Noctiliostrebla aitkeni Wenzel, 1966

Alcantara, Daniel Maximo Correa, Graciolli, Gustavo & Nihei, Silvio S., 2019, Revision of Noctiliostrebla (Diptera: Streblidae), parasites of bulldog bats (Chiroptera: Noctilionidae: Noctilio), Zootaxa 4560 (3), pp. 483-521 : 500-502

Noctiliostrebla aitkeni Wenzel, 1966

( Figs 7 , 15D )

Noctiliostrebla aitkeni Wenzel in Wenzel et al., 1966: 567 –569 (description of ♂ and ♀, figs 108a–c). Holotype ♂ (FMNH). Type locality: Trinidad, Manzanilla. Host: Noctilio leporinus [as N. leporinus leporinus ]. Other references: Wenzel (1970: 11; catalog); Wenzel (1976: 116–117; figs 46a–c; comments and list of examined material); Guerrero (1995: 148; diagnosis); Guerrero (1997: 11; catalog); Dick & Miller (2010: 1253; fig. 18); Dick et al. (2016: 792 ; catalog).

Aspidoptera megastigma: Jobling (1949: 140–142; figs 3a–c; redescription, misidentification) ; Goodwin & Greenhall (1961: 220–221; notes, misidentification).

Diagnosis. The female has a characteristic longitudinal sideband of setae, with 2–3 rows of setae longer and thicker than those on the median dorsal connexivum and placed on the inner side of spiracle IV–VII. Sternite VII of females is less than twice the length of the epiproct, a character state that separates N. aitkeni from other Noctiliostrebla species parasitizing Noctilio leporinus . The male is very similar to N. guerreroi sp. n., N. lamasi sp. n., N. morena sp. n. and N. caissara sp. n., but sternite VI and the gonopod with a subacuminate apex separate it from these species of Noctiliostrebla.

Redescription. Measurements (mm, n=25, 11 ♂♂, 14 ♀♀). HFL: ♂ 0.44 (0.41–0.46), ♀ 0.51 (0.49–0.53); SL: ♂ 0.50 (0.43–0.53), ♀ 0.57 (0.53–0.60); TL: ♂ 0.46 (0.39–0.48), ♀ 0.51 (0.47–0.55); WL: ♂ 0.29 (0.26–0.32), ♀ 0.33 (0.30–0.37); WW: ♂ 0.16 (0.15–0.18), ♀ 0.19 (0.16–0.21).

Thorax. Mesepimeron with 1–2 setae on each side. Wing with 0–3 setae on median vein. Metasternum ( Fig. 7B ) like in N. maai .

Female abdomen. Syntergite I+II ( Fig. 7A ) like in N. maai , except 19–30 setae on each plate of lateral lobe. Dorsal connexivum ( Fig. 7A ) resembles N. maai , except as follows: setae of cluster of setae around spiracle III uniform in size, with setae anterior to spiracle III as long as setae posterior to spiracle III, and longest setae shorter than but longer than half the length of longest setae on syntergite I+II; longitudinal sideband similar to that of N. maai , but setae 1/3 the length of longest setae on cluster of setae around spiracle III and at most twice as long as setae on median dorsal connexivum; lateral and median pairs of setae between each spiracle VI similar to those in N. traubi . Tergite VII ( Fig. 7A, C ) like in N. maai , except as follows: posterior margin moderately to strongly inclined; 3–6 setae on each plate. Sternite II ( Fig. 7B ) like in N. maai , except longest lateral setae twice as long as shortest median setae on posterior margin. Sternite VII with 8–12 setae on each plate. Epiproct ( Fig. 7A, C ) like in N. maai .

Male abdomen. Syntergite I+II like in N. maai , except 26–38 setae on each plate of lateral lobe. Ventral connexivum like in N. dubia . Sternite II ( Fig. 7D ) like in N. maai , except longest lateral setae twice as long as shortest median setae on posterior margin. Hypopygium ( Fig. 7E ) with setae on ventral margin like in N. dubia ; sternite VI moderately to strongly curved, at most twice as long as cercus, apical margin irregular and wider than but not twice as wide as cercus. Genitalia ( Fig. 7 F–H) as in N. maai , except as follows: gonopod strongly curved before distal macrosetae but not as in N. traubi , distal half wider than in N. maai , with distance between distal setae and apex of gonopod more than 1.5 times and less than twice distance between distal setae and dorsal margin of gonopod; dorsal margin flat with subparallel margins, and subacuminate at apex.

Distribution. Brazil (Amapá, Ceará), Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela ( Fig. 15D ).

Host. Noctilio leporinus .

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE ♂: Trinidad : “FIELD MUSEUM OF NAT. HIST. / TRINIDAD: Manzilla / in hollow mangrove / tree / 13 March 1957 / T.H.G. Aitken leg. / HOLOTYPE [♂] / Noctiliostrebla aitkeni / Wenzel”, ““ Ectoparasites of Panama ” / Page 569 / Host: Noctilio leporinus ”, on slide ( FMNH) . PARATYPE (1 ♀): Trinidad: same data as holotype ( FMNH) .

Additional material examined. Brazil: 6 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀, state of Amapá, Macapá, Parque Nacional Montanhas do Tumucumaque , 2°11’36”N, 54°35’15”W, 11.i.2005, A.C.M. Martins leg., on N. leporinus ( ZUFMS) ; 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, state of Ceará, Crateús, Reserva de Serra das Almas , 40 o 50’S, 0 5 o 05’W, 28.i.2013, J.C. Almeida leg., on N. leporinus ( MZSP) . Ecuador: 1 ♂, Pastaza, Villano B camp, (owned by AGIP), Lliquino river , 1500m, 1°27’10”S, 77°26’32”W, 22.i.2008, on N. leporinus ( FMNH) ; 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, same data as previous except 30.i.2008 ( FMNH) . Venezuela: 4 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, Bolívar, Supamo river , 50km SE El Manteco, 150m, premontane humid forest, 10/iv/ 1966, A. L. Tuttle & M.D. Tuttle leg., on N. leporinus ( FMNH) ; 4 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, same data as previous except 8.iv.1966 ( FMNH) ; 4 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, Amazonas, Boca Mavaca, 84km SSE Esmeralda, 7km up Mavaca river , 138m, tropical rainforest, 1.iii.1967, M. D. Tuttle & F.L. Harder leg., on N. leporinus ( FMNH) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as previous except 20.iii.1967 ( FMNH) .

Remarks about the paratypes of Noctiliostrebla aitkeni from Peru. We examined two paratypes of Noctiliostrebla aitkeni from Peru: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Loreto, Maynas, Yauri-Mirin river, Quebrada Esperanza, 23.ix.1957, C. Kalinowski leg., on N. leporinus (MZSP). We conclude that they belong to N. lamasi sp. n., based on the presence of a cluster of setae around spiracle III of the female, and on the shape of sternite VI of the male.

Other remarks. Wenzel et al. (1966) examined the specimen of N. aitkeni upon which Jobling (1949) based his illustration of Aspidoptera megastigma , and which is deposited in NHMUK. Wenzel mentioned some differences between Jobling’s illustration and the specimen examined by him. He concluded that A. megastigma sensu Jobling is in fact N. aitkeni . Indeed, the illustration provided by Jobling shows no resemblance to N. dubia , and the redescription presented by Jobling (1949) does not refer to any relevant features. In other publications, Jobling (1929, 1936, 1951) made reference to Aspidoptera megastigma by means of illustrations and descriptions of features, which are clearly consistent with Noctiliostrebla, yet do not allow the determination of the species. The diagnosis of N. aitkeni provided by Guerrero (1995) includes the diagnostic features of both the male and the female sex.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Noctiliostrebla aitkeni Wenzel, ♀ (Venezuela, Bolívar, Supamo River, FMNH) and holotype ♂ (FMNH). A. Female abdomen in dorsal view. B. Detail of posterior portion of female thorax and abdomen in ventral view, showing metasternal lobe and sternite II. C. Female tergite VII (with setae insertions) and epiproct in dorsal view. D. Detail of male abdomen in ventral view, showing sternite II. E. Detail of male abdomen in ventral view, showing hypopygium. F. Male genitalia in lateral view. G. Distal portion of gonopod in lateral view. H. Distal portion of aedeagus in lateral view.

FIGURE 15. Distributional maps of Noctiliostrebla species. A. N. dubia (Rudow). B. N. traubi Wenzel. C. N. maai Wenzel. D. N. aitkeni Wenzel.