Syneches manaos Smith

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 : 47-48

Syneches manaos Smith

( Figs 30A–E , 54 )

Syneches manaos Smith, 1962: 215 ; 1967: 10 (cat.); Yang et al., 2007: 311 (cat.); Ale-Rocha & Vieira, 2008: 118 (cit.); Menezes & Ale-Rocha, 2016: 422–424 , figs 66–72, 111, 120 (rev., distr.). Type locality: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.

Diagnosis. Medium size (4.0 mm) ( Fig. 30A ). Ocellar triangle flat ( Fig. 30B ). Scutum rounded, as broad as mesopleuron in lateral view, dark brown, covered with dense pale golden pruinescence ( Fig. 30A ). Legs mostly yellow to dark yellow except coxae, trochanters and all tarsomeres 5 brown, hind femur and apical 2/3 of hind tibia dark brown; mid tibia with 2 bristles about as long as mid tibia (1AD and 1AV both on basal third); hind femur strongly swollen on males ( Fig. 30C ), slightly swollen on females ( Fig. 30D ), with 1AV series of spiniform bristles inserted on prominent tubercles. Wing hyaline, with infuscation between crossvein r-m and bifurcation of Rs, and on apical margin; pterostigma brown, wide, quadrangular, filling apex of cell r 1; R 2+3 strongly angulate near apex ( Fig. 30E ).

Material examined. BRAZIL. Amazonas: Manaus, Res. Km 41, PDBFF, 21–22.vii.2004, Trilha C I – SB, R. Querino (1 ♂, INPA) ; idem, 12–13.v.2004 (1 ♀, INPA) ; ZF-2, km 14 Torre , 02°35′21″S 60°06′55″W, 19.vi.2015, J.M. Cumming, S. Cumming, D.W.A. Marques & J.A. Rafael, sweeping (5 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC) ; Sitio Vida Tropical , 02°51′47″S 59°51′52″W, 28.vi.2015, J.M. Cumming, S. Cumming & J.A. Rafael, sweeping (2 ♀, CNC) . Pará: Belém, ( Área P-1), 20.vi.1964, Shope & de Freitas (2 ♂, 4 ♀, CNC) . Roraima: Caracaraí, Vila Caicubi, Trilha do Bacaba , 00°58′36.5″S 62°06′08.7″W, 10.ix.2011, Malaise 2, Biffi, G. & Prado, L. R. cols. (1 ♀, INPA) .

Distribution. Brazil (Amazonas, Pará and Roraima *) ( Fig. 54 ). Syneches manaos is very abundant in forested places nearby Manaus (Amazonas), and for now, the species is known to occur only in the Amazon biome.

Remarks. Syneches manaos is remarkably similar to S. repletus , due to the flat ocellar triangle, mid tibia with long bristles, as long as tibia and hind femur strongly swollen in males bearing 1AV series of spiniform bristles inserted on prominent tubercles. However, in S. manaos the hind femur is brown and R 2+3 is strongly angulated near the apex, while in S. repletus the hind femur has the basal third to basal half yellow and R 2+3 is only slightly angulated near apex. According to Smith (1962), S. manaos is closely related to S. curvineura Melander and S. longiventris Melander , but these two species have the ocellar triangle protuberant. Nevertheless, we have examined the syntypes of S. barypterus Melander and S. planiceps Melander as well as the original descriptions of Melander (1928) and there is no doubt that these species are closely related to S. manaos and S. repletus . Syneches applanatus seems to be related to that group, but lacks the prominent tubercles on the hind femur.

Figures

FIGURE 30. Syneches manaos Smith, 1962 (male from Amazonas). A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Head, lateral view; C. Male hind leg, anterior view; D. Female hind leg, anterior view; E. 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.