Triozocera albocciput, Cook, 2022

Cook, Jerry L., 2022, Two new species of Triozocera Pierce, 1909 (Insecta: Strepsiptera: Corioxenidae) from the Caribbean Islands, Zootaxa 5214 (1), pp. 141-150 : 142-146

Triozocera albocciput , new species

Figs. 1–7

Specimens examined: CUBA, Cienfuegos Province, Mina Carlota , Trinidad Mountains , 1500’, 6 VI 1950, slide mounted (SHSU); DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Barahona Province, 9.2 km NW of Paraiso, Confluence of Rio Nizaito and Rio Coltico , 18° 03´N, 71° 12´W, 230 m, 9-10 VIII 1990, J. Rawlings & S. Thompson, pinned ( CMNH) ; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Barahona Province, 6 km NW of Paraiso, Rio Nizaito , 18° 02´N, 71° 12´W, 170 m, 25- 26 VIII 1990, C. Young, J. E. Rawlings & S. A. Thompson, pinned ( SHSU) ; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, La Vega Province, Arroyo Fria , 19° 0’ N, 70° 29’ W 1077 m, 01-17 X 2021, Malaise trap, M. Armentaros & S. Medrano, in alcohol ( MTEC) ; PUERTO RICO, Cayey Province, Bosque Estatal de Carite , 4.2 km S of Campamento Guavate, 18° 05´25´´ N, 66° 02´07´´ W, 580 m, 7 VIII 1996, C. Young, R. Davidson , J. Rawlins, S. Thompson, M. Klingler, W. Zanol, pinned ( CMNH) .

Male Description (all measurements in mm):

Diagnosis: Male with antennal segments slender; segments III and IV, with flabella, about equal in length. Head wider than long, uniform length throughout region between eyes. Eyes with 20 facets or less, 12 visible dorsally. Maxillary palp much smaller than base, attached subapically. Scutellum longer than wide, triangular. Wing veins with two detached veins; R 2 in line with R 1 making it look much like a single vein with a large gap; long R3, about four times as long as R 2; CuA 1 shorter than CuA 2. Legs with short hairs throughout. Aedeagus long, slender, curved.

Male description: Total length 1.59–1.97 (average 1.83), head width in dorsal view 0.43–0.47 (average 0.45), head length in dorsal view 0.18-0.25 (average 0.22), radial wing length 1.77–2.13 (average 1.95).

Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 1 ) contrasting dark brown in eyes and epicranial plate to almost white on other parts of head, wider than long; antefrons (between antennae) broadly rounded at apex, not protruding between antennal bases; epicranial plates (= vertex plates) adjacent to eyes, not connected medially although nearly so at anterior, wider at anterior, tapering posteriorly ( Fig. 1 ). Eye width in lateral view 0.19–0.23 (average 0.21), length 0.23–0.26 (average 0.25), 18–20 total facets (ommatidia), 12 facets visible in dorsal view, many short hairs at margin and around ommatidia ( Fig. 1 ). Antennae seven-segmented ( Fig. 2 ), slender, average width approximately 0.03, lengths: I 0.02–0.03 (average 0.03), II 0.03–0.04 (average 0.04), III + flabella 0.49–0.51 (average 0.50), IV + flabella 0.40– 0.59 (average 0.47), V 0.26–0.28 (average 0.27), VI 0.08–0.11 (average 0.10), VII 0.11–0.16 (average 0.13); all segments with short hairs but sparse on I–II and bases of III–IV ( Fig. 2 ); mandibles absent; maxilla with small subapical palp ( Fig. 3 ), palp narrow, much shorter than base, with small hairs throughout base and palp; maxilla lengths: base 0.12–0.18 (average 0.15), palp 0.06–0.08 (average 0.07), palp width 0.02, narrowed at base.

Thorax with dorsal sclerites shaped as in Fig. 4 ; scutellum longer than wide; prescutum about as long as wide, with visible dark band in center ( Fig. 4 ); no unslerotized area between scutellum and postnotum. Leg segments as in Fig. 5 ; visible short hairs on all segments but not dense, slightly longer hairs at apex of tarsal segments; sensory pits on tarsal segments II and III, terminal tarsal claws on all legs, length of segments as follows (mm): protrochanter 0.23, profemur 0.15, protibial 0.25, protarsus I 0.13, protarsus II 0.10, protarsus III 0.08, protarsus IV 0.04, protarsus V 0.04, mesotrochanter 0.31, mesofemur 0.25, mesotibia 0.15, mesotarsus I 0.10, mesotarsus II 0.06, mesotarsus III 0.04, mesotarsus IV 0.04, mesotarsus V 0.02, metatrochanter 0.11, metafemur 0.29, metatibia 0.33, metatarsus I 0.17, metatarsus II 0.10, metatarsus III 0.08, metatarsus IV 0.06, metatarsus V 0.04. Hind wings with two detached radial veins ( Fig. 6 ) R 1 short, extending less than half way to wing margin; detached R 2 short, near wing margin, nearly in line with R 1 making it appear like a single vein with a large gap; R 3 long, almost four times as long as R 2, R 4 and R 5 each distinct but nearly forming a line to wing margin; MA extending to wing margin; CuA 1 shorter than CuA 2; CuA 1 extending half way to wing margin, CuA 2 ¾ to wing margin; CuP absent.

Abdomen about as long as thorax; genital capsule long; aedeagus ( Fig. 7 ) thin as is typical for genus, s-shaped in side view, greatest length 0.59 mm.

Female: Unknown

Types: Holotype, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, La Vega Province, Arroyo Fria , 18.9927° N, 70° 29’ W 1077 m, 01-17 X 2021, Malaise trap, M. Armentaros & S. Medrano, in alcohol, deposited in MTEC. Three paratypes collected as reported above in specimens examined section section, two deposited in CMNH and one in SHSU.

Distribution: This species is known from the specimens reported here that include Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

Host: Unknown

Etymology: The specific epithet albocciput combines two Latin roots, alb- meaning white and -occiput meaning back of the head. This refers to the distinctive white area at the back of the head in dorsal view, between the dark brown epicranial plates ( Fig. 1 ).

Discussion: The maxilla in Triozocera is a good character to aid in species identification, and this structure is usually easily observed in males of this genus. Triozocera albocciput n. sp. has a maxilla with a short palp that extends just beyond the extension of the maxillary base. This maxilla most closely resembles that of T. eurychilus from Costa Rica, however several characters easily separate these species. The wing of T. eurychilus has only one detached vein, an extremely long R 3 while T. albocciput n. sp. has two detached radial veins. The vein R 1 of T. eurychilus is continuous and nearly reaches the wing margin, while in T. albocciput it is very short. The wings of these species are easily distinguished and may be the best character to distinguish between the Caribbean species. Number of ommatidia, lengths of antennal segments and the shape of epicranial plates are among other differences between these species.

The wing of Trozocera albocciput n. sp. is similar to that of T. mexicana , although the size of R 2 is less in T. albocciput n. sp. Still, both of these species have an R 1 that is very short, which is an unusual state. The maxilla of these species are also similar but the maxillary base of T. mexicana is much more slender. The antefrons of T. albocciput n. sp. is broadly rounded between the antennal segments while it is narrow and more pointed in T. mexicana . There are many other minor differences in the shapes of thoracic plates and the shape of the head, but in general these two species probably have the most similarities.

Figures

FIGURE 1.Head of Triozocera albocciput n. sp. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Antenna of Triozocera albocciput n. sp. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Maxillae of Triozocera albocciput n. sp. on left and Triozocera macrognathus n. sp. on right. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 4–5.Triozocera albocciput n. sp., thoracic sclerites on left and legs on right. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Hind Wing and wing veins of Triozocera albocciput n. sp.

FIGURE 7. Aedeagus of Triozocera albocciput n. sp. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.