Boreofairchildia alexanderi Santos

Santos, Claudiney Biral Dos, Brazil, Reginaldo Peçanha & Pinto, Israel De Souza, 2021, New species of Boreofairchildia Wagner & Stuckenberg and Laurenceomyia Wagner & Stuckenberg (Diptera: Psychodidae: Bruchomyiinae) from Brazil, Zootaxa 4974 (2), pp. 391-395 : 393-395

Boreofairchildia alexanderi Santos , Brazil & Pinto sp. nov.

( Figs. 5–10 )

Diagnosis. Eyes separated by approximately 5.0 facet diameters, Newstead’s spines restricted to basal of the third palpus, Sc, R 1, R 2, R 3, R 4, R 5 and M 1 do not reaches wing margin and aedeagus long, bifid and with curled ends.

Description. Male. Length from thorax to the posterior end of terminalia: 4.5 mm. Head subcircular, slightly flattened dorsoventrally. Eyes separated by approximately 5.0 facet diameters. Scape irregular, pedicel sub-spherical. Antenna with 16 flagellomeres cylindrical, last flagellomere with apiculus; length of flagellomeres 2+3 combined 1.4 times the length of flagellomere 1; pair of ascoids in flagellomeres presents. Palpus formula (1+2:3:4:5) = 2.2: 3.2: 4.0: 6.5. Newstead’s spines restricted to basal of the third palpus; apical segment striated (fig. 5). Wing. Length: 3.7 mm. Sc ending after level of radial fork, not reaching C; cross vein sc-r reaching R 1; R 2+3 shorter than R; base of R 5 reaching R 4; cross vein r-m incomplete, not reaching M: Sc, R 1, R 2, R 3, R 4, R 5 and M 1 not reaching wing margin (fig. 6). Abdomen segments III-VII with setae tufts lateral on differing numbers. Terminalia. Hypandrium fused to gonocoxites; gonocoxite simple cylindrical. Gonostylus irregular, ornamented with spines semi foliaceous. Parameres irregular with base off and tapering to the apex, apex similar to tassel wheat. Aedeagus long, bifid and with curled ends, extending beyond the length of gonocoxites. Ejaculatory duct cylindrical and sclerotized. Epandrium rectangular in ventral view. Hypoproct triangular, cercus rectangular in lateral view (fig. 7–10).

Etymology. The species is named after Dr. Bruce Alexander (in memorian) in honor of his contributions to the study of Psychodidae .

Material examined. Holotype male, Brazil, Espirito Santo: Muniz Freire (S 20° 27’ 51”, W 40° 24’ 47”), 31.x.2015, Pinto I.S. col. ( MZUZP) Three paratypes of the same holotype collection.

Remarks. The Neotropical genus Boreofairchildia is composed by 14 species but Boreofairchildia parvus (Santos,Falqueto & Bravo) and Boreofairchildia alexanderi, Santos , Brazil & Pinto sp. nov. have their distribution in Brazil.

Despite the increasing number of Bruchomyiinae studies, mainly in collaboration with Phlebotominae researchers, there is a gap between the real number of living Bruchomyiinae species and the number of described species. So, the description of new species and its relationships within the group and other psychodids remains very important for phylogeographic and phylogenetic studies that will help to understand the Bruchomyiinae evolution. Here, we slightly showed this importance increasing the geographical distribution of Boreofairchildia in South America. Also, we have shown the importance to use an objective classification based on cladistics analysis that allows to go beyond the morphological discussion.

Figures

FIGURES 5–10. Boreofairchildia alexanderi Santos, Brazil & Pinto sp. nov., Holotype male. 5, Head, frontal view; 6, Wing; 7, Terminalia, dorsal view; 8, Epandrium, Cerci and Hypoproct, ventral view; 9–10, Photo terminalia lateral view.