Neopleurophora balbii, Ament & Amorim, 2013

Ament, Danilo Cesar & Amorim, Dalton De Souza, 2013, Taxonomic revision of the genus Neopleurophora Brown (Diptera: Phoridae), with the description of thirty seven new species, Zootaxa 3657 (1), pp. 1-93 : 42

Neopleurophora balbii , sp. nov.

( Figs. 4, 96–99, 181, 218, 296–297)

Diagnosis (males). Epandrial medial process bifurcated into a pointed, sclerotized left process and a rounded right lobe; hind tibia with one anterodorsal and three posterodorsal setae.

Material examined. Holotype ♂, PANAMA: Canal Zone : Barro Colorado Is., 9.17ºN, 79.83ºW, 23.ii– 2.iii.1994, Malaise trap, J. Pickering col. ( LACM) . Paratypes: COSTA RICA: 1♂, San José: Ciudad Colon , 9.92ºN, 84.25ºW, iv–v.1990, Malaise trap, 800 m, P. Hanson col. ( LACM) ; 1♂, Puntarenas 3 km SW Rincon , 8.68ºN, 83.48ºW, iii–v.1989, Malaise trap, P. Hanson col. ( LACM) ; 1♂, Limón: Pacuarito , 10.11ºN, 83.46ºW, 24– 26.viii.1996, Malaise trap, 300 m, Pape, Gustafsson & Viklund col. ( LACM) ; PANAMA: 2♂, same data as holotype, but 7–14.viii.1996 ; 1♂, idem, but 6–13.xi.1996 ; 1♂, idem, but 28.vii–4.viii.1993 ; 1♂ idem, but 23.iv– 5.v.1993 ; 1♂, COLOMBIA: Vichada: PNN El Tuparro: Centro Ad. , 5.35ºN, 67.86ºW, 19–29.vi.2000, Malaise trap, 140 m, W. Villalba col. ( LACM) ; 1♂, ECUADOR: Sucumbios: Sacha Lodge , 0.5ºS, 76.5ºW, 14–24.v.1994, Malaise trap, 270 m, P. Hibbs col. ( LACM) .

Description. Male. Body length, 2.4–2.8 mm. Head. Frons dark brown, pubescent, without median furrow. Flagellomere 1 light brown, pubescent, oval. Arista pre-apical, pubescent. Palpus yellowish-brown; one lower genal and 1–2 upper genal setae. Thorax. Scutum dark brown, pleural sclerites brown; anepisternum setulose dorsally, with one long seta; scutellum brown, with medial and posterior areas gray. Legs light brown. Forefemur with ventral row of four strong setae near apex. Foretibia with one dorsal seta at basal third and an anterodorsal row of strong setae. Foremetatarsus ratio, 4.7. Midtibia with one anterodorsal and one posterodorsal setae at basal third ( Fig. 181). Hind femur swollen (height/length ratio, 0.4). Hind tibia with one anterodorsal and three posterodorsal setae ( Fig. 218). Wing. Costa 0.48 of the wing length, other wing features as for the genus. Halter yellowishbrown. Abdomen. Tergites brown, with lighter posterior band. Hypopygium light brown ( Figs. 96–99). Epandrial medial process bifurcated into a sharp, sclerotized left process and in a rounded right lobe. Epandrial right posterior margin with one medial short projection, with subepandrial setulose process. Hypandrium left lobe large, right lobe narrow. Hypoproct with two setae. Phallus ( Figs. 296–297). Basiphallus with large dorsal process. Core plate flattened, large, bilobed. Epiphallus with large scales, connected to the right arm at the left of the phallus. Ventral plate well developed, apically bifurcated into a medial lobe and in the secondary scaled process bearing large sclerotized scales.

Female. Unknown.

Geographic distribution. This species extends its distribution from Costa Rica to Ecuador along the Pacific coast, but also reaching Colombian Amazonia.

Etymology. This species is named after Maria Isabel de Protti Balbi, assistant in our Diptera lab, who has always been of key importance in the development of our projects and giving constant support personally and professionally.