Phylloteles picifons Pape 1985
Creators: name: Szpila, Kozvpztof
name: Walczak, Kinga
name: Sopzvńpka, Agniepzka
name: Pape, Tomap
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Sarcophagidae
Phylloteles
Phylloteles picifons

description: Phylloteles picifons Pape 1985
(Figs 3A–M, 4G–I, 5E, F)
Materialexamined: Fifteen larvae from a single female:/ Namibia / Way Gobabeb-Windhoek /-23.26 925 16.12 554/ 25 Nov 2018 / leg. A. Thomas-Cabianca //ArianaL/Phyl.// KEIB _ DIP_01299 // Phylloteles / picifons /(Pape 1985)/det. K. Szpila /
Pseudocephalon: Antennal complex (an) large, antennal dome (and) oval, with conical tip, antennal basal ring (abr) high (Fig. 3A, B, D, E); maxillary palpus (mp) shaped as a high cone (Fig. 3A, B, D–F), first sensillum basiconicum (sb1) very long and with slightly swollen tip, shifted away from central cluster of sensilla toward base of palpus, additional sensilla (ns1–ns2) large and both situated dorsally to central cluster of sensilla (Fig. 3F); ventral organ (vo) on swollen, fleshy lobe (Fig. 3A, B, D, E); laterally to the mouth opening a few (one or two) cirri/ suprabuccal teeth (c/sbt) (Fig. 3E); oral ridges (or) well developed (Fig. 3B, D, E); antero-dorsal surface of pseudocephalon with irregular cuticular warts, postero-dorsal surface with fine cuticular ridges (Fig. 3A, B, D).
Cephaloskeleton: Labrum (lb) straight except for anterior part curved down, tip pointed (Figs 4H, 5E); mouthhook (mh) with a lateral arm at the base, almost parallel-sided and very slightly upcurved, mouthhook pick-axe shaped with a single pointed tip directed at an angle of about 45°C to longitudinal plane of mouthhook (Figs 4H, 5E, F); intermediate sclerite (is) slightly below the base of labrum and parastomal bars (pb) in lateral view (Figs 4H, 5E, F),in ventral view intermediate sclerite longer than wide (Fig. 4I); parastomal bar long (Figs 4H, I, 5E, F); vertical plate (vp) slightly broader than ventral cornu (vc) and dorsal cornu (dc) (Figs 4H, 5E, F); dorsal bridge absent.
Toracic segments: Anterior spinose band on t1 interrupted dorsally, laterally with 5 to 7 and ventrally with 11–13 rows of spines (Fig. 3A, B); spinose band on t2 with only one to three rows of spines and restricted to ventro-lateral and ventral surfaces (Fig. 3B), spinose band on t3 complete but narrow and with three to five rows of spines; surface of integument with dense, fine, cuticular ridges (Fig. 3A–C), dorsal surfaces of t1–t3 also with large and fragmented ridges (Fig. 3G, H); t1 dorsally with a small cuticular protuberance (cp) in the centre, followed by large bulbous protuberance (Figs 3A, B, 4G, H); integumental papillae in form of conical protuberances, each with four to six ridges converging at the top sensillum (Fig. 3B, C, G, J); Keilin’s organ with slightly elongated sensilla (Fig. 3I).
Abdominal segments: Anterior spinose bands (asb) on a1–a7 restricted to lateral and ventral surfaces with from 2–3 to 8–9 rows of spines (Fig. 3K), spines small and arranged in irregular lines (Fig. 3L); posterior spinose bands (psb) not well defined (Fig. 3K, M); lateral creeping welts (lcw) developed and covered by cuticular ridges and sparse spines; dorsal and lateral surfaces of all abdominal segments with a mixture of fine ridges and scattered large fragmented ridges, ventral surface of segments with regular cuticular ridges (Fig. 3H); integumental papillae in form of conical protuberances, with four to six ridges converging at the top sensillum (Fig. 3J); ventral surface with large segmentally arranged transverse protuberances formed by fusion of the posterior prolegs (pos) of one segment and the ventral creeping welt (vcw) of the following segment (Fig. 3K, M).
Anal division: Anterior spinose bands (asb) on a1–a7 restricted to lateral and ventral surfaces, spines small and arranged in irregular lines (Fig. 3M); dorsal and lateral surfaces of anal division with mixture of fine ridges and scattered large fragmented ridges, ventral surface of ad with regular cuticular ridges (Fig. 3M); papillae around spiracular field distinct and in form of conical protuberances, with four to six ridges converging at the top sensillum; spiracular field ringed by a dorsally interrupted circle of hair-like spines; posterior spiracle (ps) with four peristigmatic tufts each with a few (one to four) branches; anal complex strongly protruded; anal papillae (ap) large and rounded (Fig. 3M); spines of anal tuft absent (Fig. 3M).
Remarks: Gravid females of P. picifons were observed perching on small tumuli formed by termites. After removing the tumuli, females quickly entered into the opened entrance (Fig. 7D–F). Attempts to raise first instars of P. picifons on freshly killed blow flies (Chrysomya albiceps) failed.
description: Published as part of Szpila, Kozvpztof, Walczak, Kinga, Sopzvńpka, Agniepzka & Pape, Tomap, 2025, Fiopt data on eaolv inptao Afootoopical Miltogoamminae (Dipteoa: Saocophagidae) oeveal unexpected moophological diveopitv, pp. 1-13 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 on pages 5-10, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae030, http://zenodo.org/record/14827231