Quichuamyia aplanatantennae Brammer, 2005

Brammer, Colin A., 2005, Quichuamyia, a new Neotropical genus of Stratiomyidae (Insecta: Diptera), Zootaxa 990 (1), pp. 1-14 : 3-9

Quichuamyia aplanatantennae Brammer , sp. nov.

Diagnosis: The sixth and seventh antennal flagellomeres are subequal in length, and in dorsal view the flagellomeres are no wider than 0.25 X height of an individual flagellomere. The scape is yellow­orange. Femur with dark bands in the apical 0.33 that entirely encircle femur. The scutellar spines are straight to the tip, 1.8 X the length of the scutellum in males, and 1.2 X the length of scutellum in females. The dorsum of the thorax and abdomen have a distinct golden pattern of appressed pilosity that strongly contrasts with black integument color. Females have a silver setose patch in longitudinal center of the upper frons that is separate from silver tomentum surrounding lower portion of eye.

Description. Male. Body length 5.7 mm ( Fig. 1 ). Head (length 0.9 mm, width 1.75 mm): eyes holoptic, bare, touching in central 0.33 of head height; ocellar tubercle dark

reddish­brown to black, 2.0 X height of single ocellus; lower frons dark reddish­brown to black; lighter reddish­brown maculation directly above antennal bases; lower frons moderately densely covered with silvery setae that vary in length, the shortest being the length of a single flagellomere, the longest the length of the first 2.5 flagellomeres; setae brown at ventral edge of lower frons; outer lateral margins of lower frons with line of silver tomentum 0.08 mm wide, beginning at lunule, not connected medially; palpi very thin and small, nearly vestigial. Antennae ( Figs 7, 8 ) (including scape and pedicel, 1.40 mm): nearly as long as head width, situated just below median line of eye; scape 1.25 X as long as pedicel, yellow­orange, narrowest at base, widening in basal 0.25, parallel sided to apical margin, laterally compressed, sparse black setae laterally along length, moderately dense setae on dorsal margin; pedicel black, evenly setose except meso­laterally; 8 flagellomeres, laterally compressed, covered with fine brown tomentum­like setae; flagellomeres 1–5 reddish­orange in dorsal 0.5, black in ventral 0.5; flagellomeres 6, 7, and 8 entirely black; all flagellomeres approximately 2 X higher than long, with flagellomere 8 as long as 6 and 7 combined. Thorax ( Fig. 1 , length 2.2 mm): integument black; postpronotal lobe prominent, black, covered with appressed silvery­golden setae; dorsum of mesothorax finely punctate, with longitudinal pattern (vittae) of short, fine, appressed black pilosity and short, appressed silvery­golden pilosity ( Fig. 1 ); all five silvery­golden vittae originate in apicocentral portion of mesothorax; lateral vittae approximately 0.125 X width of thorax, extending postero­laterally to mesopleural suture (line), ending just anterior to transverse suture; two mesolateral silvery golden vittae extending at shallower angle, widening posteriorly and extending at posterior edge of mesothorax, lateral to scutellum; mesal vitta widening posteriorly, extending to posterior edge of mesothorax; halteres light yellow, with dark brown stripes on outside lateral edge; integument on ventral portion of thorax black, shining smooth, nearly completely covered with semi­long, semi­appressed silver pilosity. Scutellum (length 0.5 mm): black finely punctate, basal half with fine appressed short black pilosity, apical (posterior) half covered with short, appressed silvery–golden pilosity; scutellar spines entirely yellow (0.9 mm), 1.8 X as long as scutellum, on same plane as long axis of body; spines straight for entire length, divergent laterally to slight degree. Legs: Coxa and trochanter dark brownish black; pro­ and meta coxa densely covered with semi–long, appressed silver setae; mesotrochanter highly modified and flattened, with lateral flattened projections; femur yellow, with basal 0.25 of profemur darker yellow/light brown, brown band in apical 0.33 ( Fig. 1 ); dorsolateral portion of mesofemur with long, erect, clear hairs; tibia dark brownish black, with metatibia lighter in central 0.33; femur and tibia evenly pilose; tarsus five segmented, protarsus black, laterally compressed, densely covered with golden­brassy setae, setae along ventral edge of basitarsus more erect, giving appearance of a saw blade; basal two tarsomeres of meso­ and metatarsus yellow, with apical tip of second tarsomere darker yellow (light brown); apical three tarsomeres dark brown/black. Wings: membranes clear, microtrichia throughout; all veins sclerotized and dark; stigma yellow; vein R 4 present; R 3 and R 4 parallel, slightly arching

anteriorly, both perpendicular to C and R 5; subcosta yellow, all veins basal to c­up and cells bm and br yellow; crossvein r­m present, crossvein m­cu absent; cell dm with four veins arising, all sclerotized, with all but M 3 reaching posterior margin of wing; basal M vein (basal to cell dm) sclerotized in apical.033, absent in basal 0.67; alula narrower than cell br, 5 X longer than wide, pointed apically, posterior edge with hairs as long as 0.25 X width of alula. Abdomen ( Fig. 1 , length 2.6 mm): integument black, tergites densely covered with short, fine black pilosity; silvery­golden appressed pilosity on tergites 3–5; segment 3, pilosity on posterolateral 0.25 having horseshoe (or inverted “U”) appearance; tergite of segment 4 with lateral 0.25 covered with pilosity, except in centrolateral portion; central 0.33 of tergum 4 with mesolateral triangles of silvery­golden pilosity, narrow (pointed) at anterior end, widening basally; tergum of segment 5 with mesolateral silvery appressed patches of pilosity, narrow anteriorly, slightly widening posteriorly; abdominal sternites integument color dark brown/black; evenly covered with short, appressed sliver pilosity; median half of sternite one with long, erect silver setae; entire surface of sternite 1 densely covered with velvety tomentum. Genitalia: gonostyli elongate and curved medially, basal portion of gonocoxites (capsule) narrower than at apex ( Figs 9 , 12); small ventral keel wider at ventral apex than base, visibly projecting ventrally when capsule viewed laterally (Fig. 13); parameral sheath enclosing aedeagus for central 0.5 of total length of aedeagal tubes (Figs 10, 11).

Female ( Fig. 2 ). Body length 5.0 mm. Female similar to male except for the following: Head (0.9 mm): eyes dichoptic, bare ( Fig. 5 ); upper frons and vertex orange, shiny but textured (not smooth); postocular area narrow, widest toward center of head and narrowing towards gena, smooth, shining; ocellar triangle raised above vertex on tubercle ( Fig. 5 ), 2.5 X as high as width of ocellus, black between lenses; upper frons and vertex (to sides of ocellar triangle) with short black setae all appressed towards ocellar triangle ( Fig. 3 ); center of frons with hairs denser, most noticeable when viewed at angle; at widest point, upper frons 0.25 of total head width; lateral patch of white, velvety tomentum on either side of upper frons, 0.33 X width of frons, approximately 0.33 X length of upper frons distance from ocelli, semicircular, with widest side along eye margin ( Fig. 3 ); silver tomentose semicircle separate from lateral velvety, silver tomentose line from midline of head to basal portion of frons ( Fig. 3 ); orange color of upper frons narrowing to central area no wider than antennal bases; area directly above antennal bases slightly convex, with central depression; sides of this narrowed area and all of lower frons black; lower frons with short, semi­dense, semi­appressed silvery setae, densest at ventral margin, hairs approximately as long as scape; ventral half of face from midline, convex in lateral view; extreme lower portion of lower frons with central furrow, appearing bilobed ( Fig. 6 ); mouthparts fully developed; labellar pocket extending ventrally on posterior and lateral portions of head around mouthparts; palpi 2­segmented, black, both segments subequal in length, second (terminal, apical) segment tomentose, oval. Antenna: same as male. Thorax ( Fig. 2 , length 2.3 mm): body integument coloration and setal pattern the same as in male except for the following: two scutellar spines same length as scutellum, straight, yellow, closely set (separated at bases by approximately 0.167 length of a spine). Legs: same as male. Abdomen ( Fig. 2 , length 2.7 mm): appearance similar to male.

Type Material. Holotype: Male: ECUADOR: Napo, Reservation Ethnica; Waorani , 1km S. Onkone Gare; Camp Entomological Transect 2 October 1996; 220m, 00°39’10”S, 076°26’W; T. L. Erwin, et al. collectors/insecticidal fogging of mostly bare; green leaves, some with covering; of lichenous or bryophytic plants in; terre firme forest, at Transect 5; station 3 Project MAXUS Lot 1703. Deposited in the United States National Museum, Washington, D.C., U.S. A. ( USNM) . Allotype: Female: ECUADOR: Napo; Misahualli near Tena ; 6­19 October 2001; C.Brammer, Malaise Trap. Deposited in the USNM . Paratypes: ECUADOR: Napo, Reservation Ethnica Waorani, 1km S. Onkone Gare Camp Entomological Transect 220m, 00°39’10”S, 076°26’W, 2 male 2 October 1996, 1 female 4 October 1994, 2 males 9 October 1994, 1 male 21 June 1994, 1 female 21 June 1996, T. L. Erwin, et al. ( USNM) ; Napo Misahualli near Tena , 2 females, 6­19 October 2001, C. Brammer Malaise Trap ( USU) ; Napo Limacocha , 1 female, 15 June 1977, P.J. Spangler & D. R. Givens #128 ( USNM) ; Napo, Coca , Napo R, 250m, 1 female, 25­30 April 1965, L.Pena ( CNC) . COLOMBIA: Amazonas 22km, NW Leticia 4.04 S 69.99W, malaise trap treefall gap, 1 female, 4­7 Sept 1997, M. Sharkey ( LACM) . COSTA RICA: Province Heredia, F. La Selva 3km S. Porto Viejo 10°26’N 84°01’W, 1 female, 2 April 1985, H.A. Hespenheide ( USU) ; Prov. Cartago, Turrialba, tres Equis, P.N. Barbilla, 2km S. de Estación Barbilla , 400­500 m, L.N. 597123 216110 #61733, 1 female, 18 March 2001, F. Rojas, Manual, ( INBio) . PANAMA: Panama Province Cerro Campana , 850m, 8°40’N, 79°56’W, 1 male, 9 April 1973, H.A. Hespenheide ( USNM) . PERU: Monson Valley Tingo Maria, 1 female, 21 October 1954, 1 female 3 November 1954, 1 female, 9 December 1954, E.I. Schlinger &; E.S. Ross collectors ( CAS) ; Quincemil Cuzco, 3 females, 1­15 November 1962, 700m, 1 female 13­31 August 1962, 780m, L.Pena ( CNC) .

Other material examined: ECUADOR: Napo, Reservation Ethnica Waorani , 1km S. Onkone Gare Camp Entomological Transect 220m, 00°39’10”S, 076°26’W, 1 male, 20 June 1996, T. L. Erwin, et al. collectors ( USNM) ­ head glued to point . PERU: Monson Valley Tingo Maria, 1 male, 23 September 1954, E.I. Schlinger & E.S. Ross collectors ( CAS) ­ antennae missing .

Distribution. Specimens have been collected in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica, but the distribution is most likely in the Amazon Basin north to Costa Rica.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the distinct laterally flattened antennae (Latin aplanat = flattened) which is characteristic for the type species.

Remarks: The female overall body length range (head to abdomen, excluding antennae) is 4.8–7.0 mm. I have found, for the majority of stratiomyids that I have examined, that it is not uncommon to have a large range of body sizes within a species. The female antennae in some individuals have flagellomere 7 reddish­orange in dorsal half, so the color may vary more with a larger series of specimens. The orange color of the upper frons in the allotype is no wider than the antennal bases, but in some specimens the orange may extend ventrally along lateral margins of lower frons to the antennal bases or slightly beyond. The overall range of body length for males is 4.8–5.8 mm. The scutellar spine length in males can be as great as 2.25 X the length of the scutellum. Male genitalia are typical of the Euryneura Kertész clade, which includes Euryneura Schiner , Diaphorostylus Kertész , Meringostylus Kertész , and Ditylometopa Kertész. The three aedeagal tubes are enclosed in a cylinder formed by the parameral sheath that also runs beneath the anterior (basal) portion of the aedeagus.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Q. aplanatantennae female head, oblique view, showing semicircular silvery setose patch that is separated from tomentose line below eye.

FIGURE 9–13. Q. aplanatantennae male genitalia. 9. gonocoxites, dorsal view; 10. aedeagus, dorsal view; 11. aedeagus, lateral view; 12. gonocoxites, ventral view; 13. gonocoxites, lateral view.

FIGURE 1–2. Quichuamyia aplanatantennae habitus. 1. male; 2. female.

FIGURE 5–8. Quichuamyia aplanatantennae. 5. female head, lateral view; 6. female head, front view, showing bilobed ventral margin of frons; 7. antenna, dorsal view; 8. antenna, lateral view.