Tomosvaryella similis ( Hough, 1899 )

Ramos-Pastrana, Yardany & Rafael, José Albertino, 2021, Tomosvaryella Aczél (Diptera: Pipunculidae) of Colombia, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4985 (1), pp. 37-68 : 54

Tomosvaryella similis ( Hough, 1899)

Figs 83–92 , 133

Pipunculus similis Hough, 1899:84

Tomosvaryella similis Hardy, 1943: 174 , figs 98 a–h; Aczél, 1948: 22; Hardy, 1965c: 856; Ale-Rocha & Rafael, 1995: 420; Rafael & Ale-Rocha, 2004: 16 ; Rodriguez & Rafael, 2012: 33, 35, 38.

Diagnosis. Male. Body shiny, robust ( Fig. 83 ). Postcranium with lower three quarters grayish-pruinose, upper quarter brownish-pruinose ( Fig. 83 ). Scutum mainly brownish-pruinose; thoracic setae long. Legs brownish-pruinose, except hind femur posteriorly and ventrally shiny. Hind trochanter with bulging, drop-shaped, protuberance, usually with a single ventral and a single dorsal seta ( Fig. 84 ). Tergites and sternites 6 and 7 as in Fig. 85 . Surstyli subsymmetrical, with external and internal margins somewhat straight, having slightly hooked-tips, right surstylus slightly shorter ( Fig. 86–87 ), both surstyli with tips slightly downward-directed when seen in lateral view ( Figs 88–89 ). Apex of phallic guide short, with inconspicuous spine, angled at about 20 degrees ( Fig. 90 ). Phallus with ejaculatory ejaculary ducts elongated slender branches; one ejaculatory duct with three basal spines, the other two ducts without spines ( Fig. 90 ). Ejaculatory apodeme sandal-shaped, darker near base ( Fig. 91 ). Gonopods asymmetrical, left gonopod slender than right one ( Fig. 92 ).

Material examined. COLOMBIA, Boyacá, SFF[Santuario de Fauna y Flora] Iguaque , 5º25’N / 73º27’W, 2600 m [eters], Malaise, 16–30.xi.2001, P. Reina leg, “M2583” (1♂, LEUA) (photographed specimen); “ idem, Vichada, PNN[Parque Nacional Natural] Tuparro, Centro Administrativo , 05º21’N / 67º51’W, 140 m [eters], Malaise 17, 12–29.Jun[vi].2000, V. Villalba (1♂, IAvH)”.

Geographical distribution. Bahamas; USA.; Mexico; Nicaragua ( Rodriguez & Rafael 2012); Colombia (new record), Boyacá, Santuario de Fauna y Flora Iguaque; Vichada, Parque Nacional Natural Tuparro ( Fig. 133 ).

Habitat. The specimens were collected with Malaise traps at ground level in areas of tropical dry forest, in the Northeast region in the Santuario de Fauna y Flora Iguaque, and in gallery forest with low elevation of the canopy from the ground in Parque Nacional Natural Tuparro in the Orinoco region of Colombia.

Comments. The studied specimens are similar to the holotype illustrated by Ale-Rocha & Rafael (1995), differing only the length, which exceeds in 0.58 mm that of the holotype.

Figures

FIGURE 133. Geographical records of Tomosvaryella species in Colombia. T. lynchi, T. macarenensis sp. nov., T. similis, T. venezuelana, T. subvirescens and T. scopulata.

FIGURES 83–92. Tomosvaryella similis (Hough, 1899) (IAvH–2583). Male. 83, Habitus, left lateral view; 84, Left hind trochanter, lateral view; 85, Tergites and sternites 6 and 7, ventral view; 86, Tip of abdomen with syntergosternite 8, ventral view; 87, Susrtyli, dorsal view; 88, Left surstylus, lateral view; 89, Right surstylus, lateral view; 90, Phallic guide and phallus, left lateral view; 91, Ejaculatory apodeme, lateral view; 92, Hypandrium and gonopods, ventral view.