Eucelatoria kopis, Burington, 2022

Burington, Zelia L., 2022, A taxonomic revision of the Eucelatoria ferox species group (Diptera: Tachinidae), Zootaxa 5143 (1), pp. 1-104 : 49

E. kopis sp. nov. subgroup

Recognition. Individuals of the E. kopis sp. nov. subgroup have the postsutural thoracic vittae fused into a single large vitta covering most of the postsutural area (e.g., Figs 1A–C , 15 ), and usually the presutural vittae are fused into two. All known females of these species possess piercers with a basal bend in lateral view ( Figs 69 , 106–108 ) and the end tergite halves either partially or entirely fused along the mid line ( Figs 121–123 ).

Relationships and ecology. The species E. gustavogutierrezi sp. nov., E. ritavargasae sp. nov., and E. kopis sp. nov. appear to form a clade split basally from the remaining species of the E. ferox group ( Fig. 1 ). The mean genetic distance between the E. kopis sp. nov. subgroup and the E. ferox and E. gladiatrix subgroups is 0.04, much higher than the distances between E. kopis subgroup species (0.000 –0.026). Larvae of these entirely Neotropical species parasitize a variety of Lepidoptera families including Depressaridae, Oecophoridae , Tortricidae , and Pyralidae .

Figures

FIGURE 1. CO1-based neighbor-joining tree of 12 species of the Eucelatoria ferox species group, with inset illustrations of mesonota. The outgroup is Eucelatoria armigera (Coquillett). Node labels indicate support values over 60. Scale bar = 2% genetic difference. The E. charapensis (Townsend) sequence with the axial break is of poor quality but is included to show unity of El Bigal specimens with the rest of the metapopulation. Mesonota are illustrated with setal annuli only for clarity. A. E. gustavogutierrezi sp. nov. B. E. kopis sp. nov. C. E. ritavargasae sp. nov. D. E. ferox (Townsend). E. E. huitepecensis sp. nov. F. E. auriceps (Aldrich). G. E. gladiatrix (Townsend). H. E. borealis sp. nov. I. E. yanayacu sp. nov.

FIGURES 14–17. Female habitus photographs of Eucelatoria ferox group spp., dorsal view. 14. E. luctuosa (Wulp), Vera Cruz (ZLB_E.Ferox 00283) (DMW). 15. E. rivalis (Reinhard), holotype (CNC). 16. E. sabroskyi sp. nov., Southwest Research Station (ZLB_E.Ferox 00086) (USNM). 17. E. strigata (Wulp), Trinidad (ZLB_E.Ferox 00115) (CNC).

FIGURES 68–69. Female habitus photographs of Eucelatoria ferox group spp., lateral view. 68. E. makhaira sp. nov., holotype (ZLB_E.Ferox 00344) (USNM). 69. E. ritavargasae sp. nov., Napo Province (ZLB_E.Ferox 00214) (USNM).

FIGURES 94–108. Female seventh abdominal segment of Eucelatoria ferox group spp., lateral view. Numbers are “ZLB_ E.Ferox” specimen IDs. 94. E. ferox (Townsend), Santa Cruz (00398) (USNM). 95. E. aurata (Townsend), Nova Teutonia (00250) (DMW). 96. E. auriceps (Aldrich), Crane Hollow (00410) (JOSC). 97. E. borealis sp. nov., Sheffeld (00041) (DMW). 98. E. charapensis (Townsend), Chapare Province (00393) (DMW). 99. E. falcata sp. nov., Nova Teutonia (00274) (CNC). 100. E. fordlandia sp. nov., Fordlandia (00311) (USNM). 101. E. gladiatrix (Townsend), Guanacaste Province (00376) (CNC). 102. E. sabroskyi sp. nov., Herb Martyr Campground (00084) (CNC). 103. E. strigata (Wulp), Trinidad (00138) (CNC). 104. E. texana (Reinhard), Madera Greaterville Rd. (00048) (JOSC). 105. E. yanayacu sp. nov., Yanayacu (no “E.Ferox” number, labeled “DIP328”) (USNM). 106. E. gustavogutierrezi sp. nov., Guanacaste Province (00007) (CNC). 107. E. kopis sp. nov., Avispas (00217) (CNC). 108. E. sica sp. nov., Yanayacu (00211) (CNC).

FIGURES 109–123. Female abdominal segments eight through ten of Eucelatoria ferox group spp., dorsal view. Numbers are “ZLB_E.Ferox” specimen IDs. 119. E. ferox (Townsend), Santa Cruz (00398) (USNM). 110. E. aurata (Townsend), Nova Teutonia (00250) (DMW). 111. E. auriceps (Aldrich), Crane Hollow (00410) (JOSC). 112. E. borealis sp. nov., Sheffeld (00041) (DMW). 113. E. charapensis (Townsend), Chapare Province (00393) (DMW). 114. E. falcata sp. nov., Nova Teutonia (00274) (CNC). 115. E. fordlandia sp. nov., Fordlandia (00311) (USNM). 116. E. gladiatrix (Townsend), Guanacaste Province (ZLB_ E.Ferox 00379) (CNC). 117. E. sabroskyi sp. nov., Herb Martyr Campground (00084) (CNC). 118. E. strigata (Wulp), Trinidad (00138) (CNC). 119. E. texana (Reinhard), Madera Greaterville Rd. (00048) (JOSC). 120. E. yanayacu sp. nov., Yanayacu (no “E.Ferox” number, labeled “DIP328”) (USNM). 121. E. gustavogutierrezi sp. nov., Guanacaste Province (00007) (CNC). 122. E. kopis sp. nov., Avispas (00217) (CNC). 123. E. sica sp. nov., Yanayacu (00211) (CNC).