Macrurohelea morenoi, Spinelli & Ronderos & Grogan, 2022

Spinelli, Gustavo R., Ronderos, Maria M. & Grogan, William L., 2022, Five new species in the predaceous midge genus Macrurohelea Ingram & Macfie from Argentina, and descriptions of the previously unknown males of M. kuscheli Wirth and M. monotheca Spinelli & Grogan (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 5093 (4), pp. 445-464 : 455-457

Macrurohelea morenoi n. sp.

( Figs. 22–25 , 45–46 )

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Diagnosis. Males: the only species with a dark brown thorax, legs and abdomen and a pale brown halter; tergite 9 triangular, extending 0.75 length of gonocoxites, tergite 10 with broad truncate apex, apicolateral process very short, triangular, without apical seta; sternite 9 2.2x broader than long, tapering slightly distally, posteromedian margin convex; parameres stout, nearly straight, distal halves slightly divergent distally, tips rounded; aedeagus broad, Vshaped, basal arch deep, heavily sclerotized, extending 0.63 length of basal width, distal portion short, triangular, divided medially, apices slightly divergent. Females unknown.

Male. Head ( Fig. 22 ) dark brown. Eyes separated medially by width of 3 ommatidia with numerous short interommatidial spicules. Antennal flagellum with flagellomeres 1–10 distinctly separated, 11–13 lost in the holotype. Palpus medium dark brown; segment 3 with very shallow sensory pit at distal 1/3; segment 4 short, segment 5 slightly longer than segment 3; palpal ratio 2.22. Thorax ( Fig. 23 ) uniformly dark brown; scutum with 5 stout prealar setae and 1 postalar seta; scutellum with 3 long, stout setae and 5 slender, shorter setae. Legs dark brown (hind legs missing in the examined specimen); tarsomeres 4 of fore, mid legs cordiform; claws of fore, mid legs small, slightly curved with bifid tips. Wing ( Fig. 24 ) membrane slightly infuscated with minute microtrichiae, veins brown; medium-size macrotrichiae on costa; 2 nd radial cell slightly shorter than 1st; cell r 3 without intercalary veins; r-m crossvein shorter than petiole of M; wing length 0.94 mm, width 0.37 mm; costal ratio 0.62. Halter pale brown. Abdomen ( Fig. 23 ) dark brown. Genitalia ( Figs. 25 , 45–46 ). Tergite 9 triangular, extending 0.75 length of gonocoxites. Tergite 10 with slightly convex lateral margins and truncate apex, apicolateral process very short, triangular without apical seta, cercus slender, finger-like (adpressed to ventral surface in the holotype). Sternite 9 2.2x broader than long, tapering distally, posteromedian margin convex. Gonocoxite stout, 1.45x longer than broad, with pointed mesal protuberance; gonostylus 0.73 length of gonocoxite, distal 2/3 greatly curved, tip pointed. Parameres ( Fig. 45 ) narrowly separated, heavily sclerotized; basal apodeme stout, laterally directed, recurved 120°, with short pointed laterally directed protuberance; distal portion stout, nearly straight, distal ½ slightly divergent, apex rounded. Aedeagus ( Fig. 46 ) broad, V-shaped, 0.63 length of basal width; basal arch heavily sclerotized, stout, curved, extending 0.5 of total length; distal portion short, more lightly sclerotized, triangular, divided medially, tapered distally, apices slightly divergent.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype male, labeled “ Holotype Macrurohelea morenoi Spinelli, Ronderos and Grogan ”, “ Argentina, Río Negro, Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, laguna Schmoll, 41º11’36.7’’S, 71º29’51.2’’W, 1925 m, 24-I/19- II/2007, A. Garré – F. Montes de Oca , Malaise trap.

Distribution. Argentina, known only from the type-locality.

Derivation of specific epithet. This species is named after Francisco P. Moreno, former Director of the Museo de La Plata, Argentina, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions while exploring Argentine Patagonia during the late nineteen century.

Discussion. This new species is similar to M. sirii n. sp., but in that species the base of the aedeagus is narrower than the bases of parameres and the distal portion is slender with entire pointed apex, and the parameres are slender distally, with apices tapered, divergent, with outer pointed tips.

Figures

FIGURES 22–25. Macrurohelea morenoi n. sp. Holotype male. 22, head. 23 thorax. 24 wing. 25 genitalia. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.

FIGURES 43–46. Macrurohelea monotheca Spinelli & Grogan, male, 43–44. Macrurohelea morenoi n. sp. Holotype male, 45–46. 43, 45 parameres. 44, 46 aedeagus.