Melanagromyza pontis Boucher

Boucher, Stéphanie & Wheeler, Terry A., 2014, Neotropical Agromyzidae (Diptera) of the Mission Géodésique de l’Équateur: Becker (1920) revisited, Zootaxa 3779 (2), pp. 157-176 : 160-162

Melanagromyza pontis Boucher sp. n.

( Figs. 10–16 )

Agromyza aeneiventris Fallén , of Becker (1920), in part.

Holotype ♂. Ecuador: La Rinconada, alt. 3100 m, P. Rivet 1903 ( MNHN).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin pons (bridge), referring to the membranous gap between the basiphallus and mesophallus complex of the male genitalia.

Diagnosis. Calypter brown, fringe deep black, gena deep, abdomen mostly reddish-bronze. Three well developed postsutural dc (anterior dc about 0.65 times length of second dc) in addition to 2 much smaller postsutural dc.

Description. Ratio of frons width to eye width 1.5 (measured in dorsal view); orbit 0.22 times width of frons (including orbits) at midpoint; parafacial absent or slightly projecting, forming only narrow ring (cheek) below eye; 2 reclinate ors and 2 inclinate ori; orbital setulae erect or reclinate in 2–3 irregular rows; ocellar triangle extending anteriorly to upper ori; first flagellomere rounded with short pubescence apically; arista slightly shorter than maximum eye height and with very short pubescence; gena deep, projecting forward; gena height at midpoint about 0.26 times maximum eye height; antennae separated by flattened keel; upper margin of clypeus wide, more or less rounded, slightly pointed; eye with small patch of hairs dorsally near orbit. Three well developed postsutural dc (anterior dc about 0.65 times length of second dc) in addition to 2 much smaller postsutural dc on each side of welldeveloped anterior dc; acrostichal setulae in about 10 irregular rows; prescutellar acrostichal seta absent; notopleuron with 2 setae; postpronotum with 1 strong seta and 1 setula; wing length 2.7 mm; R4+5 ending closer to wing tip than M1+2; last section of CuA1 0.54 times length of penultimate.

Colour. Body brownish-black with abdomen mostly reddish-bronze; mesonotum with slight metallic reflection when viewed from posterior; calypter brown with fringe deep black. Orbit and ocellar triangle subshining.

Male genitalia. Basiphallus U-shaped, widely separated from mesophallus complex by a membranous gap ( Fig. 11 ); epandrium with patch of short spines internally and one small spine at hind corner ( Fig. 12 ); surstylus extended ventrally and bearing patch of short setae at apex (arrows, Figs. 13–14 ); hypandrial apodeme well developed ( Fig. 15 ); ejaculatory apodeme with narrow blade and well-defined medial vein ( Fig. 16 ).

Comments. This species is most similar to Melanagromyza meracula Spencer 1973a , but can be differentiated from it by the presence of 3 strong postsutural dc in addition to 2 much smaller postsutural dc (only 2 strong dc in M. meracula as in most other Melanagromyza spp.). The male genitalia are also distinct, with the basiphallus widely separated from the mesophallus (approximated in M. meracula ).

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 16. Melanagromyza pontis Boucher, (10) phallus, lateral, (11) phallus, ventral. Inset shows freshly dissected specimen, (12) epandrium, arrow shows small spine at hind corner, (13) epandrium, posterior, arrow shows small patch of setae on surstylus, (14) surstylus, lateral, arrow shows small patch of setae, (15) hypandrium with apodeme, (16) ejaculatory apodeme. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.