Mesembrinella zurquiensis Whitworth, 2019

Whitworth, Terry L. & Yusseff-Vanegas, Sohath, 2019, A revision of the genera and species of the Neotropical family Mesembrinellidae (Diptera: Oestroidea), Zootaxa 4659 (1), pp. 1-146 : 108-109

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4659.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:57309E14-0330-4ED7-BCDA-355EE6618215
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DA87E6-0F51-FFB9-FF19-B96236A6F898
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Mesembrinella zurquiensis Whitworth
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Mesembrinella zurquiensis Whitworth , sp. nov.

( Figs 55–56 View FIGURES 53–56 , 145–146 View FIGURES 145–152 , 215 View FIGURES 209–215 , 258 View FIGURES 252–265 , 301 View FIGURES 300–305 , 345 View FIGURES 326–349 , 386 View FIGURES 370–400 , 430 View FIGURES 424–438 , 470 View FIGURES 470–473 , 488 View FIGURE 488 )

Diagnosis. A medium-sized, blue-brown fly averaging 9.6 mm (9–10/5) in length. Postpronotal setae 3x 3; subcostal sclerite setose; apex of mid and hind femur darkened; thorax usually with ac 2:1; T4 and T5 with purple highlights and whitish tomentum. Male frons about 0.09 of head width at narrowest.

Description. Male. Head. Frons broad, 0.09 (0.08–0.10/5) of head width at narrowest, about equal to 2/3 width of first flagellomere; fronto-orbital slender, upper half silvery, lower half orange; frontal setae extending to ocellar triangle, very tiny in upper half; frontal vitta dark orange; parafacial slender and yellow-orange; gena orange with horizontal row of stout, black setae along venter and across parafacial to vibrissa otherwise with small dark setae; postgena orange with long golden setae; occipital area with fine golden setae and silvery tomentum, upper edge bare and more or less shiny black; median occipital sclerite dark brown; palpus typical; antenna orange, first flagellomere with gray tomentum; eye with median facets about 4x size of lateral facets; ocellar triangle small with anterior ocellus and posterior ocelli about equal in size; supravibrissal setae black, short and stout, ascending about 1/5 of distance to antennal base.

Thorax shiny; dorsum brown with four irregular whitish, tomentose stripes; pleura dark orange with silvery tomentum; chaetotaxy: ac 2:1, dc 2:3, ia 0, ph 1, ppn 3x 3 [two examined specimens ppn 2x 2], kat 1:1, meral setae typical, 1 pair converging ap, sa absent, 1 weak lat, 1 stout b, 1 pb, 1 disc; subscutellum weakly developed; spiracles orange, medium-sized; legs: femora orange, distal end of mid and hind femora black, tibiae and tarsi brown. Wing faintly yellow, darker yellow at base near costa; subcostal sclerite with long, dense setae; section IV 0.25 of section III; upper and lower calypters brown; rim of upper calypter sooty with short brown setae, rim of lower calypter pale with long brown setae.

Abdomen. T1+2 yellow-orange, T3–5 more or less shiny bluish-purple with whitish tomentum; T1+2 with cluster of setae laterally; T3 with 1 or 2 stout lateral marginal setae; rear margins of T4–5 with row of stout setae; disc of T5 with stout horizontal row of setae midway, rest of disc with sparse, short, fine setae. Terminalia in lateral view with surstylus curving backward, cercus with apical hook ( Fig. 55 View FIGURES 53–56 ); in posterior view cerci pear-shaped, narrowed at base, widest midway then tapering to rounded tips ( Fig. 56 View FIGURES 53–56 ); phallus in left lateral view with long slender epiphallus with moderate backward curve ( Fig. 145 View FIGURES 145–152 ); in dorsal view, hypophallic lobes narrow ( Fig. 146 View FIGURES 145–152 ); T6, STS7+8, pre- and postgonite, ejaculatory sclerite and ST6 as in Fig. 215 View FIGURES 209–215 ; ST1–5 as in Fig. 258 View FIGURES 252–265 .

Female. Similar to male except frons 0.208 (0.20–0.22/5) of head width at narrowest. Median eye facets only slightly larger than lateral facets. T6 of OV shape, T7 with suture midway, T8 as separate sclerites, rear of epiproct recessed midway ( Fig. 301 View FIGURES 300–305 ); ST6–8 and hypoproct as in Fig. 345 View FIGURES 326–349 ; spermathecae filiform ( Fig. 386 View FIGURES 370–400 ). ST1–5 as in Fig. 430 View FIGURES 424–438 .

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂ (Costa Rica, San José; INBIO; Fig. 470 View FIGURES 470–473 ), labeled: COSTA RICA. Prov. San José. Moravia. Zurquí de / Moravia , Creek 2. 1600 m. 17 NOV 2012. Proyecto / ZADBI. Mercury light trap, ZA- DBI-217. -84:00:57 / 10:02:58 #105404; INB0004343316 / INBIOCRI COSTA RICA ; HOLOTYPE / Mesembrinella / zurquiensis / T.L. Whitworth.

ALLOTYPE ♀: Costa Rica, San José, Zurquí de Moravia, Tower path, 1600 m, 26.iv–3.v.2013, Project ZA- DBI-728, Malaise trap, #106748 ( LACM).

PARATYPES: Costa Rica, Cartago. 1 ♂*, Quebrada Segunda, P.N. Tapanti, A.C. Amistad , 1250 m, xi.1993, L_N_194000 559800 #2497, G. Mora ( INBIO) ; 1 ♂, Paraiso, P.N. Tapanti , 1600 m, 11–17.xi.2012, Malaise trap, #105648, ZADBI ; 2 ♂♂, same data except 18–28.x.2012 ; 2 ♂♂, same data except 9–16.xii.2012, #105652 ( INBIO) ; 1 ♂, same data except 23–30.xii.2012, #106166 ( INBIO) ; 1 ♂, same data except 30.xii.2012 – 6.i.2013, #106167 ( INBIO) ; 2 ♂♂, same data except 25.xi–2.xii.2012 #105650 ( INBIO) ; 1 ♀, Paraiso, P.N. Tapanti-Macizo de La Muerte , 1600 m, 18–28.x.2012, Malaise trap, #105322, ZADBI ( INBIO) ; 1 ♀, Paraiso, P.N. Tapanti , 1600 m, 10– 17.ii.2013, Malaise trap, #106173, ZADBI ( INBIO) . Heredia. 1 ♀ ♦ ( TLW336 ) , 4 ♀♀, 16 km SSE La Virgen , 1050- 10°16ʹN 84°05ʹW, 1150 m, 9–14.iii.2001, flight intercept trap, primary forest, E.G. Riley ( TAMU) GoogleMaps . Puntarenas. 2 ♀♀ ♦ ( TLW382 , TLW415 ) , 2 ♀♀, Monteverde , 25–30.viii.1991, 1500 m, D.M Wood ( CNC) ; 1 ♂, same data except 20–25.viii.1991 ( CNC) ; 1 ♀, same data except Cloud Forest Lodge, 22.viii.1995 ( CNC) ; 1 ♀ ♦.( TLW383 ) , same data except 14.vii.2010, J.M. Cumming ( CNC) ; 1 ♀, Monteverde , 20–24.vi.1986, W. Hanson, G. Bohart ( LACM) ; 1 ♂♦* ( TLW402 ) , Las Alturas Biol. Stat., 20 air km NE of San Vito, Cerro Chai at peak, 2100 m, 13.viii.1995, C.R. Nelson and S. Marshall, #6255 ( BYU) . San José. 1 ♂*, Zurquí de Moravia, Zurquí Project , end of path tower, 1600 m, 12–18.vii.2012, [no collector], bait trap with chicken ( INBIO) ; 1 ♂* 1 ♂, same data except Creek 2, 17.xi.2012, mercury light trap ( INBIO) ; 1 ♀ *, same data except 16.iii.2013, hand collected, #106376 ( INBIO) ; 4 ♂♂, same data except 2–4.viii.2012, Malaise trap ( INBIO) ; 1 ♂♦* ( TLW379 ) , 1♂♦ ( TLW380 ) , same data except vii.1989, P. Han- son ( CNC) ; 1 ♂♦ ( TLW333 ) , Zurquí de Moravia , 12–18.vii.2012, [no collector] ( INBIO) ; 1 ♀ ♦ ( TLW381 ) , same data except 31.vii.1989, P. Hanson ( CNC) ; 1 ♂ ♦ ( TLW334 ) , 1 ♀ ♦ ( TLW414 ) , same data except 22.ix.2012 ( CNC) ; 1 ♂♦ ( TLW335 ) , same data except 18.xi.2012 ( CNC) ; 1 ♂, Zurquí de Moravia, Tower path, 50 m, 19–26.vii.2013, Emergence trap over vegetation, #107290, ZADBI ( LACM) ; 1 ♀ ♦ ( TLW413 ) , 4 ♀♀, same data except Malaise trap, #107274 ( LACM) ; 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀ ♦ ( TLW412 ) , 6 ♀♀, Zurquí de Moravia, Creek 2 North , 26.vii–2.viii.2013, Malaise trap #2, #107489, ZADBI ( LACM) ; 1 ♂, Zurquí de Moravia, Creek 2 North , 1600 m, 3–10.v.2013, Malaise trap #2, #106721, ZADBI ( INBIO) ; 1 ♂, Zurquí de Moravia , end path torre, 1600 m, 23.ix.2012, CDC light trap, #105065, ZADBI ( INBIO) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ * Zurquí de Moravia, North pasture, 1600 m, 16.xii.2012, bait trap with pig dung, #105697, ZADBI ( INBIO) ; 1 ♀ ♦ ( TLW411 ) , same data except 16.iv.2013 hand collected, #106595( INBIO) ; 1 ♂, Zurquí de Moravia , Tower path, 75 m . 11–18.x.2013, Emergence trap over leaf litter, #107963, ZADBI ( LACM) ; 2 ♀♀, Zurquí de Moravia, Creek 2 North , 19–26.vii.2013, Malaise trap #2, #107274, ZADBI ( LACM) ; 9 ♀♀, Zurquí de Moravia, Tower path, 10.05°N 84.02°W, 1600 m, 2–9.viii.2013, fish bait trap, #207515, ZADBI ( LACM) GoogleMaps ; 6 ♀♀, same data except 16–23.viii.2013, #107690 ( LACM) GoogleMaps ; 5 ♀♀, same data except 19–26.viii.2013, #107277( LACM) GoogleMaps ; 1 ♀, same data except 9–16.viii.2013, #107541 ( LACM) GoogleMaps ; 1 ♀, Cascajal de Coronado, Bajo La Rosa , 3.v.1995, Bau- mann & Houseman ( BYU) .

Distribution. Costa Rica.

Remarks. Fifteen specimens ( TLW 333–337, TLW 379–383 and TLW 411–415) were barcoded; they formed a distinct cluster with some genetic variation within it, probably reflecting intra-specific variation ( Fig. 488 View FIGURE 488 ).

The condition of presutural ac setae was consistently 2: 1 in the many specimens examined from the Zurqui area of San José province. However, this condition was variable in specimens from other provinces, from presutural ac setae normal to very weak to both absent in the Cartago, Heredia and Puntarenas provinces.

Etymology. The species name zurquiensis was chosen for the area known as Zurquí, found at 9°54ʹ38ʺN 84°3ʹ10ʺW, a Costa Rican cloud forest at 1600 m on the southwest margin of Braulio Carrillo National Park where the species was found to be a common. This area was the subject of an intensive collection effort to study fly diversity over several years ( Borkent et al. 2018).

LACM	Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
TAMU	Texas A&M University
CNC	Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes
BYU	Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum