Olbiogaster halffteri Huerta & Hancock, 2019

Huerta, Heron, Dzul-Manzanilla, Felipe, Navarrete-Carballo, Juan C., Manrique-Saide, Pablo & Hancock, E. Geoffrey, 2019, Olbiogaster Osten Sacken (Diptera: Anisopodidae) from Mexico, with the description of three new species, Zootaxa 4565 (4), pp. 475-492 : 477

Olbiogaster halffteri Huerta & Hancock , new species

( Figs. 1, 5A , 6 A–D, 10)

Type material. Holotype male, labelled: HOLOTYPE, Olbiogaster halffteri sp. n. MEXICO, Puebla, Zapotitlán Salinas, Jardin Botanico, 6–10 July 1999, Col. E.G. Hancock, at light on house wall. Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow , No 162177, 1 male, pinned with cleared genitalia in micro-phial .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished by the color of the mesonotum, being shiny black; scutellum dark brown ( Fig. 1); coxae brownish-black; fore and midfemora yellow with basal third brown, hind femur brown for basal and apical thirds, middle third yellow; haltere yellow-brown.

Description. Body length 6.3mm; antenna 3.25mm.

Head. ( Fig. 1). Black pollinose, as in nuxco sp. n. Scape and pedicel yellow, black pilose; flagellum black, with 14 cylindrical flagellomeres about twice as long as wide, scattered setae on each flagellomere; antenna length, 3.25mm. Mouthparts yellow-brown; palpus setose, longer than labellum, first palpomere very short, about 1/3 as long as second, 2nd segment cylindrical, 3rd segment swollen, with sensory pit, 4th and 5th cylindrical.

Thorax. Black. Mesonotum shiny black covered with fine whitish setulae, supra-alar and humeral areas yellow ( Fig. 1). Scutellum blackish-brown, with lateral margin yellow, postscutellum black pruinose, with patch of 7–8 fine, whitish setae lateral. Pleural sclerites uniformly black, shining. Anipesternum and dorsal half of katepisternum pruinose.

Legs. Coxae dark brownish black, setose; fore and midfemur yellow with basal third brown, hind femur brown in basal and apical thirds, central third yellow; tibia yellow except narrow apical brown band on hind tibia. Tarsi darker, except bases of metatarsi; tibiae and tarsus dense black pile; all legs with setulae irregularly arranged; tibiae densely covered with irregular rows of setae; tibiae and tarsi with 3–4 longitudinal rows of stiff, stout, black setae. Apical comb of seven setae present at inner face of hind tibia; tibial spurs 1:2:1. Tarsal claws black.

Wing. Length, 5.4 mm; width, 1.8 mm. Identical in vein and membrane characters with nuxco sp. nov. (q.v.). Haltere yellow-brown.

Abdomen. Tergites 1 to 3 dark brown with pale posterior band, tergites 4 and 5 with margin posterolateral pale, tergites 6 and 7 dark brown. Sternites 1 to 3 dark brown, sternites 4 to 7 dark black.

Male terminalia ( Fig. 5A ). Dark brown. Gonocoxites with patch of 50–55 large setae; gonostylus ( Fig. 6C ) with two elongated, thin setae subapically, one straight, strongly sclerotized spine, with distal portion curved ventromesad; aedeagal guide (ventral plate) with basal apodeme ( Fig. 6A ), midportion enlarged, tapering, distal portion with a pair longer, divergent setae, directed toward the basal part, 2 to 3 pairs of short, coarse setae in a row ( Fig. 6B ), apex with a pair short, coarse setae directed frontally. Sternite 10 with two pairs of arms fused basally; inner pair elongated, slender, midportion curved, with three or four slender apical setae; outer arms with 10–11 apical setae curved at their tip ( Fig. 6D ).

Bionomics. The unique specimen was caught on an illuminated wall at night. The building was part of the Botanical Garden offices and accommodation of Zapopitlan where a special collection of Cactacea plants is managed.

Distribution. ( Fig. 10 ). Mexico (Puebla).

Etymology. This species is named for Professor Gonzalo Halffter in recognition of hospitality and guidance he provided to the collector when part of a visiting group to Mexico including Zapotitlán Salinas, part of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Male genitalia, ventral view. A. Olbiogaster halffteri sp. nov.; B, C. Olbiogaster nuxco sp. nov.; D, E. Olbiogaster puuc sp. nov. Genitalia: A, B, D; cercus: C, E. Scale bar: B, D, E= 0.1 mm; C= 0.16 mm.

FIGURE 6. Male genitalia, ventral view. A–D. Olbiogaster halffteri sp. nov.; E–G. Olbiogaster nuxco sp. nov.; H–J. Olbiogaster puuc sp. nov. Aedeagal guide: A, B, E, H; gonostylus: C, F, I; sternite X: D, G, J. Scale bar: A, C, D= 0.1 mm; E– J= 0.16 mm.

FIGURE 10. Distribution of species Olbiogaster in Mexico: Olbiogaster halffteri sp. nov. (black circle); Olbiogaster mexicana (brown circle); Olbiogaster nuxco sp. nov. (yellow circle); Olbiogaster puuc sp. nov. (blue circle); Olbiogaster sackeni (red circle, only the specific distribution in Mexico is included); Olbiogaster taeniata (green circle, only the specific distribution in Mexico is included).