Elcaribe Webb, 2006

Webb, Donald W. & Metz, Mark A., 2006, A Revision of the New World Genera Brachylinga Irwin and Lyneborg and Lysilinga Irwin and Lyneborg (Diptera: Therevidae: Therevinae) with the Description of a New Genus, Elcaribe Webb, Zootaxa 1288 (1288), pp. 1-241 : 146-154

Elcaribe Webb gen. nov.

Etymology

Elcaribe is formed from the Spanish "El Caribe" and the gender is designated as male. This genus is named for the Caribbean Region where all of these species are distributed. Type species Psilocephala obscura Coquillett, 1893:229 .

Diagnosis

Elcaribe is characterized by possessing setae on the metakatepisternum; the dorsal apodeme of male aedeagus curved ventrally forming a canopy in cross­section; and the ventral apodeme of the male aedeagus cylindrical or flattened laterally in cross­section.

Description of genus Body length male 4.2–7.1 mm (n=95), female 4.0– 12.7 mm (n=82). FIGURE 220. E. anguilla epandrium, cerci, hypoproct, lateral view. Scale = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 275–288. Gonostylus, lateral view. 275. abdominalis . 276. anguilla . 277. bahamaensis . 278. bifidus . 279. elongatus . 280. glabrus . 281. guanaensis . 282. laticornis . 283. longicaudus . 284. obscurus . 285. paniculus . 286. scarbroughi . 287. starki . 288. stellus . Scale = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 303–316. Aedeagus, ventral view. 303. abdominalis . 304. anguilla . 305. bahamaensis . 306. bifidus . 307. elongatus . 308. glabrus . 309. guanaensis . 310. laticornis . 311. longicaudus . 312. obscurus . 313. paniculus . 314. scarbroughi . 315. starki . 316. stellus . Scale = 0.1 mm.

Head. Ocellar tubercle dark brown to black, pruinescence gray; not raised above level of vertex; setae black, short. Males holoptic, female dichoptic. Frons reduced in males with or without setae, broad in females; black pruinescent band and setae absent lateral to antennal base. Face only slightly projecting beyond eyes. Antenna shorter than length of head; scape cylindrical, length longer than wide, longer than length of pedicel, narrower than width of flagellum, setae dark reddish brown, short, absent on medial margin, macrosetae on scape dark brown; pedicel spherical, setae absent on medial margin; flagellum with 3 flagellomeres and a small apical style, first flagellomere variable in shape, dark reddish brown, second flagellomere short, cylindrical, third flagellomere short, narrow, tapered apically, flagellum length longer than wide and longer than scape. Parafacial setae absent. Maxillary palpus cylindrical, apex rounded. Occiput convex, black, pruinescence gray; setae elongate on ventral half, generally becoming sparse, lanceolate dorsally; macrosetae dark reddish brown to black. Postocular macrosetae dark reddish brown to black, in single row.

FIGURES 343–354. Internal reproductive organs. 343. abdominalis . 344. anguilla . 345. bahamaensis . 346. bifidus . 347. elongatus . 348. glabrus . 349. guanaensis . 350. laticornis . 351. obscurus . 352. paniculus . 353. scarbroughi . 354. starki . Scale = 0.1 mm.

Thorax. Macrosetae 2–3 np, 2 sa, 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Vittae indistinct on mesonotum; postpronotal lobe generally concolorous with dorsum; prosternum with white, elongate setae in and around central depression. Setae on pleuron elongate on propleuron, anepisternum, katepisternum, laterotergite, metanepisternum, and scutellum, absent on proepimeron, anepimeron, and meron. Metakatepisternal setae short, white. Wing. Setulae absent on R 1; M 1 M 2, and M 3 originate separately from apex of dc; cell cup closed, petiolate; anal angle broadly rounded. Legs. Coxa setae white, present on posterior half of middle coxa; hindcoxa with dark reddish brown, anterior knob and one posterolateral macroseta; apical macrosetae dark brown. Setae on femora filiform ventrally becoming lanceolate, appressed dorsally.

Abdomen. Male terminalia . Tergite 8 (Figs. 218–219, 221–232) bilobed, anterior and posterior margins emarginate; narrow medially (0.02 mm); setae on posterior margin separated medially; sensory sensilla 1 pair. Sternite 8 ( Figs. 233–246) reduced; sensory sensilla 1–2 pairs. Epandrium quadrate, broad basally, tapering apically; shorter medially than wide; anterior margin emarginate; posterolateral margin short, broadly pointed; lateral view quadrate, convex dorsally, tapered apically to broad point. Cercus ending basal to apex of hypoproct. Hypoproct ending distal to posterolateral margin of epandrium and apex of cercus. Hypandrium narrow, strap­like. Gonocoxite ventral view ( Figs. 233–246) separated medially, generally rounded laterally; dorsal view ( Fig. 247–260) gonocoxal apodeme narrow, not extending anteriorly beyond gonocoxite; inner gonocoxal process absent; ventral lobe generally small, not surrounding base of gonostylus. Gonostylus (Figs. 275–288) curved dorsally to form one apical point. Aedeagus with ventral apodeme variable, not extending beyond anterior margin of dorsal apodeme; distiphallus dorsal view ( Figs. 289–302) short, broad basally, tapering to broad apical point; lateral view with or without subapical hood ( Figs. 317–330); ejaculatory apodeme dorsal view ( Figs. 289–302) slightly bulbous apically. Female terminalia . Anterior margin of sternite 8 variable; aedeagal guide absent. Median lobe of tergite 9 glossy; setae absent. Spermathecal duct diverging anteriorly; spermathecae 2.

Immature Stages

One female (MEI 040871) of Elcaribe obscurus has been reared from a larva sieved from soil but the immature stages Elcaribe have not been described.

Habitats and phenology

Elcaribe has been collected in semi­arid coastal dunes, dry evergreen forests and deciduous forests. It has been handnetted, sweepnetted, or collected in boll weevil, Malaise, pan, or power net traps, and at lights (Ultraviolet, Mercury vapor) in Coccoloba forests, and Acacia, Caribbean pine and palmetto scrub, and on a variety of plants ( Borrichia frutoscens (L.) DC., Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle , cotton blooms, Ficus aurea Nutt. , Flaveria linearis Lag. , grapefruit, Ipomoea sp. , Lippia nodiflora (L.) Michx., O puntia sp., stringbeans, and tomatoes). Adults have been collected throughout the year.