Melaloncha corniculata, Gonzalez, Lisa & Brown, Brian V., 2004

Gonzalez, Lisa & Brown, Brian V., 2004, New species and records of Melaloncha (Udamochiras) bee­killing flies (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 730, pp. 1-14 : 10

Melaloncha corniculata new species

Figs. 6 , 13

Recognition. This is the only Udamochiras species with a pair of sharply pointed, hornlike processes extending from the apex of the ovipositor. In Brown’s (2004a) key, it possibly could be taken to the first lead of couplet 4 because tergite 6 is yellowish brown laterally. The second lead of this couplet should be amended to state “At least abdominal tergites 1– 5 dark­brown to black laterally.” If we take the second lead, it could key to M. simillima Borgmeier at couplet 24 because of the dark, ventral setae; however, the hornlike processes of M. corniculata are distinctive.

Description. Female (male unknown). Body length 2.7–2.9 mm. Mean frontal width 0.25 head width; range 0.23–0.27. Frons orange, except ocellar triangle black; with fine reticulate sculpturing and scattered shallow punctures; median furrow absent. Dorsal interfrontal setae present, located slightly ventral to ventral ocellus. Palpus unmodified. Ocular and genal setae yellow, flattened. Foreleg brownish yellow. Foretarsomeres relatively narrow, slightly darker than tibia. Combined length of foretarsomeres 0.78 tibial length. Tarsal claws on all legs finely bifurcate. Mid­ and hind leg brownish yellow; hind femur with dark brown macula at apex. Mean costal length 0.56 wing length; range 0.56–0.57. Vein R2+3 absent. Abdominal tergites black (except tergite 6, which is yellowish brown laterally) with anterior band of silver pollinosity. Venter of abdomen gray, except fading to yellow at apex of segment 6; venter of segment 6 with scattered setae. Ovipositor relatively short, slightly dorsoventrally flattened at apex, relatively straight; basally yellow­colored; apically with pair of posteriorly directed horn­like processes. Short, fine, mostly lateral setae present on ovipositor, with some longer, thicker setae ventrally.

Host. Unknown. Flies were attracted to a mixed aggregation of bees, including A. mellifera , Plebeia spp. and Trigona spinipes (F.).

Distribution. Northern Argentina.

Derivation of specific epithet. Latin corniculata , meaning horned, and referring to the horn­like processes of the ovipositor.

Holotype. Ψ, ARGENTINA: Misiones: Reserva Vida Silvestre Urugua­í, 25.97°S, 54.11°W, 11.xii.2003, B. Brown, G. Kung, bee screen, 400 m [LACM ENT 189260] (MACN).

Paratypes. ARGENTINA: Misiones: Reserva Vida Silvestre Urugua­í, 25.97°S, 54.11°W, 1Ψ, 7–9.xii.2003, B. Brown, G. Kung, Malaise trap # 1, 400 m (LACM), 1Ψ, 28.xii.2003, 1Ψ, 29.xii.2003, L. Gonzalez, honey spray, 400 m (LACM, MACN).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Melaloncha (Udamochiras) spp. Ovipositors, dorsal.

FIGURES 10 – 16. Melaloncha (Udamochiras) spp. Ovipositors, right lateral.