Elcaribe paniculus Webb, 2006

Webb, Donald W. & Metz, Mark A., 2006, A Revision of the New World Genera Brachylinga Irwin and Lyneborg and Lysilinga Irwin and Lyneborg (Diptera: Therevidae: Therevinae) with the Description of a New Genus, Elcaribe Webb, Zootaxa 1288 (1288), pp. 1-241 : 188-191

Elcaribe paniculus Webb spec. nov.

(Figs. 229, 243, 257, 271, 285, 299, 313, 327, 340, 352, 359)

Etymology

Paniculus (Latin) = tuft. This name is used as a noun in apposition and refers to the small tuft of setae at the apex of the gonostylus.

Diagnosis

Elcaribe paniculus is taxonomically associated with E. longicaudus in having an anterodorsal patch of short, dark brown to black setae on the gena; in having the male hypoproct (Fig. 229) enlarged, cone­shaped; in possessing dorsocentral macrosetae; and in having the apicoventral surface of the male hypoproct flat. Elcaribe paniculus differs from E. longicaudus having the halter knob yellow and the gonocoxite in lateral view ( Fig. 271) quadrate with the posterior margin broadly pointed.

Description of holotype male (MEI 115925)

Body length 5.4 mm.

Head. Length 0.74 mm. Ommatidia smaller ventrally and laterally. Frons pruinescence dark gray; setae black. Antenna/head length 0.86; dark brown to black, base of first flagellomere dark yellow; scape length 0.26 mm, width 0.14 mm, length/width 1.9, scape/pedicel length 3.3, scape/flagellum width 0.88, setae dark reddish brown with scattered dark yellow setae dorsally; pedicel length 0.08 mm, length/width 0.7; flagellum length 0.30 mm, width 0.16 mm, length/width 1.9, flagellum/scape length 1.2. Parafacial pruinescence gray. Maxillary palpus yellow, reddish brown basally; length 0.41 mm, length/width 6.8; setae white. Genal setae white with small anterodorsal patch of short dark reddish brown setae. Occipital setae white becoming dull yellow, lanceolate, appressed dorsally along margin of eye.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 2 sa, 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Mesonotum pruinescence brownish gray; setae black intermixed with pale gold, lanceolate, appressed setae. Pleuron pruinescence silver; setae white on propleuron, anepisternum, katepisternum, metanepisternum, pale yellow on laterotergite, pale gold, lanceolate, appressed on scutellum. Wing. Membrane pale gray, veins brown; length 4.5 mm, length/width 3.0; pterostigma pale brown; cell m 3 closed at wing margin (generally slightly open). Halter yellow. Legs. Femora dark reddish brown; ventral setae white, dark brown setae apicoventrally; av 1:0:2, pv 0:0:0. Tibiae dark yellow, apex dark reddish brown. Tarsomere 1 dark yellow, tarsomere 2 dark yellow, apex dark brown; 3–5 dark brown.

Abdomen. Tergite 1 dark brown, tergite 2 dark brown with posterolateral area and posterior margin dark yellow, tergite 3 dark yellow with dark brown anteromedial area, tergites 4–8 dark yellow; dorsal setae white, lanceolate, appressed; lateral setae white, elongate. Terminalia (MEI 030496) dark yellow. Tergite 8 and epandrium (Fig. 229), setae dark yellow. Sternite 8 ( Fig. 243), sides rounded, posterior margin emarginate. Hypoproct (Fig. 229) large, conical, posterior margin tapering to thick point; apicoventral surface flat. Gonocoxite ventral view ( Fig. 243), medial margin sinuate, extending posteromedially to rounded lobe, posterior margin becoming emarginate then tapering apically to short point, setae dark yellow; dorsal view ( Fig. 257) gonocoxal bridge moderately large; lateral view ( Fig. 271) rectangular, tapering apically to broad point; ventral lobe ( Fig. 243) with ventral spines. Gonostylus (Fig. 285) lacking basodorsal lobe; ventral margin sinuate with small apical lobe bearing dark yellow macrosetae directed apically in distinct tuft; fine, short spines laterally. Aedeagus with dorsal apodeme ( Fig. 299) quadrate, forming canopy over ejaculatory apodeme, posterolateral margin slightly swollen; ventral apodeme (Fig. 313) broad, deeply emarginate anteriorly, extending laterally to point; distiphallus dorsal view ( Fig. 299) short, broad basally, tapered apically to rounded point, lateral view ( Fig. 327) short, subapical hood rounded apically, apex of distiphallus directed ventrally; ejaculatory apodeme ( Fig. 299) with anterior half expanded laterally, extending beyond anterior margin of dorsal apodeme, anterior margin slightly emarginate, in cross­section flattened dorsoventrally with ventral carina.

Variation (n=4).

Body length 5.0–5.5, 5.3 mm.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 2 sa, 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Legs. Anteroventral macrosetae 1:0:2–3, pv 0:0:0.

Female

Similar to male except as follows.

Variation (n=3).

Body length 5.8–6.2 mm.

Head. Frons pruinescence dark brownish gray; setae black, elongate. Antenna dark brown to black, base of first flagellomere dark yellow, pruinescence on scape gray, dense; setae on scape dark reddish brown.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 2 sa, 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Legs. Anteroventral macrosetae 1:0:3, pv 0:0:0.

Abdomen. Dark reddish brown, tergites 2–3 dark yellow across posterior margin, tergites 4–6 with broad dark yellow area posterolaterally, separated medially by dark reddish brown area; tergite 8 yellowish orange; dorsal setae white, elongate laterally and across posterior margin of tergite 1. Terminalia (MEI 115929). Anterior margin of sternite 8 slightly rounded ( Fig. 340). Furca (Fig. 352) oval; length 0.58 mm, width 0.24 mm; posteromedial and anteromedial projections absent, anterolateral projection short. Common duct (Fig. 352) longer than furca. Spermathecal duct (Fig. 352), narrow, sac­like posteriorly becoming thread­like anteriorly.

Distribution

Elcaribe paniculus has been collected only on the island of St. Kitt in the West Indies ( Fig. 359).

Habitats and phenology

Adults of Elcaribe paniculus have been handnetted and collected at blacklights from August through November.

Specimens examined

Type specimen. The holotype male of Elcaribe paniculus Webb (MEI 115925) is labeled " ST. KITTS: W Basseterre, Bottom Mattingly Hts., 27–31.VIII.91, R. E.

Woodruff , blacklight trap " and is deposited in the FSCA. PARATYPES. WEST INDIES. ST. KITTS. W. Basseterre, bottom Mattingly Heights [17.296, ­62.734], 27–31.VIII.1991, R. E. Woodruff, 2♂ MEI 115926 ( INHS) , 115928 (MEIC), 3♀ 115924 ( MEIC) , 115927 (FSCA), 115929 (INHS), blacklight trap; Basseterre [17.301, ­62.736], 50 m, –. XI.1985, Krauss, 1♂ MEI 030496 ( AMNH) .