Melaloncha punctifrons Borgmeier, 1934 , p. 171 Borgmeier & Prado, 1975 , p. 54 Revision of the untreated taxa of Melaloncha s. s. bee-killing flies (Diptera: Phoridae) Brown, Brian V. Zootaxa 2006 2006-08-03 1280 1 1 68 3Z4CR Borgmeier Borgmeier 1934 [264,697,1262,1288] Insecta Phoridae Melaloncha Animalia Diptera 14 15 Arthropoda species punctifrons   Figs. 2–4      Melaloncha punctifrons Borgmeier, 1934, p. 171, figs. 1, 11, plate 3 fig. 2 ( ♂; Mapiri, Lorenzapata, Bolivia). ­  Borgmeier & Prado, 1975, p. 54( ♀; Vilhena, Rondônia, Brazil).     Holotype. ♀, BOLIVIA: Mapiri, Lorenzapata,  10.v.1903(not examined; Dresden).  Recognition.The punctate frons lacking most frontal setae, plus the elongate ovipositor, makes this species easy to distinguish. Males, described here for the first time, also lack most frontal setae.   Description.Female. Body length 1.3–1.7 mm. Frons pale yellowish­brown, evenly setulose and punctate; ocellar triangle with dark coloration encircling each ocellus. Interfrontal and fronto­orbital setae absent; only postocellar, inner and outer vertical setae present. Mean frontal width 0.37 head width, range 0.35–0.39. Ocular and genal setae yellow. Flagellomere 1 basally white, mostly yellow; aristomeres 1–2 yellow, aristomere 3 brown. Palpus yellow; palpal setulae yellow to dark brown, apical seta black. Scutum yellow to light brown. Scutellum light brown. Pleuron yellow to white, except basalare dark brown. Legs yellow to yellowish­brown (some specimens are darker in overall body color). Combined length of foretarsomeres approximately 1.1 length of foretibia. Foretarsal claws unmodified, without basal lobe. Mean costal length 0.55 wing length, range 0.52–0.58. Halter yellow to brown. Abdominal tergites vary in color from mostly yellow with small, dark brown, posterior spots to mostly dark brown with small anterior yellow markings. Venter of abdomen white. Ovipositor dark brown to black; greatly elongate, tubular, narrow; with scattered short setae. Male. Frons yellow, except ocellar triangle with band of black. Flagellomere 1 basally white, mostly yellow; aristomeres 1–2 yellow, aristomere 3 brown. Postocular setae brown, genal setae brown to black. Palpus yellow; palpal setulae black. Scutum yellowishbrown. Pleuron yellowish­brown to white, except basalare dark brown. Legs yellowishbrown. Abdominal tergites vary as do those of female. Venter of abdomen white. Cercus yellow. Epandrium with long, dense setae.   Host.Unknown.  Geographical distribution. Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama. In addition to the specimens listed below, Borgmeier & Prado (1975)recorded this species from Rondonia, Brazil, and I saw several further specimens in the MPEG collection from the Brazilian states of Acre, Amapa, and Pará. It is interesting that many of the MPEG specimens were collected from Malaise traps suspended in the forest canopy.   Material examined.  BRAZIL: Pará: Serra Norte, Managanes, 1♂,  19–22.viii.1984, armadilha suspensa  20 m( MPEG), V’gia – MATA, 1♀,  9.xii.1988, armadilha suspensa  15 m, I. S. Gorayeb, ( MPEG).  COLOMBIA: Amazonas: PNN Amacayacu, Mocagua, 3.82°S, 70.26°W, 1♀,  7–14.viii.2000, A. Parente, Malaise trap, CAP­  677, 150 m( UNCB);  Caquetá: PNN Chiribiquete, Rio Mesay, 0.23°N, 72.93°W, 1♀,  25.i.2000, E. González, FIT,  300 m( UNCB);  Vallede  Cauca: PN Farallones de Cali, Alto Anchicaya, 3.43°N, 76.80°W, 1♀,  18.vii–1.viii.2000, S.Sarria, Malaise trap, CAP­  1101, 730 m( LACM).  COSTA RICA: Alajuela:  20 kmS Upala, 1♂,  15.vii.1990, F. D. Parker( EMUS);  Guanacaste: Estación Pitilla,  9 kmS Santa Cecilia, 1♂,  x.1994, P. Ríos,  700 m, #3294 ( INBC);  Heredia: Chilamate, 10.45°N, 84.08°W, 1♂, 1♀,  vii–x.1990, P. Hanson, Malaise trap( LACM),  La Selva Biological Station, 10.43°N, 84.02°W, 1♂, 2♀,  3.iii.1993, ALAS, Malaise trapM/01/16, M/12/027, 1♀,  14.vi.1993, ALAS, Malaise trapM/12/134, 1♀,  10.viii.1995, ALAS, Malaise trapM/12/421 ( INBC, LACM),  11 kmSE La Virgen, 10.33°N, 84.07°W, 1♀,  23.ii.2003, ALAS, 05/M/13/013,  500 m( INBC).  PANAMA: Darien: Cruce de Mono, 7.92°N, 77.62°W, 1♀,  6.ii–4.iii.1993, R. Cambra, J. Coronado, Malaise trap( LACM). [264,1239,1470,1497] 1903-05-10 Bolivia Mapiri Lorenzapata 14 15 1 1 holotype 1984-08-19 1984-08-22 1984-08-19 MPEG Brazil 20 Managanes Serra Norte 15 16 1 1 Para 1988-12-09 MPEG Gorayeb Brazil 15 15 16 1 1 Para 2000-08-07 2000-08-14 2000-08-07 UNCB A. Parente Colombia Amazonas 677150 -3.82 Mocagua 784 -70.26 Amacayacu 15 16 1 1 Para 2000-01-25 UNCB E. Gonzalez Colombia 300 0.23 Rio Mesay 785 -72.93 Chiribiquete 15 16 1 1 Caqueta [533,633,1244,1270] Colombia Valle 15 16 1 Caqueta 2000-07-18 2000-08-01 2000-07-18 LACM S. Sarria Colombia 1101730 3.43 Alto Anchicaya 784 -76.8 Farallones de Cali 15 16 1 1 Cauca [264,1317,1323,1350] 1990-07-15 EMUS F. D. Parker Costa Rica 20 km S Upala 15 16 1 1 Alajuela 1994-10 INBC Rios Costa Rica 700 Estacion Pitilla 15 16 1 1 Guanacaste 1990-07 1990-10-31 1990-07 LACM P. Hanson Costa Rica 10.45 Chilamate 779 -84.08 15 16 2 1 1 Heredia 1993-03-03 1995-08-10 1993-03-03 INBC, LACM Costa Rica 10.43 La Selva Biological Station 779 -84.02 15 16 5 4 1 Heredia 2003-02-23 INBC Costa Rica 500 10.33 La Virgen 779 -84.07 15 16 1 1 Heredia 1993-02-06 1993-03-04 1993-02-06 LACM R. Cambra & J. Coronado Panama 7.92 Cruce de Mono 781 -77.62 15 16 1 1 Darien