Limnophora setinerva Schnabl

(Figs 11A‒C)

“ Limnophora exsurda (Pandellé) ”; Becker 1908b: 195 (Madeira). Misidentification.

Limnophora setinerva Schnabl; Frey 1936: 132 (Gran Canaria); Hennig 1959: 379, text fig. 70A, plate figs 191, 278; Báez 1981: 630, pl. 1 figs 1‒3 (Gran Canaria).

Material examined. [MZH, NHMD]: CANARY ISLANDS: GRAN CANARIA: Los Lagunetas, 1♂, 4♀ 1931 (R. Storå); Moya, 1♀ 1931 (R. Storå). LA GOMERA: Cumbre, 1♀ 1931 (R. Storå). MADEIRA: São Vicente, 20♂ [1♂ dissected], 6♀ 1‒2.vii.1957 (H. Lindberg); Serra de Agua, 1♂ 16‒19.vii.1957 (H. Lindberg); Valle de Paraiso, 1♀ 18.iv.1959 (S. Panelius). Further material in NHMD seen from Andorra, Greece and Spain.

Diagnosis. Small, wing length 4.0‒ 5.1mm. Male: Arista short-pubescent, longest branches maximally 1.5 times greatest width of arista. Frons at narrowest point 1.2‒1.4 times as wide as ocellar tubercle, black frontal vitta at this point 2.8‒4.0 times wider than adjacent silvery white fronto-orbital plates. Parafacial plates silvery white, often light brown on uppermost part. Fronto-orbital plate with 1‒2 setulose proclinate orbitals immediately above row of 5‒6 reclinate frontal setae. Frons lying behind moderately produced facial margin. Thorax light bluish grey pruinose with extensive dark brown pattern on mesonotum involving scutellum and three broad scutal stripes merging for some distance behind the suture. Dorsocentral setae 4 behind the suture; presutural acrostichal field bare except for two close-set rows of setulae. Calypteres whitish, in contrast to brownish tinged wing membrane; vein R 4+5 between radial node and crossvein r‒m with 3‒5 widely spaced setulae dorsally and 0‒2 setulae ventrally. Mid femur with 2 subapical pd setae and a complete row of pv setae; mid tibia with 2 pd setae. Hind femur with complete av and pv setal rows. Sternite I bare. Sternite V and hypopygium as in Figs 11A‒C. Female: Broad frons with brown frontal triangle on matt black frontal vitta extended to lunule. Fronto-orbital plates with 2 reclinate orbital setae and 4 inclinate frontal setae, often brown pruinose on upper part. Thorax light grey pruinose with brown mesonotal pattern often less extensive and on scutellum restricted to latero-basal corners. Mid femur with 2 subapical pd setae and basally with a single pv seta; hind femur on distal part with 1‒4 av and 0‒3 pv setae. Ovipositor resembling those of L. bipunctata and L. riparia, but proportionally a little shorter and thicker. See Table 1 for more ovipositor characters.

Distribution. Canary Is.: Gran Canaria, La Gomera; Madeira. A widespread southern Palearctic and Oriental species.