Bromeloecia spathicercus Yau and Marshall, 2018

Yau, Tiffany & Marshall, Stephen A., 2018, A revision of the genus Bromeloecia Spuler (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae: Limosininae), Zootaxa 4445 (1), pp. 1-115 : 108-114

Bromeloecia spathicercus Yau and Marshall sp. n.

(Figs. 23.1–23.14)

Description: Body length 1.2–1.7 mm (males), 1.4–2.0 mm (females). Generally similar to B. ephippium .

Head: Genal height 0.4x eye height.

WIPs: Basal angle of distal spot wide, 70°.

Legs: Fore femur ventrally with 1 large ventrobasal seta and a row of 5 strong setae distal to it, posteroventrally with a row of 4–5 setae on distal one third of femur, second last seta strong; female with 1 large ventrobasal seta and a continuous row of 8–9 posteroventral setae along length of femur, second last seta strong. Male fore tibia anteroventrally with a comb of 11–12 small stout setae on distal half; comb absent in females.

Male abdomen and terminalia: S5 shallowly desclerotized posteromedially, setae directed posteromedially, dense on either side of desclerotization. Subanal plate concave, glossy, with a pair of strong setae. Cerci glossy, diverging, distal third medially curved, thickened beyond base then constricted before spatulate apex. Surstylus fist-like, anteroventral surface covered with setae.

Hypandrium lateral extension plate starting from distal two-thirds of posteromedial hypandrial processes; outer margin of extension plate and hypandrial process articulating with hypandrial arm. Phallapodeme thick, distally dilated. Ejaculatory apodeme indistinguishable from ejaculatory bulb. Distiphallus FDS slender, apically finger-like, distomedially fused and membranous, distolaterally with blade-like lobes jagged on distolateral edges; SDS sheet-like, desclerotized; MS elbowed, basally bilobed with fringy distal edges, distally tapered.

Female abdomen and terminalia: Each half of T 8 in the shape of an isosceles triangle. S8 wide, bell-shaped. Each spermatheca with 1 large apical thimble-shaped pit and 3–4 small basal pits.

Type specimens: Holotype: ♂: MEXICO: Veracruz: 4 mi N Huatusco , cloud forest, 4100ʹ, dung, 11–16 Jul 1971, A. Newton ( FMNH) .

Paratypes: BELIZE : Cayo: Mountain Pine Ridge , pines, 2500ʹ, dung trap in pines, 14 Jan 1991, S. A. Marshall (1♂, 2♀, DEBU) ; Mountain Pine Ridge, Hidden Valley Institute , broadleaf forest, 2500ʹ, dung traps, 10–15 Jan 1991, S. A. Marshall (7♂, 10♀, DEBU) ; ditto, grass-pine (4♂, 1♀, DEBU). COSTA RICA : Puntarenas: Monteverde , 1560 m, dung trap, 11–18 Jun 1983, D. H. Lindeman (1♀, DEBU) ; Monteverde , 1520 m, FIT, 15–23 Jul 1982, D. A. Lindeman (1♂, DEBU) ; ditto, 18–25 Jun 1982 (2♂, INBC, DEBU) ; Monteverde , cloud forest, 1500 m, FIT, 25 Jun–2 Jul 1983, H. F. Howden (2♂, INBC, DEBU). GUATEMALA : Baja Verapaz: 6.6 km W Chilasco , 1700 m, dung, 30 May 1991, H. Howden (2♀, DEBU) ; 8 km S Purulhá , FIT, 27 May 1991, H. & A. Howden (1♂, DEBU) ; 4.8 km E Purulhá , 1680 m, exterior FIT, 29 Jun–3 Jul 1993, J. S. Ashe & R. W. Brooks (1♀, DEBU) ; Purulhá , 7 km NE, 1500 m, FIT, 20 May–8 Jun 1991, B. D. Gill (1♀, DEBU) ; Zacapa: 3.5 km SE La Union , 1500 m, FIT, 23–25 Jun 1993, J. Ashe & R. Brooks (2♀, DEBU) . MEXICO : Chiapas: 22 mi N Bochil , pine oak, 5600ʹ, human dung, 18–24 Aug 1971, A. Newton (1♂, 4♀, DEBU) ; Lagunas de Montebello Parque Nacional, Aqua Tinta , oak-pine, 4900ʹ, human dung, 21–24 Aug 1971, A. Newton (5♂, 6♀, FMNH, DEBU) ; Lagunas de Montebello Parque Nacional, La Eucantada, oak/pine/ Liquidambar , 4900ʹ, human dung, 21–24 Aug 1971, A. Newton (1♂, DEBU) ; 15 mi NW Ocozocoautla , rainforest, 2800ʹ, dung, Aug, A. Newton (1♂, DEBU) ; Hidalgo: 2.5 mi N Tlanchinol , cloud forest, 5200ʹ, dung, 6–11 Jul 1973, A. Newton (1♂, DEBU) ; Veracruz: 7 km E Huatusco , cloud forest, 1250 m, FIT, 22 Jun–2 Aug 1983, S. & J. Peck (2♂, 1♀, DEBU) ; same as holotype (10♂, 17♀, FMNH, DEBU); 1.7 mi N Teocelo , 3700ʹ, human dung, 22–24 Jul 1973, A. Newton (2♂, 3♀, FMNH, DEBU) ; 10 mi SW Teocelo , oak, wet, 4400ʹ, human dung, 11–16 Jul 1971, A. Newton (1♀, DEBU) ; Oaxaca: 12 mi S Valle Nacional , tropical montane forest, 3200ʹ, carrion shrimp, 22–31 Jul 1971, A. Newton (1♀, DEBU) .

Etymology: The species name refers to the spatulate male cerci (Latin ‘spathula’: spathe, spathose, spatula, spatulate; Latin ‘cercus’: tail, small appendage at the end of the abdomen).

Comments: B. spathicercus is superficially similar to B. diabolunguia , see comments below description of B. diabolunguia .