Milichiella unicolor
Milichiella unicolor was collected on leaves, swarming in gardens and swarming in sunshine near bamboo about 8m in the air, at light, and in Malaise traps. It has been bred from decaying banana skins. The type specimens were collected pollinating "Abrame angustum L. J.". There is a Malvaceae species called Abroma augusta L. However, this species occurs in Asia and Australia, not in Africa, and it seems unlikely that a milichiid would pollinate an Abroma augusta flower, as it is very big. Therefore the plant was probably misidentified.
Differs from congeners in the combination of brown microtomentose ocellar triangle and mesonotum as well as 2+1 dc, 2 prsc, and silvery microtomentose male T2-5.
Male coloration and vestiture: frons brown, ocellar triangle and orbital plates same, lunule brown, basoflagellomere black, face greyish microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum brown microtomentose with varying degree of grey anteriorly and laterally, scutellum and pleura same, wing hyaline, veins yellow, brown spot at tip of vein R1 absent, calypter white, halter black, legs black except for yellow tip of fore and mid tibia, and bases of all tarsi, fore and hind tarsus with yellow brush; abdomen with T2-5 silvery microtomentose. Female coloration and vestiture: thorax with mesonotum greyish brown microtomentose, scutellum same, pleura greyish, halter yellow, abdomen with T2-4 brown microtomentose, T5 shiny.
Morphology. Head: frons with 2 orbital and 2+0.5 frontal setae, middle frontal seta medioclinate. In males frons 2.0-2.2x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 4.0x as long as basoflagellomere wide, pubescence on arista very short, posterior eye margin with wide notch (7-8oc, female: 5-6oc) and emargination (3-4oc).
Thorax: 2+1 dc, 2 prsc, 1+0.7 pprn, 1+0.6+0.5 (female: 1+0.5) prs, 2 keps setae, posterior prsc as long as posterior dc, seta between posterior prsc and posterior dc present. Wing with vein R4+5 and M1 converging (2.7), and ultimate section of vein M1 1.3x as long as penultimate section. Fore femur slightly stronger setulose, tibial organ absent.
Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 present. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with 2-3 lines of setae, T2-5 with scattered small setulae at posterior margin (2-3 rows). S5 about 1.3x as long as wide, 1.7x as long and 1.5x as wide as S4, with scattered setulae. Male genitalia with apical seta on cercus longer than epandrial setae; hypandrium long, 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus 0.6-0.8x as long as epandrium high, bent posteriorly, dilated apically (1.5-1.8x), 2.7-3.3x as long as wide, structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface with 3-5 setulae along anterior margin moving medially basally.
Body length: 2.3-3.4 mm; wing length: 2.3-2.6 mm.