Rhochmopterum venustum (de Meijere)

Taxonomic notes on Rhochmopterum venustum (de Meijere) View in CoL

( Figures 24−38 View FIGURES 24–25 View FIGURES 26–34 View FIGURES 35 View FIGURES 36 View FIGURES 37 View FIGURES38 )

Diagnosis: Small sized fly (1.70−2.13 mm), with well-developed chaetotaxy, reticulate wing pattern with 5–6 radiating rays from the centre, cells dm with prominent bulla without prominent hyaline spot. David et al. (2022) provided taxonomic notes on Rhochmopterum venustum (de Meijere) , with illustrations of postabdominal and larval structures. During this study, we have collected specimens of R. venustum from different regions of Northeast and Northern plains of India that exhibit similarities to R. malaviyai but show significant differences in the wing pattern and postabdominal structures. Examination of series of collected specimens during the study and specimens deposited at NIM, revealed variations in wing pattern with respect to presence or absence of hyaline spot in bulla of cell dm ( Figs 24, 25 View FIGURES 24–25 , 36 View FIGURES 36 , 38 View FIGURES38 ) and colour of last abdominal tergite ranging from fully fuscous to fulvous with variable dark fuscous markings in both sexes ( Figs 35 View FIGURES 35 , 37 View FIGURES 37 ) but dissection and examination of aculeus tip revealed it to be R. venustum . Epandrium (length 0.22 mm, height 0.11 mm) yellow to brown with sclerotization at base of lateral surstyli in lateral view, oval shaped, broad at middle, sclerotization not reaching to subepandrial sclerite (posterior view), medial surstyli with blunt stubby prensisetae. Proctiger (0.06 mm) round ( Figs 26, 27 View FIGURES 26–34 ), phallus short (0.97 mm) with elongate glans (0.28 mm), without sclerotization; trumpetiform in shape, with narrow opening ( Figs 28, 28a View FIGURES 26–34 ). Oviscape (0.77 mm) anteriorly dark brown, posteriorly fulvous with diffused fuscous marking at distal end ( Figs 29 View FIGURES 26–34 , 37 View FIGURES 37 ), eversible membrane (0.52 mm) with conical spicules with round apex at proximal end, elongate conical spicules with acute apex in the middle and broad, dome shaped spicules at distal end ( Figs 32, 33, 34 View FIGURES 26–34 ); aculeus (0.47 mm) tip blunt with notch, prominent constriction before apical quarter at both side ( Figs 30, 30a View FIGURES 26–34 ). Two spermathecae (0.07 mm), round, dark brown, papillose on surface with bulbous base ( Fig. 31 View FIGURES 26–34 ).

Specimens studied and illustrated by Hardy and Drew (1996) from Australia may not be R. venustum as the male genitalia is distinctly different from Oriental fauna with respect to epandrial characters.

Host plant: Collected and reared from Vernonia cinerea ( Asteraceae ).

Material examined: 2♂♂, 2♀♀, INDIA:A & N Islands, Sippighat, 5.iii.2012, David, K. J., 2♂♂, INDIA: A & N Islands, Neil Island, Lakshmanpur, 6.iii.2012, David, K. J., 1♀, INDIA: Tamil Nadu, Dindigul, 1.iv.2012, David, K. J., 1♀, INDIA: Karnataka, Bangalore, Hebbal, 6.xii.2012, David, K. J., 1♀, INDIA: Karnataka, Bangalore, Attur Farm, 24.xii.2012, David, K. J., 2♂♂, INDIA: Karnataka, Bangalore, Hebbal, 7.iii.2013, David, K. J., 3♂♂, INDIA: Karnataka, Bangalore, Attur Farm, 8.iv.2013, David, K. J., 1♂, INDIA: Karnataka, Bangalore, Attur Farm, 22. vii. 2013, David, K. J., 1♂, INDIA: Karnataka, Tumkur, Kunigal, 5.iv.2013, David, K. J., 1♂, INDIA: Karnataka, Bangalore, Attur Farm, 2. ix. 2013, David, K. J., 1♂, INDIA: Karnataka, Bangalore, Attur Farm, 30.ix.2013, David, K. J., 1♀, INDIA: Karnataka, Bangalore, Hebbal, 18.xii.2013, David, K. J., 2♂♂, INDIA: A & N Islands, Neil Island, Lakshmanpur, 6.iii.2019, David, K. J., 1♀, INDIA: Karnataka, Bangalore, Attur farm, 1.i.2022, Maruthi, K. V., 1♀, INDIA: Kerala, Idukki, Santhanpara, Kallipara, ViewPoint, 2.iii.2023, Abhishek, V., 3♂♂, 1♀, INDIA: Haryana, Sirsa, CIRCOT, 6.xi.2023, Hatwar, N. K., 1♂, INDIA: New Delhi, Pusa, IARI, 13.xi.2023, Hatwar, N. K., 1♂, INDIA: New Delhi, Pusa, IARI, 19.xi.2023, Hatwar, N. K., 1♀, INDIA: Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi, BHU, 12.ii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♀, INDIA: Tripura, Jangalia, 21.ii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♂, INDIA: Tripura, Lembucherra, 22.ii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♀, INDIA: West Bengal, Sriniketan, VB, 6.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♀, INDIA: West Bengal, BCKV, 8.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♂, 1♀, INDIA: West Bengal, Surul, 7.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♂, INDIA: West Bengal, Sriniketan, VB, 7.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♂, 6♀♀, INDIA: West Bengal, BCKV, 08.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 3♂♂, 2♀♀, INDIA: Odisha, Bhubaneswar, OUAT, 10.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 2♂♂, INDIA: Jharkhand, BAU, Ranchi, 12. iii. 2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♂, 2♀♀, INDIA: Jharkhand, Garhwa, Bishunpur, 14.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♀, INDIA: Jharkhand, Barhauna, 16.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♂, INDIA: Jharkhand, KVK, Godda, 16.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♂, INDIA: Jharkhand, Punsiya, 17.iii.2024. Hatwar, N. K., 1♀, INDIA: Bihar, Purnea, BAU, 18.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♀, INDIA: Delhi, KVK, Delhi, 28. xi.2023, Hatwar, N. K., 1♀, INDIA: West Bengal, BCKV, 20.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K., 1♂, INDIA: West Bengal, Sriniketan, VB, 20.iii.2024, Hatwar, N. K. (NIM).

Distribution: India (Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam), Indonesia (Java) ( de Meijere, 1914), Japan ( Ito, 1984), Philippines ( Hardy, 1970).