Syneches tenebricus Menezes & Ale-Rocha

Soares, Matheus M. M., Freitas-Silva, Rafael A. P. & Ale-Rocha, Rosaly, 2021, Review of Brazilian species of Syneches Walker (Diptera, Hybotidae, Hybotinae), with description of ten new species, Zootaxa 5049 (1), pp. 1-84 : 68

Syneches tenebricus Menezes & Ale-Rocha

( Figs 44A–E , 54 )

Syneches tenebricus Menezes & Ale-Rocha, 2016: 431–432 , figs 87–91, 114, 123. Type locality: Manaus , Amazonas, Brazil.

Diagnosis. Medium size (3.5 mm) ( Fig. 44A ). Antenna yellow ( Fig. 44C ). Scutum rounded, as broad as mesopleuron in lateral view, dark brown, covered with reddish brown pruinescence ( Fig. 44B ). Foreleg from coxa to basal 2/3 of femur brown and apex of hind femur with a small brown spot, otherwise yellow ( Figs 44A, D ). Wing brown; pterostigma oval, dark brown, extended from apex of R 1, ending near to the apex of cell r 1; second section of M 1 slightly longer than crossvein r-m; cell bm longer than cells br and cua ( Fig. 44E ).

Type examined material. HOLOTYPE ♂ ( INPA) labelled: “ BRASIL, Amazonas , Manaus, F [Fazenda] Esteio, BR-174, KM 41” “ 17–20.xii.1993, F.F. Xavier ” “Holótipo, Syneches tenebricus Menezes & Ale-Rocha ” . Holotype condition: left wing damaged, hind left leg broken off; not dissected.

Additional examined material. Same data as holotype (1 ♂, INPA) .

Distribution. Brazil (Amazonas and Roraima) ( Fig. 54 ). The species is recorded only from two very contrasting landscapes in the Amazon biome, namely from Manaus (central Amazon, State of Amazonas) and Pacaraima (northern Amazon, state of Roraima). However, it is interesting to note that both localities are composed of essentially different vegetation types; while the landscape nearby Manaus is predominantly of close canopy rainforest, Pacaraima shows a predominantly open savanna-like landscape.

Remarks. Syneches tenebricus is similar to S. fuscus sp. nov., differing from it due to the antenna and femora being predominantly yellow (except fore femur mostly brown), while in S. fuscus sp. nov. the antenna is dark brown and the fore and mid femora have more extensive brown markings (see also “Remarks” under S. fuscus sp. nov.).

Figures

FIGURE 44. Syneches tenebricus Menezes & Ale-Rocha, 2016. A–D. Holotype male. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Thorax, lateral view; C. Head, lateral view; D. Hind leg, anterior view. E. Male from Amazonas. Wing.

FIGURE 54. Syneches Walker. Geographical records of S. maculosum Menezes & Ale-Rocha, 2016; S. manaos Smith, 1962 and S. tenebricus Menezes & Ale-Rocha, 2016 in Brazil.