Revision of the southeast Asian soldier-fly genus Parastratiosphecomyia Brunetti, 1923 (Diptera, Stratiomyidae, Pachygastrinae)

Abstract The genus Parastratiosphecomyia Brunetti is revised with the description of two new species: Parastratiosphecomyia freidbergi sp. n. from India and Parastratiosphecomyia rozkosnyi sp. n. from Laos and Thailand. All four species in the genus are illustrated and a key to species is provided. Type localities of previously described taxa are briefly discussed.


Introduction
The subfamily Pachygastrinae is a somewhat heterogenous group that is defined by having lost vein M 3 , a loss that has occurred numerous times independently in the Stratiomyidae (Woodley 2001). The Oriental genera Parastratiosphecomyia and the similar appearing Stratiosphecomyia Brunetti were placed by James (1952) in the tribe Meristomeringini, along with some African genera. Woodley (2010) expressed doubts as to whether or not the two Oriental genera were related to the Afrotropical ones. Brunetti, 1923, the type species, is redescribed first in detail. Species that follow are described based on how they differ from P. stratiosphecomyioides. This methodology is chosen because the known species are very similar in coloration and morphology and full descriptions of each species would be largely repetitious. Morphological terminology follows that of McAlpine (1981) as modified by Cumming and Wood (2009). Body lengths are given exclusive of antennae.

Parastratiosphecomyia stratiosphecomyioides
Parastratiosphecomyia Brunetti, 1923 http://species-id.net/wiki/Parastratiosphecomyia Diagnosis. This genus can be separated from all other genera of Stratiomyidae by its long antennae that have the bases widely separated, the sockets being closer to the eye margin than their diameter . This is certainly an apomorphic character state. The pair of bluntly conical processes on the lower face is also an apomorphic feature of this genus (Figs 9, 10). Slender, elongate, wasp-mimicking flies generally about 10-12 mm in length ( Fig. 1). Head: Eyes bare, strongly holoptic in males with upper ommatidia enlarged, females with eyes smaller, dichoptic with uniform ommatidia; lower margin of face with a pair of bluntly conical tubercles, each near the intersection of the face with the gena; antenna about three to four times length of head, cylindrical, scape about three times as long as pedicel, flagellum with eight flagellomeres, first six subequal in length, seventh and eighth slightly more elongate; palpus small, two-segmented, nearly cylindrical, second segment two to three times as long as first.
Thorax: Scutum convex; scutellum moderately convex, rounded, without spines; post-tegula with some short hairs; legs unmodified, hind femur very slightly clavate, tibiae without spurs; wing infuscated subapically in all known species; mostly set with microtrichia, with noticeable bare areas in cells c, br, bm, and cup and at base of wing; costal vein extending just beyond apex of R 5 , ending before wing apex; R 2+3 originating beyond r-m by about or slightly more than length of r-m, ending in costa; R 4 present; discal cell angular, about twice longer than wide; M 3 absent; crossvein dm-cu absent; alula ovoid, posterior margin rounded, gradually widening distally.
Remarks. The four species treated in this revision are very similar in coloration and in morphological details. However, the male terminalia are strikingly different between the species. The terminalia are large and protrude from the end of the abdomen, so some details, particularly the structure of the gonostyli, can be viewed without dissection.  Figs 2,6,9,[11][12][13][14][15] Parastratiosphecomyia stratiosphecomyioides Brunetti, 1923: 67. Diagnosis. Parastratiosphecomyia stratiosphecomyioides is easily distinguished from the other three known species in the genus by its remarkably produced ventral side of the antennal scape ( Fig. 9). Redescription. Male. Head: Brownish black, but lower frons and most of face pale yellow, lower frons with small diffuse brownish spots adjacent to inner margins of antennal sockets, face dark near oral margin, including conical processes; face slightly convex but depressed medially on lower part, not concave on lowest part between conical processes, with upper medial portion moderately striate, and with a tiny conical process at lower, outer margin of each antennal socket; lower frons with very narrow band of pale tomentum at eye margins, similar tomentum along eye margin at gena and postgena; face, gena, and ocellar tubercle with short to moderate length silvery white hair-like setae, longest on genal area; antenna with scape and pedicel dark yellow, scape slightly darker dorsally, both with short, dark, semi-appressed hair-like setae, densest dorsally; scape with ventral surface markedly produced, inner region near base with rounded excavation; flagellum blackish with dense pilosity (most of flagellum missing in males examined, presumably as in female described below); palpus with first segment pale yellow, second dark brownish; proboscis dark yellowish.

Key to the species of Parastratiosphecomyia
Thorax: Prothorax yellow but proepisternum is brownish black; scutum black with a pair of triangle-shaped lateral spots that are mostly on the presutural part, and area around postalar callus similarly yellow; scutellum black with apical half or more yellow; pleura yellow but ventral part of anepisternum, most of katepisternum, ventral part of meron, laterotergite and mediotergite brownish black; scutum with short, semiappressed pilosity consisting of dark hair-like setae on dark cuticular areas, and pale hair-like setae on yellow areas, except laterally slightly longer hair-like setae present that are mostly pale; pilosity of pleura pale, slightly longer than on dorsal part of thorax and more erect, dorsal part of anepisternum bare; legs with coxae and trochanters pale yellow; front femur dark brown at base, gradually becoming dark yellow in basal third, middle and hind femora similar but the basal brown region more extensive, becoming yellow in apical half; front tibia mostly dark yellowish, narrowly dark dorsally; middle and hind tibiae brownish, more yellowish on ventral parts; tarsi yellowish, middle tarsus paler than others; halter with stem yellowish white, knob dark brown; wing ( Fig. 6) with subapical cloud of infuscation starting at the proximal edge of discal cell, darkest and most evident in basal two-thirds of cell r 5 .
Abdomen: Blackish brown, first tergite with irregular yellowish medial spot, tergites 3-5 with narrow lateral margins vaguely paler; first tergite with moderately long, pale hair-like setae, tergites 2-5 densely set with short, dark hair-like setae on most of dorsal surface, tergites 2-3 with longer pale hair-like setae laterally (similar to those on first segment) and tergites 4-5 with longer dark hairs along lateral and posterolateral margins; sternites 1-3 yellowish, 4-5 brownish, with short, pale hair-like setae basally which become dark from apical half of sternite 3 posteriorly.
Female. Differs from male as follows: Head: Frons 0.27-0.28 head width, upper and lower frons gradually widening ventrally, upper frons with slight medial depression in front of anterior ocellus, junction of upper and lower frons with indistinct elevation on each side of median line; upper frons with pale, appressed hair-like setae except on ocellar tubercle and in medial depression; antenna 3.6 times length of head; first five flagellomeres of antennal flagellum with dense, black velvety vestiture, with scattered fine, erect hair-like setae especially posteriorly, flagellomeres 6-8 with more erect, longer pilosity that is gradually longer toward apex, last flagellomere tapered apically; palpus with second segment more robust than in male.
Thorax: Scutum with hair-like setae mostly appressed, golden yellow; front femur sometimes more extensively dark on basal two-thirds; front tibia more extensively brownish black on dorsal part.
Abdomen: Tergite 2 and basal part of tergite 3 suffused with yellowish color medially; tergites 4-5 with shorter golden yellow hairs laterally and posterolaterally; sternite 8 with lateral margins evenly rounded, evenly continuous with posterior margin, produced dorsally along sides of terminalia; cercus yellowish brown, with first segment cylindrical, about three times as long as short, ovoid second segment.
Length: 10.3-10.4 mm. Distribution. Known from peninsular Malaysia and adjacent Thailand. Type material examined. The four syntypes noted in Brunetti (1923) are present in BMNH, three of which were subsequently labeled as syntypes. I am hereby designating the male specimen in the most complete condition as lectotype to stabilize the taxonomic concept of this species and its name. The specimen is labeled: "Siam: Bulsit Besar. H.C.Robinson & N.Annandale. 1916-21./LECTOTYPE ♂ Parastratiosphecomyia stratiosphecomyioides Brunetti, 1923 des. N. E. Woodley 2012". As can be seen from the label data, this specimen had not previously been labeled as a syntype, but it clearly is one. There is no date on the data label. The specimen (Fig. 2) is in moderately good condition, but is missing the left antennal flagellum, the apical seven flagellomeres of the right antenna, and the right middle leg beyond the trochanter.   Remarks. Brunetti (1923) cited the type locality for P. stratiosphecomyioides as "Bukit Besar, Patani, Peninsular Siam". However, the labels on all four of the origi-nal syntypes read "Bulsit Besar" rather than "Bukit". Using internet searches I found nothing about a possible locality for Bulsit Besar, but there are several localities called Bukit Besar in peninsular Malaysia (it apparently means "Big Hill" in Malay). Although "Patani" is not part of the actual specimen labels, it seems that by some means Brunetti was aware that the type locality was in Patani. According to Webster's Geographical Dictionary (Bethel 1967: 860) Patani was "formerly, a Malay state in the Malay Penin. under Siamese protection, included among the Malay States; now Pattani prov. in Thailand." Still a province in southeastern Thailand, Pattani has some mountainous areas, so a locality of 2500 feet, as noted on data labels of some of the syntype specimens, is possible. Therefore, I think it is highly likely that the type locality is in Pattani province. Diagnosis. Parastratiosphecomyia freidbergi can easily be distinguished from P. stratiosphecomyioides because its antennal scape is not produced ventrally (Fig. 10) and its scutellum (Figs 1, 3) is more extensively black. It differs from P. rozkosnyi and P. szechuanensis by having the hind coxa uniformly pale, without any darkened areas, and by the structure of the male terminalia.

Parastratiosphecomyia freidbergi
Description. Differs from P. stratiosphecomyioides as follows: Male. Head: Lower frons with dark spots larger and more distinct; face with a pair of nearly quadrate blackish spots below antennal bases, medial part not convex and only vaguely impressed medially, concave on lowest part between conical processes, medial portion shiny and only vaguely striate, conical process on lower, outer margin of antennal socket minute; pilosity on dark portion of lower face dark; antennal scape more evenly pilose, cylindrical, not produced ventrally, and with less evident concave area at inner base; second segment of palpus with basal half to entirely pale yellow.
Thorax: Scutum with pale spots at transverse suture more ovoid; scutellum with basal two-thirds to three-fourths blackish, with broad yellow margin; ventral part of katepisternum with mostly dark hair-like setae on dark cuticular region; front femur pale yellow at base, becoming brownish yellow on slightly less than apical half; middle femur pale yellow with distinct dark brown coloration on slightly less than apical half that is sharply delimited; hind femur entirely dark brown with extreme apex becoming yellowish; hind tibia almost completely dark brown, apicoventral third vaguely paler; wing with apical infuscation somewhat darker, the infuscation extending nearly to the wing apex, darkest area includes apical half of cell r 2+3 and all of r 4 .
Abdomen: Medial portion of tergite 2 and basal portion of tergite 3 yellowish but the cuticular coloration largely obscured by dark pilosity; narrow lateral margins of tergites 2-5 distinctly yellow.  Terminalia: Gonocoxites (Fig. 16) with lateral margins nearly parallel, with a pair of ovoid dorsal processes that project posteriorly just anterior to gonocoxal apodemes and that have weakly serrate medial margins; posterior margin of synsternite with a pair of sharp, conical processes just ventral to gonostyli and a narrowly rounded medial process; gonocoxal apodemes just reaching anterior margin of genital capsule; gonostylus (Figs 16, 17) arcuate, with a large, subapical dorsal tooth and a small, narrowly rounded process just posterior to tooth; phallic complex (Figs 18,19) larger than in P. stratiosphecomyioides, more elongate, with medial lobe slightly longer than lateral lobes; epandrium (Fig. 20) large, evenly convex, posterior margin with rounded medial projection; epiproct and hypoproct deflexed ventrally.
Etymology. The species epithet, friedbergi, is a patronym in honor of Amnon Freidberg of Tel Aviv, Israel, whose excellent collecting over many years has produced numerous interesting Stratiomyidae.
Remarks. This is the only species of Parastratiosphecomyia known from India and this represents the western-most record of the genus. Diagnosis. Parastratiosphecomyia rozkosnyi can be distinguished from P. stratiosphecomyioides and P. freidbergi by having the lateral surface of the hind coxa with some dark coloration. This can be small in extent but is always visible. It differs from P. szechuanensis (as well as the other species) by its distinctive male genitalia in which the gonostylus possesses two subequal tooth-like processes (Fig. 22). Females are very similar to those of P. szechuanensis but differ by having the juncture of the posterior and lateral margins of tergite 8 evenly rounded.

Parastratiosphecomyia rozkosnyi
Description. Differs from P. stratiosphecomyioides as follows: Male. Head: Lower frons with dark spots larger and more distinct; face with a pair of irregularly ovoid blackish spots below antennal bases, medial part not convex and only vaguely impressed medially, concave on lowest part between conical processes, medial portion shiny and weakly to indistinctly striate, process on lower, outer margin of antennal socket minute, sometimes not developed; pilosity on dark portion of lower face dark; antennal scape more evenly pilose, sometimes darkened narrowly at base, slightly swollen, not produced ventrally, and concave area at inner base distinct but smaller.
Thorax: Scutum with lateral yellowish spots near transverse suture much smaller, not easily seen with naked eye, narrow ovoid; scutellum black with broad yellow posterior margin, the yellow coloration about one-fourth to one-third length of scutellum; scutum with hair-like setae entirely pale, golden yellow, with much of scutum also with scattered, more erect pale hair-like setae in addition to semi-appressed pilosity; hind coxa with some lateral darkened areas, sometimes extensive, the coloration somewhat diffuse rather than forming distinct markings; front femur brownish black on about basal one-third, this area sometimes yellowish dorsally, also a moderately welldefined brownish area ventrally near apex; middle femur coloration similar to front femur except that dark coloration at base occupies about half of the femur; hind fe-mur brownish black becoming narrowly yellowish at apex; hind tibia brownish black, vaguely yellowish at extreme apex; tarsi with fifth tarsomeres brownish dorsally; wing with apical infuscation somewhat darker, the infuscation extending nearly to the wing apex, darkest area includes part of cell r 2+3 , all of r 4 , and basal three-fourths of r 5.
Abdomen: Tergite 1 brownish black with broad pale yellow margins both anteriorly and posteriorly, yellowish medially except for narrow band near base; tergite 2 yellowish medially, this coloration extending indistinctly on basal part of tergite 3.
Length: 12.0-13.2 mm. Female. Differs from male as follows: Head: Frons 0.25-0.27 head width, upper frons with slightly raised medial strip that is about one-fourth of head width and widens slightly toward antennae; dark spots above antennae small, sometimes indistinct; junction of upper and lower frons flat, face slightly concave medially; upper frons with pale, appressed hair-like setae.
Thorax: Scutum with erect hair-like setae slightly shorter than in male; hind tibia mostly brownish in specimens examined.
Abdomen: Sternite 8 with lateral margins extending dorsally toward posterior end, forming evenly rounded angle with posterior margin that does not overlap sides of terminalia. Etymology. The species epithet, rozkosnyi, is a patronym in honor of Rudolf Rozkošný of Brno, Czech Republic, who has produced many excellent contributions to the knowledge of Stratiomyidae over a distinguished and continuing career.
Remarks. Parastratiosphecomyia rozkosnyi is very similar to P. szechuanensis in coloration and general structure. The main distinguishing features are the very different male terminalia and slightly different sternite 8 in the female.

Parastratiosphecomyia szechuanensis Lindner, 1954 http://species-id.net/wiki/Parastratiosphecomyia_szechuanensis Figs 4, 26-30
Parastratiosphecomyia szechuanensis Lindner, 1954: 208. Diagnosis. Parastratiosphecomyia szechuanensis can be distinguished from P. stratiosphecomyioides and P. freidbergi by having the lateral surface of the hind coxa with some dark coloration. This can be small in extent but is always visible. It differs from P. rozkosnyi (as well as the other species) by its very distinctive male genitalia in which the gonostylus is elongate and sickle-shaped apically (Fig. 27). Females are very similar to those of P. rozkosnyi but differ by having the juncture of the posterior and lateral margins of tergite 8 produced into a sharply rounded angle.
Redescription. Differs from P. stratiosphecomyioides as follows: Male. Head: Lower frons with dark spots larger and more distinct, sometimes taking up much of lower frontal surface; face with a pair of irregularly ovoid blackish spots below antennal bases, medial part not convex and only vaguely impressed medially, concave on lowest part between conical processes, medial portion shiny and only vaguely striate, conical process on lower, outer margin of antennal socket minute; pilosity on dark portion of lower face dark; antennal scape more evenly pilose, sometimes darkened narrowly at base, slightly swollen, not produced ventrally, and concave area at inner base distinct but smaller.
Thorax: Scutum with lateral yellowish spots near transverse suture much smaller, not easily seen with naked eye, narrow ovoid; scutellum black with broad yellow posterior margin, the yellow coloration about one-fourth to one-third length of scutellum; pleura with ventral part of meron sometimes only vaguely brownish; scutum with some dark hair-like setae on medial area, but much of scutum also with scattered, more erect pale hair-like setae in addition to semi-appressed pilosity; hind coxa with some lateral darkened areas, at least along posterolateral margin, the coloration somewhat diffuse rather than forming distinct markings; front femur with brownish coloration on basal one-half or less on ventral side but ranging to completely yellow, also a moderately well-defined brownish area ventrally near apex; middle femur coloration similar to front femur; hind femur ranging from basal three-fourths yellowish with apical one-fourth brownish black becoming slightly paler at apex, to having brownish coloration on basal part as well, but apical darkened area is always visible and darker than ground color; hind tibia usually almost entirely dark brown, but can be yellowish on up to apical three-fourths; tarsi with fifth tarsomeres brownish dorsally; wing with apical infuscation somewhat darker, the infuscation extending nearly to the wing apex, darkest area includes part of cell r 2+3 , all of r 4 , and basal three-fourths of r 5.
Abdomen: Tergite 1 brownish black with broad pale yellow margins both anteriorly and posteriorly, narrow medial region only vaguely or not yellowish; tergite 2 occasionally with indistinct yellowish coloration medially.
Length: 12.0-13.2 mm. Female. Differs from male as follows: Head: Frons 0.25-0.28 head width, upper frons with slightly raised medial strip that is about one-fourth of head width and widens slightly toward antennae; junction of upper and lower frons flat; upper frons with pale, appressed hair-like setae that are often sparse or nearly absent on medial elevation.
Thorax: Scutum with pilosity entirely pale, silvery to slightly golden, with scattered slightly longer, erect hair-like setae; hind tibia mostly brownish in specimens examined.
Abdomen: Tergite 2 with medial strip of yellowish coloration more distinct than in male, and basal part of tergite 3 suffused with yellowish color medially; sternite 8 with lateral margins extending dorsally toward posterior end, forming sharply rounded angle with posterior margin that is produced dorsally along sides of terminalia and slightly overlaps them.
Length: 11.3-13.6 mm. Distribution. Known from China (Fujian, Guizhou), Laos, and Vietnam. Type material examined. The holotype male ( Fig. 4; ZFMK) is labeled: "Kuatun(2300 m) 27,40n. Br. 117,40ö. L. J. Klapperich 5.6.1938(Fukien)/Parastratiospheco-myia szechua-nensis Lind. Lindner det./Holotypus Lindner 1954/Holotypus". The specimen is in fair condition, missing the apical flagellomere of the right antenna, the left middle leg beyond trochanter, right middle tarsus, and the last tarsomere of the left hind leg, and the right halter. The abdomen has at sometime in the past been glued to the specimen and is slightly crooked. The specimen has a small amount of mold on it.
In ZFMK there are an additional 14 males and 4 females from the same locality that have later paratype labels not provided by Lindner. Of these, 4 males and all 4 females bear Lindner determination labels in his handwriting. Within this subset, 1 male and 2 females have paratype labels handwritten by Lindner, and 1 female is labeled as allotype in Lindner's handwriting. Lindner (1954: 208) mentioned "eine größere Serie in beiden Geschlechtern" but no numbers, so it is not possible to determine if Lindner actually examined all of these specimens. He also mentioned that there were paratypes in the museum in Stuttgart, which I have not examined.
Leg coloration in this species is somewhat variable, but this may be in part due to preservation and the age of the specimens when captured.