Blepharoneura dzuli Hernández-López & Hernández-Ortiz, 2024

Hernández-López, Mónica & Hernández-Ortiz, Vicente, 2024, Descriptions of six new Mexican species of the genus Blepharoneura (Diptera, Tephritidae) belonging to the femoralis species-group, Zootaxa 5448 (2), pp. 225-247 : 239-241

Blepharoneura dzuli Hernández-López & Hernández-Ortiz , new species

( Figures 7 A–G )

Diagnosis. The wing pattern of this new species resembles species of the poecilosoma group, but differs from them in having only two hyaline spots on cell m reaching the wing margin, a unique feature in species of the femoralis group. This species looks like other members of the group, with one or two apical or subapical hyaline markings in cell r 2+3, at least one of them extends to the costal margin. It can be separated from most of them by a combination of two features: the apex of cell r 1 entirely brown; and a single hyaline mark on the apex of cell r 4+5 reaching the wing margin. In this respect, it resembles B. furcifer Hendel , B. ruptafascia Norrbom & Condon , and B. septemdigitata Norrbom & Condon. It differs from them all because the apical hyaline mark in cell r 4+5 is isolated with only a small subapical hyaline spot aligned with spot # 11 in cell r 2+3, whereas in the other species these marks form an unbroken preapical hyaline stripe. It also shares wing pattern similarities with B. thetis Hendel described from southern Brazil, which shows differences in the scutum stripe pattern, two apical spots in cell r 4+5 or partially bilobed, a hyaline spot on the pterostigma, and a preapical spot in cell r 1, all absent in the new species described here.

Description. Head ( Figs. 7A–B ): Face yellow; frons with two brown stripes from anterior lunule to ocellar tubercle, joined anteriorly and separated posteriorly passing inward orbital setae; 2 frontals and 2 orbitals setae; ocellar setae well developed, longer than posterior orbital seta; scape, pedicel and flagellomere yellow; arista pubescent pale yellow; labella with rows of spinules; genal area reddish yellow, genal seta reddish brown; black coloration of ocellar tubercle spreads posteriorly, and connecting with marks of medial occipital sclerite; vertex yellow with brown diffuse stripe reaching the insertion of medial vertical seta, and connected along posterior margin; medial occipital sclerite with two wide brown stripes connected to upper stripe, and running down to head insertion; occipital sutures narrowly brown not extending beyond postocellar seta; occiput yellow.

Thorax ( Figs. 7A–B ): Mesonotum measures 1.58–1.94 mm long, and 1.10–1.54 mm wide (M-ratio= 1.21–1.44x, n=3). The following setae are present: 3 scapulars, 2 postpronotals, 1 presutural supra-alar, 1 postsutural supra-alar, 1 postalar, 1 intra-alar, 4–5 intra-postalars, 1 dorsocentral almost aligned with postalar seta, 1 acrostichal, and 3 scutellars. Postpronotal lobe yellow, with small brown mark on the anterior margin; scutum mostly microtrichose, black setulose dorsally; mesonotum yellow with submedial and sublateral stripes usually present (except in one specimen these are restricted to small brown dots); submedial stripes extending to level of dorsocentral seta, sometimes broken at transverse suture, and always separated from dark spots of scutal posterior margin; sublateral stripes extend down to base of intra-alar seta; posterior scutal margin with two brown blotches forming a band along scuto-scutellar suture, separate medially; prescutellar dorsolateral brown spot present; scutellum yellow microtrichose; subscutellum and mediotergite largely brown, interrupted medially by a narrow yellow stripe; notopleuron yellow; pleuron mostly yellow throughout anepisternum, katepisternum, katatergite, katepimeron, meron, and lower anepimeron, with dark spots on the anatergite, basalare, and lower anepimeron; legs yellow.

Wing ( Figs. 7A–C ): Length 3.42–4.67 mm, width 1.87–2.40 mm (W-ratio= 1.8–2.0x); crossvein R-M located at 0.54–0.57 the distance from BM-Cu to DM-Cu, close to level of apex of R 1; vein R 2+3 slightly sinuous undulate just beyond R-M; vein R 4+5 dorsally setulose widespread beyond R-M; vein Cu 1 dorsally setulose along body of cell bm extending close to DM-Cu. Wing pattern mostly brown with few small hyaline marks as follows: two hyaline spots on costal cell [#1, #2]; pterostigma brown; cell br with a small basal hyaline mark [#12] present, and other one proximal to R-M [#13]; cell bm with two hyaline spots [#19, #20]; cell bcu basally smoked, posteroapical corner brown; alula smoked, and anal lobe dark brown with four diffuse hyaline spots; cell r 1 with two hyaline spots, a yellow one at level of subcostal break, and a second one triangular-shaped [#5] just at apex of R1 vein, extending to R 2+3, apical margin brown; basal section of cell r 2+3 completely brown, with two medial hyaline marks close to each other [#8, #9], and two broad subtriangular hyaline marks at apical margin [#10, #11]; cell r 4+5 with two medial hyaline spots, a subbasal small rounded hyaline spot [#14], and other slightly distal to DM-Cu [#15]; apical margin with a single hyaline spot open to costal margin; cell dm mostly brown with three small spots, all separated from each other, the basal one joins anteriorly to spot #13 of cell br; a second one small, on margin of the Cu 1 vein, and a subapical hyaline spot present [#25]; cell m with two hyaline spots open to apical margin [#27, #29], both isolated from hyaline patches of cell r 4+5, proximal medial spot absent [#49]; cell cu 2 with four hyaline spots present, a basal marginal close to the apex of vein A 1 +Cu 2, connected with hyaline spot of anal lobe, two medial hyaline spots [#32, #33], and a subapical hyaline spot [#37], all separated from each other.

Abdomen ( Fig. 7A ): Syntergite 1+2 yellow anteriorly, and posteriorly with broad brown stripe separated medially; tergites 3–5 mostly dark in disruptive pattern, each with wide brown stripe, interrupted medially but merged laterally.

Male terminalia ( Figs. 7D–G ): Epandrium brownish, nearly spherical; lateral surstylus very short, apically rounded in posterolateral view; medial surstylus shorter than lateral surstylus with two symmetrical prensisetae; glans long, basal lobe absent or indistinct, sclerotized medially, partially striated, apical end membranous translucent with a hook-shaped sclerite.

Female: Unknown.

Material Examined. Holotype ♂ ( IEXA) MEXICO. Veracruz, Teocelo, Llano Grande 730m, 19.3635 ° N-96.8795 W, 5 Nov 2021, McPhail trap, V Hernández & F Dzul . Paratypes: same data as holotype (1♂ IEXA) ; same data as holotype, except 8 Apr 2022 (1♂ IEXA) .

Etymology. The name of this species honours our colleague and dear friend José Francisco Dzul Cauich (INECOL), who assisted us in collecting and breeding specimens as part of this project.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Blepharoneura dzuli, new species: A) general male habitus, dorsal view (faint striped pattern of scutum, atypical); B) male habitus, lateral view; C) wing pattern (scale 1 mm). Male terminalia: D) epandrium and surstyli, posterior view; E–F) epandrium and surstyli, lateral view and detail of apical surstyli; G) glans.