Hoplitimyia inbioensis, Woodley, 2008

Woodley, Norman E., 2008, Two new Stratiomyinae, including Panamamyia gen. nov., from the Neotropical Region (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), Zootaxa 1701 (1), pp. 29-39 : 30-31

Hoplitimyia inbioensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–7 )

Diagnosis. Hoplitimyia inbioensis ( Fig. 1 ) differs from all other known Hoplitimyia except H. taurina James in having scutellar spines that are at least 1.5 times as long as the scutellum. All other species have the spines at most subequal to the length of the scutellum, but in most taxa they are distinctly shorter. Hoplitimyia inbioensis is very similar to H. taurina in general appearance, but is distinguished from it by having the scutellar spines directed posterodorsally in the same plane as the scutellum rather than being erect, and by having a vertical pale yellow band on the anterior part of the anepisternum ( Figs. 2, 3 ) that extends from the posterior edge of the anterior spiracle to the front coxa. This area is completely dark in H. taurina . Also, the silvery vestiture of the abdominal tergites is brighter in H. taurina , composed of longer hairs, and is confined to tergites 2 and 3.

Description. Male. Head black, with lateral facial margin pale yellowish from about level of antenna ventrally, and yellowish in an area encompassing the suture between the face and oral sclerites, the latter with a black spot at the apex of the oral margin. Postocular orbit with very narrow yellowish coloration near middle. Sparse silvery pilosity present, especially evident on frons, face and genal region, longest on gena. Tomentum sparse, except on posterior surface of head where it is grayish, and along posterior margin of eye where there is a narrow silvery-white strip below middle. Antenna with scape very elongate ( Fig. 3 ), about two-thirds length of flagellum, slender but becoming slightly thicker apically, dark yellow becoming gradually brownish apically, and with very short, inconspicuous pilosity that is closely appressed to surface; pedicel and flagellum brownish black, pedicel with dark hairs especially evident near apex, flagellum with velvety vestiture. Labella shiny black, more brownish centrally in lateral view, sharply pointed apically, with very short, sparse pilosity. Palpus inconspicuous, pale yellow.

Thorax ( Fig. 1 ) dull black with postpronotal lobe, postalar callus, a narrow band on the anepisternum extending from the posterior margin of the anterior spiracle to the posterior margin of front coxa, tiny marking on the posterodorsal corner of the anepisternum, and the medial area of the laterotergite pale greenish yellow. Some small pleural regions, especially around sutures below the wing base, more brownish. Scutellum ( Fig. 1 ) entirely pale yellowish with posterior margin and spines vaguely brownish. Scutum with a mixture of appressed whitish and brownish pilosity, with two faint vittae on anterior 4/5 of presutural region. Pleura with generally distributed grayish white tomentum and whitish hairs on propleuron, posterior half of anepisternum, most of katepisternum, anterior two-thirds of anepimeron, and lateral half of laterotergite. Legs dark, dull yel- low with coxae and trochanters more brownish; basal half of front femur, basal half and dorsal part of middle femur, and much of hind femur more brownish, the darker areas appearing more shiny; tibiae vaguely darker on basal halves. Wing ( Fig. 2 ) slightly brownish with anterior portion dark brown, the dark area encompassing cells c, sc, br, bm, anterobasal part of cu p, entire discal cell, r 1, r 2+3, and anterior two-thirds of r 4+5, with the brown coloration not quite reaching wing apex; dark areas of wing with distinct microtrichia, other areas bare. Vein R 4 absent. Halter with knob pale green, stem brownish.

Abdomen ( Fig. 1 ) dull black, membrane in front of first tergite paler, extreme lateral margins of tergites and posterior margin of tergite 5 vaguely brownish, and lateral part of sutures between tergites 2–3, 3–4, and 4–5 very narrowly pale brown. Tergites with general vestiture of short, sparse, pale hairs; tergites 2 and 3 and anterior part of 4 with very dense grayish-silver tomentum covering most of surface (best seen with anterior lighting); remainder of tergite surfaces with inconspicuous dull tomentum that gives the abdomen a matte appearance. Sternites similar to tergites in color, but without silvery tomentum; posterior half of sternite 1 with a pale green band that narrows slightly at middle, anterior third or so of second sternite with greenish band that is widest medially, and posterior margin of sternite 3 and extremely narrow margin of sternite 4 pale greenish; lateral margin of tergite 4 and lateral and posterior margins of sternite 5 pale but not as conspicuously green. Gonocoxites with lateral margins evenly rounded ( Fig. 4 ); gonocoxal apodemes absent; apex of hypandrium rectangularly produced, slightly rounded posteriorly, very concave dorsally. Gonostylus displaced ventrally, triangularly produced on medial margin. Phallic complex ( Fig. 5, 7 ) trifid, median lobe truncate posteriorly and slightly longer than lateral lobes, which are tapered posteriorly; attachment structure narrowed medially. Epandrium ( Fig. 6 ) convex with lateral and posterior margins evenly rounded.

Length 8.4–9.0 mm.

Female. Unknown.

Specimens examined. Holotype ♂, COSTA RICA: Herédia Province, Santo Domingo, INBio Parque , 09°59'N, 85°05'W, 1150 meters, 8 August 2001, N. E. Woodley ( USNM) . Paratype ♂, COSTA RICA: Puntarenas Province, Albergue Cerro de Oro , L _S 279650_518450, 150 meters, E. Fletes ( INBio, CRI002339742 ) .

Etymology. The species epithet is named for the type locality, INBio Parque, the public park at the Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad at Santo Domingo in Herédia Province, Costa Rica. This park demonstrates the floral and faunal diversity of Costa Rica.

Remarks. The holotype specimen was collected sitting on a leaf in the sun, looking very much like a vespid wasp.

As noted in the diagnosis, this species is very similar to Hoplitimyia taurina . These two species are more slender than most other species of Hoplitimyia and have less conspicuous abdominal coloration. The general appearance of these two species is somewhat similar to that of H. clavata James from Ecuador, but the latter has a more elongate abdomen and the wing is not darkened on the anterior portion.

A very recently collected female specimen may be the female of this species. Its collection data is: BOLIVIA: Santa Cruz Department, Florida Province, Refugio Los Volcanes , 4 km N of Bermejo, 18°06'S, 63°36'W, 1045 meters, 31 October 2007, N. E. Woodley ( USNM). This specimen has the characteristic yellow band on the anepisternum as found in males and is otherwise similar except for sexual dimorphism. It lacks the silvery tomentum on the abdominal tergites, but this is likely a feature found only in males. However, since there is so much distance between collecting sites of the Costa Rican males and this female specimen, and there are so few known specimens, the taxonomic status of this female specimen remains uncertain .

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. Hoplitimyia inbioensis, sp. nov., male holotype. 1, dorsal view. 2, lateral view. 3, lateral view of head and antennae.

FIGURES 4–7. Hoplitimyia inbioensis, sp. nov., male terminalia of paratype. 4, genital capsule, dorsal view. 5, phallic complex, dorsal view. 6, epandrium and post-genitalic structures, dorsal view. 7, phallic complex, lateral view.