Brachygasterina andina Carvalho & Pont

De Carvalho, C. J. B. & Pont, A. C., 2006, Taxonomy, cladistics and biogeography of the South American genus Brachygasterina Macquart (Diptera: Muscidae), Zootaxa 1151, pp. 1-26 : 5-7

Brachygasterina andina Carvalho & Pont , sp. nov. ( Figs 1 , 6 , 15 )

Diagnosis

This species is similar in its generally dark metallic violet­blue body colour to most species of Brachygasterina but can be distinguished by the narrow parafacial, in lateral view at narrowest point 0.2 of the width of first flagellomere (male not known) ( Fig. 6 ); from B. violaceiventris and B. valdiviensis , which also have a narrow parafacial, it differs by the absence of setulae on the facial ridge.

Description

Female. Head: frons broad, at narrowest point 0.37–0.39 of head width ( Fig. 1 ). Eye with short and sparse hairs ( Fig. 6 ). Fronto­orbital plate matt, black with brownish­grey pruinosity; parafacial, face and gena brownish­grey pruinose; occiput metallic blue to violet. 7–8 pairs of frontal setae; 2 reclinate orbital setae, the anterior weak. Facial ridge without setulae. Parafacial narrow, in lateral view at narrowest point 0.2 of first flagellomere width ( Fig. 6 ). Proboscis mainly shining, dusted behind. Palpus black.

Thorax. Ground­colour subshining dark metallic violet­blue, dulled by pruinescence in posterior view. Mesonotum with 4 stripes, 2 median and 2 lateral. 3+3 developed acrostichals; 3 posterior intra­alars, the anterior weaker; prealar strong, subequal to anterior notopleural seta; notopleuron with sparse setulae, mostly around second notopleural seta. Scutellum laterally setulose; with strong apical, basal and lateral setae, and corresponding setae on disc. One strong proepisternal seta and 3–4 long setulae; 3 strong proepimeral setae and many long setulae. Katepisternals 1+3. Katatergite distinctly setulose.

Legs. Dark brown. Fore tibia without posterior seta. Mid femur with 1 short anterior and 3 posterior preapical setae. Mid tibia with 3 posterior setae, without anterodorsal or ventrals. Hind femur with a row of strong anteroventral setae, and with strong posteroventrals in basal half; 2 anterodorsal and 4 anteroventral setae; dorsal preapical strong, anterodorsal preapical weak, without posteroventral apical.

Wing. Smoky, veins dark brown. Veins bare, except costa. Crossvein dm­cu weakly sinuous. Vein M straight, parallel with R4+5. Calypters dark brown, lower one 1.5 times length of upper one. Knob of haltere dark brown.

Abdomen. Subshining metallic violet ­blue. Sternite 1 bare.

Ovipositor: see Fig. 15 .

Measurements (n=2): Body length, 7.4–8.2 mm. Wing length, 7.8–8.6 mm.

Type material examined

Holotype, female, ECUADOR: Pichincha, 72 Km NW Quito, 6800’ [feet], 24–29.viii.1976 (J. Cohen) ( FMNH).

Paratype, ECUADOR: 1 female, same data as holotype ( DZUP).

Remarks

According to the labels, these specimens were collected in carrion traps.

Geographic distribution

Ecuador.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Female head, frontal view. 1. Brachygasterina andina. 2. B. major. 3. B. stuebeli. 4. B. valdiviensis. 5. B. violaceiventris. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURES 6 – 12. Head, lateral view. 6. Female, Brachygasterina andina. 7. Female, B. major. 8. Female, B. stuebeli. 9. Female, B. valdiviensis. 10. Female, B. violaceiventris. 11. Male, B. major. 12. Male, B. violaceiventris. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURES 15 – 16. Female terminalia, ventral view. 15. Brachygasterina andina. 16. B. stuebeli. Abbreviation: spmt, spermathecae. Scale bar: 1 mm.