Bennarella xavieri sp. nov.

(Figs 107–119, 133, 134)

Type material. Holotype male (INPA). Brasil, Amazonas, Novo Airão, P [ar]q[ue] N[acional] Jaú, Ig [arapé] Miratucu / Gerlei, 26.vii.1995, Arm [adilha] Pensilvânia (luz), J. A. Rafael; J. Vidal cols.

Condition of the holotype: Right antennal flagellum and right pedicel lost.

Paratypes. BRASIL, Amazonas, Novo Airão, P [ar]q[ue] N[acional] Jaú, Ig [arapé] Miratucu / Gerlei, 26.vii.1995, Arm [adilha] Pensilvânia (luz), J.A. Rafael; J. Vidal cols. (2 ♀, INPA) ; idem, except 015700S–614900W, 23–28.vii.1995, Malaise (3 ♂, 2 ♀, INPA); idem, except Rio Carabinani, Ig [arapé] Preguição, 020625S–613620W, 29–31.vii.1995, Malaise, J.A. Rafael; J. Vidal cols. (1♂, 1 ♀, INPA) .

Measurements: Body length: male 2.0– 2.2 mm (3.9–4.1 mm including wings) (N=4); female 2.0– 2.5 mm (3.8–4.1 mm including wings) (N=4). Forewing length: male 3.4–3.6 mm (N=4); female. 3.4–3.6 mm (N=4).

Diagnosis. Frons with median carina present, but weakly marked. Forewing with basal half dark brown and apical half light brown. Male anal tube with two short spiniform projections at apex. Periandrium bearing two spines; aedeagus swollen distally, with four spines, and apical half with minute spiniform spicules.

Description: Coloration (observed in the paratype). General body color dark brown (Fig. 108). Lateral carinae of the frons above lateral ocelli and close to the median ocellus, vertex, lower region of the frons close to the median ocellus, gena, lora, maxillary lobe, median region of pronotum and mesonotum, epimeron and episternum yellow. Forewing: basal half dark brown and apical half light brown, with white regions: white rectangular spot before pterostigma; white diffuse band at the apex of the postcostal cell extending to the RA1 vein; narrow white stripe covering base of medial vein; white long stripe inside cell C2; white short stripe inside cell C3; white spot and wide in the apical half extending from the r-m cross-vein to the apex of clavus; wide, white, transverse band extending from the cell C3a’ to cell C3b; narrow white stripes covering Pcu and Pcu+A1 vein; narrow white stripe on the postclaval margin (Fig. 133). Pterostigma brown. Hindwing semi-hyaline, light brown. Legs dark brown, except mid coxa and hind coxa yellow, and hind femur light brown (Fig. 108). Upper half of sternite III, dorsal region of sternite IV and V yellow (Figs 108, 112).

Head: frons with median carina present, but weakly marked; lateral carina of frons strongly directed obliquely laterally (Fig. 110); vertex length subequal to the median length of the pronotum in dorsal view (Fig. 111); pedicel approximately 4 times longer than wide and scape inconspicuous (Fig. 110). Thorax: pronotum with median longitudinal carina present, but weakly marked; mesonotum with median and lateral longitudinal carinae present and strongly marked (Fig. 111). Forewing: m-cu cross-vein absent (Fig. 133). Legs: hind tibia with 6 apical spines; hind tarsus with 7+ 7 apical spines.

Male genitalia (Figs 113–119). Pygofer subtriangular in lateral view, posterior margin with a triangular protuberance on each side above the middle region (Fig. 113); medioventral process of pygofer conspicuous in lateral view, with posterior margin triangular in ventral view (Fig. 113). Gonostyli widening distally and with rounded apex in lateral view (Fig. 116); basal two third slender, apical third widened laterally with concave apex in dorsal and posterior views (Figs 115, 117) Phallic complex (Figs 118–119): periandrium straight bearing two spines inserted at median region: one slender, long and sinuous spine (S1) with small spiniform projection near base, and one short, slender spine (S2); aedeagus swollen distally with rounded apex, apical third covered with several minute spicules, with four spines: one long, straight spine inserted near base (S3), one elongate comma-like spine inserted near at median region (S4), one short, slender spine, inserted at median region (S5), and one long, slender, almost straight spine near apex (S6). Anal tube concave in ventral view; base of the anal tube subequal in length to anal tube extension in lateral view; apex truncated in posterior view, with two short spinelike projections (Figs 113–115).

Female terminalia. Pygofer elongate, symmetrical, about 3 times longer than the greatest width in ventral view (Fig.120). Gonoplac (third valvula) longer than wide, apex rounded in lateral view (Fig.121). Gonapophysis IX (second valvula) weakly sclerotized dorsally, tapered towards apex, with approximately 13 denticles (de) in distal 1/3 (Figs 122, 124). Gonapophysis VIII (first valvula) long, slender, slightly curved upwards (Figs 123, 125). Anal tube slightly narrowed towards the apex in lateral view.

Etymology. Named in honor to the collector of the specimen, Francisco Felipe Xavier Filho, INPA technician, for his important contribution to the knowledge of the Amazonian entomofauna, collaborating in several collection expeditions in the Amazon region.

Distribution. Brazil (Amazonas) (Fig. 134).

Taxonomic notes. Bennarella xavieri sp. nov. differs from the other species of Bennarella by the frons with large portion in the lower region, close to the median ocellus, yellow, mesonotum with median region brownish on posterior half, male terminalia with anal tube bearing two spiniform projections at apex and aedeagus swollen with four spines and 1/3 apical with numerous minute spinelike projections.

Observation. The coloration was described from paratype, which color was better preserved, since the holotype has been preserved in alcohol (Fig. 108).