Suragina milloti CSCA
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 milloti

description: Suragina milloti (Séguy, 1951)
Figs 25, 26, 48, 65, 69, 83
Atrichops milloti Séguy, 1951: 395.
Suragina milloti: Stuckenberg 1965: 93, figs 3, 4, 7, 8; Stuckenberg 1980: 313.
Type material not examined.
Holotype: Madagascar • 1 ♂; Tsaratanana mountains; Oct. 1949; (MNHN – Séguy 1951: 395).
Other material examined.
Madagascar • 1 ♂ 4 ♀; Diégo-Suarez District [Antsiranana Province]; Madagascar-Nord, Montagne d’Ambre [National Park]; [12°30.132'S, 49°09.966'E]; 1000 masl; 23 Nov. – 4 Dec. 1957; B. R. Stuckenberg leg.; (♂: NMSA - DIP 158381; ♀: NMSA - DIP 158379, 158380, 028165) (NMSA) • 1 ♀; Madagascar-Nord, Analamerana [Special Reserve], 50 km SE Diégo-Suarez [Antsiranana], [12°48.00'S, 49°30.00'E]; 80 masl; Jan. 1959; R. Andria leg.; NMSA - DIP 028166 • 1 ♀; Antsiranana [Province]; Montagne d’Ambre NP [National Park]; 12°32.46'S, 49°10.08'E; 1190 masl; 14 Nov. 2017; M. Hauser leg.; FFP 17 MAD 59 • 1 ♂ 1 ♀; [Atsinanana Region]; Torotorofotsy, Andasibe (Perinet), 22 km NW, Moramonga; 18°46.25'S, 48°25.93'E; 960 masl; 23–25 Oct. 2014; A. H. Kirk-Spriggs, R. Harin’Hala leg.; Malaise trap, primary rainforest; (♂: BMSA (D) 58541; ♀: BMSA (D) 58540) (BMSA) • 1 ♂ 5 ♀; Fianarantsoa Province; Ranomafana National Park, Talatakely, 800 m SW entrance, Ifanadiana; 21°15.48'S, 47°25.27'E; 610 masl; 16–19 Oct. 2014; A. H. Kirk-Spriggs, R. Harin’Hala leg.; Malaise trap, secondary rainforest; (♂: BMSA (D) 58880; ♀: BMSA (D) 58879, 58878, 58879, 58881, 58882) (BMSA) • 2 ♂ 13 ♀; Ranomafana National Park, radio tower; 21°15.05'S, 47°24.43'E; 1127 masl; 23–30 Apr. 2002; M. E. Irwin, R. Harin’Hala leg.; Malaise trap in open area nr forest edge; (CSCA) • 1 ♂; Ranomafana National Park, radio tower; 21°15.05'S, 47°24.43'E; 1127 masl; 27. iv – 7 May 2003; R. Harin’Hala leg.; Malaise trap in open area, forest edge; MA 02-098 - 59; (CSCA) • 2 ♀; Sofia Region; Mahajanga; Amkarafa; 14°23.15'S, 47°45.45'E; 180 masl; 5–11 Nov. 2015; M. Irwin, R. Rasolondalao leg.; MG- 69-11; (CSCA).
Diagnosis.
Suragina milloti is most similar in appearance to other orange-yellow species such as S. agramma, S. copelandi Muller, sp. nov. and S. mulanjeensis Muller, sp. nov. However, S. agramma and S. copelandi Muller, sp. nov. have the notopleural area the same orange-yellow as the rest of the scutum (e. g. Fig. 1), whereas the notopleural area between the postpronotal lobe and suture is covered in a dark subrectangular mark with bluish-grey pruinosity in S. milloti and S. mulanjeensis Muller, sp. nov. (Fig. 6). Suragina mulanjeensis Muller, sp. nov., however, has its abdominal tergites with dark medial markings compared to the more uniform orange-yellow abdomen of S. milloti. Additionally, S. milloti has the substigmal marking of the wing much darker and more apparent (Fig. 48) compared to the other species.
Redescription.
Measurements (♂ n = 2, ♀ n = 2): Wing span: ♂ 8.8–9.9 mm (avg. 9.38 mm); ♀ 8.9–9.0 mm (avg. 8.94 mm); body length: ♂ 9.6–11.6 mm (avg. 10.6 mm); ♀ 9.2–10.0 mm (avg. 9.6 mm); wing span to body length ratio (avg.): ♂ 0.89; ♀ 0.94.
Male (Fig. 25).
Head: Dark brown ground colour, with silvery-grey 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, blackish with dark setulae; vertex grey pruinose (appearing dark brown at certain angles), with long dark setulae; anterior ocellus slightly larger than 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-grey pruinosity as rest of head, except for paired narrow elongated subrectangular dark brown almost velvety-black markings (ca 2 × as tall in ♀) with short dark setulae on upper occiput, abutting posterior margin of eyes, flanking vertex; reniform dark brown marking surrounding occipital foramen; rest of upper occiput with short pale setulae and 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 area before eyes touch when viewed dorsally, dark velvety-brown when viewed anteriorly down to before antennal bases; frons at narrowest where eyes touch, widening towards antennal base; with a longitudinal groove running from ocellar triangle down to before antennal base, narrowly separating eyes; frons bare; face and gena silver-white, appearing bare; lateral facial margins with markings that appear dark brown when viewed anteriorly from underneath, but otherwise appearing silver-grey; clypeus brown with silver-grey 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 0.5 × width of scape, with slight longitudinal groove; scape and pedicel dark brown with silver-grey pruinosity, scape and pedicel of similar height, but pedicel somewhat thinner; 1 st flagellomere orange-yellow, 2 nd flagellomere dark brown; 1 st flagellomere reniform, 2 × as tall as pedicel; 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 brownish-orange, darker ventrally, well-developed, ca 0.5 × length of proboscis; palpus with long dark setulae ventrally and some shorter dark setulae dorsally; proboscis comparatively shorter than that of ♀ in relation to head; proboscis orange-yellow, with darker apex, mostly with short dark setulae, some long pale setulae basoventrally and long dark setulae on labrum; some scattered small pale ventral setulae on proboscis.
Thorax: Majority of surface, including scutum, 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 with pale setulae, lighter than surroundings; almost entire notopleural area between postpronotal lobe and suture covered in a dark subrectangular mark with bluish-grey pruinosity, dark colour much more visible when viewed in profile; scutellum similarly orange-yellow as scutum, with some specimens having apical half more yellow compared to rest; postscutellum orange-yellow; all pleura yellow except for anepisternum that is similar brown colour to notopleural area; anepisternum and katepisternum slight bluish-grey pruinose, remaining pleura with only some scattered greyish pruinosity; notopleuron with long dark setulae; area surrounding posterior spiracle yellow, postspiracular scale 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: All coxae yellow (sometimes lightly tinged with brown) and with pale setulae; all coxae with longer pale setulae on anterior surface, long pale setulae along posterior margin of fore and hind coxal posterolateral margins; hind coxa with well-developed anterior apical point; all trochanters yellow with some scattered short pale setulae; all femora yellow; hind femur with a light brown median band that can be difficult to observe; mid and hind femora with small anterior apical dark mark; fore and hind tibiae dark brown, mid tibia yellow; fore tarsi dark brown; mid and hind tarsi yellow, but appearing darker brown towards apex; 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, additionally dorsoapical surface of both with some very short dark setulae; hind femur with longer pale setulae at base, mostly dark setulae on dorsal surface and mostly pale setulae on ventral surface, fore and hind femora anteriorly with shorter 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 (some specimens 1: 2: 2), mid spur orange-yellow, hind spur reddish-brown.
Wing: Overall light brown suffused appearance; darker stigma over area of veins R 1 and R 2 + 3 and cell r 1; darker elongated suffused substigmal marking over base of cell r 2 + 3, apex of cell br, base of discal cell and cell m 3; additionally some slightly darker suffusion over basal half of cell br and vein CuA; 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; tergites 1–3 yellow, remaining tergites more orange-yellow; tergites 2–4 with a lighter yellow anterior margin; tergites 2 and 3 with brown lateral markings; tergites 1–3 with a poorly defined suffused marking running along dorsal surface; sternites yellow; tergites with short black setulae on median-dorsal surface and long pale setulae on lateral margins; sternites with long pale setulae; tergite 1 without weak median longitudinal suture.
Terminalia (Figs 65, 69): Epandrium reddish-orange, dark brown along apical margin, cercus dark brown with dark setulae; hypoproct and hypandrium with pale setulae; gonostylus somewhat tapering with truncated apex, outer edge of gonostylus with some scattered short setulae, inner edge with small protrusion with 2–4 setulae, apex of gonostylus sparsely covered in microtrichia; gonocoxite widening apically, subrectangular in shape, apex somewhat flattened, gonocoxite outer, ventral medial and lower surfaces with long setulae, inner surface of upper half with shorter setulae; gonocoxite with microtrichia between setulae; parameral apodeme ending with a hook-like apex, almost reaching base of gonocoxite in ventral view, parameral sheath including parameral apodeme ca 0.8 × 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 barely extending out past parameral sheath; endoaedeagal process apically truncated and widened.
Female (Fig. 26): Similar to ♂ except for the following:
Head: Orange-brown ground colour; dichoptic; lateral edge of eye without indentation (slight in ♂); dorsal margin of eye more indented than in ♂; vertex silver-grey when viewed anteriorly, wider than in ♂ with long dark setulae that are much more apparent than in ♂, dark brown when viewed dorsally; upper frons appearing to extend up 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 dark brown, almost black subrectangular markings on upper occiput that are taller than in ♂; frons velvety-black from ocellar tubercle down to lower half of eye, silver-grey down to antennal base, if viewed anteroventrally velvety-black appearance seemingly extends down to between antennal bases; short dark setulose on velvety-black upper half of frons, bare on silver-white pruinose area past middle of eye; when viewed posterodorsally there is a clear divide between velvety-black upper half and silver-grey lower half of frons; frons 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 whitish pruinosity; palpus basal segment orange-yellow with long pale setulae, apical segment black with silver-grey pruinosity and long dark setulae; proboscis with overall infuscated appearance, with ventral surface yellowish, dark setulae throughout.
Thorax: Anepisternum light brown, more apparent on upper surface; similar pruinosity as in ♂, but denser.
Legs: Same patterning as in ♂, but darker brown colour compared to lighter brown ♂, especially evident on median band of hind femur.
Wing (Fig. 48). Overall light brown suffused appearance; darker stigma over area of veins R 1 and R 2 + 3 and cell r 1 compared to ♂; darker elongated suffused substigmal marking over base of cells r 2 + 3 and r 5, apex of cell br, base of discal cell and cells m 3 and m 4; additionally some darker blotchy suffusion on basal half of cell br and widely suffused over vein CuA; darker suffused over apical half of cells r 2 + 3 and r 4, apical third of cells r 4, m 3 and m 4 and entirety of cells m 1 and m 2; veins dark brown.
Abdomen: Similar to ♂, lateral dark markings on tergites 2 and 3 only dark orange, not brown; suffused dorsal markings not evident on tergites.
Terminalia (Fig. 83): Cercus orange-yellow with pale setulae; genital fork with distal apodeme ending broadly truncated with a bilobed appearance; median lobe with wide, moderate emargination; paired apical lobes with somewhat slender appearance, inner surface with clustered microtrichia at apex; arms gradually rounded; three oblong and sclerotized spermathecae.
Distribution.
Madagascar.
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