Naglisia gracilis Quevedo, Capellari & Lamas, 2024

Quevedo, Lucas, Capellari, Renato S. & Lamas, Carlos José E., 2024, A new monotypic genus of Dactylomyiini (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Neurigoninae) from the Brazilian Chaco, with a discussion on the evolution of the lateral epandrial lobe, Zootaxa 5403 (3), pp. 346-356 : 351

Naglisia gracilis Quevedo, Capellari & Lamas sp. nov.

Type-material. HOLOTYPE ♂: “ BRASIL, MS [State of Mato Grosso do Sul], Porto Murtinho [ Municipality ] | S21º41’42.9’’ W57º45’51.2’’ | Malaise 32 | 10–25.i.2012 | Lamas , Nihei & eq col” ( MZUSP) . PARATYPES (all in MZUSP): 1♂, 6♀, same data as holotype ; 2♂, 4♀, Fazenda Retiro Conceição-Trilha da Espinhadeira , S21º40′59.7″ W57º46′42.5″, Malaise 31, 25.i–29.iii.2012 ; 5♀, 29.iii–18.iv.2012; 4♀, Fazenda Retiro Conceição-Trilha da Mata Bruta , S21º41′52″ W57º45′57.1″, Malaise 33, 29.iii.2012 .

Description. Male ( Fig. 1A ). Body length: 1.6–1.9 mm. Wing: 1.8–2.0 mm long, 0.7–0.8 mm wide. Head. Frons metallic dark green, converging below, around half of head width at broadest point; face dark yellow, narrowing at middle (as broad as an ocellus at narrowest point); proboscis and palpus yellow, latter covered by short dark setae; pair of slightly divergent ocellar setae and pair of postocellar setae; pair of vertical setae one third longer than ocellar setae, pair of paravertical setae about third length of verticals; row of pale to whitish postocular setae, with 3 dorsalmost brownish; occiput metallic dark green. Antenna wholly yellow, inserted on upper 1/5 of head height and on slightly depressed area; dorsal surface of scape bare; pedicel with crown of short apical setae; postpedicel triangular, stylus dorsal and bi-articulated at base. Thorax. Mostly yellow, with brown stripe between acrostichals, brown mesonotal slope and median dorsum of scutellum; light brown spot on subalar sclerite and anterior part of postnotum. Posterior third of mesonotum flattened. Setae mostly dark brown to black. Acrostichals in two rows of 15–18 short setae, posteriormost reaching mesonotal slope; dorsocentrals with 2 posterior longer setae and 3–4 short setae anteriorly, undifferentiated from setulae on anterolateral surface of mesonotum; 1 short postsutural intra-alar seta; 1 pre- and 1 postsutural supra-alar seta; 1 long post-alar seta; 2 notopleurals; 1 strong and 1 minute postpronotal setae; lower surface of proepisternum with 2 white setae, ventral one longer; upper surface bare; scutellum with pair of strong medial setae and pair of minute setulae laterad. Wing ( Fig. 1C ). Membrane hyaline, veins brown. Costa ending before wing apex, joining R 4+5; R 1 ending at 2/5 of wing length, R 2+3 at 5/7. M 1 sigmoid, gently curved and converging to R 4+5, ending before wing apex. CuA+CuP evanescent. CuAx ratio, 0.4, RMx ratio, 5.0. Cilia of calypter and halter pale yellowish. Legs. Completely yellow and lacking major setae. Leg I. Podomere ratios: 28, 28, 14, 9, 6, 3, 3. Anterior surface of coxa I covered by short pale setae, brownish at apex, outer edge with 3–4 apicolateral, longer brown setae. Femur I with comb of short anteroventral setae on distal half (MSSC). Tibia I slightly thicker than in females (diameter at middle about twice diameter near femoral joint), with 3–4 dorsal to anterodorsal rows of stout short setae (MSSC). Tarsus I with single anterior claw, and single developed pulvillus (MSSC). Leg II. Podomere ratios: 25, 32, 29, 11, 6, 3, 2. Coxa II with fringe of short apicomedial brown setae. Tibia II slightly compressed dorsoventrally on basal 4/5. Leg III. Podomere ratios: 30, 36, 26, 12, 7, 4, 3. Coxa III with lateral seta on basal third. Femur III with ventral cuticular projection around apical 1/6. Tibia III with row of short spine-like ventral setulae at apical 1/3, 3–4 dorsal setae near apex and laterad to posterior excavation, flanked by 2 hook-like cuticular projections (all MSSC); first tarsomere III with ventral callus at base bearing 3 setae (MSSC), and 4 ventral setae at basal 1/3, 1/2, and 2 at apical 1/3. Abdomen. Short, about as long as thorax length; mostly yellow and covered by short setae; dorsum of tergites 1–5 brownish. Tergite 6 setose. Segments 6 and 7 forming short peduncle for genital capsule. Hypopygium ( Fig. 1D ; Fig. 2A–E ). Light yellow, about twice as long than high. Medial epandrial lobe digitiform with 2 basal and 1 apical setae. Ventral lobe of surstylus subrectangular, fused with lateral epandrial lobe almost along entire length, with 2 apical setae. Dorsal lobe of surstylus ( Fig. 2C ) slightly infuscate at apex. Postgonites ( Fig. 2D ) L-shaped, with rugose median projection. Cercus ( Fig. 2E ) covered by short setae at base, apex mostly bare, except for 2 long setae at apex. Phallus thin, flanking inner wall of epandrium.

Female ( Fig. 1B ). Body length: 2.3–2.6 mm. Wing: 2.1–2.2 mm long, 0.7–0.8 mm wide. Very similar to male, except lacking MSSC and as noted. Face slightly broader; occiput with 2–3 pairs of longer pale setae below. Legs. Leg I: 31, 32, 20, 10, 5, 3, 2. Leg II: 30, 40, 32, 14, 9, 4, 3. Leg III: 33, 49, 21, 15, 9, 6, 4. Tibia III with 6–8 short dorsal and 3–4 ventral setae on apical half. Abdomen. Mostly yellow and covered by short setae, dorsum of tergites 1–7 brown; segments 6 and 7 visible, setose, not telescoped into preceding segments. Terminalia ( Fig. 2F, G ). Tergite 8 divided into two placoid hemitergites; sternum 8 rounded and bare; tergite 9+10 divided into two acanthophorites basally close to each other and covered by delicate setae; sternite 10 covered by many setae similar in length (no conspicuous ventral setae); cercus short, membranous, fused to tergite 9+10.

Etymology. From the Latin gracilis , referring to the slender habitus of the species.

Distribution. Brazil, State of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Remarks. Naglisia gracilis gen. et sp. nov. can be readily identified as Dactylomyiini based on the reduced number of dorsocentral setae and S-shaped bend of wing vein M, as well as other features mentioned above. It can be easily distinguished from other species in the tribe by its unique yellow body color, lacking distinct metallic areas, in a way reminiscent of several Neotropical Neurigona Loew.Additionally , N. gracilis gen. et sp. nov. is most probably related to the clade formed by Dactylomyia plus Macrodactylomyia (sensu Naglis 2001b) , since all three genera share the lack of one tarsal claw on leg I and hypopygial characters (see also Discussion below).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Naglisia gracilis gen. et sp. nov., male holotype (A, D–E) and female paratype (B–C). A. Male, lateral habitus. B. Female, lateral habitus. C. Wing. D. Left lateral view of postabdomen. E. Cuticular projections of tibia III. Abbreviations: bm+dm = basal medial cell + discal medial cell; CuA+CuP = anterior branch of cubital vein + posterior branch of cubital vein; dm-m = discal medial crossvein; h = humeral crossvein; M 1 = first branch of media; M 4 = fourth branch of media; R 1 = anterior branch of radius; R 2+3 = second branch of radius; R = third branch of radius; Sc = subcosta. Scale bar: 1.0 mm (A–B), 0.5 mm 4+5 (C–D) and 0.2 mm (E).

FIGURE 2. Naglisia gracilis gen. et sp. nov., male (A–E) and female (F–G) genital structures. A. Hypopygium, left lateral. B. Hypopygium, ventral (left appendages not depicted). C. Dorsal lobe of surstylus, left lateral. D. Postgonite, left lateral. E. Cercus, left lateral. F. Ovipositor, right lateral. G. Female terminalia, dorsal. Abbreviations: Cer = cercus; Dsur = dorsal lobe of surstylus; Hyp = hypandrium; Pgon = postgonite; s = sternite; t = tergite; VSur = ventral lobe of surstylus. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.