Argentinomyia teresae Montoya, 2023

Montoya, Augusto L. & Wolff, Marta, 2023, Taxonomic revision of the Neotropical genus Argentinomyia Lynch-Arribálzaga, 1891 (Diptera: Syrphidae), with description of 16 new species, Zootaxa 5234 (1), pp. 1-157 : 129-131

Argentinomyia teresae Montoya sp. nov.

Proposed standard English name: Teresa’s long-antennae flower fly.

Argentinomyia sp. 17a by Montoya, unpublished

( Figs 79 , 80 and 90B )

Type material. HOLOTYPE. Adult male, pinned, deposited at Colección Entomológica Universidad de Antioquia. Original label: “ COLOMBIA, Antioquia, Belmira, Páramo Santa Inés, Cabaña Cabildo Verde, El Morro-Alto de La Gallina ” / “ 6,632639, -75,645267 ” / “ 3170–3200 m, Páramo, ex Espeletia occidentalis, Red entomológica” / “ 4-14.xii.2016, A. L. Montoya, J. Torres, J. D. Carmona ”. “ HOLOTYPE / Argentinomyia teresae / Montoya 2023” ( CEUA 98384 ). Identified as Argentinomyia sp. 17b by Montoya 2019 . PARATYPES. Label same data as Holotype, except, 2.xii.2017, C. Rodríguez & A. Echeverry Leg. (1♁, CEUA 138733 ) ; …, Malaise Canopy #2, 20-30.vi.2017, A. L. Montoya, C. Rodríguez, J. D. Carmona (1♁, CEUA 97991 ) ; …, Net , 16-27.ix.2017, C. Rodríguez, A. Rúa (1♁, CEUA 97996 ) ; …, Vereda Río Arriba , Sector Laguna de Sabanas , 6,645 901, -75,670441, 3200 m, Páramo, Net, 28-31.v.2016, A. L. Montoya (1♁, CEUA 93563 ) ; Sonsón , Vereda San Francisco , Cerro Las Palomas A, 5,725 972, -75,249253, 3364– 3310 m, Net, 1-6.iv.2018, A.L. Montoya; J. P. Carmona (1♁, CEUA 114186 ) ; …, Vereda Nori , Cerro Nori , 5,809 667, -75,269028, 2853 m, Forest, Malaise canopy, 31.iii-7.iv.2018, A.L. Montoya; J. P. Carmona (1♁, CEUA 114224 ) .

Length (n= 3): Body, 6.8 mm; Wings, 7.3 mm.

Diagnosis. Body mainly black. Antennae brownish, orange ventrally. Frontal triangle golden pollinose; metanotum golden pile; legs black, except pro- and mesotibiae yellow on apical 1/5 and basal 1/3; terga 3 rd and 4 th with a pair of basolateral rectangular maculae extending 1/3 of tergum length; surstylus shorter than the epandrium, with dorsal margin slightly concave and ventral margin slightly convex; hypandrium expanded laterally towards the apex; dorsal area of the apex of hypandrium (superior lobes) in lateral view, no extending dorsally backward, without a small sclerotized inner spur; aedeagal lobe circular, apex rounded; the base of the aedeagus normal, only slightly globose.

Description. MALE. Head ( Fig. 79A ): Face black, sides yellow golden pilose and pollinose. Frontal triangle with transversal golden maculae, black pilose. Gena black, white pollinose and pilose. Ocellar triangle opaque, with a velvety brown cross band black pilose. Occiput white pollinose, white pilose on dorsal 2/3 and black pilose on ventral 1/3.Antenna brownish, orange ventrally, short, ratio 1.1:1.3:2.6; basoflagellomere apically rounded and longer than the scape and pedicel; arista black. Thorax ( Figs 79B–C ): Bluish gray, yellow pilose and pollinose; with two grayish vitae in the anterior half, just before the notopleural suture. Pleura bright bluish, golden pollinose, scattered whitish-golden pilose. Metanotum golden pile. Wing ( Fig. 79C ): Smoky brown, stigma brown, microtrichose; calypter wholly brown; plumule white; halter white, capitulum white. Legs ( Fig. 79C ): Black, except pro- and mesotibiae yellow on apical 1/5 and basal 1/3; pile yellow basally and black apically, coxae brown. Abdomen ( Fig. 79B ): Parallel sides, 3 rd and 4 th terga with a pair of basolateral rectangular maculae extending 1/3 of tergum length, golden pilose, except black pilose on median apical region of each segment; male genitalia: surstylus in lateral view ( Fig. 80A ) shorter than the epandrium, with dorsal margin slightly concave and ventral margin slightly convex; hypandrium in ventral view ( Fig. 80C ) expanded laterally towards the apex; dorsal area of the apex of hypandrium (superior lobes) in lateral view, no extending dorsally backward, without a small sclerotized inner spur; aedeagal lobe in ventral view ( Fig. 80C ) circular, apex rounded; the base of the aedeagus normal, only slightly globose.

FEMALE. Unknown.

Taxonomic notes. Argentinomyia teresae sp. nov. is similar in appearance to A. serendipia sp. nov. from which it differs in the antennae brownish, orange ventrally; frontal triangle golden pollinose ( Figs 79A, C ); terga 3 rd and 4 th with a pair of small basolateral rectangular maculae extending 1/3 of tergum length ( Fig 79B ). In A. serendipia sp. nov. the antenna black; frontal triangle dark pollinose ( Figs 74A, C ); terga 3 rd and 4 th with a pair of small rectangular maculae extending 1/6 of tergum length and restricted to basolateral margins of tergites ( Fig 74B ). Based on males, A. teresae sp. nov. differs from A. serendipia sp. nov. in having the surstylus in lateral view ( Fig. 80A ) shorter than the epandrium [versus surstylus larger than the epandrium in A. serendipia sp. nov. ( Fig. 75A )]; dorsal area of the apex of hypandrium (superior lobes) in lateral view ( Fig. 80A ) no extending dorsally backward, without a small sclerotized inner spur [versus extending dorsally backward with a small sclerotized inner spur in A. serendipia sp. nov. ( Fig. 75A )] (see “diagnosis” under each species or key).

Etymology. The name of this beautiful Colombian fly is a matronym in honor of the first author’s mother, Teresa Giraldo (Educator for more than 34 years), in gratitude for her love and dedication, teaching to enjoy and marvel at the little things in nature, transmitting values that left indelible fingerprints as well as material and emotional encouragement that made possible my professional development.

Remarks. Field observations suggest that A. teresae sp. nov. seems to be associated with the pollination of the Colombian endemic “Frailejón”, Espeletia occidentalis .

Geographical range. Argentinomyia teresae sp. nov. (n= 8) is exclusively known from the Páramo complexes Belmira, El Congo and Sonsón in the massif at northwestern Colombia (Antioquia) ( Fig. 90B ). The species is endemic to the North Andes domain at middle and high altitudes (2950–3200 m) in the Magdalena province .

Figures

FIGURE 74. Argentinomyia serendipia sp. nov., male Holotype (CEUA 98284): A. Head, frontal view; B. Dorsal view; C. Lateral view.

FIGURE 75. Argentinomyia serendipia sp. nov., male Holotype, genitalia. A. Whole genitalia, lateral view; B. Epandrium, dorsal view; C. Hypandrium, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 79. Argentinomyia teresae sp. nov., male Holotype (CEUA 98384): A. Head, frontal view; B. Dorsal view; C. Lateral view.

FIGURE 80. Argentinomyia teresae sp. nov., male Holotype, genitalia. A. Whole genitalia, lateral view; B. Epandrium, dorsal view; C. Hypandrium, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 90. Geographical distribution of Argentinomyia species in the Tropical Andes.