Revision of Genus Proteromyia from Wed, 2014-01-22 10:39

Genus Protearomyia

Diagnosis, length 2.5 – 4.5mm. Body usually somewhat more slender than most Lonchaeidae. Colour dull brownish black to shiny black, rarely with dark metallic blue reflections. Main setae, especially on the head, long and strongly differentiated from the setulae which are relatively short and sparse.

Head; nearly round in front view, more or less hemi-spherical in lateral view. Compound eye large, occupying almost all of the side of the head, high oval in profile, practically bare. Inner and outer vertical setae, ocellar seta and orbital seta strijki9ngly long and conspicuous, paravertical seta weakly to relatively strongly developed. Other setulae of head rather short. Frons of male distinctly narrower and more heavily pruinose than in female, smooth in both sexes. Frontal setulae usually short, more or less reclinate, interfrontals setulae about the same length as frontal setulae but medioclinate. Lunule relatively small and inconspicuous. Face concave in profile, facial carina weak or absent. Parafacial sublinear, genae narrow. Vibrissal angle rounded , genal setulae uniformilay weak. Antenna short, scape setulose, pedicel with relatively deep dorsal notch, bearing 1 medio-dorsal seta and numerous setulae. 1st flagellomere from a little longer than wide to twice as long as wide. Arista short pubescent. Palpus moderately developed with numerous setulae.

Thoracic dorsum with usual complement of seta for the family, setula rather short and sparse. Scutellum bare apart from the2 pairs of marginal setae, without any additional setulae. Proepisternum and proepimeron each with a single weak seta. Prosternum bare. Anepisternum broadly setulose 2ith 2-4 posterior setae, without anteriodorsal setae. Katepisternum broadly setulose with 1-3 dorsal setae. Anepimeron usually bare, rarely with 1 setula

Wing, uniformly whitish to brownish fumose. Pterostigmal section relatively short. Vein A1 traceable to wing margin. Upper and lower calypteres relatively well developed, pale brownish to whitish, with dull brown to yellowish-white margins and fringes, fringe more or less uniform in length. Haltere blackish. Legs relatively long and slender for the Family, entirely blackish. Posterior surface of fore femora densely setose, posterioventral seata longest. Mid femur with a series of setae on anteroventral and posterioventral surfaces, posterioventral setae longest. Hind femur with a series of anteroventral setae, sometimes with 1 or more anterodorsal setae near apex. Fore and hind tibiae usually without outstanding setae, preapical dorsal setula sometimes weakly distinguishable. Mid tibia with relatively long strong apical and ventral seta and weaker preapical dorsal seta. Tarsi entirely blackish.

Abdomen longer and more rounded than in most Lonchaeidae, sternite 1 bare. Male tergite 5 frequently lengthened, sometimes with a n apical row of stout spines.

Male terminalia; relatively small and concealed. Remnants of tergite 6 distinguishable in some specie, atrophied in others. Sternite 6 strongly reduces and asymmetrical, usually setulose, at least laterally. Remnant of tergite and sternite 7 combined with remnants of segment 8 to form a narrow syntergosternite 7+8. Surstylus pendulant and exposed to laminate and largely enclosed within the epandrium; with several strong, separate to combined and reduced prensisetae. Cercus weakly to strongly sclerotized. Phallus short, apical portion membranous or weakly sclerotized. Ejaculatory apodeme well developed.

Aculeus narrow, apical sclerite with relatively long dorsal and ventral setular. Three sclerotized spermathecae present. Accessory gland well developed

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith