Heteromphrale blanca, Winterton, Shaun L. & Gaimari, Stephen D., 2011

Winterton, Shaun L. & Gaimari, Stephen D., 2011, Revision of the South American window fly genus Heteromphrale Kroeber, 1937 (Diptera, Scenopinidae), ZooKeys 84, pp. 39-57 : 41-45

Heteromphrale blanca sp. n. Figures 2 A–B4A–B5A–B69A–C 10A

Type material.

Holotype male, "ARGENTINA. La Rioja Prov., Departamento Famatina, 12 km N Pituil, 4,135 ft; 20-X-1997, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, S. Roig, malaise, -28°30'54.36, -67°20'20.04" / "Schlinger Foundation Argentina Expedition, November 1997, ME Irwin, F.D. Parker & S. Roig" / "HOLOTYPUS ♂ Heteromphrale blanca Winterton & Gaimari" [red label]. (MEI165196) (CASC, point mounted, excellent condition).

Paratypes.

ARGENTINA: La Rioja Province: Departamento Famatina, 12 km N Pituil, 4135 ft. [1260 m], -28°30'54.36, -67°20'20.04, 15.X.1997, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker & S. Roig, ex. Malaise trap [1 male (CASC)] (MEI165195); 2 females (CASC) (MEI165197, 165198)]; on leaves of Prosopis tree [1 male (CSCA)]; 53 km from Villa Unión, Route 40, Pedregosa River, 27.XI.1976, ex. sweeping Prosopis chilensis [1 female (USNM)]; Departamento Famatina, 12 km N Pituil, 4135 ft. [1260 m], -28°30'54.36, -67°20'20.04, 15.X.1997, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker & S. Roig, ex. Malaise trap [1 male (DEI)] (MEI165199); Tucuman Province: 8 km NW Amaichá del Valle, 1847 m, -26°32.35', -65°58.37', 22-25.X.2003, M.E. Irwin & F.D. Parker, ex. Malaise trap in ravine [1 male (CSCA); 1 male (USNM)]. Salta Province: 10 km S Cafayete, 26. X– 13.XI.2003, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, -26.1514°, -65.9586°, 1644 m, Malaise in Prosopis covered dunes [1 female (CSCA)] (MEI165204).

Diagnosis.

Antennal flagellum dark brown to black, conical and evenly tapered distally; mouthparts normal, nearly filling oral cavity; scutum without glabrous dorsocentral patches; wing with vein R4 diverging from vein R5 at point between one-quarter and one-half of cell r5; abdomen dark with pale posterior band on tergites 2-5; tergite 2 sensory patch distinct as two small patches; male epandrium not bulbous, dense fringe of white setae along posterior margin; hypandrium lobes relatively large and sub-triangular; distiphallus with arms parallel; lateral aedeagal bulbs relatively large; female sternite 8 posterior edge rounded; acanthophorite spines elongate and finely tapered, wispy.

Description.

Body length: 2.5-4.0 mm [male], 2.7-4.2 mm [female]. Head (Figs 4 A–B, 5 A–B). Frons, parafacial, face and gena cream-white to yellow; female frons with tan suffusion dorsomedially and surface slightly furrowed medially, sparsely distributed with small, pale setae; male frons with whitish pubescence and dark where eyes are proximate; occiput with yellow suffusion marginally, black medially; face white; flagellum brown to black; scape pale yellow; pedicel yellowish-tan with a few minute pale setae; mouthparts normal-sized, nearly filling oral cavity; pale yellow, including prementum, labellum, labellar setae, and small cylindrical palpus. Thorax (Figs 5 A–B, 6). Scutum black to grey, small pale yellow areas marginally (postpronotal lobe, notopleuron and supra-alar area), more extensive in female and additionally with yellow on anterior part of scutum adjacent to postpronotum, on postalar callus, and medially on posterior part of scutum; entire thorax overlain with dense glaucous pubescence; scutellum dark medially, yellow marginally (yellow area more extensive in female); scutum without pale setae, some present on postpronotal lobe, anepisternum and katepisternum; prosternum yellow; proepisternum and proepimeron yellow, sometimes with brown on posterior part; anepisternum grey pubescent, yellow in upper part; katepisternum grey pubescent, yellow in posterodorsal corner (in female, along most of dorsal margin); anepimeron grey pubescent anteriorly, yellow posteriorly; meron grey pubescent, except yellow dorsally; coxae light brown to orange; legs tan to dark yellow-orange; distal tarsomeres darker than rest of leg; haltere stem brown, knob white with brown suffusion dorsally; wing venation pale yellow; vein R4 diverging from R5 at point between one-quarter and one-half of cell r5. Abdomen (Fig. 6). Segments dark brown-grey with pale white-yellow band posteriorly; sternites dark brown-grey; sparse pale setae on most segments; tergite 2 sensory patch large and distinct, divided medially into two small patches, patch concolorous with rest of tergite. Male genitalia (Figs 2 A–B, 10A). Epandrium sub-quadrangular, outer margins tapered, dark brown in basal half and pale yellow in distal half, white setal fringe along margin; hypandrium lobes relatively large, triangular; gonocoxite with darkly sclerotized, narrowly acuminate, dorsal process; gonostylus complex, apparently fused to gonocoxites, with posteriorly directed margin fringed with setae, and hook-like process dorsally, inner lobe triangular and fused medially; gonocoxal apodeme broadly flattened, curved medially; ejaculatory apodeme relatively elongate, directed anteriorly; lateral aedeagal bulbs large, round; distiphallus elongate, arms proximate and parallel, broadly curved ventrally at base then straight along distal length. Female genitalia (Fig. 9 A–C). Sternite 8 with posterior edge rounded, with posterolateral part fringed with long wispy setae; acanthophorite spines elongate and curved, becoming wispy and hair-like.

Comments.

Heteromphrale blanca sp. n. is very similar to Heteromphrale cyanops in overall body color, but differs considerably in male genitalic morphology and in the shape of the female sternite 8. As in Heteromphrale chilensis , the tergite 2 sensory patch is large and distinct, and is divided into two small patches with the setae directed medially. In males, the non-bulbous epandrium distinguishes this species and Heteromphrale chilensis from Heteromphrale cyanops , but the dense fringe of white setae along the posterior margin, distinguishes Heteromphrale blanca sp. n. from Heteromphrale chilensis . In females, the rounded sternite 8 distinguishes Heteromphrale blanca sp. n. from Heteromphrale cyanops , and the fringe of long wispy setae and elongate wispy acanthophorite spines distinguishes this species from Heteromphrale cyanops and Heteromphrale chilensis .

Distribution.

Known only from Argentina (La Rioja, Salta and Tucuman Provinces).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a Latin adjective - blanca - meaning white, referring to the dense fringe of white setae along the posterior margin of the epandrium.