Pieza rhea, Evenhuis, Neal L., 2002

Evenhuis, Neal L., 2002, Pieza, a new genus of microbombyliids from the New World (Diptera: Mythicomyiidae), Zootaxa 36, pp. 1-28 : 21-22

Pieza rhea , sp. nov.

Male. Length: 1.05­1.34 mm. Head. Black. Eyes dichoptic; ocelli forming a narrow triangle; lateral ocellus 1.5 its diameter from inner eye margin; frons slightly longer than wide, depressed medially; antenna black, scape minute; pedicel slightly wider than long; first flagellomere short, ovoid, broadest at or slightly beyond middle, slightly longer than wide; length of second flagellomere equal to width of first flagellomere; proboscis black, projecting beyond oral margin for distance 1.5 head height; occiput black, with sparse black hairs.

Thorax. Mesonotum dull black; humeral callus, interhumeral triangular mark, lateral margin (broad and deeply incised behind prealar suture), postalar callus, narrow admedian vitta, and prescutellar area yellow; black color of mesonotum not reaching base of scutellum; dorsum of mesonotum with scattered black hairs; scutellumyellow, spot of black basomedially, with scattered dark hairs; pleura with upper portion yellow to yellowish white, lower portion black; coxae and femora dark brown to black on basal 1/2; apical tarsal segments black; otherwise legs yellowish; halter withstem and knob yellow.

Wing. Hyaline; veins brown; costa ending at midpoint between end of veins R4+5 and M1; cell r4+5 longer than cell dm; vein R2+3 arising at nearly 90°; cell dm narrowed apically; vein at base of cell m1 shorter than r­m crossvein.

Abdomen. Dorsum dark brownish; tergites I­II yellowish laterally, tergites III­VI with narrow yellow to yellowish white fasciae on posterior margin of each segment; dorsum with scattered yellowish hairs; venter yellow.

Genitalia. Not dissected.

Female as in male except as follows: genitalia ( Fig. 18 ) with vaginal furca V­shaped, lateral processes long, thin; spermathecal reservoir as in deresistans but sclerotized for more of its length; apical spermathecal duct long, thin, tapering from reservoir to sperm pump; sperm pump membranous, flared apically, one­half length of apical duct; basal spermathecal duct subequal in length to sperm pump, fused with common duct at vaginal orifice.

Types. Holotype male and allotype female from UNITED STATES: Florida: Highlands County: Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid , 6.xi.1986, on flowers of Polygonella gracilis , M. Deyrup. Paratypes: 2 males, topotypic, collected with the types; 1 male, topotypic, 30.x.1987, M. Deyrup; 1 male, topotypic, 1.xi.1987, M. Deyrup; 1 female, topotypic, 19.x.1992; 1 female, same data except, on flower of Polygonella basiramia ; 1 female, Archbold Biological station, 15.x.1996, on flowers of Polygonella basiramia, M. Deyrup ; 7 females, same data except 16.x.1996; 2 males, 13 females, same data except 17.x.1996, Grid Road; 1 male, 11 females, same data except 18.x.1996, on flowers of Polygonella gracilis , center fire lane; 1 female, same data except 21.x.1996; 6 females, same data except 22.x.1996, on Polygonella basiramia , scrub habitat, Rd 14A (all ABS); 8 males and females, topotypic, 8­14.x.1964, P.H. Arnaud, Jr. ( CAS, USNM); 2 males, Vero Beach, 9.iii.1956 [collector unknown] ( USNM). Holotype and allotype in USNM.

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the Greek “ ” = flow, current, referring to the yellow to whitish pattern on the abdominal tergites.

Distribution. Known only from the above two localities in southern Florida (Archbold Biological Station and Vero Beach).

Figures

FIGURES 17 ­ 19. Pieza female genitalia. 17. P. o s t e n t a (Melander). 18. P. rhea, sp. nov. 19. P. s i n ­ clairi, sp. nov.