Psychoda divaricata Duckhouse, 1968

Bravo, Freddy, Cordeiro, Danilo & Chagas, Cinthia, 2006, Two new species and new records of Psychoda Latreille (Diptera: Psychodidae: Psychodinae) from Brazil, with comments on supraspecific classification of the genus, Zootaxa 1298, pp. 1-15 : 5-6

Psychoda divaricata Duckhouse, 1968 ( Figs. 1–8 )

Psychoda divaricata Duckhouse, 1968: 37

Material examined. BRAZIL, Bahia, Senhor do Bonfim, Serra da Maravilha (Fzda Zumbi, 12°23´S 40°12´W), 2 males, 05.VII.2005, R. Vieira & E. Souza ( PPBIO 201010201 # 1125, MZUEFS # 1226) (MZUEFS); Jussarí, Serra do Teimoso (15°09´S 41°00´W), 1 female, 27.IV.2001, F. Bravo (MZUEFS); Cachoeira (Fzda. Villa Rial, 15°09´S 39° 32´W), 1 female, 24.V.2004, F. Bravo (MZUEFS); Feira de Santana (Campus Universitário, 12°11´S 38°58´W), 3 males, 1 female, 28.VI.2006, E. Alvim; Pará, Serra do Cachorro, 1 male, 21.V.1998, TVB/RQ/FLS ( INPA); Espírito Santo, Pancas, Fzda Juliberto Stur, Área I (19° 13´S 40° 46´W), 1 female, 31.I–07.II.2003, M. Tavarez & C. Azevedo (MZUEFS).

Diagnosis. According Duckhouse (1968), the male of this species can be recognized by the following characteristics: eyes separated by 1 facet diameter ( Fig. 1 ); labellum with 4 terminal teeth ( Fig. 2 ); antenna with 14 flagellomeres, 1st–10th nodiform (flask shaped) ( Figs. 3, 4 ), 12th–13th partially fused (no suture), 11th with 1 spine ( Fig. 4 ); R5 ending at wing tip ( Fig. 5 ), aedeagus with intromittent region short, in 3 parts, the dorsal most inflated distally and divided at its tip into unequal pair of divergent, pointed arms ( Fig. 7 ); cercus with 1 tenaculum ( Fig. 6 ). The female can be recognized by the following features: eyes separated by 1.5 facet diameters; subgenital plate (S8) with distal lobes separated by deep rounded concavity ( Fig. 8 ); genital digit 0.4X length of subgenital plate ( Duckhouse 1968: fig. 43).

Comments. Psychoda divaricata has been recorded from southern Brazil to eastern Amazon (Pará State) along the Brazilian Atlantic Coastal Rain Forest between Santa Catarina and Bahia States, with one record from the inner semi­deciduous forest in Bahia State (Senhor do Bonfím). This species is possibly present in the tropical forests north of Bahia state and links the Bahia populations with those of Pará.

The number and the form of the apical flagellomeres observed in Psychoda divaricata – 14 flagellomeres, 12th–13th partially fused, and 14th smallest and spherical – is present in other Neotropical species of Psychoda : P. s c o t i n a Quate, P. pitilla Quate , P. quiniversa Quate , and P. varablanca Quate. No additional subgenera will be proposed for this morphological group of Psychoda before phylogenetic studies are undertaken.

Collection. Specimens from Senhor do Bonfim, Cachoeira, Jussarí, and Serra do Cachorro were collected with a light trap; specimens from Feira de Santana and Pancas were collected with a Malaise trap.

Distribution. Brazil: Santa Catarina (Nova Teutônia); Espírito Santo (Pancas, new record); Bahia (Senhor do Bonfim, Feira de Santana, Cachoeira, Jussarí, new records); Pará (Serra do Cachorro, new record).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Psychoda divaricata Duckhouse, 1968. 1. Head, female. 2. Labellum, male. 3. Base of antenna, scape and pedicel and basal flagellomeres, male. 4. Antenna, flagellomeres 10 – 14, male. 5. Wing, female. 6. Male terminalia, lateral. 7. Male terminalia, dorsal. 8. Female terminalia, subgenital plate (S 8).