Mesembrinella spicata, Aldrich., 1925

Whitworth, Terry L. & Yusseff-Vanegas, Sohath, 2019, A revision of the genera and species of the Neotropical family Mesembrinellidae (Diptera: Oestroidea), Zootaxa 4659 (1), pp. 1-146 : 49

Mesembrinella spicata species-group

Recognition. The M. spicata species-group is represented by three species, Mesembrinella spicata and two new species, M. guaramacalensis sp. nov. and M. mexicana sp. nov. These species share anterior spiracle of normal shape, with a broad oval opening above ( Fig. 5 ) and males with exceptionally broad rectangular sternites and ST5 with two prominent posterior projections [ Fig 12 (see arrow), Figs. 245–246 ]; male with large epandrium (as in Fig. 29 ), T6 and STS 7+8 fused and base of epandrium prominent with small cerci and surstyli at the posterior end ( Figs 27–30 ). Males of the known species have epandrium with broad division mid-dorsally (as in Fig. 491 ). The male of M. guaramacalensis sp. nov. is unknown, but we believe its terminalia will be similar, since barcodes place this species very close to the other two species ( Fig. 488 ). The anomala species-group has similar epandrium, cerci and surstyli, but the shape is much different ( Figs 99–100 ). The few examined females of M. mexicana sp. nov. and M. spicata have one to four stout discal setae on T5 like in the aeneiventris species-group. The holotype and paratype (both female) of M. guaramacalensis sp. nov. do not have stout discal setae on T5.

Figures

FIGURE 488. Neighbor-joining tree of COI DNA barcode sequences of specimens and species of Mesembrinellidae, using K2P distances and generated in BOLD; species names on the tree are followed by BOLD accession number, voucher number, country of origin, number of sequenced base pairs and number of ambiguous nucleotides.

FIGURES 1–8. Diagnostic characters of Mesembrinellidae and Calliphoridae. 1. Wing of Mesembrinella flavicrura Aldrich, showing veins and cells. 2. Wing of M. currani Guimar„es, showing infuscated anterior margin. 3. Wing of Laneella fusconitida sp. nov., showing dark macula around crossvein r-m. 4. Wing of Calliphora vomitoria (Linnaeus), showing acute bend of vein M. 5. Anterior spiracle of Mesembrinella batesi Aldrich, showing broad oval opening above. 6. Anterior spiracle of M. bolivar (Bonatto), showing long, narrow opening gradually widening above. 7. Meral setae and posterior spiracle of M. bicolor (Fabricius). 8. Last abdominal tergites of M. vogelsangi (Mello), showing setae.

FIGURES 9–14. Diagnostic characters of Mesembrinellidae. 9. Eggs of Laneella fuscosquamata sp. nov. 10. L. perisi (Mariluis), ventral view of tarsal claws, showing pale basal half. 11. L. fusconitida sp. nov., ventral view of tarsal claws, showing darker base. 12. M. spicata Aldrich, ventral view of male sternites, showing long projections on rear margin of ST5. 13. M. bicolor (Fabricius), posterior view of female occiput, showing median occipital sclerite. 14. M. socors (Walker), upper and lower calypters, showing disc, rim and fringe.

FIGURES 239–251. Male sternites of Lanella spp. 239. L. fusconitida sp. nov. 240. L. fuscosquamata sp. nov. 241. L. nigripes Guimar„es 242. L. perisi (Mariluis). 243. L. purpurea sp. nov. 244. M. latifrons (Mello). 245. M. mexicana sp. nov. 246. M. spicata Aldrich. 247. M. epandrioaurantia sp. nov. 248. M. woodorum sp. nov. 249. M. aeneiventris (Wiedemann). 250. M. decrepita Séguy. 251. M. lara (Bonatto) (ST5 only).

FIGURES 27–32. Left lateral and posterior views of epandrium, cerci and surstyli of Mesembrinella spp. 27–28. M. mexicana sp. nov. 29–30. M. spicata Aldrich. 31–32. M. epandrioaurantia sp. nov.

FIGURES 489–497. Diagnostic characters of Mesembrinella spp. 489. Dorsal view of stem vein of wing of M. bellardiana Aldrich showing stem vein setose. 490. Detail of wing of M. batesi Aldrich in ventral view, showing setose condition of subcostal sclerite. 491. Epandrium of M. mexicana sp. nov. in posterior view, showing broad dorsal division found in M. spicata group. 492. Detail of abdomen of male M. epandrioaurantia sp. nov., showing orange color of rear segments. 493. Detail of dorsal habitus of M. socors (Walker), showing triangle of bluish cuticle on hind margin T3. 494. Wing of M. pictipennis Aldrich, showing pattern of infuscation. 495. Posterodorsal habitus of male M. townsendi Guimar„es, showing wing pattern and stripes on thorax. 496. Detail of male abdomen of M. anomala (Guimar„es), showing relative lengths of T4 and T5. 497. Same as previous, showing modification of T6, STS7+8 and epandrium.

FIGURES 99–102. Left lateral and posterior views of epandrium, cerci and surstyli of Mesembrinellidae. 99–100. Mesembrinella anomala (Guimar„es). 101–102. Souzalopesiella facialis (Aldrich).