170,883 research outputs found
Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) mediterranea Whitmore, 2011, sp. nov.
No full textSarcophaga (Heteronychia) mediterranea sp. nov. (Figs 18–23) Type material. Holotype 3: [Italy] LAZIO / Castel Romano / 6 – V – 1996 / Pf. Cerretti leg. // Sarcophaga / (Heteronychia) / penicillata / Villeneuve, 1907 / Dét. R. Richet 2005 // [red label] HOLOTYPE 3 / Sarcophaga / (Heteronychia) / mediterranea sp. n. / det. D. Whitmore 2009 (CNBFVR). Paratypes: 1 3: [Italy, Lombardy, Pavia prov.] Parona, 24.VII. 1965, S. Langemark leg. (ZMUC); 1 3: [Italy] Marches, Grottammare, VIII.[19] 39, L. Rivosecchi leg. (MZUR); 1 3: Sicily, [Catania prov.] Paternò, Fiume [= river] Simeto, 7.V. 1968, S. Langemark leg. (ZMUC); 1 3: Sicily, Agrigento prov., Torre Salsa, 12 m, UTM N37. 22373 E13. 20157, 22.V. 2004, P. Cerretti, D. Birtele, G. Nardi, D. Whitmore leg. (CNBFVR); 1 3: Sicily, Palermo prov., Corleone, S side Rocca Busambra, 950 m, UTM 33 S 358012 4189872, 30.VI. 2005, D. Whitmore, D. Birtele, P. Cerretti, M. Lopresti leg. (CNBFVR); 1 3: Sicily, Palermo prov., Corleone, in field on flowers of Ammi visnaga, 476m, UTM 33 S 353645 4190330, 27.VI. 2005, D. Whitmore, D. Birtele, P. Cerretti, M. Lopresti leg. (CNBFVR); 1 3: Sicily, Palermo prov., Madonie, near Scillato, 474m, N37. 50584 E13. 56681, 21.V. 2004, P. Cerretti, D. Birtele, G. Nardi, D. Whitmore leg. (CNBFVR); 2 3: Sicily, Trapani prov., Isola di Favignana, Faro, 2.VII. 2005, D. Whitmore, D. Birtele, P. Cerretti, M. Lopresti leg. (CNBFVR); 1 3: Croatia, Dalmatia, Brač island, Bol, 5.VIII. 2004, on Foeniculum vulgare, D. Whitmore leg. (CNBFVR). Additional material examined. Croatia: Adria, Pag, 22.V. 1939, 1 3 (USNM). Italy: Sicily, Palermo prov.: Casina, 28.V. 1999, D. Povolný leg., 1 3 (MMBC); Corleone, nr. Bivio Ponte Casale, 476m, 30.VI. 2005, D. Whitmore et al. leg., 1 3 (CNBFVR) [terminalia dissected for SEM examination and preserved in ZMUC]; Ficuzza, nr. road S- 118, 610m, 23.VI. 2005, D. Whitmore et al. leg., 1 3 (CNBFVR); Pizzo Cane, 8.VI. 1999, D. Povolný leg., 1 3 (MMBC); same locality, 22.V. 2001, D. Povolný leg., 1 3 (MMBC); same locality, 4.VII. 2001, D. Povolný leg., 2 3 (MMBC); Pizzo Sant’Angelo, 29.V. 2001, D. Povolný leg., 1 3 (MMBC); Valle del Corvo, 26.V. 2001, D. Povolný leg., 1 3 (MMBC); same locality, 2.VI. 2001, D. Povolný leg., 9 3 (MMBC); same locality, 6.VI. 2001, D. Povolný leg., 1 3 (MMBC); same locality, 20–30.V. 2003, D. Povolný leg., 26 3 (MMBC). No locality: D. Povolný leg., 2 3 (MMBC) [All specimens in MMBC as “ Heteronychia penicillata det. Povolný”]. Diagnosis (3). A medium-sized to large species of Heteronychia with a wide frons; lower facial margin protruding in lateral view; scutellum with a pair of apical setae; wing vein R 1 with several setulae on dorsal surface; mid femur with a subapical posteroventral comb of short, spine-like setae; abdomen with dense grey microtrichosity forming a maculate pattern in posterior view; abdominal tergite 3 without median marginal setae; epandrium red; cercus with a dorsal saddle; surstylus densely covered with microtrichia; distiphallus elongated; juxta with lateral membranous ‘ear-like’ processes and a long, undivided median process with large lateral membranous expansions. Description (3). Length. 7.0−12.5mm. Colour. Ground colour black, with dense light-grey microtrichosity on parafacials, fronto-orbital plate, thorax and abdomen. Thorax with three longitudinal dark vittae; microtrichosity of abdomen forming typical chequered pattern changing with the incidence of light, lateral black markings on tergites 3−4 reduced to an anterior spot when viewed posteriorly. Protandrial segment with a small rounded patch of microtrichosity near margin; epandrium red, darkened ventrally. Cercus black; surstylus, phallus and gonites dark brown (pregonite light brown at tip). Head (Fig. 18). Arista thickened on approximately basal 2 / 5 – 1 / 2. Postpedicel ca. 1.2–1.5 times as long as pedicel. Frons at its narrowest point about 0.5–0.7 times the width of an eye in dorsal view. Lateral vertical setae only slightly longer and stronger than longest postocular setae. Parafacial at its narrowest point about 0.2–0.4 times eye width. Lower facial margin protruding in lateral view below vibrissa. Gena in profile about 0.3–0.4 times height of eye; postgena entirely covered with white setulae. Occipital setulae white below the first two rows. Thorax. Scutum with several (very weak and short, unarranged) + 1 acrostichal, 4 + 3 dorsocentral, 1–2 posthumeral (outer one weak if present), 1 presutural, 4–5 notopleural, 2 intraalar and 3 supraalar setae. Scutellum with a pair of strong apical setae; discal setae situated far from margin. Legs. Mid femur with a subapical posteroventral comb of short, spine-like setae. Mid tibia with 2–3 anterodorsal, 2 posterodorsal, 1 dorsal and 1 anteroventral setae. Hind trochanter with a ventral brush of tightly-spaced, spine-like setae. Hind femur with several anteroventral setae in addition to subapical one. Hind tibia with 1–2 anteroventral setae; hind tibia without long, wavy setulae on posteroventral surface. Wing. Costal spine well developed. Vein R 1 with several setulae on dorsal surface. Second costal section visibly longer than fourth costal section. Abdomen. Tergite 3 without median marginal setae. Terminalia. Setae on sternite 5 thickened and shortened, marginal ones visibly longer. Protandrial segment with a row of setulae along posterior margin. Epandrium with an elongated ventral margin. Cercus (Fig. 19) with a dorsal saddle and a downcurved, hooked tip. Surstylus (Fig. 19) subtriangular, densely covered with microtrichia. Pregonite (Fig. 20) with sparse setulae on approximately basal half only; tip flattened and weakly sclerotized, slightly curved inwards. Distiphallus (Fig. 21): proximal part of harpes rounded in lateral view, with a flat inner surface; distal part of harpes distinctly inset compared to proximal part; apical process arising from inner part of harpes and directed apically, tapering to a blunt tip; juxta with a long, longitudinally undivided median process gradually curving ventrally, and with large ‘ear-like’ lateral membranous processes; median and lateral processes connected by large membranous expansions (Fig. 22); lateral styli elongated, narrowing apically; vesica (Fig. 23) a small, semicircular sclerite. Female. Females collected in the same Sicilian localities as male paratypes in 2004–2005 most probably belong to this species (R. Richet, pers. comm. 2010), but characters to separate females of this species from females of S. (H.) thirionae have yet to be found. Distribution. Croatia, mainland Italy, Sicily. Etymology. A Latin adjective referring to the Mediterranean distribution of the new species. Differential diagnosis. Species very similar and probably closely related to S. (H.) thirionae (Lehrer, 1976), also from the Mediterranean area (see Whitmore 2009 b), from which it differs only in the shape of the juxta, which is slightly longer and more slender in S. thirionae and lacks the lateral membranous connection between median and lateral processes (Fig. 42).Published as part of Whitmore, Daniel, 2011, New taxonomic and nomenclatural data on Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), with description of six new species, pp. 1-57 in Zootaxa 2778 on pages 10-12, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20188
P. J. S. Whitmore. A Seventeenth-Century Exposure of Superstition
No full textSecret François. P. J. S. Whitmore. A Seventeenth-Century Exposure of Superstition. In: Revue de l'histoire des religions, tome 186, n°1, 1974. pp. 106-107
First report of exocrine epithelial glands in oestroid flies: the tachinid sexual patches (Diptera: Calyptratae: Oestroidea: Tachinidae)
No full textCerretti, P., Di Giulio, A., Romani, R., Inclan, D.J., Whitmore, D., Di Giovanni, F.,
Scalici, M. andMinelli, A. 2014. First report of exocrine epithelial glands in oestroid
flies: The tachinid sexual patches (Diptera: Oestroidea: Tachinidae).—Acta Zoologica
(Stockholm) 00: 000–000.
Sexual patches are abdominal areas identifiable by modified setation, present in
the males of several groups of Tachinidae (Diptera). We comparatively studied
more than 40 species belonging to 24 genera representative of subfamilies known
to bear these organs, using light microscopy and scanning (SEM) and transmission
(TEM) electron microscopy. We provide a detailed characterization of the
fine structure of the setae and microtrichia composing these sexual patches and
of the underlying epithelium. Study of abdominal sections showed that, close to
the patch area, the epidermis forms a thick layer composed of numerous secretory
units of strictly associated cells, ending at the level of cuticular pores at the
base of the setae. We hypothesize a secretory function of these structures. The
segmental pattern of the sexual patches across the Tachinidae is defined and
predictable.We note that almost all the segmental patterns share the presence of
sexual patches on abdominal tergite 4, underscoring the diversity of male sexual
specializations that occur on the fourth abdominal segment of muscomorph flies
Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) tunisiae Whitmore, 2011, sp. nov.
No full textSarcophaga (Heteronychia) tunisiae sp. nov. (Figs 36–41) Type material. Holotype 3: TUNISIA / Tabarka / 24.iii. 1986 / Zool. Mus. Copenhagen Exp. // [red label] HOLO- TYPE 3 / Sarcophaga / (Heteronychia) / tunisiae sp. n. / det. D. Whitmore 2010 (ZMUC). Paratypes: 4 3: same data as holotype (ZMUC) [2 with terminalia removed and coated for analysis with SEM]; 1 3: Tunisia, Tabarka area, 7–18.V. 1988, Zool. Mus. Copenhagen Exp. (ZMUC); 2 3: Tunisia, Tabarka, Nefza-Zouaraa, beach & foredunes, 20.III. 2001, P. Gatt leg. (PGC); 1 3: Tunisia, Tabarka, Oued Berkoukech, dunes, 31.III. 2007, P. Gatt leg. (PGC). Diagnosis (3). A medium-sized species of Heteronychia with a conspicuously protruding and wide frons, wide parafacial and high gena; lower facial margin not visible in lateral view; scutellum lacking apical setae; wing vein R 1 bare on dorsal surface; costal spine strongly developed; abdomen with dense grey microtrichosity forming a large maculate pattern in posterior view; abdominal tergite 3 without median marginal setae; epandrium red to dark red; cercus stout with a low, rounded dorsal subapical hump; distiphallus: apical process of harpes long tapering and directed apico-laterally; juxta short, without lateral processes; vesica well visible in lateral view. Description (3). Length. 6.5−10.5mm. Colour. Ground colour black, with dense silvery-grey microtrichosity on parafacials, fronto-orbital plate, thorax and abdomen. Thorax with three longitudinal dark vittae; microtrichosity of abdomen forming typical chequered pattern changing with the incidence of light, black markings on tergites 3−4 becoming reduced when viewed posteriorly (forming large spots with somewhat blurred edges). Protandrial segment with a small patch of microtrichosity near margin, sometimes reduced to a strip; epandrium red to dark red, sometimes conspicuously darkened ventrally. Cercus shiny black; surstylus, phallus and gonites dark brown. Head (Fig. 36). Arista thickened on approximately basal 1 / 3. Postpedicel ca. 1.8–2.0 times as long as pedicel. Frons strongly protruding in lateral view; wide, at its narrowest point about 0.6–0.8 times the width of an eye in dorsal view. Lateral vertical setae strongly developed, well differentiated from postocular setae. Parafacial at its narrowest point about 0.25–0.55 times eye width. Lower facial margin not visible in lateral view. Gena in profile about 0.4– 0.6 times height of eye; postgena entirely covered with white setulae. Occipital setulae white below the first two rows. Thorax. Scutum with 2–3 (short, unarranged) + 0 acrostichal (prescutellar pair not developed, if present then very fine, almost hair-like), 4 + 3 dorsocentral, 1 posthumeral (rarely a weak outer seta present), 1 presutural, 4 notopleural, 2 intraalar and 3–4 supraalar setae. Scutellum without apical setae (rarely a single seta present); discal setae situated quite close to margin and relatively close to each other. Legs. Mid femur without a subapical posteroventral comb. Mid tibia with 2–3 anterodorsal, 2 posterodorsal, 1 dorsal and 1 anteroventral setae. Hind trochanter with a ventral brush of tightly-spaced, spine-like setae. Hind femur with 2–3 anteroventral setae in addition to subapical one. Hind tibia with 1–2 anteroventral setae; hind tibia without wavy setulae on posteroventral surface. Wing. Costal spine strongly developed. Vein R 1 bare on dorsal surface. Second costal section shorter than fourth costal section. Abdomen. Tergite 3 without median marginal setae (at most with a pair of appressed setae slightly stronger than surrounding ones). Terminalia. Setae on sternite 5 thickened and shortened, forming a tight brush-like structure; marginal setae visibly longer. Protandrial segment with an irregular row of weak setulae along posterior margin. Epandrium with an elongated ventral margin. Cercus (Fig. 37) stout, with an elongated, low subapical hump and a lateral bare patch in upper half extending to level of apex of surstylus; tip slightly downcurved, tapering, with a slightly convex dorsal surface. Surstylus (Fig. 37) subtriangular. Pregonite (Fig. 38) with an undulate ventral surface, with numerous long, fine setulae on dorsal surface except on tip; tip blunt, tapering, curved ventrally. Distiphallus (Figs 39–40): membrane swollen, protruding beyond harpes in lateral view; proximal part of harpes only slightly protruding in lateral view, with a slightly concave (almost flat) inner surface and continuous with distal part; apical process flattened, tapering and directed latero-apically; juxta short, without lateral processes, distinctly narrowing apically; apex in dorsal view (Fig. 41) a simple, subrectangular lobe with short, rounded lateral processes; lateral styli apically truncate; vesica subrectangular with rounded corners, well visible in lateral view (Fig. 39). Female unknown. Distribution. Tunisia. Etymology. The name refers to the country of origin of the new species. Differential diagnosis. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) tunisiae sp. nov. is strongly characterized by the protruding frons, high gena, and morphology of cercus and distiphallus; it shows no obvious affinities with other known species of Heteronychia, except with S. (H.) siciliana and S. (H.) hellenica in the shape of the juxta.Published as part of Whitmore, Daniel, 2011, New taxonomic and nomenclatural data on Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), with description of six new species, pp. 1-57 in Zootaxa 2778 on pages 15-17, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20188
New and confirmed records of fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) from Italy
No full textBackground
Prior to this study, 141 species of Tephritidae were known to occur in Italy.
New information
Italian records of nine species of the family Tephritidae (Diptera) are provided. Five species, Eurasimona stigma (Loew, 1840), Noeeta bisetosa Merz, 1992, Campiglossa doronici (Loew, 1856), Xyphosia laticauda (Meigen, 1826) and Rhagoletis berberidis Jermy, 1961 are recorded from Italy for the first time, whereas four species, Inuromaesa maura (Frauenfeld, 1857), Urophora cuspidata (Meigen, 1826), Tephritis conyzifoliae Merz, 1992 and T. mutabilis Merz, 1992, previously recorded in the Fauna Europaea database without reference to collection material, are confirmed and supplemented with host plant data and other collection data
Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) bezziana Bottcher 1913
No full textSarcophaga (Heteronychia) bezziana Böttcher, 1913, subg. comb. nov. Sarcophaga bezziana Böttcher, 1913 b: 242. Shoachaeta cornogranda Lehrer, 2009: 8, syn. nov. Type material examined. Sarcophaga bezziana: Lectotype 3 (designated by Whitmore et al. 2009) and two male paralectotypes (SMF); see Whitmore et al. (2009) for label details. Shoachaeta cornogranda: Holotype 3: [Italy] ABRUZZI / Corno Grande / 19.9. 42 m 2200 // Sarcophaga / (Heteronychia) / bezziana / Böttcher, 1913 / D. Whitmore det. 2006 // [red label added by myself] HOLOTYPE 3 / Shoachaeta / cornogranda / A. Z. Lehrer 2009 (MZUR). Additional material examined. Italy, Abruzzi, L’Aquila prov., Anversa degli Abruzzi, Pizzo Marcello, Stazzo Rotolo, 29.VII. 1997, P. Cerretti & A.M. Tenga leg., 1 3 (CNBFVR); Acquasanta [probably Marches, Ascoli Piceno prov.], 2.VIII. 1897 (USNM, as “ Sarcophaga haemorrhoa det. Böttcher”). Remarks. Whitmore et al. (2009) moved Sarcophaga bezziana from subgenus Heteronychia to subgenus Discachaeta Enderlein due to its probable sister-species relationship with Sarcophaga amita Rondani (long considered a member of the latter subgenus by most authors) and pending a cladistic analysis of this group of species. However, recent analyses are showing that Discachaeta (with type species Sarcophaga cucullans Pandellé, 1896) cannot be maintained as a subgenus without making the remaining species of Heteronychia paraphyletic (Whitmore, unpublished); anticipating the formal synonymization of these two genus-group names, I am here accommodating the nominal taxa Sarcophaga bezziana and Shoachaeta cornogranda in subgenus Heteronychia. Likewise, I move Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) amita Rondani, 1860 into Heteronychia, subg. comb. nov., from its previous placement in Discachaeta (see Whitmore et al. 2009). Lehrer (1997: 78) designated S. (H.) amita as type-species of his genus Shoachaeta Lehrer, which now becomes a junior synonym of Heteronychia, syn. nov.Published as part of Whitmore, Daniel, 2011, New taxonomic and nomenclatural data on Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), with description of six new species, pp. 1-57 in Zootaxa 2778 on page 21, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20188
Inland extent of the Weddell Sea Rift imaged by new aerogeophysical data
No full textThe Weddell Sea Rift was a major focus for Jurassic extension and magmatism during the early stages of Gondwana break-up and underlies the Weddell Sea Embayment, which separates East Antarctica from a collage of crustal blocks in West Antarctica. Newly-collected aerogeophysical data over the catchments of Institute and Möller ice streams reveal the inland extent of the Weddell Sea Rift against the Ellsworth-Whitmore block and a hitherto unknown major left-lateral strike slip boundary between East and West Antarctica. Aeromagnetic and gravity anomalies define the regional subglacial extent of Proterozoic basement, Middle Cambrian rift-related volcanic rocks, Jurassic intrusions and sedimentary rocks of inferred post-Jurassic age. 2D and 3D magnetic depth-to-source estimates were used to help constrain joint magnetic and gravity models for the region. The models reveal that Proterozoic crust similar to that exposed at Haag Nunataks, extends southeast of the Ellsworth Mountains to the margin of the Coastal Basins. Thick granitic Jurassic intrusions are modelled at the transition between the Ellsworth-Whitmore block and the thinner crust of the Weddell Sea Rift and within the Pagano Shear Zone. The crust beneath the inland extension of the Weddell Sea Rift is modelled as being either ~ 4 km thinner compared to the adjacent Ellsworth-Whitmore block or as underlain by an up to 8 km thick mafic underplate
High Sensitivity Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering in Solution using Engineered Silver Nanosphere Dimers
No full textWe describe Raman spectroscopy measurements of distyrylbenzene (DSB) molecules equipped with plasmonic antennae in the form of silver dumbbells in aqueous solution under ambient conditions. A synthetic strategy in which the dithiolated molecule is used as the linker between silver nanospheres ensures that the molecules are attached at the intersphere gap where local fields are maximally enhanced. The measured and calculated enhancement factors are in excellent agreement. The reported method has sufficient sensitivity to also allow for the detection of molecules tethered to single spheres, with 100–1000-fold weaker enhancement. Spectral analysis allows assignment of structures and reveals that in addition to the normal Raman active modes IR active transitions appear in the Raman spectra where field gradients dominate
A 2 h periodic variation in the low-mass X-ray binary Ser X-1
No full textSpectroscopy of the low-mass X-ray binary Ser X-1 using the Gran Telescopio Canarias have revealed a ?2 h periodic variability that is present in the three strongest emission lines. We tentatively interpret this variability as due to orbital motion, making it the first indication of the orbital period of Ser X-1. Together with the fact that the emission lines are remarkably narrow, but still resolved, we show that a main-sequence K dwarf together with a canonical 1.4 M? neutron star gives a good description of the system. In this scenario, the most likely place for the emission lines to arise is the accretion disc, instead of a localized region in the binary (such as the irradiated surface or the stream-impact point), and their narrowness is due instead to the low inclination (?10°) of Ser X-1
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