Alepia arenivaga, Bravo, Freddy, 2008

Bravo, Freddy, 2008, Three new species of Alepia Enderlein (Diptera, Psychodidae, Psychodinae) from the Brazilian semi-arid region, Zootaxa 1805, pp. 52-60 : 55

Alepia arenivaga sp. nov.

Figs. 12–22

Type material. BRAZIL, Pilão Arcado (10° 07’ S 42° 53’ W), holotype male, 05.XII.2005, Viera, R. & Alvim, E. (MZUEFS); 1 paratype male, same locality as holotype, 03.XII, 2005, Alvim, E. & Vieira, R. (MZUEFS); 1 paratype male, same locality as holotype, 27.VI.2006, Viera, R. & Cordeiro, D. (MZUEFS).

Habitat. Pilão Arcado is located on the sand dunes of the middle São Francisco River, a region of hyperxerophytic Caatinga (Barreto et al. 1999) that floods during the rainy season. The vegetation of Pilão Arcado is an open seasonally deciduous arboreal Caatinga (SEI 2007).

Etymology. arenivaga Latin , refers to the sand dune habitat where this species was collected.

Diagnosis. Eyes separated by 3 facet diameters; wing membrane with small bristles in the costal and cubital areas; gonostylus with small basal lobe having long bristles; cercus piriform, with cluster of accessory tenacula confined to a dark area near the base; aedeagal apodeme 8-shaped, longer than the length of paramere.

Description. Male. Head ( Fig. 13 ): vertex hair patch divided by a narrow medial band without bristles, Vshaped; eyes separated by 3 facet diameters; interocular suture arched; frons hair patch undivided, with the anterior margin straight or with small median concavity. Antenna: scape cylindrical, 2.0X the length of pedicel ( Fig. 14 ); pedicel spherical ( Fig. 14 ); flagellum with 14 flagellomeres, fusiform; flagellomere 1 with poorly developed neck ( Fig. 14 ), others flagellomeres with necks ( Figs 14, 15 ); flagellomere 14 smaller than previous ones, and with apiculus ( Fig. 15 ); ascoids not visible. Palpus formula = 1.0:2.3:2.2:3.2; last palpomere striated ( Fig. 16 ). Wing ( Fig. 17 ): wing membrane with infuscate patterns: large dark area near the middle of the wing, with smaller and darker spots in the costal region, base of M1+2, apex of the tip of the wing, and apex of M2 and M3; bristles present in the costal and cubital regions, similar to the species A. montana sp. nov. ( Fig. 7 ); Sc short; radial fork at the same level as medial fork; R5 ending at apex. Male terminalia: Hypandrium reduced, only a post-hypandrial plate present, with length equal to 0.5X the length of aedeagal apodeme ( Fig. 18 ); apex of post-hypandrial plate sickle-shaped ( Fig. 18 ). Gonocoxite short, 1/ 3X the length of gonostylus, with few very short bristles on the dorsal surface and few long bristles on the ventral surface ( Figs. 18, 19 ). Gonocoxal apodeme 1/ 2X the length of aedeagal apodeme, with sclerotized posterior band area ( Fig. 18 ). Gonostylus slightly curved ( Figs. 19, 21 ), digitiform, except by the presence of a basal tubercle with long bristles ( Figs. 18, 21 ), some alveoli present along entire surface ( Fig. 18 ). Epandrium subquadrate, naked; foramen not visible. Cerci piriform, narrow apically, wide basally ( Fig. 19 ), with apical tenaculum, short, filiform ( Figs. 19, 20 ), with two short bristles near the tenaculum ( Fig. 20 ); cluster of accessory tenacula confined to dark area near the base ( Fig. 19 ), with clavate tips ( Figs. 19, 22 ). Sternite 10 short, ending before distal margin of epandrium; apex rounded. Tergite 10 narrow. Aedeagus wider than paramere, with rounded apex, ending before the paramere ( Figs. 18, 19 ); aedeagus 0.9X the length of the paramere. Paramere long, subtriangular, narrows apically ( Fig. 18 ). Aedeagal apodeme 8-shaped, wider proximally than apically, longer than the length of paramere ( Figs. 12 , 18 ).

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 12. 8 – 11. Alepia montana Bravo, sp. nov., male terminalia. Figs. 8 – 11 holotype, except of 8 (paratype). 8. Lateral. 9. Dorsal. 10. Ventral. 11. Aedeagal apodeme. 12. Alepia arenivaga Bravo, sp. nov., male terminalia, aedeagal apodeme, holotype.

FIGURES 13 – 22. Alepia arenivaga Bravo, sp. nov., male. Figs. 13 – 22 paratype, except of 16, 17, 18 (holotype); Figs. 13. Head. 14. Antenna: scape, pedicel and basal flagellomeres. 15. Antenna: flagellomeres 11 – 14. 16. Palpus. 17. Wing. 18 – 22, male terminalia. 18. Dorsal. 19. Lateral. 20. Accessory tenaculum with clavate tip. 21. Gonocoxite and gonostylus. 22. Apical tenaculum.

FIGURES 1 – 7. Alepia montana Bravo, sp. nov., male. Figs. 1 – 7, holotype, except of 1 and 4 (paratype). 1. Head. 2. Antenna: scape, pedicel and basal flagellomeres. 3. Antenna: flagellomeres 12 – 14. 4. Antenna: right flagelomeres 1 – 2 fused. 5. Palpus. 6. Wing with the infuscate pattern. 7. Wing with the distribution of bristles in the wing membrane.