Revision of the untreated taxa of Melaloncha s. s. bee-killing flies (Diptera: Phoridae)
Author
Brown, Brian V.
text
Zootaxa
2006
2006-08-03
1280
1
1
68
https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1280.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.1280.1.1
11755334
5070710
55F01BD6-4319-49C1-AA45-AAF0B27AEF15
Melaloncha ciliata
new species
Fig. 32
Recognition.
The ovipositor of this species has a distinctive pair of lateral lobes with long, dorsallycurved setae.
The punctate frons of this species, as well as the structure of the ovipositor, indicates that it might belong in the
M
.
cingulata
group (
Brown 2004b
).
Description.
Female only (male unknown). Body length
2.3–2.9 mm
. Frons yellow, evenly setulose; ocellar triangle black. Mean frontal width 0.32 head width, range 0.31–0.34. Medial furrow faintly present. Ocular and genal setae brownishyellow. Flagellomere 1 white basally, apically yellow; aristomeres 1–2 light brown, 3 dark brown. Palpus white; palpal setulae brown, except apical setula black. Scutum yellowishbrown, in some specimens with small posterolateral brown spot. Scutellum yellowishbrown, in some specimens with brown anterolateral spot. Pleuron yellowish brown, except basalare dark brown to black. Legs yellowishbrown. Combined length of foretarsomeres 0.93 length of foretibia. Foretarsal claws relatively short, not recurved, but with large basal lobe. Mean costal length 0.53 wing length, range 0.52–0.55. Halter yellow. Abdominal tergites yellow anteriorly and medially, black posterolaterally. Venter of abdomen yellow. Ovipositor basally yellow, mostly dark brown; tubular, except at apex with dorsomedial carina and lateral, dorsoventrally flattened lobes; with scattered, long, thin, curved setae dorsally, and larger, thicker curved setae on lateral lobes.
Host.
In
Bolivia
I observed this species attacking
Partamona yungarum
Pedro & Camargo. One
specimen landed, curled its abdomen anteroventrally (as in
Brown & Kung, 2006
, fig. 1), and ran at a bee on a leaf surface, apparently attacking the abdomen. At Rincon,
Costa Rica
, this species was attracted to a large aggregation of
Partamona cupira
.
Geographical distribution.
Costa Rica
to
Bolivia
.
Derivation of specific epithet.
Latin
cilum
for eyelash, referring to the curved setae of the lobes of the ovipositor.
Holotype
.
♀
,
BOLIVIA
:
La Paz
:
50 km
N
Caranavi
,
15.66°S
,
67.44°W
,
19.iv.2004
,
B. Brown
, honeyspray, 2
ary
growth,
1100 m
[
LACM
ENT 193993
] (
CBFC
).
Paratypes
.
BOLIVIA
:
La Paz
:
50 km
N
Caranavi
,
15.66°S
,
67.44°W
,
1♀
,
16.iv.2004
,
3♀
,
17.iv.2004
,
2♀
,
19.iv.2004
,
B. Brown
, honeyspray, 2
ary
growth,
1100 m
(
CBFC
,
LACM
)
.
COSTA RICA
:
Puntarenas
:
5.5 km
SW Rincon
,
Tropical Youth Center
,
8.70°N
,
83.51°W
,
1♀
,
10.viii.2001
,
B. Brown
,
V. Berezovskiy
,
E. Zumbado
, honeysprayed leaves
(
LACM
).
ECUADOR
:
Carchi
:
Chical
,
0.93°N
,
78.18°W
,
1♀
,
7.vii.1983
,
J. E. Rawlins
,
1250 m
(
CMNH
)
.