Cardiacephala umbra, Ferro & Marshall, 2018

Ferro, Gustavo Borges & Marshall, Stephen A., 2018, A revision of the Neotropical ant-like genus Cardiacephala Macquart, including Plocoscelus Enderlein syn. nov. (Diptera: Micropezidae, Taeniapterinae), Zootaxa 4429 (3), pp. 401-458 : 452

Cardiacephala umbra new species

( Figs. 93–96 )

Description: Body length 6 mm, wing 4 mm. Palpus dark brown. Clypeus dark brown with pale microsetulae. First flagellomere dark brown covered with pale microsetulae. Fronto-orbital plates and frontal vitta brown. Epicephalon and paracephalon dark brown. Row of katepisternal setae white. Mid and hind femora brown and narrowly white basally. Mid and hind femora narrowly white basally. Fore tibia dark brown. Mid and hind tibiae brown. Fore tarsomere one white, 2–5 dark brown. T2–T4 brownish. Oviscape brown. Epandrium yellow.

Head: Palpus broadened basally and gradually tapering to apex. Clypeus short, length less than half of width. Two frontal setae. Frontal vitta with a narrowed depression centrally, reaching ocellar triangle. Inner vertical seta insertion flat, without tubercle. Paracephalon smooth, without swelling (not extending beyond the vertex). Vertex flattened. Supracervical setae, weak.

Thorax: Mesonotum with white pruinosity. Scutellum upturned, triangular. Femora with sparse black setulae. Mid and hind tibia flattened, but sulcus on outer face weak. Wing apex clear with three preapical black spots. Crossvein r-m with small dark spot. R4+5 and M1+2 ending separately in wing margin. A1+CuA2 as long as CuA2. Female cervical sclerite smooth, without swelling.

Abdomen: Tergites with yellowish setulae. Female abdomen: Single spermathecal duct uniformly thick, ending in a cylindrical spermatheca (somewhat damaged on Fig. 94 ). Paired spermathecal duct divided into a narrow basal half and a broader distal half. Paired spermathecal duct stems with a small rounded swelling. Paired spermathecae striate and cylindrical, deeply invaginated from apex to base. Male abdomen: Ejaculatory apodeme bigger than epandrium and with a broad blade, wider than sperm pump ( Fig. 96 ). Phallapodeme extending to anterior limit of hypandrium. Distiphallus long, longer than epandrium, ending in a phallic bulb, phallic bulb subequal in length and width.

Type material: Holotype: TOBAGO. Roxborough 10 km NE. Gilpin trail, 400–500 m, montane rain forest, FIT, 26–30.VI.1993, S. & J. Peck (1 ♀, DEBU 00138259). Paratype: TRINIDAD. Maracas, Maracas Falls, 12.VII.1981, J. M. Heraty (1 ♂, DEBU 01086450).

Other Material examined: FRENCH GUIANA. Montsinery, Carrefour Du Gallion, Emerald Jungle, Gelbschale, 5–16.XII.2003, M. Kotrba (1 ♀, DEBU); Nahe St. Jean, 29.XII.2002, M. Kotrba (1 #f, 1 ♂, DEBU); Nahe Tresor Nat. Reserve, Na umgefallenen Bäumem, 24.XII.2002, M. Kotrba (8 ♀, DEBU); Rorota Wasserspeicher, Nahe Cayenne, 26.XII.2002, M. Kotrba (4 ♀, 5 ♂, DEBU); TOBAGO. Roxborough 10 km NE. Gilpin trail, 400–500 m, montane rain forest, FIT, 26–30.VI.1993, S. & J. Peck (2 ♀, DEBU 00138260, DEBU 00138261); TRINIDAD. Morne Blue, 2700’, 6.VII.1969, H. & A. Howden (1 ♀, 2 ♂, CNC 503497, CNC 503498, CNC 503499); Saugre-Grande, IX.1959 (1 ♂, CNC 503444); Windblow ridge, Simla House N of Arima, 610 m, 9.VII.1981, J.M. Heraty (1 ♀, DEBU 00241882); VENEZUELA. Sucre, El Rincón, nr. Road between Carúpano & El Piler, along Rio El Rincón valley, 8–9.IV.1998, M. von Tschirnhaus (3 ♀, DEBU 00256939, DEBU 00256940, DEBU 00256941); Sucre, Puy-Puy, 32km E Carupano, plantations & 2º forest near beach, sweep, 31.III–2.IV.1988, M. von Tschirnhaus (2 ♀, 7 ♂, DEBU 00256928, DEBU 00256929, DEBU 00256930, DEBU 00256931, DEBU 00256932, DEBU 00256933, DEBU 00256934, DEBU 00256935, DEBU 00256936).

Distribution: French Guiana, Tobago, Trinidad, Venezuela

Etymology: The specific name C. umbra refers to the overall shadowed and opaque appearance of this species.

Comments: This species most closely resembles C. brevipennis , from which it is easily distinguished by its white fore tarsomere one and wing with three preapical black spots. Female and male genitalia are also very distinct.

Figures

FIGURES 93–96. Cardiacephala umbra. 93, female, dorsolateral view; 94, female genitalia, ventral view; 95, male, dorsolateral view; 96, male genitalia, lateral view.