Houghia omissa 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 : 74-75

Houghia omissa Fleming & Wood , sp. nov.

Figs. 7 b, 10 c, 37 a–f

Diagnosis. One of a group of seven closely related species in ACG, and many more in Central and South America, the H. crypta group, in which the second postsutural dorsocentral seta is missing, leaving a gap between first and third setae ( H. omissa , H. confinis , H. triangularis , H. destituta , H. crypta , H. biseriata , H. bivittata ). It is the only species of Houghia known to us in which tergite 4 has a well developed sex patch while tergite 5 lacks any trace of a patch ( Fig. 10 c).

Description. Male. Antenna black. When viewed in profile, antenna arises approximately at level of 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, with a small patch of few black setae. Parafacial silver. Surface of fronto-orbital plate almost bare. Ocellar triangle when viewed from above appearing rounded anteriorly. Diameter of anterior ocellus less 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 bare dorsally. Legs ranging from reddish brown to yellow tinged but overall dark. Coxae dark usually concolourous with remainder of leg. Ground colour of dorsal surface of abdomen dark to black. Ground colour of ventral surface of abdomen entirely black. Sex patches present only on tergite 4. Ground colour of sex patches shiny black. Terminalia: surstylus equilaterally oblong shaped, posterodorsal half bare, apex bearing few short apical spines, tip with light inwardly apical curve when viewed dorsally. Cerci sharply pointed or distinctly tapered, apex with blunt, hooked tip, ventral surface bare, separation between cerci straight, up to 85% as long as surstylus. Lobe of sternite 5 large and rounded apically, inner margin covered in dense tomentosity appearing darker than surrounding cuticle, internal edge straight, multiple apical setae emanating from lobe.

Hosts. Houghia omissa has been reared only 6 times, and always from a sample of 47 Thracides nanea nida Evans ( Hesperiinae , Hesperiidae ) caterpillars feeding on the foliage of rain forest understory Asplundia microphylla (Oerst.) (Cyclanthaceae) .

Holotype. ♂, CNC. Type locality: Costa Rica, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Prov. Guanacaste, Sector Pitilla, Ingas (11.00311°, -85.42041°), 580 m, 01/23/2004, Petrona Rios, DHJPAR0018946.

Paratypes. 10 ♂, 16 ♀ ( CNC) Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela and Guanacaste, ACG database codes: DHJPAR0008782, DHJPAR0017125, DHJPAR0005451, DHJPAR0016603, DHJPAR0030434, 05-SRNP-6520, 98-SRNP-6786, 06-SRNP-8227, 09-SRNP-40189.

Etymology. From the Latin participle of the verb “ omitto ”, meaning to leave out or omit, referring to the lack of a sex patch on tergite 5, although a well developed sex patch is present on tergite 4, a unique character state that defines the species.

Distribution. Costa Rica, ACG, Prov. Alajuela & Guanacaste, rain forest, 420–645 m elevation.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Dorsal view of thorax showing differing number of postsutural dorsocentral setae. Red circles indicate positions of these setae. a. Houghia fimbriata sp. nov., with four postsutural dorsocentral setae. b. Houghia omissa sp. nov., with three postsutural dorsocentral setae.

FIGURE 10. Ventral view of abdomen showing different configurations of sex patches. a. Houghia graciloides sp. nov., showing characteristic sex patch on tergites 3, 4, and 5. b. Houghia longipilosa sp. nov., with sex patch present on tergites 4 and 5 only. c. Houghia omissa sp. nov., with sex patch present on tergite 4 only. d. Houghia confinis sp. nov with sex patch on tergites 4 and 5. e. Houghia macilenta sp. nov., with no sex patch at all.