Thecomyia autazensis Marinoni and Steyskal

Marinoni, Luciane, Steyskal, George C. & Knutson, Lloyd, 2003, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Neotropical Genus Thecomyia Perty (Diptera: Sciomyzidae), Zootaxa 191, pp. 1-36 : 21-22

5. Thecomyia autazensis Marinoni and Steyskal , new species ( Figs. 10 , 22 , 34, 41, 43)

Description. Adult. Upper orbital seta absent. Fronto­orbital spot rounded, width approximately 1/4 frontal width. Rostrum 0.64­0.7 in males and 0.68­0.8 in females as high as eye. White microtomentose infra­ocular marking forming a triangle with margin between gena and postgena sinuous. Mid femur without anteromedial seta. Mid and hind femora wholly yellowish. Mesonotum with medial tripartite stripe evanescent anteriorly, yellow only for short distance before scutellum; scutellum golden yellow. Ejaculatory apodeme wide apically, anterior margin slightly sinuous, posterior margin concave ( Fig. 10 ). Phallapodeme slightly sinuous. Anterior basiphallic process almost symmetrical, with 3 pronglike extensions. Epiphallus short not extending to base of distiphallus. Distiphallus without long slender prongs, wide, apex tetracuspid. Hypandrium in lateral view with dorsal margin almost straight and anteroventral margin narrow, rounded ( Fig. 22 ). Anteroventral hypandrial plates in frontal view very wide. Membranous projections of margins of anteroventral hypandrial plates extending to lateral margins of hypandrium, covered with minute hairs ( Fig. 22 ). Posterior and anterior surstyli distinct; anterior surstylus very short, fingerlike; posterior surstylus well developed, anterior margin almost convex, apex not so pointed ( Fig. 10 ). Female sternites 6, 7 and 8 almost fused, suture between 6 and 7+8 visible; wider than long and with the anterior margin of sternite 6 sinuate; mid longitudinal portion less sclerotized. Spermathecal duct with sclerotized region joining spermatheca short, wide; apical, digitiform projection broad at base, short (Fig. 34).

Type specimens. HOLOTYPE MALE. 1. Small rectangular label: [ BRAZIL] "Rio Autaz"; 2. Small rectangular label: "Amazon Roman [col.]" ( USNM). PARATYPES. The same labels as on the holotype, 11 m. and 2 f. ( USNM); 2 m. and 1 f. ( DZUP).

Etymology.­The specific epithet, autazensis , is a reference to the species type­locality, Autaz River (Amazon).

Comments. In the labels of the examined specimens the only information about the place where they were collected is “Rio Autaz”. In Amazonas ( Brazil) there are two rivers named Autaz: Autaz­Açu and Autaz­Mirim, both very close from each other. Trying to figure out where the specimens were collected for sure we have consulted Aurivillius (1929) that explains the A. Roman trip to Amazonas during the periods 1914­1915 and 1923­1924. Unfortunately there is no other indication that could be useful to solve the doubt: the author cited the locality as Rio Autaz also.

Figures

FIGURES 9 ­ 11. Male terminalia, left lateral view: 9, Thecomyia abercrombiei Marinoni and Steyskal; 10, T. autazensis Marinoni and Styeskal; 11, T. bonattoi Marinoni and Steyskal.

FIGURES 18 ­ 23. Hypandrium, frontal view and right lateral view: 18, Thecomyia longicornis Perty; 19, T. lateralis (Walker); 20, T. limbata (Wiedemann); 21, T. abercrombiei Marinoni and Steyskal; 22, T. autazensis Marinoni and Steyskal; 23, T. bonattoi Marinoni and Steyskal. A, anterior; as, archlike struts; avp, anteroventral plates; d, dorsal; mp, membranous projection; v, ventral.