Milichiella frontalis (Becker, 1907)

Brake, Irina, 2009, Revision of Milichiella Giglio-Tos (Diptera, Milichiidae) 2188, Zootaxa 2188 (1), pp. 1-166 : 80-84

frontalis -group

Species in the frontalis -group are characterized by the combination of male thorax slightly brown microtomentose, 3+1 dc, and bent tip of T5 bluish silvery microtomentose. It is quite possible that all three species currently belonging to this group represent varieties of one species. The amount of male silvery microtomentum in Milichiella frontalis varies quite considerably between specimens and the difference between the colour of the male abdomen of some M. frontalis (e.g. Chile: El Coigo) and the lectotype of M. montanum is rather small. At the same time the difference between M. montanum and M. concavum is small, too.

Distribution: Middle Peru to middle Chile including Juan Fernandez Islands and adjacent Argentina and

Bolivia.

Milichiella concava ( Becker, 1907)

Eccoptomma concavum Becker, 1907: 541 . CHILE. Santiago. LT ♂ SMTD [pres. des.]. Ortiz 1946: 142 [checklist, Chile]; Rohlfien & Ewald 1970: 444 [type information]; Sabrosky 1973: 4 [Neotropical catalogue].

Milichiella concavum . Brake 2000: 105 [world catalogue].

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners in the silvery microtomentose male T2–5 except for brown black anterior margin of T2, brown elongation of triangle, and posterior half of T5 as well as the bluish silvery tip of T5.

Description. Body length: 2.5–3 mm; wing length: 2.3–2.7 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons black, ocellar triangle and orbital plates brown microtomentose, lunule black, basoflagellomere black, face brown microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum slightly to normally brown microtomentose with shiny bronze hue, scutellum and pleuron same except for shiny spot on anepisternum, wing hyaline, veins brown, brown spot at apex of vein R1 absent, calypter brown, halter black, legs black, fore and hind tarsus with brown brush; abdomen with T2–5 silvery microtomentose except for brown black anterior margin of T2, brown elongation of triangle, and posterior half of T5; tip of T5 blueish silvery. Female coloration and vestiture: wing veins light brown, halter black, abdomen with T2–5 brown microtomentose.

Head: frons with 2+0.8 orbital and 2 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta slightly medioreclinate. In males frons 2.1x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 4.6x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista very short, posterior eye margin with notch (3–4om) and emargination (2–3om).

Thorax: 3+1 dc, 3 (female:1) prsc, 1 pprn, 1+0.4 prs, 2+0.6 keps setae, posterior prsc about as long as posterior dc, seta between posterior prsc and posterior dc small. Wing with veins R 4+5 and M very weakly convergent (1.4); M-ratio is 2.5–2.6. Fore femur normal setulose, tibial organ absent.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 present. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with 2–3 lines of setae, T2–5 lateral margins with long setae, T1 setulose, T2 setulose on posterior 2/3, T3–4 posterior margin with 1–2 row of setulae, T5 brown and bordering silvery part setulose, 1 row of setae anterior to silvery tip. S5 same as in M. frontalis (see Pl. 10G). Male genitalia same as in M. frontalis , 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus same as in M. frontalis , structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae (see Pl. 10A, B).

Special characters: first flagellomere and palpi small, orbital plate extends into frons as acute medioventral tip.

Lectotype, ♂: CHILE. Santiago : Santiago (33°27'0"S 70°40'.12"W), 17.ix.1902, Schnuse (pinned together with 1♀ PLT, SMTD, 3218007), in good condition. The type series consists of an unspecified number of males and females from Chile, Santiago, in November. There are 8 specimens from this locality in SMTD, with 3 specimens (1 male and 1 female on one pin) bearing Becker's identification label. Additionally there are 4 males from this locality in ZMHU, with one bearing Becker's identification label, and 2 males in DEI. However, all these specimens were collected in September. I conclude that Becker confused the 'ix' with an 'xi'. Five further Schnuse specimens from other localities in Chile and Peru are not part of the type series, even though one bears Becker's identification label. I here designate the SMTD male, which is mounted on one pin with a female, as the lectotype. The others are paralectotypes except for the DEI specimens, which were identified as M. tricincta by Lichtwardt and apparently did not belong to the type series Becker studied.

Paralectotypes, same data as LT (11 ♂ 1♀ SMTD, ZMHU, 3218006, 3218008–12, 3218015–20) .

Additional material examined: CHILE. Santiago: Santiago (33°27'0"S 70°40'.12"W), 17.ix.1902, Schnuse (2 ♂ DEI, 3218264–5); Perales, 1–30.ix.1923 (♂ USNM, 3218014). Quillota: Quillota (32°54'0"S 71°16'.12"W) , 20.ix.1902, Schnuse (♂ SMTD, 3218013) ; PERU. Lima: Matucana , 2225 m (11°51'S, 76°24'W), 1.vi.–31.vii.1913, Brues (♂ USNM, 3218034), 1.vii.19?? (♂ USNM, 3218114). Distribution: Middle Chile to middle Peru .

Milichiella frontalis ( Becker, 1907) (Pl. 10A, B, G)

Eccoptomma frontale Becker, 1907: 542 . CHILE. Coronel. LT ♂ SMTD [pres. des.]. Malloch 1934: 463 [colour variation, swarming, Argentina, Chile]; Ortiz 1946: 142 [checklist, Chile]; Hennig 1957: 411 [Juan Fernandez I., Chile]; Sabrosky 1973: 4 [Neotropical catalogue, Argentina, Chile].

Milichiella frontale . Brake 2000: 105 [world catalogue].

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners in the brown microtomentose male T2–5 except for silvery microtomentose posterolateral margin of T2 and narrow to broad anterior margins of T3–5, which get broader laterally to build silvery lateral margin, and blueish silvery tip of T5.

Description. Body length: 2.5 mm; wing length: 2.8 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons black, ocellar triangle and orbital plates brown microtomentose, lunule black, basoflagellomere black, face black microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum slightly to normally brown microtomentose with shiny hue, scutellum and pleuron same except for shiny spot on anepisternum, wing hyaline, veins brown, brown spot at apex of vein R1 absent, calypter light brown with dark margin, halter black, legs black; abdomen with T2–5 brown microtomentose except for silvery microtomentose posterolateral margin of T2 and narrow to broad anterior margins of T3–5, which get broader laterally to build silvery lateral margin; tip of T5 blueish silvery. Female coloration and vestiture: halter brown, abdomen with T2–5 subshiny, slightly brown microtomentose.

Head: frons with 2+1 orbital and 2 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta medioclinate. In males frons 2.3–2.5x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 6.0x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista very short, posterior eye margin with narrow notch (3–4om) and emargination (2om).

Thorax: 3+1 dc, 3 (female: 1) prsc, 1 pprn, 1 prs and row of short setae, 2+0.8 keps setae, posterior prsc about as long as posterior dc, seta between posterior prsc and posterior dc small. Wing with veins R 4+5 and M weakly convergent (1.5); M-ratio is 3.2. Fore femur slightly more densely setulose, tibial organ absent.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 present. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with 2–3 lines of setae, T1 setulose, T2–5 silvery parts bare, black parts setulose, lateral margins with long setae, T5 with row of setae anterior to silvery tip. S5 about 1.2x as wide as long, about 3.1x as wide and 1.3x as long as S4, crescent shaped, setulose (Pl. 10G). Male genitalia with apical seta on cercus not longer than epandrial setae, 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus 0.2–0.3x as long as epandrium high, slightly bent anteriorly, about as long as wide, not dilated apically, structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae (Pl. 10A, B).

Special characters: orbital plate extends into frons as acute medioventral tip; setae much shorter in female. Lectotype, ♂: CHILE. Coronel (37°0'0"S 73°10'59.88"W), 9.ix.1902, Schnuse ( SMTD, 3217912), head, one wing and some legs missing, thorax damaged. The type series consists of an unspecified number of males from Chile: Coronel. There is one specimen from this locality in SMTD, bearing Becker's identification label. I here designate this specimen as the lectotype.

Additional material examined: ARGENTINA. Rio Negro: Bariloche (41°10'59.88"S 71°22'59.88"W), 1–30.xi.1926, Shannon & Shannon (2 ♂ USNM, 3217963–4); S. Arg., Rio Negro, El Bolson Topal, 15.iii.1961 (2 ♂ HNHM, 3218480–1) ; CHILE. 1836, Gay (♂ MNHNP, 3219086). Biobio: Contulmo (38°0'0"S 73°13'59.88"W), 9.ii.1904, Schönemann (2 ♂ ZMHU, 3218004–5). Cachapoal : Olivar (34°14'S, 70°50'W), 11.xi.1929, Reed, Dr. (♂ USNM, 3217943). Cauquenes : Cauquenes (35°58'.12" S 72°22'.12"W), 29.vii.1900, Schönemann (♂ ZMHU, 3218003). Chiloé : Ancud (41°52'11"S 73°49'13"W), 17–19.xii.1926, Edwards & Edwards (♂ USNM, 3217944); Castro (42°30'0"S 73°46'.12"W), 1–31.xii.1926, Shannon & Shannon (3 ♂ USNM, 3217965–7). Choapa : Coquimbo region, 35.4 km N Los Vilos (31°55'59.88"S 71°34'59.88"W), 13.xii.1950, Ross & Michelbacher (♂ USNM, 3217941). Curico : El Coigo (35°0'0"S 71°15'0"W), 1–20.x.1960, Pena (♂ CNC, 3218000); Estero La Jaula , 915 m (35°1'S, 70°45'W), 17.ii.1998, Woodley (2 ♂ USNM, 3217968–9). Llanquihue: Ensenada (41°12'0"S 72°33'0"W), 14–15.xii.1926, Edwards & Edwards (7 ♂ BMNH, 3217913–19); Puerto Varas (41°19'59.88"S 73°0'0"W), 1–31.xii.1926, Shannon & Shannon (10 ♂ USNM, 3217953–62); Puerto Varas (41°19'59.88"S 73°0'0"W), 16.xii.1926, Edwards & Edwards (17 ♂ BMNH, 3217920–36). Malleco: Angol (37°46'59.88"S 72°45'0"W), 15.v.1931, Bullock (2♀ USNM, 3217970–1), 8.xii.1925 (♂ USNM, 3217948), 7.ix.1926 (3 ♂ USNM, 3217945–7), 24.ix.1926 (4 ♂ USNM, 3217949–52), 27.iii.1934 (♂ USNM, 3217940). Nuble: Chillan Ciudad (36°37'.12" S 72°10'.12"W), 14.iii.1903 (3 ♂ SMTD, 3217937–9). Quillota: Quillota (32°54'0"S 71°16'.12"W), 20.ix.1902, Schnuse (♂ SMTD, 3218001). Santiago: Santiago (33°27'0"S 70°40'.12"W), 2.xii.1953, Kuschel (2 ♂ BMNH, 3218002, 3218182). Valparaiso: Juan Fernandez Is., Masatierra, Bahia Cumberland (33°37'.12" S 78°49'.12"W), 2.iii.1951, Kuschel (4 ♂ DEI, 3218280–3), 20.iii.1951 (♂ DEI, 3218279); Robinson Crusoe I. [=Mas a Tierra], N side Yungue (33°37'59.88"S 78°52'.12"W), 1–9.ii.1973, Pena (27 ♂ 1♀ CNC, 3217972–99); Vina del Mar (33°1'59.88"S 71°34'59.88"W), 31.viii.1910, Herbst (2 ♂ USNM, 3217942) .

Distribution: Middle Chile, including Juan Fernandez Islands and adjacent Argentina.

Milichiella montana ( Becker, 1907)

Eccoptomma montanum Becker, 1907: 541 . PERU. Cuzco, 3300–4200 m. LT ♂ SMTD [pres. des.]. Becker, 1907: 541 [Peru, Chile]; Curran 1928: 66 [description, Puerto Rico] (pers. note: identification doubtful); Wolcott 1936: 391 [checklist, Puerto Rico] (pers. note: identification doubtful); Ortiz 1946: 142 [checklist, Chile]; Rohlfien & Ewald 1970: 444 [type information]; Sabrosky 1973: 4 [Neotropical catalogue].

Milichiella montanum . Brake 2000: 106 [world catalogue].

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners in the brown microtomentose male T2 except for silvery posterior margin and lateral sides, silvery microtomentose T3–4, and silvery white tip of T5.

Description. Body length: 2.5–3 mm; wing length: 2.9–3.2 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons brown, ocellar triangle and orbital plates brown microtomentose, lunule black, basoflagellomere black, face black microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum slightly brown microtomentose, scutellum and pleuron same except for shiny spot on anepisternum, wing hyaline, veins brown, brown spot at apex of vein R1 absent, calypter light brown with brown margin, halter black, legs black; abdomen with T2 brown microtomentose except for silvery posterior margin and lateral sides, T3–5 silvery microtomentose; ventrally bent tip of T5 silvery white.

Head: frons with 3 orbital and 2 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta medioclinate. In males frons 2.0x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 5.6x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista very short, posterior eye margin with notch (4om) and emargination (1–2om).

Thorax: 3+1 dc, 3+1 prsc, 1 pprn, 1 prs and row of 0.6 setae, 2+0.8 keps setae, posterior prsc about as long as posterior dc, seta between posterior prsc and posterior dc absent or small. Wing with veins R 4+5 and M very weakly convergent (1.6); M-ratio is 2.9. Fore femur slightly more densely setulose, tibial organ absent.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 present. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with 2–3 lines of setae, T2 setulose, T3–5 posterior margin with 1–2 row of setulae, T5 with row of setae anterior to silvery tip. S5 same as M. frontalis (see Pl. 10G). Male genitalia same as M. frontalis , 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus same as M. frontalis , structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae (see Pl. 10A, B).

Special characters: orbital plate extends into frons as acute medioventral tip.

Lectotype, ♂: BOLIVIA. La Paz : Sorata, 2300 m (15°46'59.88"S 68°37'59.88"W), 22.xii.1902, Schnuse ( SMTD, 3218022), in good condition. The type series consists of an unspecified number of males from Peru: Cuzco, Chile and Bolivia: Sorata. If Cuzco (now Cusco) is interpreted as being the whole department of Cusco, than there are 7 specimens of these localities in SMTD, with two bearing Becker's identification label. Additionally there are 4 males of these localities in ZMHU, with two bearing Becker's identification label. The fourth specimen belongs to a different species. I here designate one of the SMTD males bearing Becker's identification label as the lectotype. According to Rohlfien & Ewald (1972) there are 4 syntypes in DEI from the Oldenberg collection. Two of these specimens seem to be lost and the other two could be identical with specimens from the Lichtwardt collection, which were identified as M. tricincta but are actually M. concava .

Paralectotypes (all Schnuse): CHILE. Santiago: Santiago (33°27'0"S 70°40'.12"W), 17.ix.1902 (♂ SMTD, 3218021) . Tarapacá: Palca (18°50'S, 69°40'W), 19.x.1902 (2 ♂ SMTD, 3218027–8), 20.x.1902 (2 ♂ ZMHU, 3218035–6) ; PERU. Cusco: Cusco, 3200–4200 m (13°31'5.88"S 71°58'41.16"W), 1–31.iii.1905 (2 ♂ SMTD, 3218025–6); Sicuani (14°16'.12" S 71°13'.12"W), 8.x.1903 (♂ ZMHU, 3218037); Urubamba River , 3000 m (10°43'59.88"S 73°45'0"W), 18.ii.1906 (♂ SMTD, 3218024) .

Additional material examined: CHILE. Coquimbo: 50 km S La Serena (29°54'0"S 71°18'0"W), 1.xii.1950, Ross & Michelbacher (9 ♂ USNM, BMNH, 3218946–50, 3218952–5) . Tarapacá: Caritaya, 3200 m (19°0'0"S 69°25'.12"W), 19.ix.1952, Pena (♂ CNC, 3218023); Palca (18°50'S, 69°40'W), 19.x.1902, Schnuse (♂ SMTD, 3218030) ; PERU. Arequipa: Arequipa (16°24'0"S 71°33'0"W), 13.xi.1902, Schnuse (♂ SMTD, 3218033) . Moquegua: Yacango, 2134–2438 m (17°5'35.88"S 70°52'1.92"W), 5.x.1965, Hitchcock, Jr. (♂ USNM, 3218029); Urubamba River , 3000 m (10°43'59.88"S 73°45'0"W), 30.i.1906, Schnuse (♂ SMTD, 3218032), 25.iv.1906 (♂ SMTD, 3218031) .

Distribution. Middle Peru to middle Chile and adjacent Bolivia.