Curtonotum coronaeformis Kirk-Spriggs 2011, sp. n.
Creators: name: Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Curtonotidae
Curtonotum
Curtonotum coronaeformis

description: Curtonotum coronaeformis sp. n.   Figs 6, 19, 32, 66, 69, 72, 83, 97  
 Etymology: From Latin corona (crown) and formis (in the form of), and refers to the crown-like lateral extension of the distiphallus of this species.   
 Differential diagnosis: This species is closely related to C. parkeri sp. n.; the shape, maculae and setation of abdominal sternites 4 and 5 are virtually identical, the apical region of the basiphallus is markedly expanded in both species, with very similar left and right raised keels and both share the raised and spinose right sclerotised area of the basiphallus. In C. coronaeformis sp. n., however, the basiphallus is less markedly narrowed medially and less expanded in the apical third, and the raised and spinose right sclerotised area of the distiphallus is conspicuously developed, with a series of regular to irregular spines. The two species occur sympatrically.   
Description:  
 Male (primarily based on ex spirit-preserved HT).   
 As redescribed for C. balachowskyi, differing in the following respects: Measurements: Overall length unknown; length of head and thorax combined 2.9 mm; length of thorax and scutellum combined 2.4 mm; wing length 3.7 mm.   
 Head (Figs 6, 19). Compound eye prominent, probably green-brown iridescent in living examples, eye height/length ratio: 10:7 (HT); frons (Fig. 19), slightly wider than long, frons length/width ratio: 5:6 (HT), markedly wider at vertex than at ventral margin, ground colour pale yellow to pale brown, darker brown towards vertex and between orbital plates forming conspicuous vittae that reach ventral margin; orbital plates and ocellar triangle golden-grey pruinose; orbital plates extending from vertex of head to ca 0.8 length of frons, margins regular; antennal scape and pedicel dirty pale brown, silver­grey pruinose, flagellomere 1 very long, ca 2.5× longer than wide, apex evenly-rounded, yellow basally, darkened apically, yellow-grey pruinose, arista with 8 or 9 long dorsal branches and 3 ventral branches in addition to terminal fork; lunule and face silver­grey pruinose, yellow pruinose beneath flagellomere 1; gena narrow, eye height/genal height ratio: 10:1 (HT), silver pruinose throughout; palpus pale brown.   
 Thorax (Fig. 6). Mesonotum as described for C. boeny; acrostichal setae, much shorter than anterior dorsocentral seta; supra-alar seta, slightly shorter than posterior dorsocentral seta; postalar setae longer and stronger than acrostichal setae; postpronotum yellow­grey pruinose, with 6 finer black­brown setulae; anepisternum silver­grey pruinose, with yellow pruinose patches medially, surface with 18 fine setulae, some larger and arranged in 2 groups of 3 and 4; katepisternum silver-grey to silver-yellow pruinose, with 13 short, fine setulae at base and along posterior margin.   
 Scutellum. As in mesonotum, with very faint medial brown pruinose vitta basally (under some lights), slightly paler yellow pruinose at posterior margin; weak intermediate scutellar setula inserted at 0.8 distance between medial and lateral scutellar setulae.   
 Legs. Fore coxa with 22 brown setulae on anterior surface; fore tibia with ctenidium of 10 or 11 short, sharp black spinules.   
 Wing (as in Fig. 32). Veins chestnut-brown, membrane very faintly infuscate brown throughout, very slightly darker in  r 1  and in region of dm–cu crossvein; dm–cu crossvein oblique, in shape of uninterrupted arc.   
 Abdomen. Tergites 3–5 with broad V­shaped, median fascia adjoining and slightly merging with large, concolourous T-shaped dorsolateral maculae; lateral margin of tergites 2–5 with subelliptical concolourous macula in basal half to ⅔; sternite 4 with posterior and lateral margins evenly rounded, apical margin straight; sternite 5 rectangular, similarly shaped to sternite 4, slightly longer and wider medially, with 2 small ovoid basomedial maculae, sternites 4 and 5 unmodified, with long, dense, brown setulae arranged in irregular rows, those along lateral margins longer and stronger; sternite 6 (Fig. 83) narrowed basally, evenly rounded laterally (may appear narrower than Fig. 83 in undissected specimens), with broad, deep apical excision and brown maculae medially and fascia laterally, merging apically, clothed in long, black, irregular, medially-directed, brown setulae in apical 0.8, those at apical margin longer and more prominent.   
 Terminalia (Figs 66, 69, 72). Hypandrium (Fig. 66, hy) long, with broad-based rounded-truncate dorsobasal lobe, posterior bridge dorsally and ventrally produced (rounded to slightly angulate in profile); hypandrial arms constricted in apical ⅔ (viewed laterally), with 2 setulae proximal to postgonite, the more lateral ventrally directed, the medial ventromedially directed (obscured by epandrium on Fig. 66), sclerotised area of medial lobes (viewed dorsally), with margins evenly rounded, convex, closely abutting, not overlapping; postgonite (Fig. 66, pg) long, thin, spindle-like; epandrium (Fig. 66, ep) broad (viewed laterally), evenly-rounded on dorsal margin, posterior margin slightly angled, ventral margin with extensive row of long, regular to irregular, apically-directed setae; cercus (Fig. 66, ce) not prominent, longest setae longer than setae on dorsal margin of epandrium; surstylus (Fig. 66, ss) long and narrow, slightly curved in apical ⅔; phallus (as in Figs 69, ph, bp, dp, 72, bp, dp) C-shaped, moderately sclerotised, brown; phallapodeme (Fig. 69, ph) fused to basiphallus, subtriangular (viewed laterally), with basal margin developed into two flat, narrow, rounded projections in basal 0.4, bifurcated at point of connection with hypandrium; ejaculatory apodeme (Fig. 69, ea) free, duct inserted at junction of phallapodeme and basiphallus; basiphallus (Fig. 69, bp) broad basally, narrowed just beyond midlength; apical section (Fig. 72, bp) expanded and broad, right lateral margin with ventral projection, left margin with distinct raised keel; distiphallus (Figs 69, 72, dp) long, narrow and curved, with extensive broad membranous section, basolaterally with upturned, sclerotised, crown­like projection (subtriangular viewed laterally).   
Variation: The size and number of teeth and smaller serrations at the margin of the upturned, sclerotised, crown­like projection of the distiphallus are variable. This is here interpreted as intraspecific variation only, since other terminalia characters are constant.  
 Holotype ♂ “ MADAGASCAR: Province / Fianarantsoa, near Isalo / National Park, in dry wash / east of Interpretive Center / 22°37.60’S, 45°21.49’E / 23.ii–5.iii. 2002, 885 m / M.E. Irwin & R. Harin’Hala / Malaise trap in open area / MA­02­11B­57 // HOLOTYPE ♂ / Curtonotum / coronaeformis sp. n. / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs 2010 [red card]” (CAS). In good condition; card-pointed; dissected, abdomen and terminalia in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen.   
 Paratypes (all labelled: “ PARATYPE ♂ / Curtonotum / coronaeformis sp. n. / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs 2010 [blue card]”): 3♂ same data as holotype, except (1 labelled: “ BMSA (DNA)#0049”) [1 right wing detached and glued to card]; same except: 1♂ “ 12–22.vi.2002, MA­02­11B­32”; 1♂ “ 6–14 xii.2002, MA­02­11B­49” (all CAS).   
Distribution (Fig. 97): Apparently confined to the Wooded Grassland­Bushland vegetation type, in the Central Highlands biome. In the Central biogeographical zone and Subarid bioclimatic zone (Figs 105–107; Tables 1–3; Appendix II).
description: Published as part of Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H., 2011, A revision of Afrotropical Quasimodo flies (Diptera: Schizophora; Curtonotidae). Part III - the Malagasy species of Curtonotum Macquart, with descriptions of six new species, pp. 391 in African Invertebrates 52 (2) on pages 406-409, DOI: 10.5733/afin.052.0212, http://zenodo.org/record/8342930