Blepharoneura amplihyalina Norrbom & Condon, 2010

Norrbom, Allen L. & Condon, Marty, 2010, Revision of the femoralis group of Blepharoneura Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae) 2374, Zootaxa 2374 (1), pp. 1-139 : 15-17

Blepharoneura amplihyalina Norrbom & Condon , new species

Figs. 6–7 , 165 , 200

Diagnosis. This species and B. marshalli differ from other species of Blepharoneura by the extremely large hyaline area in cells dm and cu1 that completely lacks brown spots within it and from most other species by the distal location of crossvein r-m, which is more than 0.65 of the distance from bm-cu to dm-cu (this distance exceeds 0.60 only in some B. zumbadoi , chaconi , nigriapex and mikenoltei ). Blepharoneura amplihyalina differs from B. marshalli in the shape of the aculeus, the tip of which is elongate triangular with weak step-like lobes and a strong narrow notch in the medial lobe. In B. marshalli the tip is shorter, with more angular and evenly spaced lobes, and the medial apical concavity is broader and shallower.

Description. Head: Dark brown area on ocellar tubercle extended less than half to half distance to postocellar seta. Medial occipital sclerite with pair of pale brown to dark brown submedial vittae on ventral half. Occipital suture narrowly orange brown to dark brown.

Thorax: Scutum entirely microtrichose, with 2 pairs of dark brown vittae or rows of spots; submedial vitta interrupted or narrowed posterior to transverse suture, well separated from marks on posterior margin; sublateral vitta with presutural part usually complete, extended to or almost to level of supra-alar seta, postsutural part elongate, reduced to spot posterior to transverse suture, or absent; posterior margin with 2 well separated brown marks. Notopleuron usually with brown vitta on lateral margin, reduced to anterior and posterior spots in holotype. Small brown spot anterior to postsutural supra-alar seta, brown spot anterior to postalar seta, and small brown spot lateral to dorsolateral corner of scutellum present. Sometimes small spot lateral to postsutural supra-alar spot (aligned with postalar spot) also present. Scutellum with single medial spot, usually not extended beyond basal half, not extended to basal margin. Subscutellum and mediotergite with pair of dark brown vittae, sometimes moderately broad but not reaching lateral margin of mediotergite. Pleuron entirely or mostly yellow. Anepisternum sometimes with small brown spot dorsal to anterior seta (1♂, faint on left side in holotype). Anatergite with small dorsomedial red brown or brown spot. Basalare with brown spot or entirely brown. Dorsocentral seta aligned slightly anterior to postalar seta.

Legs: Entirely yellow.

Wing ( Figs. 6–7 ): Length 6.05–7.20 mm, width 2.75–3.40 mm, ratio 2.12–2.39. Crossvein r-m at 0.70– 0.73 distance from bm-cu to dm-cu. Cell c with 2 rectangular to inverted triangular hyaline spots, both reaching costa and subcosta; medial brown area sometimes fading posteriorly, anterior part as dark as to distinctly paler than area of cell r1 posterior to pterostigma, slightly narrower to broader than hyaline spots. Pterostigma with pale brown subapical spot [#3], sometimes small (2 of 4 specimens), not reaching R 1 in 1 specimen. Cells r1 and r2+3 basally (proximal to apex of R1) with 1–3 (usually 2–3) and 1–3 hyaline spots, respectively. Radial cells medially with broad basal marginal hyaline mark [#5 fused with additional spot?] in cell r1 and aligned broad hyaline mark [fused #8 and #9] in cell r2+3 forming tapering triangular to quadrate mark broadly touching R4+5; cell r4+5 with hyaline spot [#15] near anterior end of dm-cu small to moderate sized, sometimes almost touching vein M, aligned with or slightly proximal or distal to dm-cu, and also with additional tiny hyaline to pale brown spots, 0–4 on or near anterior margin and 1–2 on or near posterior margin. Distally cell r1 sometimes (2 of 4 specimens) with 1 small marginal hyaline spot [#6], usually with 1– 2 small pale brown posterior spots (absent in 1 wing of holotype). Cell r2+3 with 2 marginal hyaline marks, brown area between them sometimes (1♂) pale and diffuse, proximal mark [#10] extending to vein R4+5 or divided into marginal and posterior spots, distal mark [#11] sometimes small and not reaching R4+5. Cell r4+5 usually with small hyaline spot [#16] anteriorly (absent on 1 wing of 1♂), aligned between apical marks in cell r2+3 or with distal mark; with small posterior hyaline spot aligned with hyaline mark in cell m; and with 1 small ovoid marginal or submarginal hyaline spot [#18], rarely with second more anterior spot [#18A] (left wing of Villa Padre Monti ♂). Cell m usually (3 of 4 specimens) with small subbasal hyaline spot [#49] near midlength of dm-cu; with large irregular or posteriorly forked medial hyaline mark [fusion of at least #26A, #26, #27, #28 and sometimes #29], sometimes with isolated small distal marginal spot [#29], or with 3 marginal spots, medial one [fusion of at least #26A, #26, #28] largest, somewhat mushroom-shaped, narrow posteriorly, broad anteriorly and extending to vein M. Cell br with subbasal pale brown spot [#12]. Cell bm with single broad hyaline area [fused #19, #20]. Cell bcu occasionally with small pale brown spot in lobe. Cell bcu occasionally with small pale brown spot in lobe. Posteromedial part of wing with extremely large subrectangular hyaline area; cell br with broad rectangular subapical hyaline area [at least #13, possibly fused with #44] extending from anterior to posterior margin, sometimes with small to minute pale brown spot well proximal to broad subapical hyaline area; cell dm with large hyaline area [fusion of at least #51, #52, #21, #22, #23, #24, #50] aligned with hyaline area in cell cu1, anteriorly extending to at least level of r-m, distal margin transverse or slightly oblique; cell cu1 with hyaline area covering medial half or more [broad fusion of at least #31, #32, #33, #34, #36, #36A], very broad on posterior wing margin, sometimes with diffuse faint brown submarginal spot subbasally but without other brown spots medially; subapical marginal hyaline spot [#37] small to moderate sized, usually not reaching vein Cu1. Cell dm without usual subapical hyaline spot [#25] (unless fused with large medial hyaline area), occasionally with small more distal medial hyaline spot (1♂) or small more distal posterior hyaline spot [#53] (1 wing of holotype) more or less aligned with subapical mark in cell cu1.

Abdomen: Mostly yellow. Syntergite 1+2 with 4 evenly spaced dark brown spots, submedial and sublateral spots occasionally connected, and with spot on posterolateral corner; other tergites with 4 rows of evenly spaced spots, anterolateral spot touching or almost touching lateral margin, and L-shaped band or pair of spots on lateral and posterior margins, separated medially, on tergite 5 and sometimes tergites 3–4 connected to anterolateral spot, lateral margin always with at least small spot on tergite 3 but entirely brown on tergite 5; submedial and sublateral spots on tergite 4 sometimes connected; and some or all spots and bands on tergite 5 often connected or occasionally largely fused except medially.

Female terminalia: Oviscape length 1.10 mm. Aculeus ( Fig. 165 ) 0.56 mm long, 2.04 times as long as wide, medial membrane without scales dorsally and ventrally; tip tapered basolaterally, elongate triangular (lobed part 0.59 times as long as wide), with large medial lobe with narrow but deep V-shaped notch (notch 1/ 3 as deep as length of lobe) and 3 pairs of small, somewhat step-like lobes separated by shallow gaps; sublateral and submedial lobes similar in size. Spermathecae subspherical, with straight to slightly convoluted, slender sclerotized neck and large cylindrical basal apodeme (similar to B. femoralis ).

Male terminalia: Medial surstylus with prensisetae separated by several times width of medial prensiseta, medial prensiseta on long lobe, lateral prensiseta two-thirds as large to subequal to medial prensiseta ( Fig. 200 ).

Distribution. Northwestern Argentina (Tucumán). The type specimens for which elevation data were provided by the collectors were taken at 700 and 2000 m elevation.

Type data. Holotype ♀ ( IML USNMENT00213857 ), ARGENTINA: Tucumán: La Angostura [26°55'S 65°41'W], 2000 m, 17 Feb 1953, P. Arnau . Paratypes: ARGENTINA: Tucumán: Burruyacu, Villa Padre Monti [26°29'S 64°58'W], 18 Jan - 7 Feb 1948, R. Golbach, 1♂ ( USNM USNMENT00213859 ) ; c. 12 km W of Tucumán, Horco Molle , 700 m, Malaise trap, 18–21 Mar 1974, C. R. Vardy, 1♂ ( BMHN USNMENT00213855 ) ; La Angostura , 2000 m, 17 Feb 1953, P. Arnau, 1♂ ( IML USNMENT00213856 ) .

Etymology. The name of this species is an adjective referring to the extremely large hyaline area in cells dm and cu1.

Figures

FIGURES 6–15. Wing: 6–7, B. amplihyalina (Argentina: Horco Molle, USNMENT00213855; Villa Padre Monti, USNMENT00213859); 8, B. apaapa (Bolivia: Apa Apa, USNMENT00055943); 9, B. aspiculosa (Mexico: El Triunfo, USNMENT00213912); 10–11, B. bidigitata (Brazil: Nova Teutonia, USNMENT00213906; Interlagos, USNMENT00213839); 12, B. bipunctata (holotype); 13, B. biseriata (Mexico: Huipulco, USNMENT00213948); 14, B. sp. nr. biseriata (Mexico: E El Palmito, USNMENT00213947); 15, B. bivittata (holotype).

FIGURES 165–172. Aculeus: 165, B. amplihyalina (holotype); 166, B. marshalli (holotype); 167, B. multipunctata (holotype); 168, B. mikenoltei (holotype); 169, B. mexicana (Mexico: Mexico City, USNMENT00213809); 170, B. regina (Mexico: Lagunas de Zempoala, USNMENT00213846); 171, B. variabilis (Mexico: El Triunfo, USNMENT00213899); 172, B. bidigitata (Brazil: Nova Teutonia, USNMENT00213907).

FIGURES 200–203. Epandrium and surstyli, posterior: 200, B. amplihyalina (Argentina: Horco Molle, USNM00213855); 201, B. mexicana (Mexico, USNM00213821); 202, B. quadristriata (Mexico, Los Tuxtlas, USNM00213850); 203, B. rupta (Belize, Stann Creek, USNM00213797).