Oscinicita hansoni Wheeler

Wheeler, Terry A., 2007, Two new genera of oscinelline Chloropidae (Diptera) from Costa Rica, Zootaxa 1413, pp. 47-53 : 51-53

Oscinicita hansoni Wheeler , sp. n.

( Figs. 8–13 )

Description: Total length 1.1–1.2mm. Overall colour medium brown; frontal triangle shining, not reaching anterior margin of frons; frons microscopically striate, appearing dull; most setae and setulae on head pale, weak; genal height 0.2 times eye height directly below ventral midpoint of eye, much broader posterior to this ( Fig. 8 ); postgena slightly paler than gena and parafacial; face shining, especially in antennal foveae, darker than rest of head, carina narrow, most pronounced ventrally, spinulose membrane below ventral margin of face continuous with oral cavity; antenna yellow-brown, arista brown; palpus black; proboscis pale.

Scutum shining, evenly covered with sparse, pale setulae; notopleural setae stronger and darker than other thoracic setae; scutellum with dense microtrichia giving it a dull appearance, sparse, short, dark apical, subapical and dorsal setae. Legs short, coxae and femora medium brown, tibiae and tarsi yellow. Wing hyaline but with dense microtrichia, veins pale, ratio of costal sectors C1: C2: C3: C4 – 0.9: 1: 0.6: 0.5. Halter large, Abdomen medium brown.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 11–13 ): epandrium approximately as long as high, broad in posterior view, with sparse setae on posterior half; surstylus broadly rounded, projecting ventrally in lateral view, ventral margin dentate, with sparse, fine setae distally; hypandrium relatively narrow; pregonite weakly sclerotized, postgonite clavate, sclerotized marginally, with single ventral seta and 2–3 campaniform sensillae; phallic guide sclerotized, rounded, separated from hypandrium anteriorly; basiphallus long and well-sclerotized, distiphallus shorter than basiphallus, membranous; cerci small ventral projections separated by broad, U-shaped ventral margin, with fine setae; subepandrial sclerite simple, well-sclerotized, strongly projecting dorsally in lateral view.

Female unknown.

Type material: Holotype ɗ: COSTA RICA: Alajuela: San Pedro de la Tigra, cacao, 200m, Malaise trap, i.1990, P. Hanson (LEM). Paratypes: 2ɗ, same data as holotype (LEM).

Etymology: The species name is a genitive patronym in honour of Dr. Paul Hanson who collected the type series of this species, along with vast numbers of other Costa Rican Chloropidae .

Remarks: The type locality is a cacao plantation, which suggests that this species may be associated with, or at least tolerant of, disturbed habitats. The fact that more specimens have not been encountered despite extensive collecting in other disturbed habitats throughout Costa Rica also raises the possibility that this species may be associated with cacao. Further research is required.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 13. Oscinicita hansoni. 8. head, lateral. 9. head, anterior. 10. wing. 11. male genitalia, lateral. 12. male genitalia, posterior. 13. male genitalia, ventral. Abbreviations: fov — antennal fovea; mem — membranous region ventral to facial margin; ses — subepandrial sclerite. Scale bars = 0.4 mm (Fig. 10), 0.1 mm (Figs. 11 – 13).