal claws asymmetrical, outer claw much larger than inner claw, foreleg empodium ca 2 × size of inner pulvillus, outer pulvillus ca 2 × length of inner, approaching size of outer claw; fore and mid femora covered with pale setulae on all surfaces, mid femur with ventro-apical surface with some short dark setulae, hind femur with mixed long pale and dark setulae on dorsal and ventral surfaces, basally with long pale setulae, anteriorly with short setulae and posteriorly with longer setulae; hind leg overall stouter than remaining legs; fore tarsi covered with long sensory setulae along antero- and posteroventral surfaces, sensory setulae ca 2 × as long as tarsal segment is wide; fore and mid tibiae covered in short dark setulae, hind tibia with longer dark setulae; combined length of hind tarsal segments subequal to hind tibia; tibial spur formula 0: 2: 2 or 1: 2: 2 in some specimens.
Wing: Appearing mostly hyaline, with light brown suffused appearance on apical half of wing, with discal cell (except for basal third), cell cua, parts of cells br and bm hyaline; with darker stigma over area of veins R 1 and R 2 + 3 and cell r 1; veins brownish; costa without distinct downward flexure over stigma; cell cua closed a short distance from wing margin; cell m 3 open, veins M 1, M 2, M 3 present; haltere entirely orange-yellow, with some very short dark setulae.
Abdomen: Yellow to orange-yellow; tergite 1 without dark lateral border, tergites 2–6 always with dark brown lateral borders, but more prominent on tergites 2–4; pattern of median dark markings on dorsal surface of tergites variable but distinctive from surroundings; tergites 1–6 usually with a dark median marking, especially on tergites 1–4; dark brown marking on tergite 3 may be incomplete; each dark marking has a brown suffusion surrounding it, giving marking a posteriorly tapering subtriangular appearance in some specimens; tergite 7 dark brown; in some specimens tergites 3–6 have greyish pruinose borders; sternites yellow, but in some specimens these are discoloured and may appear darkened due to dried gut contents; tergites with short black setulae on median-dorsal surface of tergites, with long pale setulae on lateral margins; sternites with long pale setulae; tergite 1 without median longitudinal suture.
Terminalia (Figs 66, 70): Epandrium and cercus dark brown with dark setulae; hypoproct and hypandrium with pale setulae; gonostylus tapering with truncated apex, outer edge of gonostylus with short setulae, inner edge with protrusion with 2–4 setulae, apex of gonostylus sparsely covered in microtrichia; gonocoxite widening and appearing more rectangular than rounded on apical half, apex somewhat flattened, gonocoxite outer and ventral medial surface with long setulae, inner and ventral surfaces of upper half with short setulae, lower ventral surface comparatively less setulose; gonocoxite with microtrichia between setulae; parameral apodeme with truncated, rectangular apex, not reaching base of gonocoxite in ventral view, parameral sheath including parameral apodeme ca 0.7 × length of gonocoxite; gonocoxal apodeme similar in length to gonocoxite and slightly longer than ejaculatory apodeme; aedeagal tine curvature extending down past gonocoxites, apex of tines not extending out past parameral sheath; endoaedeagal process apically truncated and widened.
Female (Fig. 28): Similar to ♂ except for the following:
Head: Dichoptic; lateral edge of eye without indentation (slight in ♂); ocellar tubercle with short dark setulae; dorsal margin of eye more indented than in ♂; vertex wider than in ♂, without subrectangular mark underneath vertex; silver-white pruinose directly behind ocellar tubercle up to posterior of eye margin; dorsal inner edge of eye with paired dark markings, but only visible when viewed anteriorly, otherwise area similarly silver-white pruinose; occiput with same silver-white pruinosity as rest of head, except for paired subtriangular (ca 2 × as tall as ♂) dark brown, almost black markings on upper occiput, abutting posterior margin of eyes, and flanking but not touching vertex; frons velvety-black from ocellar tubercle down to lower half of eye, silver-white down to antennal base; frons mixed pale and dark setulose on velvety-black area, bare on silver-white pruinose area past middle of eye (♂ bare), when viewed posteriorly silver-white colour shifts upwards, at narrowest ca 2 × width of ocellar tubercle, widening slightly towards antennal base; face separated anteriorly from clypeus by shallow transverse emargination, deeper sutures laterally; clypeus orange base colour with slight greyish pruinosity; 1 st flagellomere ca 2 × size of pedicel; scape and pedicel sometimes infuscated dorsally otherwise entirely orange-yellow with some whitish pruinosity.
Thorax: Katepisternum orange-yellow compared to dark brown of ♂, but still with same bluish-grey pruinosity; meron and katepimeron orange-yellow (dark brown in ♂); postscutellum reddish-brown (♂ dark brown).
Legs: All coxae with only pale setulae; mid coxa with whitish pruinosity on anterior surface (♂ bluish-grey); fore tarsi symmetrical; setulae of femora overall shorter (compared to ♂) except for preapical ventral area of fore femur that has long pale setulae, and apical dorsal area that has short dark setulae; hind femur with mix of short pale and dark setulae.
Wing (Fig. 49): Similar to ♂.
Abdomen: Variable, much as in ♂: overall orange-yellow; tergites 1–6 with a dark median marking, tergite 1 not marked, tergites 1–3 with dark median marking, entire abdomen irregularly marked with dark brown colour, or abdomen entirely blackish-brown.
Terminalia (Fig. 84): Cercus orange-yellow with pale setulae; genital fork with distal apodeme ending broadly rounded-bilobed; median lobe with wide, moderate emargination; paired apical lobes with somewhat slender, elongated rectangular appearance, inner surface with clustered microtrichia at apex; arms gradually rounded; three oblong and sclerotized spermathecae.
Remarks.
Stuckenberg (1960: 289) provides a detailed description of colour variation in a series of 12 males he examined from Gorongosa, Mozambique. Some of these males agree with and overlap in colour characters from South African specimens, highlighting the variability of the species.
Distribution.
Mozambique, South Africa.
description: Published as part of Muller, Burgert S., Swart, Vaughn R. & Snyman, Louwrens P., 2024, Revision of Afrotropical Suragina Walker, 1859 (Diptera, Athericidae), pp. 247-327 in African Invertebrates 65 (2) on pages 247-327, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.65.140524