Pseudacteon pesqueroi, Pereira, Thalles Platiny Lavinscky, Delabie, Jacques Hubert Charles & Bravo, Freddy, 2015

Pereira, Thalles Platiny Lavinscky, Delabie, Jacques Hubert Charles & Bravo, Freddy, 2015, New species and records of Pseudacteon Coquillett, 1907 (Diptera, Phoridae), parasitoids of the fire ant Solenopsis geminata group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), Zootaxa 4021 (4), pp. 585-590 : 587-588

Pseudacteon pesqueroi new spec.

( Figures 1–7 )

Diagnosis. Short bifurcated oviscape, with two plates, dorsal and ventral plate articulated anteriorly. Center of the dorsal plate with arcuate depression, concave, less sclerotized than the lateral lobes, with four pairs of setae. Lateral lobes rounded.

Material examined. Holotype. ♀ BRAZIL, Bahia: Ilhéus (CEPLAC– CEPEC, 14° 45'17.7" S, 39 ° 13'56.1" W), 03.X.2012, TPL Pereira leg. ( MZFS); 9 paratypes ♀: 3 female specimens, same locality and collector of holotype ( MZFS); 6 ♀ specimens, Ilhéus (Farm Mãe da Mata, 14 ° 49 '59.89”S, 39 ° 5' 54.28''W), 01.VI.2013, TPL Pereira leg. ( MZFS).

Additional material examined. BOLIVIA: Beni: 5km N Rurrenabaque (14.43º S, 67.51º W),1 ♀, 25.iv.2003, B. Brown, S. Marcotte leg., over Solenopsis electra ants (det. J.P Pitts) ants ( LACM). BOLIVIA: Beni: 5km N Rurrenabaque (14.43º S, 67.51º W,) 2 ♀, 25.iv.2003, B. Brown, S. Marcotte, E. Zumbado leg., Malaise trap ( LACM). PERU: Madre de Dios: (Cocha Cashu Biol. Stn., 11.92º S, 77.30º W), 1 ♀ on 29-30.viii.1986, 2♀ on 23-30.ix.1986, D.C. Darling leg, Malaise trap, ROM #863573, 868005 ( LACM).

Description. Female. Body length 1.3–1.4 mm (n=10). Head. Frons dark, one pair of supra–antennal setae proclinate, positioned in same horizontal line as first two setae, with 2–2–4–4 setae, also presence of micro setae on frons. Antenna flattened, flagellomere 1 conical with arista ( Fig. 1 ). Palpus yellow with distinct apical setae and 2–4 shorter setae ( Fig. 4 ). Thorax. Scutellum with four setae, posterior twice length of anterior. Wing. Length 0.8–1.2 mm, width 0.39–0.58 mm, costal vein 0.3–0.48 mm with presence 11–14 short setae of 0.02 mm (n=10), vein A1 + CuA2 present, but in some paratypes it is hyaline. Anterior basal region of wing with 3–4 setae ( Fig. 2 ). Abdomen. First abdominal segment shorter than the others, tergite VI triangular ( Fig. 5 ) with 10–12 bristles in posterior region. Sternite VI sclerotized ( Fig. 6 ), convex, with 14–16 bristles, pleural VI with taint. Oviscape. Dark brown, ranging from 0.37– 0.48 mm long, lobe length outer margin 0,1–0,17 mm and opening between lobes, ranging from 0.04–0.06 mm (n=10). Short and bifurcated, with two plates, dorsal and ventral, articulated anteriorly, center of dorsal plate has a depression with four pairs of setae. ( Fig. 3 ). In ventral plate is inserted the centerpiece (sternite VIII) lanceolate with four pairs of setae, at base of this piece there is an opening which passes the stylet (Fig. 3,7). Depression on dorsal plate is somewhat sclerotized and rounded in lateral lobes.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. BOLIVIA: Beni; BRAZIL: Bahia; PERU: Madre de Dios.

Etymology. Named for Dr. Marcos Antônio Pesquero, one of the first Brazilian researchers to start studies with ecology and taxonomy of Pseudacteon .

Remarks. This species is included in the species group proposed by Plowes et al. (2009) with short, forked oviscape. Within the species group the new species resembles Pseudacteon nocens ( Borgmeier, 1926) and P. palomita ( Plowes et al. 2009) , but the depression in P. pesqueroi is less sclerotized than in P. nocens . Different also because, P. pesqueroi has lobes rounded, truncated in Pseudacteon nocens and facing out in P. palomita .

Field observations. The type specimens were collected associated with a colony of Solenopsis saevissima and Solenopsis geminata .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Pseudacteon pesqueroi new spec.. 1. Head with emphasis on antennae and forehead. 2. Wing. 3. Oviscape dorsal view (dashed long—stylet, dashed short—oviduct). 4. Palpus. 5. Tergite VI. 6. Sternite VI. 7. Oviscape side view (DP – dorsal plate, VP—ventral plate, O—oviduct, S—stylet). Scale bars equivalent to 0.1 mm.