Neoacanthoneura apicalis Kameneva

Kameneva, Elena P., 2012, Revision of Aciuroides Hendel and Neoacanthoneura Hendel (Diptera: Ulidiidae: Pterocallini), Zootaxa 3227, pp. 1-33 : 14-15

Neoacanthoneura apicalis Kameneva , new species

( Figs. 27–28 , 49 , 61 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, ECUADOR, Napo: Res. Ethnica Waorani, 1 km S Onkone Gare Camp, Trans. Ent. , 4.X.1994, 00º39'10"S 076º26'W, 220 m, insecticidal fogging of mostly bare green leaves, some with covering of licheneous or bryophytic plants in terre firme forest, at Trans. 2, Sta 5 Project MAXUS lot 864, T. L. Erwin et al. collectors ( USNM ENT 00053921 ) ( USNM) . Paratypes: ♀, same but 3.X.1994, lot 918 ( USNM ENT 0054475 ) ; ♀, same but 9.X.1994, lot 918, ( USNM ENT 0 0 0 53900 (genitalia dissected and kept in genitalia vial) ( USNM); ♂, ♀, GUATEMALA, Escuintla: Palin , 14º21'N 90º42'W, McPhail trap, 1992, J. Lopez ( USNM) ; ♀, HONDURAS, Cortez , El Agua Azul, 30. VI .1964, F.S. Blanton, ( USNM) ; 2♀, MEXICO, Chiapas: Tapachuca, Finca, Maravillas , Steiner trap in coffee tree (2 manuscript labels, G.S.Steyskal hand), "HS R-2-67", 21. VI .1967, H.Sánches; Huehuetan , 11.VIII.1974, H. Sánchez ( USNM) .

Diagnosis. Neoacanthoneura apicalis can be distinguished from most species by having a very wide and solid apical spot ( Fig. 27 ) (in male) or an arcuate apical band and an additional transverse streak connected to its proximal margin (in female) or a brown apical spot female wing pattern different: with arcuate apical band and additional transverse streak connected to its proximal margin; discal crossband with more or less straight proximal margin. Females of N. apicalis have the wing pattern that is almost identical to that in both sexes of N. subapicalis , differing by having the anterior margin of the discal crossband conspicuously narrower, with the dark spot covering the apical 0.50–0.55 of cell sc. In N. subapicalis , the dark spot covers the apical 0.60–0.70 of the cell and forms a short bar (“shoulder”) at the anterobasal margin of the discal crossband.

Description. Male ( Fig. 49 ). Head brownish yellow, length: height: width ratio 1: 1.3: 1.7, with compound eye 1.4 times as high as long and frons almost 1.5 times as long as wide. Ocellar, postocellar, lateral vertical and anterior orbital setae moderately long, ca. 0.4 times as long as medial vertical seta; posterior orbital seta somewhat longer, 0.55–0.6 times as long as medial vertical seta; 3 frontal setae, 2 anterior inclinate, one posterior reclinate, ca. 0.3 times as long as medial vertical seta. Flagellomere 1 yellow, densely microtrichose, 1.5–1.7 times as long as wide. Gena with 5–6 peristomal setae as long as anterior frontal setae. Genal and postgenal setae conspicuously thicker and longer than surrounding setulae. Thorax with brown mesonotal scutum and yellow pleuron and scutellum, sparsely yellowish microtrichose, with black setulae and setae; setulae between dorsocentral rows forming 6 irregular rows; mediotergite subshining yellowish-brown. Legs yellow with black setae and setulae; one tibial spur 2.4 times as long as tibial width; basal tarsomeres of fore and hind tarsi with brushes of black setulae. Wing ( Fig. 27 ) hyaline with brown pattern, consisting of 3 elements: oblique cuneiform subbasal crossband including hyaline spot in cell r2+3, narrow discal crossband from apex of cell sc through r-m and dm-cu crossveins to posterior margin and large apical spot that covers apical third of wing. Costal vein slightly bowed anteriorly at 0.6 of wing length, with ventral row of setulae slightly thickened, spur-like and partly perpendicular to vein, setulae of dorsal row thin and unmodified. Pterostigma narrow, as long as costal cell. Vein R1 setulose on apical half. Vein R2+3 slightly undulate. Vein M ratio m3: m2: m4 = 1: 5: 4; vein R4+5 bare. Wing length 3.4 mm.

Male abdomen with shiny yellowish-brown tergites covered with long black setulae that are indistinguishable from marginal setae, sternites matt yellow to yellowish-brown; epandrium ( Fig. 61 ) brown, long, parallel-sided and with brown setulae. Surstyli moderately elongate and diverging at 60º, each with 2 subapical prensisetae. Phallus moderately long and virtually bare.

Female similar to male except wing ( Fig. 28 ) venation less modified, costal margin evenly arcuate, without thickened setulae, R1 with additional 5–9 setulae in basal half. Wing pattern differing as follows. Pterostigma slightly shorter than costal cell, dark brown in apical 0.5–0.55, with dark spot almost as wide as crossband posterior of it and therefore neither T- nor Γ-like. Apical band crescent-shaped, with additional short brown streak crossing cell r2+3 from anterobasal corner to vein R2+3. Wing length 3.1–3.7 mm. Thorax and legs mainly brownish yellow, only postpronotal lobes and coxae yellow. Abdominal tergites subshining dark brown, except tergite 1 often yellow to yellowish-brown; tergite 6 hidden under tergite 5, very short and narrow, 5.4 times as wide as long, with 2 rows of short setae; oviscape black, longer than tergites 4 and 5 together; terminalia not dissected.

Etymology. The name is from the Latin apicalis , apical, reflecting the wing pattern of the male, which is entirely dark apically.

Figures

FIGURE 61. Neoacanthoneura apicalis new species, paratype 3 (Guatemala), epandrium and phallus, posteriorly.

FIGURES 27 – 40. Neoacanthoneura, wing: 27 – 28, N. apicalis new species: 27, holotype 3 (Ecuador, Napo (USNM ENT 00053921 )); 28, paratype Ƥ (Mexico, Chiapas (USNM )); 29 – 30, N. dryas new species: 29, holotype 3 (Panama, Fort Gulick (USNM )); 30, paratype Ƥ (Panama, La Campana (USNM )); 31 – 32, N. chiroptera new species (Trinidad, Arima Valley (USNM )): 31, holotype 3; 32, paratype Ƥ; 33 – 34, N. brachioptera new species: 33, holotype 3 (Ecuador, Napo (USNM ENT 00054661 )); 34, paratype Ƥ (Costa Rica, Estrella Valley, Pandora (DEBU )); 35 – 36, N. goniata new species, 3 (Trinidad, Arima Valley (USNM )): 35, holotype; 36, paratype; 37 – 38, N. steyskali new species: 37, holotype 3 (Costa Rica, Sector Cocori (INBio CRI 001647247); 38, paratype Ƥ (Panama, Barro Colorado (USNM )); 39 – 40, N. subapicalis new species: 39, holotype 3 (Costa Rica, Est. San Ramón Oeste (INBio CRI 001777694 )); 40, paratype Ƥ (Costa Rica, Buen Amigo San Luis Monteverde, # 3168, INBio CRI 001 991556). Abbreviations: AB—apical band, ACB—accessory crossband, DB—discal crossband. SBB—subbasal crossband, ST—transverse streak.

FIGURES 49 – 54. Neoacanthoneura, habitus, laterally: 49 – 50, N. apicalis new species: 49, holotype 3 (Ecuador, Napo (USNM ENT 00053921 )); 50, paratype Ƥ (Mexico, Chiapas (USNM )); 51, N. brachioptera new species, holotype 3 (Ecuador, Napo (USNM ENT 00054661 )); 52, N. chiroptera new species, holotype 3 (Trinidad, Arima Valley (USNM )); 53 – 54, N. dryas new species: 53, holotype 3 (Panama, Fort Gulick (USNM )); 54, paratype Ƥ (Panama, La Campana (USNM )).