Palpomyia turnbowi, William L. Grogan & Spinelli & Ronderos & Carla, 2013

William L. Grogan, Jr., Spinelli, Ronderos, María M. & Carla, 2013, The biting and predaceous midges of Guadeloupe Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). I. Species of the subfamily Ceratopogoninae, Insecta Mundi 2013 (324), pp. 1-21 : 12-14

Palpomyia turnbowi new species

( Figs. 13-19 , 24-27 )

Diagnosis. The only Neotropical species of Palpomyia in the distincta group with the following combination of characters: scutum with an anterior tubercle, yellowish legs and a slender fore femur bearing a single row of 9-12 spines in females, 6-8 spines in males; females with sternite 7 bearing a tuft of 12-20 large setae and posterior portion of sternite 8 with two hyaline plates connected by a sclerotized band; and males with base of parameres contiguous on proximal ¾, but the distal ¼ are clearly separated, each portion tapering distally to pointed tip.

Female. Head ( Fig. 13 ). Very dark brown. Eyes separated by diameter of 2 ommatidia. Antennal flagellum ( Fig. 14 ) uniformly dark brown or with bases of flagellomeres slightly lighter brown; flagellomeres 2-8 moderately short, barrel-shaped, flagellomeres 9-13 cylindrical, 9-11 greatly elongated, 12-13 considerably longer than 9-11; flagellomere 13 slightly longer than 12 with bluntly rounded tip; antennal ratio 1.29-1.35 (1.33, n= 6). Palpus slightly lighter in color than flagellum; segment 3 slightly broader anteriorly, with abundant capitate sensilla on mesal surface; palpal ratio 2.50-3.12 (2.83, n=7). Mandible with 7-10 (n=7) large teeth on inner margin. Thorax. Very dark brown. Scutum ( Fig. 15 ) with anterior pointed tubercle, densely covered with short setae, 5 large supralar setae; scutellum with 4 large setae. Legs ( Figs. 15-16 ) yellowish, base of hind tibia light brown; tarsomeres 3-5 dark brown; fore femur slender, armed with single row of 9-12 (n=7) ventral spines; hind tarsomere 1 with ventral palisade setae in two rows; 5th tarsomeres without ventral setae; prothoracic tarsal ratio 2.11-2.42 (2.19, n = 6), mesothoracic tarsal ratio 3.37-4.00 (3.70, n= 5), metathoracic tarsal ratio 2.46-2.77 (2.61, n= 7). Wing ( Fig. 17 ) membrane slightly infuscated; anterior veins dark brown; M with distance between r-m crossvein and base of M 2 equal to length of r-m; 2 nd radial cell 1.86-3.00 (2.49, n= 7) x longer than 1 st; wing length 1.77-2.00 (1.88, n= 7) mm, width 0.51-0.65 (0.59, n= 7) mm; costal ratio 0.74-0.76 (0.76, n= 7). Halter dark brown. Abdomen. Dark brown, with 0-2 pairs of internal gland rods. Genitalia as in Figs. 18 , 24 . Sternite 7 bearing a tuft of 12-20 large setae. Sternite 8 with proximal portion sclerotized posteriorly, pubescent, with numerous large setae on distal ½, anterior margin hyaline, posterior margin gently convex; posterior portion represented by two glabrous, hyaline plates connected by heavily sclerotized area; two large, hyaline setose lobes with broad apices, extending just beyond posterior plates. Sternite 9 moderately sclerotized, divided into pair of very slender, pointed anteromesally directed arms. Sternite 10 triangular, with 5-7 (n=7) pairs of large setae. Two pyriform, slightly unequal-sized spermathecae with short necks, measuring 51-55 (53, n =2) by 40-48 (44, n =2) μ m, and 51 (n =2) by 37-40 (39, n = 2) μ m; plus a rudimentary third spermatheca.

Male. Similar to female with the following notable sexual differences. Antennal flagellomeres 10-13 with lengths in proportion of 5-15-17-17; plume dark brown, moderately dense, not extending beyond flagellomeres 11. Palpal ratio 2.29-2.42 (2.33, n= 3). Fore femur yellowish to light brown with 6-8 spines; mid, hind femora entirely dark brown; prothoracic tarsal ratio 2.00-2.17 (2.06, n = 3), mesothoracic tarsal ratio 3.29-3.43 (3.38, n= 3), metathoracic tarsal ratio 2.36-2.50 (2.44, n= 3). Wing length 1.20- 1.41 (1.34, n= 13) mm, width 0.42-0.47 (0.40, n= 13) mm; costal ratio 0.68-0.75 (0.71, n= 13); 2nd radial cell 1.67-2.43 (2.03, n= 3) x longer than 1st. Genitalia as in Figs. 19 , 25-27 . Tergite 9 tapering slightly distally on proximal ½, with broad, straight distal margin, cerci stout extending beyond gonocoxites with 2 large subapical setae; sternite 9 short with broad, deep posteromedian excavation. Gonocoxite straight, twice as long as broad, with moderately elongate mesoventral lobe; gonostylus short, 0.6 length of gonocoxite, curved, tapering slightly distally, with stout slightly pointed tip. Parameres ( Fig. 26 ) with heavily sclerotized basal apodemes that are recurved more than 90°; main stem more lightly sclerotized, contiguous on proximal 3/4, distal ¼ narrowly separated, each half with tapered apex. Aedeagus ( Fig. 27 ) broadly triangular, slightly broader than long, heavily sclerotized; pre-aedeagal membrane with sparse short spicules, ventral surface of aedeagus covered with dense long, fine spicules; basal arch extending to 0.3 of total aedeagus length; basal arm very heavily sclerotized, nearly straight, anterolaterally directed; distal portion narrowed progressively, with underlying, broad, hyaline arrowhead-shaped tip.

Distribution. Guadeloupe.

Type material. Holotype male, allotype female labeled “ Guadeloupe, Basse Terre , Trace des Cretes (D- 14), 22-V-2012, R. H. Turnbow, BL Trap ” (deposited in FSCA) . Paratypes, 13 males, 6 females, as follows: same data as holotype, 11 males, 5 females ; same data as holotype except 26-V-2012, 1 female ; same data except NE Pigeon (16.14404° N, 61.74977° W), 18-V-2012, 2 males .

Derivation of specific epithet. We are pleased to name this new species after the collector, Robert H. Turnbow, in recognition of his important contributions to the taxonomy of Coleoptera in the Caribbean Region.

Discussion. This new species belongs to the Palpomyia distincta group, as it was defined by Grogan and Wirth (1979) with modifications by Spinelli et al. (2009). Both sexes readily differ from the only other species known from Guadeloupe, P. insularis , in being darker brown without 1 or more spines on their hind femur and females have two spermathecae.

Palpomyia turnbowi is most similar to P. guyana Clastrier from French Guiana. However, that species has a greatly swollen fore femur bearing 18-20 spines, a greatly arcuate fore tibia and the two arms of female sternite 9 are mesally directed. The male genitalia of P. guyana is somewhat similar to P. turnbowi as the aedeagus is in the shape of a quadrangular, densely pilose shield, but, it lacks the hyaline, arrowhead-shaped apex and its gonocoxite lacks an elongate mesoventral lobe. Palpomyia conifera Macfie from Brazil (Brasilia, D.F., Goiás and Santa Catarina) also resembles P. turnbowi , but, the hind femur and tibia are dark brown, male sternite 9 is larger with a very shallow posteromedian excavation, and the gonostylus is almost as long as the gonocoxite.

Figures

Figures 13-19. Palpomyia turnbowi n. sp. 13-18) Female. 13) Head. 14) Flagellum. 15) Scutum and fore leg. 15) Middle and hind legs. 17) Wing. 18) Genitalia and spermathecae in ventral view. 19) Male genitalia, in ventral view (scale bars = 0.05 mm).

Figures 20-27. 20) Parabezzia florentinae n. sp., female. 21-23) Stilobezzia thomasi n. sp., male. 24) Palpomyia turnbowi n. sp., female. 25-27) Palpomyia turnbowi n. sp., male. 20) Tarsomeres 5 and tarsal claws. 21, 25) Male genitalia, in ventral view. 22, 26) Parameres. 23, 27) Aedeagus. 24) Female genitalia, in ventral view (scale bars = 0.05 mm).