Houghia latigena Fleming & Wood

Fleming, Alan J., Wood, Monty, Smith, Alex, Hallwachs, Winnie & Janzen, Daniel H., 2014, Revision of the New World species of Houghia Coquillett (Diptera, Tachinidae) reared from caterpillars in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Zootaxa 3858 (1), pp. 1-90 : 58-59

Houghia latigena Fleming & Wood , sp. nov.

Fig. 27 a–f

Diagnosis. Houghia latigena is one of four nearly identical species described here, which form the H. latigena group ( H. longicercus , H. latigena , H. latilobus , and H. velutina ), in which the gena is higher than that of the remaining species, being 1/10 the height of the head ( Figs. 27–28 c, 30c & 45c) instead of 1/12 or less. In posterior view the cerci of H. latigena is long and slender, the V-shaped dorsal notch is only 1/4 or less the height of the cerci, and instead of tapering evenly (as in H. velutina ) the cerci is slightly constricted in the middle ( Fig. 27 d).

Description. Male. Antenna black. When viewed in profile, antenna arises approximately at level of middle of eye. Length of first flagellomere extending to facial margin. Facial ridge bare except for a few (usually 3–5) decumbent small setae above vibrissa. Palpus pale, usually distinctly yellowish. Postgena behind postoccipital row, above level of lower facial margin, with a small patch of few black setae. Parafacial silver. Colour of fronto-orbital plate pale brassy to gold on its entire length from vertex to base of antenna (more than 50% coverage). Surface of fronto-orbital plate covered with small recumbent hairs, especially near margin of eye. Ocellar triangle when viewed from above appearing to be notched anteriorly. Diameter of anterior ocellus equal to, or greater than, diameter of base of adjacent ocellar seta. Ocellar setae arising beside, or slightly in front of, anterior ocellus. Eye bare. Postpronotum restricted to the three main postpronotal setae. Dark stripes on either side of dorsocentral row of setae separated from one another by yellow tomentosity. Median and lateral stripes on either side of scutum separate from each other posteriorly. Postsutural dorsocentral setae 4. Anterior quadrant of anepisternum covered with short setae except for usually 3 to 5 distinctly larger setae. Katepisternum with three setae, the middle one always the smallest. Vein R1 bare dorsally. Legs ranging from reddish brown to yellow tinged but overall dark. Coxae dark usually concolourous with remainder of leg. Ground colour of dorsal surface of abdomen dark to black. Ground colour of ventral surface of abdomen entirely black. Sex patches present on tergites 4 and 5. Ground colour of sex patches not distinctly shiny. Terminalia: surstylus wedge shaped, posterodorsal half haired, apex bearing few short apical spines, tip straight. Cerci rounded, apex with straight tip, ventral surface haired, separation between cerci straight, about as long as surstylus. Lobe of sternite 5 large and rounded apically, inner margin covered in dense tomentosity appearing darker than surrounding cuticle, internal edge straight, single long apical seta emanating from apex.

Hosts. Houghia latigena has been reared from Parabella macleannani (19X), Jemadia suekentonmiller (2X), Elbella scylla (Ménétriés) (1X) and Elbella merops (Bell) (2X) (Pyrginae, Hesperiidae ) feeding on Myrtaceae , Salicaceae , Malpighiaceae and Melastomataceae in ACG rain forest, from a sample of 1000+ caterpillars of these three genera; while this may appear to be the host array of a “generalist” parasitoid, these caterpillars are very similar in visual appearance.

Holotype. ♂, CNC. Type locality: Costa Rica, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Prov. Alajuela, Sector San Cristobal, Potrero Argentina (10.89021°, -85.38803°), 520 m, 05/05/1999, Gloria Sihezar, DHJPAR0008442.

Paratypes. 51 ♂, 35 ♀ ( CNC) Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela ACG database codes: DHJPAR0008456, DHJPAR0030175, DHJPAR0008455, DHJPAR0021985, DHJPAR0017184, DHJPAR0011510, DHJPAR0008479, DHJPAR0030166, DHJPAR0008452, DHJPAR0038802, DHJPAR0039252, DHJPAR0008489, DHJPAR0008491, DHJPAR0008483, DHJPAR0008471, DHJPAR0008480, DHJPAR0008475, DHJPAR0008478, DHJPAR0008476, DHJPAR0008488, DHJPAR0008436, DHJPAR0008454, DHJPAR0008469, DHJPAR0008487, DHJPAR0008486, DHJPAR0022010, 07-SRNP-3492, 07-SRNP-32966, 09-SRNP-6934, 04-SRNP-33653, 04-SRNP-33655, 04- SRNP-20837, 04-SRNP-20824, 03-SRNP-1226, 05-SRNP-21331, 05-SRNP-21363, 05-SRNP-32855, 02-SRNP- 14112, 03-SRNP-1829, 03-SRNP-1225, 03-SRNP-1257.

Etymology. From the Latin adjective “ latus ”, noun, “ gena ”, meaning cheek, thus a noun in apposition. Distribution. Costa Rica, ACG, Prov. Alajuela & Guanacaste, rain forest, 280–560 m elevation.

Figures

FIGURE 27. General morphology of Houghia latigena sp. nov. a. Dorsal habitus. b. Frontal view of head. c. Lateral habitus. d. Posterior view of male terminalia. e. Lateral view of male terminalia. f. Ventral view of sternite 5 + segments 7 + 8.

FIGURE 28. General morphology of Houghia latilobus sp. nov. a. Dorsal habitus. b. Frontal view of head. c. Lateral habitus. d. Posterior view of male terminalia. e. Lateral view of male terminalia. f. Ventral view of sternite 5 + segments 7 + 8.