Goniaspis equalis ( Williston, 1896 )

Mlynarek, Julia J. & Wheeler, Terry A., 2009, Revision of the Neotropical genus Goniaspis Duda (Diptera: Chloropidae), Zootaxa 2033, pp. 26-40 : 28-30

Goniaspis equalis ( Williston, 1896)

(Figs. 6–7)

Hippelates equalis Williston, 1896: 419 . (type locality: St. Vincent, West Indies: windward side). Goniaspis equalis: Sabrosky, 1941a: 27 .

Male genitalia. 6–7. Goniaspis equalis . 6. lateral. 7. posterior. 8–9. Goniaspis lucia . 8. lateral. 9.

posterior. 10–11. Goniaspis lurida . 10. lateral. 11. posterior. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Description: Total length 1.8–2.0 mm. Overall color yellow; frontal triangle black, shining, extending to anterior margin of frons, with slightly convex margins; ocellar tubercle black, shining; frons black, 1.2 times as long as wide; cephalic setae pale, fronto-orbital setae well-developed; gena brown, microtomentose, 0.1 times eye height; postgena slender, black, microtomentose; face yellow; scape and pedicel yellow, first flagellomere reniform, yellow, first and second segments of arista brown, third segment of arista black, slender, pubescence twice as long as width of arista at base; palpus, proboscis and clypeus yellow.

Scutum yellow, shining, punctate, microtomentose just anterior to scutellum, as long as wide, pronotum brown at insertion with head; scutellum yellow, 1.6 times as wide as long, rugose, apical scutellar bristles strong, on tubercles on dorsal margin of scutellum, lateral scutellar bristles longer and darker than surrounding setae; thoracic pleurites shining yellow, dorsal margin of anepimeron and lateral region of postscutellum microtomentose. Legs yellow; hind tibial spur apical, 0.7 times length of first tarsal segment; tibial organ oval, yellow, 0.2 times length of tibia. Wing hyaline, ratio of costal sectors C1: C2: C3: C4 – 1: 1.3: 1.5: 0.5; halter white.

Abdomen yellow, sparsely microtomentose, anteromedial portion of syntergite 1+2 pale, desclerotized; syntergite 1+2 slightly shorter than tergites 3 and 4 combined.

Male postabdomen (Figs. 6–7): epandrium higher than long in lateral view, higher than wide in posterior view, with sparse setae; surstylus short, wide, parallel sided with flattened apex, surstylus with sparse short setae; cercus broad, triangular, ventral projection rounded, cercus with sparse setae and one long posteroventral bristle, cerci separated by deep linear excavation; distiphallus weakly sclerotized.

Type material: Syntypes (23, 1Ƥ): “Co- / type ”, “Windward side / St. Vincent, W.I. / H.H. Smith”, “W. Indies. / 1907-66.” ( BMNH)

Other material examined: SAINT VINCENT: Richmond Valley, 500’, 25.iii.1972, Malaise trap, A.D. Harrison (1Ƥ, CNC).

Remarks: Williston (1896) described the species based on four specimens, but there are apparently only three surviving syntypes. Although the female syntype is in fair condition, both male syntypes are damaged (both headless, both missing one wing and multiple legs). Because of this we chose not to designate a lectotype for this species.