Glabellula rafaelae, Mendes & Evenhuis & Limeira-De-Oliveira & Lamas, 2022

Mendes, Luanna L., Evenhuis, Neal L., Limeira-De-Oliveira, Francisco & Lamas, Carlos J. E., 2022, First record of Glabellula Bezzi (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae: Glabellulinae) in South America, with description of three new species from Brazil, Zootaxa 5124 (2), pp. 205-215 : 209-211

Glabellula rafaelae sp. nov.

( Figs 6−11 , 18 )

Diagnosis. Glabellula rafaelae sp. nov. is morphologically similar to G. binotata Hall & Evenhuis, 1984 (known only from Mexico), but can be separated from it by the presence of a minute scape and the color pattern of scutellum, which is dark brown on anterior half and yellow on posterior half. From other South American congeners, it can be segregated also by the color pattern of the scutellum and by the yellow markings present on the dark brown tergites.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym honoring Dr. Rafaela Lopes Falaschi (Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa - UEPG), for her important contribution to the taxonomy and systematics of Diptera and also for contributing to the idealization of the project Women in Science Brazil.

Description. Holotype female ( Fig. 6 ). Body length: 1.40 mm; wing length: 0.98 mm. Head. Dark brown to black; eyes separated at vertex by near distance between posterior ocelli; ocellar triangle subshiny, sparse yellowish pruinosity; anterior ocellus yellow, posterior ocelli reddish brown; frons yellow on lower 1/2 and dark brown on upper part, both areas sinuously separated ( Fig. 10 ); small yellow setae laterally; face yellow, brown mark next to oral cavity, slightly projecting beyond eye in lateral view; proboscis light brown, about 1/2 head length; oral cavity brown and margin yellow; postcranium subshiny, yellowish pruinose; setae whitish yellow; antenna dark brown to black, yellowish pruinosity; scape minute; pedicel oval; first flagellomere suboval, as wide as long at widest point; second flagellomere very small, about 1/3 width of first one; stylus absent. Thorax ( Fig. 8 ). Mesonotum dark brown to black, sparse yellowish pruinosity, dense yellowish gray pruinosity submedially forming fine stripe from submedian mark to base of wing; covered with whitish yellow setae; yellow markings on: postpronotal lobe, submedian antero-mesonotal line mark, postalar callus, notopleuron, supra-alar area; scutellum dark brown on anterior half and yellow on posterior half, yellow spots on anterior corners, covered with yellow setae; pleura dark brown to black, yellowish gray pruinosity, posteroventral 1/3 of katepisternum shiny, with yellow markings on: proepimeron, dorsal 1/2 of anepimeron, dorsal margin of katepisternum and about dorsal 1/3 of meron. Legs ( Fig. 6 ). Coxae dark brown to black, fore coxa with distal third yellow; mid and hind coxae with yellow markings; femora dark brown to black with distal 1/3 yellow; tibiae and tarsi dark yellow. Wing ( Fig. 9 ). Hyaline; costal vein, radial veins and crossvein r-m light brown, remainding veins pale yellow to translucid; costal vein ending at 1/4 distance between veins R 4+5 and M 1; vein Sc incomplete, ending at level of Rs origin; Rs evanescent at connection with R 1; R 4 + 5 slightly curved, ending near end of M 1, parallel to end of M 2; M 1 slightly curved toward wing margin; M 2 and M 4 straight to wing margin; CuP converging towards CuA; A 1 evanescent towards wing margin; cell cua opened at wing margin. Halter with stem yellow, knob broken off. Abdomen ( Fig. 7 ). Dark brown to black, sparse yellowish pruinosity; covered with yellow setae, uniform in length; laterals with brown marking; tergites 2−4 with yellow band restricted to lateral margin, tergites 5−8 with yellow band on posterior margin, wider laterally, medially narrow forming “V-shaped” pattern; sternites brown, with yellow band on posterior margin, evanescent laterally; sternite 7 ( Fig. 18 ) sub-rounded with anterior margin linear, posterior margin with submedian projection and sharp deep concavity medially, setae uniform in length, slightly longer on distal margin; sternite 8 ( Fig. 18 ) reduced, subtriangular. Terminalia ( Fig. 11 ). Genital fork V-shaped, anterior margin arched with digitiform projection, posterior margin bifurcate, inner arms shorter and convergent, outer arms longer and divergent, tapered toward apex. Common duct indistinct, basal plate hyaline; proximal spermathecal duct reduced or absent; sperm pump tubular-shaped with transverse striation, slightly sclerotized, more intense distally, apical sclerotized collars well developed in single structure, with bulbous base and membranous fringe; distal spermathecal duct about 2.5X longer than sperm pump, without swellings or glandular trichomes; spermatheca recurved on distal third, depending on viewing angle, may be coiled, sclerotized in distal 2/3, with glandular trichomes at apex.

Variation (n = 5). Body length: 1.23–1.41 mm. Wing length: 1.15–1.30 mm. Proboscis longer than head length; presence of yellow spots on anterior corners of scutellum, united medially, forming band; femora light brown to black; halter with stem yellow slightly infuscate, knob yellow with dark brown markings; tergites 2–5 with yellow band restricted to lateral margin.

Male. Unknown.

Geographical records. This species is known from the Brazilian states of Roraima (see also Riccardi et al. (2022)), Maranhão and Piauí ( Fig. 20 ), in areas of Amazon Forest, Caatinga and Cerrado biomes.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♀ deposited in CZMA: Brasil, MA [= Maranhão], Carolina, PARNA [= Parque Nacional] Chapada das Mesas, Riacho Corrente , 298 m, 07°04′29″S, 47°05′42″W / Armadilha Malaise, 20−30. ix.2013, J.A. Rafael, F. Limeira-de-Oliveira, T. L. Rocha & G.A. Reis . PARATYPES: Roraima, Ilha de Maracá, Estação Ecológica de Maracá , 03°22′623″N, 61°26′136″W, 29.ix.−14.x. 2015, 101 m, Arm. [= Armadilha] Malaise, ponto 5, Trilha Santa Rosa, Biffi, Falaschi, Mandulão, Marinho, Pinheiro & Riccardi col. (1♀ MZUSP); MA [= Maranhão], Carolina , PARNA [= Parque Nacional] Chapada das Mesas, Riacho Sucuruiu, 240 m, 07°07′05″S, 47°18′31″W / Armadilha Malaise , 01–10.viii.2013, J.A. Rafael, F. Limeira-de-Oliveira & T. T. A Silva, cols. (1♀ CZMA); idem, Água Fria , 212 m, 07°04′14″S, 47°17′16″W / Armadilha Suspensa (5 m), 20−31.viii.2014, J.A. Rafael, F. Limeira-de-Oliveira, T. L. Rocha & G.A. Reis, cols. (1♀ MZUSP); idem, Riacho Corrente , 298 m, 07°04′29″S, 47°05′42″W / [Armadilha] Suspensa simples (15 m), 10−20.ix.2014 (1♀ MZUSP); idem, Mirador, Parque Est. [= Estadual do] Mirador, Base da Geraldina , 419 m, 06º37′48″S, 45º52′49″W / Armadilha Suspensa , 01−15.ix.2013, F. Limeira-de-Oliveira, L.L.M. Santos & L.S. Santos (1♀ CZMA); idem, PI [= Piauí], Piracuruca, P. [= Parque] N. [= Nacional] de Sete Cidades, Posto ICMBio, 04°05′57″S, 41°42′34″W / Armadilha Malaise, 01−15.xii.2012, F. Limeira-de-Oliveira, J.S. Pinto Júnior, cols. (1♀ CZMA) .

Figures

FIGURE 20. Geographical records of new species of Glabellula known from Brazil.

FIGURES 6−11. Glabellula rafaelae sp. nov., female, holotype. 6, habitus, lateral view; 7, abdomen, dorsal view; 8, thorax, dorsal view; 9, left wing, ventral view; 10, frons, frontal view; 11, terminalia, paratype. Scale 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 17−19. Sternites 7 and 8 of the new species of Glabellula, ventral view. 17, G. catiapatiuae sp. nov.; 18, G. rafaelae sp. nov.; 19, G. sarahae sp. nov. Scale 0.2 mm.