Melaloncha rostrata, Brown, 2004

Brown, Brian V., 2004, Revision of the subgenus Udamochiras of Melaloncha beekilling flies (Diptera: Phoridae: Metopininae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 140 (1), pp. 1-42 : 17

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2004.00086.x

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1C4A482B-3E24-4F14-FF43-3FFBFC7FFCF2

treatment provided by

Carolina

scientific name

Melaloncha rostrata
status

sp. nov.

MELALONCHA ROSTRATA View in CoL SP. NOV. ( FIG. 42 View Figures 34–43 )

Recognition. This species is similar to M. rhampha , but differs in that the ovipositor does not increase in depth apically and the surface of the ovipositor is not markedly striate ( Fig. 42 View Figures 34–43 ).

Description. Body length 3.1–3.4 mm. Frons orange, except vertex and ocellar region, which are black. Setal base of all setae coloured like rest of frons. Mean frontal width 0.27 head width; range 0.26–0.29. Frons with fine reticulate sculpturing, slightly shiny, slightly punctate (punctures shallow, nearly invisible), with extremely small dark setulae. Median furrow present. Frontal setae normal; arrangement of frontal setae unmodified, with ventral interfrontal setae near venter of frons. Dorsal interfrontal setae absent. Palpus unmodified. Ocular and genal setae flattened, yellow. Fore tarsomeres yellowish-brown, relatively narrow. Combined length of fore tarsomeres approximately 0.8 tibial length. Fore tarsomere 1 approximately twice as long as tarsomere 2. Fore tarsomere 5 slightly expanded. Pulvilli of fore leg large. Tarsal claws of all legs enlarged, deeply bifurcate. Mid and hind leg yellowish-brown, with tarsomeres 4–5 and apex of tarsomere 3 of mid leg dark brown dorsally. Mean costal length 0.59 wing length; range 0.58–0.61. Tergite 6 of similar colour to other tergites. Tergites 2–6 lateroventrally black, with silver pollinosity. Venter of abdomen grey. Ovipositor relatively tubular, laterally compressed near apex; dorsal apex with small, rounded flap, curved ventrally in apical one-third. In dorsal view, lateral setae of ovipositor thin, short, relatively numerous. Ventrally, ovipositor with short, fine, sparse setae. Surface of ovipositor with faint, somewhat longitudinally directed sculpturing. Intersegment 7–8 narrow, slightly deflected ventrally at posterior apex.

Geographical distribution. Costa Rica.

Etymology. Latin adjective rostratus for beaked, referring to the shape of the ovipositor.

Holotype. ♀, COSTA RICA: Heredia: La Selva Biological Station , 10.43∞N, 84.02∞W, ix.1992, P. Hanson, Malaise trap [ LACM ENT 093446 View Materials ] ( LACM).

Paratypes. COSTA RICA: Alajuela: 20 km S Upala , 1♀, 8–10.v.1990, 1♀, 10.i.1991, 1♀, 22.i.1991, 1♀, 11– 20.iv.1991, 16–17.vi.1991, 1♀, 24.vi-22.vii.1991, 2♀, 22–30.ix.1991, F. D. Parker [Malaise trap] ( EMUS, INBC, LACM) ; Guanacaste: 3 km SE Naranjo , 1♀, 21–31.x.1992, 1♀, 1.ii.1993, F. D. Parker [Malaise trap] ( LACM) .

LACM

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

INBC

Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio)

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Diptera

Family

Phoridae

Genus

Melaloncha

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