Toxophora azteca, Cunha, André M., Lamas, Carlos José E. & Couri, Márcia S., 2011

Cunha, André M., Lamas, Carlos José E. & Couri, Márcia S., 2011, Taxonomic notes, new species and identification key to the New World species of Toxophora Meigen (Diptera, Bombyliidae, Toxophorinae), Zootaxa 3038, pp. 51-58 : 53-55

Toxophora azteca sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–6 )

Material examined. Holotype male: MEXICO, Chiapas: Tuxtla Gutiérrez, 6 mi. W, Altitude 2.200 ft., 3–ix–1963, R.H. & E.M. Painter col., ( USNM); Paratypes: MEXICO, Morelos: Cuernavaca, 5–iii–1959, 1 male, H.E. Evans & D.M. Anderson col. ( USNM); Chiapas: Cintalaga, 9 mi. SW, Altitude 400 ft., 6–ix–1963, 1 female, R.H. & E.M. Painter col. ( USNM); Guerrero: Acapulco, 4 mi. N, Altitude 200 ft., 30–viii–1959, 1 female, R.H. & E.M. Painter col. ( USNM); Puebla: Acatlan, 10 mi. S, Altitude 4.800 ft., 8–ix–1959, 1 male (dissected), R.H. & E.M. Painter col. ( USNM); Chiapas: Cintalapa, 7 mi. SW, Altitude 2.200 ft., 6–ix–1963, 1 female, R.H. & E.M. Painter col. ( USNM); Nayarit: Tepic, 13-IX-1957, 1 female, B. & K. Dreisbach col. ( USNM); Guerrero: Iguala, 25 mi. S, Altitude 2.400 ft., 14–ix–1963, 1 female, R.H. & E.M. Painter col. ( MZUSP); Oaxaca: Matias Romero, 23 mi. S, Altitude 400 ft., 2–ix–1963, 1 male, R.H. & E.M. Painter col., ( MZUSP); Colima: Manzanillo, 9 mi. NW, 26–viii– 1962, 1 male, R.H. & E.M. Painter col., ( USNM); Sinaloa: Culiacan, 44 mi. S, 16–viii–1959, 1 female (dissected), R.H. & E.M. Painter col. ( USNM); NICARAGUA, Nueva Segovia: Ocotal, Altitude 1.900 ft., 5–ix–1967, 1 female, R.H. & E.M. Painter col. ( USNM); Estelí: Estelí, 18 mi. N, Altitude 1.900 ft., 5–ix–1067, 1 male, R.H. & E.M. Painter col. ( USNM); 15 mi. N, 1.900 ft., 5–ix–1967, 1 male, R.H. & E.M. Painter col. ( USNM).

Diagnosis. Base of antennae with white scales; scape covered by dark brown scales; mesonotum dark brown with yellow hairs and scales; wing hyaline with brown infuscation on anterior half; inter-radial crossvein merging R4 and R2+3; abdomen covered by dark brown scales; center of tergites III–VII with yellow scales forming a broad longitudinal stripe; posterior margin of epandrium concave; epandrium fused to posterodorsal region of gonocoxite; distiphallus shorter than epiphallus; gonostylus long with thin and pointed apex.

Description. Male. Body length: 7.1–11.1 mm. Wing length: 4.6–7.5 mm.

Head. As wide as thorax; holoptic, base of antennae with white scales; scape little more than twice as long as pedicel and flagellum together, densely covered by dark brown scales; pedicel with short dark brown scales, except on dorsal surface, as long as flagellum; flagellum with short dark brown pilosity and short style; face and oral margin gray pollinose; proboscis dark-brown, 1.5 times length of head in lateral view; palpus one-segmented, brown with short brown setae and half of proboscis length; occiput with yellow hairs and brown scales.

Thorax. Pronotum well developed with yellow hairs and five pairs of strong dark brown setae; one median pair directed backwards, one admedial pair directed to center, and three lateral pairs; mesonotum dark brown with yellow hairs, yellow scales and strong dark brown setae on lateral margin disposed as follow: three pairs on anterior margin, one between post pronotal lobe and prealar setae, four prealar, three supralar, and two postalar; pleurae with white scales on katepisternum and metepisternum; anepisternum with yellow scales, yellow pile, yellow setae on postero-superior margin and a row of yellow setae on superior margin; rest of pleurae bare ( Fig. 1 ); halter with stem brownish-yellow and knob yellow; scutellum with yellow scales on dorsum and small dark brown setae on posterior margin and one pair of dark brown setae on laterals.

Wing. With brown scales on costa, hyaline surface with brown infuscations on anterior half and circular spots on base of discal cell, r-m crossvein and inter-radial; inter-radial crossvein linking R4 and R2+3 present; r-m crossvein on middle third of discal cell; three submarginal cells; calypter with long white hairs.

Legs. With coxae I and II with white scales, coxa III with white scales and two long yellow setae on dorsal surface; trochanter II with two dark brown setae; femur I and II with dark brown scales on anterior surface and white on posterior, femur II with a row of setae on the basal half of the ventral surface and a row of three setae on base of anteroventral surface, femur III with white scales on anterior surface and dark brown on posterior, with three dark brown setae, two on the anteroventral surface and one on the posteroventral. Tibia I and II with light yellow scales on posterior surface, tibia I with two parallel rows of setae on dorsal surface and one setae on the base of the posterior surface, tibia II with a row of setae on dorsal surface alternating with long and short setae, tibia III with long dark brown scales and dark brown setae on all surfaces; tarsi dark brown, with brown pile and dark brown setae on ventral surface; pulvilli light brown with nearly the same length as claws.

Abdomen. Tergite I covered with dark brown scales and white scales laterally; tergite II covered with dark brown scales and yellow scales laterally; tergites III–VII covered with dark brown scales, yellow scales laterally and on center forming a broad longitudinal stripe ( Fig. 2 ); sternites with white scales and pilosity.

Terminalia. With posterior margin of epandrium concave ( Fig. 3 ), with a small projection on center, fused to posterodorsal region of gonocoxite; cercus with a group of small dark-brown setae forming circular spot; hypandrium absent; gonocoxites ventrally fused, without median internal ridge; distiphallus shorter than epiphallus, wide and with broad apex pointing upwards; epiphallus with long base and apex wide with two long projections on lateroventral faces ( Fig. 4 ); gonostylus long with thin and pointed apex; lateral aedeagal apodemes and ejaculatory apodeme short, both not surpassing gonocoxal limits.

Female. Similar to male, except for: dichoptic; trochanter without setae; lack of setae on femur III; tibia I and II with a row of setae on posterior surface; furca with two parallel rods and a central piece with an anterior spine, all connected by membranous tissue ( Fig. 6 ). Spermathecae with spermathecal bulbs sclerotized, tubular and strongly coiled; spermathecal ducts twice longer than sperm pump; sperm pump with well developed sclerotized collars with indented margins ( Fig. 5 ). Eggs oval, 1.5 to 2.0 times longer than wide, with an operculum.

Etymology. The name derives from the Aztec people who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. The specific epithet is treated as a noun in apposition.

Distribution. Mexico (Chiapas, Morelo, Guerrero, Puebla, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Colima and Sinaloa); Nicaragua (Nueva Segovia and Estelí).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Toxophora azteca: (1) General habitus, lateral view; (2) Abdomen, dorsal view; (3) Epandrium, dorsal view; (4) Male terminalia, with epandrium removed, lateral view; (5) Spermathecae; (6) Furca.