Houghia griseifrons Fleming & Wood

Fleming, Alan J., Wood, Monty, Smith, Alex, Hallwachs, Winnie & Janzen, Daniel H., 2014, Revision of the New World species of Houghia Coquillett (Diptera, Tachinidae) reared from caterpillars in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Zootaxa 3858 (1), pp. 1-90 : 55-56

Houghia griseifrons Fleming & Wood , sp. nov.

Figs. 5 c, 25 a–f

Diagnosis. This small species is one of four with vein R1 setose along its entire dorsal surface, and that lack sex patches on the ventral surface of the abdomen (the other three are H. macilenta , H. nigrofemur , and H. ochrofemur ). Houghia griseifrons differs from H. macilenta by the grayish rather than yellowish tomentose frons, and the lack of tomentosity on the frontal vitta leaving the ocellar triangle separated from the fronto-orbital plates by the dark brown Y-shaped upper end of the frontal vitta.

Description. Male. Antenna black. When viewed in profile, antenna arises distinctly above middle of eye. Length of first flagellomere extending to facial margin. Facial ridge bare except for a few (usually 3–5) decumbent small setae above vibrissa. Palpus pale, usually distinctly yellowish. Postgena behind postoccipital row, above level of lower facial margin, without black setae. Parafacial silver. Colour of fronto-orbital plate pale brassy to gold on its entire length from vertex to base of antenna (more than 50% coverage). Surface of fronto-orbital plate almost bare. Ocellar triangle, when viewed from above appearing to be sharply pointed anteriorly. Diameter of anterior ocellus equal to, or greater than, diameter of base of adjacent ocellar seta. Ocellar setae arising behind anterior ocellus but closer to anterior than to posterior ocelli. Eye bare. Postpronotum restricted to the three main postpronotal setae. Dark stripes on either side of dorsocentral row of setae separated from one another with brownish or gray tomentosity, appearing paler than stripes, but darker than remainder of scutum. Median and lateral stripes on either side of scutum united to one another posteriorly. Postsutural dorsocentral setae 3, with a gap between first and third seta. Anterior quadrant of anepisternum covered with short setae except for usually 3 to 5 distinctly larger setae. Katepisternum with two setae. Vein R1 with a row of small recumbent setae along its entire length. Legs ranging from reddish brown to yellow tinged but overall dark. Coxae distinctly yellow tinged, usually contrasting with darker remainder of legs. Ground colour of dorsal surface of abdomen dark to black. Ground colour of ventral surface of abdomen entirely black. Sex patches absent. Terminalia: surstylus equilaterally oblong shaped, posterodorsal half haired, apex bearing few short apical spines, tip with light inwardly apical curve when viewed dorsally. Cerci sharply pointed or distinctly tapered, apex with straight tip, ventral surface bare, separation between cerci straight, up to 85% as long as surstylus. Lobe of sternite 5 small and pointed apically, inner margin covered in dense tomentosity appearing darker than surrounding cuticle, internal edge inwardly curved, multiple apical setae emanating from lobe.

Hosts. Houghia griseifrons has been reared 3 times, from a sample of 44 dry forest and rain forest Acraga coa Schaus (Dalceridae) caterpillars.

Holotype. ♂, CNC. Type locality: Costa Rica, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Prov. Guanacaste, Sector Santa Rosa, Vado Cuajiniquil (10.94041°, -85.68043°), 275 m, 01/17/2006, Guillermo Pereira, DHJPAR0005549.

Paratypes. 29 ♂, 18 ♀ ( CNC) Costa Rica, Prov. Guanacaste, ACG database codes: DHJPAR0008840, 06- SRNP-12341, 00-SRNP-20050. 1 ♂, USA “AZ Pima Co./ Box Canyon/ 20.IX.2001 / G. & M. Wood” and 1 ♀, USA “Congress, ARIZ./ Yavapai Co./ 23-26.IV.67 / D. M. Wood”.

Etymology. From the Latin adjective, “ griseus ”, meaning gray and the noun, “ frons ”, meaning forehead, in reference to the grey tomentosity of the frons, a unique character in Houghia where the fronto-orbital plate is otherwise either silver or gold, not grey. The name is thus a noun in apposition.

Distribution. Costa Rica, ACG, Prov. Guanacaste, dry forest, 275–295 m elevation, and Pima and Yavapai counties, Arizona, USA.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Dorsal view of head. Red lines indicate the shape of the ocellar triangle as described, and placement of anterior ocellus (green circle) relative to the base (s) of ocellar setae (blue circles). a. Houghia marini sp. nov. b. Houghia graciloides sp. nov. c. Houghia griseifrons sp. nov.