Elcaribe bifidus Webb, 2006

Webb, Donald W. & Metz, Mark A., 2006, A Revision of the New World Genera Brachylinga Irwin and Lyneborg and Lysilinga Irwin and Lyneborg (Diptera: Therevidae: Therevinae) with the Description of a New Genus, Elcaribe Webb, Zootaxa 1288 (1288), pp. 1-241 : 167-169

Elcaribe bifidus Webb spec. nov.

(Figs. 222, 236, 250, 264, 278, 292, 306, 320, 334, 346, 357)

Etymology

Bifidus (Latin) = split into two parts, bifurcated. This name is used as an adjective and refers to the bifurcated apex of the male sternite 8.

Diagnosis

Elcaribe bifidus is taxonomically associated with E. abdominalis in having an anterodorsal patch of short, dark brown to black setae on the gena; the hypoproct quadrate (Fig. 222); the halter knob yellow; wing cell m 3 closed (generally petiolate); and lacking an anteromedial circle of dense, short, dark yellow setae ventrally on the gonocoxite. Elcaribe bifidus differs from E. abdominalis in having the posterior margin of the male sternite 8 ( Fig. 236) deeply emarginate; the gonocoxite oval in lateral view ( Fig. 264); the gonostylus (Fig. 278) with a small ventral lobe; the subapical hood on the distiphallus large, broad in lateral view ( Fig. 320); and the ejaculatory apodeme ( Fig. 292) flattened dorsoventrally in cross­section with small ventral carina.

Description of male (MEI 039812)

Body length 6.1 mm.

Head. Length 0.84 mm. Ommatidia smaller ventrally and laterally. Frons pruinescence yellowish gray, brownish gray dorsally; setae dark brown. Antenna/head length 0.76; scape dark brown, pruinescence whitish gray, dense, pedicel and flagellum brown, base of first flagellomere yellowish brown; scape length 0.19 mm, width 0.12 mm, length/width 1.6, scape/pedicel length 2.7, scape/flagellum width 0.8, setae black, sparse, grading into macrosetae; pedicel length 0.07 mm, length/width 0.6; first flagellomere quadrate, attenuate apically, flagellum length 0.32 mm, width 0.15 mm, length/width 2.1, flagellum/scape length 1.7. Parafacial pruinescence gray. Maxillary palpus yellow, dark reddish brown basally; length 0.48 mm, length/width 6.9; setae pale yellow. Genal setae white with small patch of short black setae anterodorsally. Occipital setae white becoming lanceolate, appressed dorsally.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 2 sa, 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Mesonotum pruinescence dull brownish gray; setae black, short intermixed with whitish yellow, elongate, lanceolate appressed setae. Pleuron and scutellum dark brown, pruinescence gray; setae white on anepisternum, katepisternum, laterotergite, and metanepisternum, lanceolate on scutellum. Wing. Membrane pale gray, veins brown; length 4.7 mm, length/width 2.8; pterostigma faint brown; cell m 3 closed, petiolate. Halter pale yellow. Legs. Femora dark brown, pruinescence white; ventral setae white, sparse on fore­ and midfemora, absent on hindfemur; av 2:0:5, pv 0:0:0. Tibiae dark yellowish brown, apex dark reddish brown. Tarsomere 1 dark yellowish brown, apex dark reddish brown; 2–5 dark reddish brown.

Abdomen. Tergite 1 dark reddish brown, pruinescence white, dense, tergites 2–3 with anterior half dark reddish brown, posterior half pale yellowish brown, pruinescence white dense, tergites 4–8 pale yellowish brown, pruinescence white, dense; dorsal setae white, dense, appressed, lanceolate; lateral setae white, elongate. Terminalia (MEI 048021). Tergite 8 and epandrium (Fig. 222), setae dark brown with aggregation posterolaterally on epandrium. Hypoproct (Fig. 222) quadrate, posterior margin truncate; apicoventral surface flat. Sternite 8 ( Fig. 236), sides converging posteriorly, posterior margin deeply emarginate; setae absent. Hypandrium apparently absent. Gonocoxite ventral view ( Fig. 236) broadly rounded laterally, medial margin with rounded basomedial lobe, then curving to broad point apically, setae dark yellow, black, thickened setae on medial margin at apex; dorsal view ( Fig. 250) gonocoxal bridge small; lateral view ( Fig. 264) oval, broadly pointed apically; ventral lobe ( Fig. 236) with ventral spines. Gonostylus (Fig. 278), basodorsal lobe absent; ventral margin broad, blade­like, setae dark yellow, not extending apically in distinct tuft; fine, short spines over broad area. Aedeagus with dorsal apodeme ( Fig. 292) quadrate, posterolateral margin angulate; ventral apodeme (Fig. 306) greatly reduced, anterior margin deeply emarginate, tapered laterally to point; distiphallus dorsal view ( Fig. 292) broad, tapered apically to blunt point, lateral view ( Fig. 320) with large, broad subapical hood, apex of distiphallus short; ejaculatory apodeme ( Fig. 292) dark yellow, anterior half expanded laterally, extending beyond anterior margin of dorsal apodeme, anterior margin truncate, in cross­section flattened dorsoventrally with short ventral carina.

Variation (n=9). Body length 5.7–6.3, 6.0 mm.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 2 sa, 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Legs. Anteroventral macrosetae

0:0:0–2, pv 0:0:0.

Female

Similar to male except for following.

Variation (n=2).

Body length 6.7–6.8, 6.8 mm.

Head. Frons pruinescence whitish brown; setae dark brown, moderately long. Antenna dark brown, base of first flagellomere yellow, pruinescence on scape whitish gray; setae on scape black, sparse, grading into macrosetae.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 2 sa, 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Legs. Anteroventral macrosetae 1:0:2, pv 0:0:0.

Abdomen. Dark reddish brown, tergites 1–7 dark yellow across posterior margin becoming broader dorsally; tergite 8 yellowish orange; dorsal setae white, elongate laterally on tergite 1, across posterior margin of tergites 1–4. Terminalia (MEI 055752). Anterior margin of sternite 8 rounded ( Fig. 334). Furca (Fig. 346) oval; length 0.40 mm, width 0.30 mm; posteromedial, anterolateral, and anteromedial projections absent. Common duct (Fig. 346) longer than furca. Spermathecal duct (Fig. 346) narrow, sac­like posteriorly with apex darkened, then becoming thread­like.

Distribution Elcaribe bifidus has been collected only in the Dominican Republic ( Fig. 357).

Habitats and phenology

Specimen of Elcaribe bifidus have been handnetted and collected in blacklight traps. Specimens have been collected from 21 February to 27 October.

Specimens examined

Type specimen. The holotype male of Elcaribe bifidus Webb (MEI 039812) is labeled "Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata [19.8, ­70.7], 21 February 1990, D. W. Webb, sweeping" and is deposited in the INHS. PARATYPES. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. BARAHONA. Barahona , 1.VI.1967, L. H. Rolston, 1♂ MEI 039722, 1♀ 039713 ( CNC) . MARIA TRINIDAD SANCHEZ. Nagua [19.377, ­69.849], 30.VII.1978, R. O. Schuster, 1♀ MEI 055752 ( UCD) . PEDERNALES. 16.1 km Cabo Rojo [17.917, ­71.65], 26–27.IX.1991, C. Young, S. Thompson, R. Davidson, J. Rawlins, 1♂ MEI 030349 ( CMNH) , coastal desert; Cabo Rojo, Alcoa [17.904, ­71.673], 1.VII.1998, R. Woodruff, R. Baranowski, 5♂ MEI 115936 ( INHS) , 115937 (MEIC), 115940 (USNM), 115943, 115946 (FSCA), blacklight trap; 3.VII.1998, 1♂ MEI 115915 ( FSCA) ; Alcoa Headquarters [17.904, ­ 71.673], 20–24.VI.1999, 6♂ MEI 115903, 115905–9 ( FSCA) , blacklight trap. PUERTO PLATA. Sosúa [19.75, ­70.52], 19.VII.1986, D. Grimaldi, 1♂ MEI 048021, 1♀ 109306 ( AMNH) ; Punta Rusia [18.967, ­71.467], 4.VI.1986, R. Miller, L. A. Stange, 1♂ MEI 128392 ( FSCA) .