Brachylinga mimica Webb, 2006

Webb, Donald W. & Metz, Mark A., 2006, A Revision of the New World Genera Brachylinga Irwin and Lyneborg and Lysilinga Irwin and Lyneborg (Diptera: Therevidae: Therevinae) with the Description of a New Genus, Elcaribe Webb, Zootaxa 1288 (1288), pp. 1-241 : 88-90

Brachylinga mimica Webb spec. nov.

( Figs. 16, 39, 62, 85, 108, 131, 154, 177, 197, 216)

Etymology

Mimicus (Latin) = imitative. This name is used as an adjective and refers to the strong similarity of the female of this species to Brachylinga tepocae .

Diagnosis

Brachylinga mimica is taxonomically associated with B. tridentata in lacking setae on the katepisternum; in having the postocular, mesonotal, and coxal macrosetae dark reddish brown; in having the male parafacial black ventrally and silver dorsally; in having the halter knob dark reddish brown; and in lacking an anterodorsal patch of short black setae on the gena. Brachylinga mimica differs from B. tridentata in having the distiphallus in dorsal view ( Fig. 131) tapered apically and lacking an apicolateral projection and in lateral view tapered ventrally in a broad curve ( Fig. 177).

Description of male holotype (MEI 101558)

Body length 5.3 mm.

Head. Length 0.70 mm. Ommatidia smaller ventrally and laterally. Frons pruinescence silver, black dorsally as two right angle triangles, separated medially; setae black. Antenna/head length 0.75; black, pruinescence gray on scape, pedicel and base of first flagellomere; scape length 0.20 mm, width 0.10 mm, length/width 2.0, scape/pedicel length 2.5, scape/flagellum width 0.83, setae dark yellowish brown; pedicel length 0.08 mm, length/width 0.7; flagellum length 0.30 mm, width 0.12 mm, length/width 2.5, flagellum/scape length 1.5. Parafacial pruinescence black, silver dorsally. Maxillary palpus dark reddish brown, pruinescence gray; length 0.40 mm, length/width 6.7; setae dark reddish brown, elongate. Genal setae white. Occipital setae white becoming lanceolate, appressed dorsally. Postocular macrosetae dark reddish brown.

Thorax. Macrosetae dark reddish brown, 3 np, 2 sa, 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Mesonotum dark brown, pruinescence brownish gray; setae black, elongate intermixed with whitish gold, appressed setae. Pleuron pruinescence gray; setae white on propleuron, anepisternum, laterotergite, metanepisternum, scutellum, absent on katepisternum. Wing. Membrane pale gray; veins brown; length 4.5 mm, length/width 2.6; pterostigma faint pale brown, narrow; cell m 3 closed, petiolate (occasionally slightly open). Halter dark brown. Legs. Coxa setae white, present on posterior surface of midcoxa; macrosetae dark reddish brown. Femora dark reddish brown, pruinescence white; ventral setae black intermixed with white setae on fore­ and midfemora; av 0:0:5, pv 0:0:3. Tibiae dark yellow, apical fourth dark reddish brown particularly on hindtibia. Tarsomere 1 dark yellow, posterior half dark reddish brown; 2–5 dark reddish brown.

Abdomen. Dark reddish brown, pruinescence white, dense, posterior margin of tergites 2–3 white; dorsal setae white, appressed; lateral setae white, erect. Terminalia (ME I 101244) dark brown. Tergite 8 ( Fig. 16), narrow medially (0.02 mm); setae yellow, absent medially on posterior margin. Sternite 8 ( Fig. 39) rectangular, sides rounded, posterior margin emarginate; setae pale yellow. Epandrium ( Fig. 16) quadrate; setae dark yellow. Cercus ( Fig. 16), ending basal to apex of hypoproct. Hypoproct ( Fig. 16), posterior margin emarginate, ending distal to apex of cercus. Gonocoxite ventral view ( Fig. 39), basal two­thirds quadrate, tapered apically to attenuate projection; setae dark yellow, black macrosetae apically; dorsal view ( Fig. 62), posteromedial lobe small, rounded, gonocoxal bridge absent; lateral view ( Fig. 85) basal half rounded, tapering apically to broad point; ventral lobe ( Fig. 39) with ventral spines. Gonostylus ( Fig. 108), basodorsal lobe large, broadly rounded; ventral margin curved, setae dark yellow, thick, extending apically in distinct tuft; fine, short spines absent laterally. Aedeagus with dorsal apodeme ( Fig. 131) broad, rectangular, posterolateral margin rounded; ventral apodeme ( Fig. 154) short, tapered anteriorly, not reaching anterior margin of dorsal apodeme; distiphallus dorsal view ( Fig. 131) tapering apically with long dorsal carina; lateral view ( Fig. 177) broadly curved ventrally, apicolateral spines small; ejaculatory apodeme ( Fig. 131), anterior margin truncate.

Variation (n=10). Body length 4.7–6.8, 5.5 mm.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 2 sa, 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Legs. Anteroventral macrosetae 0–1:0:3–5, pv 0:0:3–4.

Female.

Similar to male except for following.

Variation (n=10).

Body length 5.1–6.7, 5.7 mm.

Head. Frons brown, pruinescence brownish gray, ventral fourth whitish brown with distinct, brown circle dorsolaterally; setae dark brown.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 2 sa, 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Legs. Anteroventral macrosetae 0–1:0:2–4, pv 0:0:1–7.

Abdomen. Black, tergite 1 pruinescence brownish gray, tergites 2–3 with pruinescence gray, narrow along posterior margin, expanded laterally; tergite 4 with pruinescence gray laterally; tergites 5–7 pruinescence gray over entire tergite; dorsal setae dark reddish brown, appressed, whitish brown, elongate, appressed setae along posterior margins of tergites 1–3. Terminalia (MEI 101174) dark reddish brown. Furca ( Fig. 197) rectangular, posterior margin sinuate with short posterolateral projection, sides parallel, anterior margin rounded; length 0.44 mm, width 0.26 mm; anterolateral projection absent. Common duct ( Fig. 197) shorter than furca. Spermathecal duct ( Fig. 197) diverging anteriorly.

Distribution Brachylinga mimica is known from Mexico ( Fig. 216).

Habitats and phenology

Brachylinga mimica has been handnetted and collected in Malaise traps in March through April, and December.

Specimens examined

Type specimen. The holotype male of Brachylinga mimica Webb (MEI 121558) is labeled " MEXICO, Jalisco, Careyes, 12 Feb–19–Mar 1997, F. D. Parker " and is deposited in the USNM. PARATYPES. MEXICO. JALISCO. Careyes [Punta Careyes] [19.433, ­ 105.033], 12.II–19.III.1997, FDP, 14♂ MEI 101095 ( CNC) , 101157 (CSCA), 101186 (INHS), 101190 (MEIC), 101210 (USNM), 101222, 101242, 101244, 101274, 101278, 101306, 121556–7, 121560 (EMUS), 23♀ 101129 ( CNC) , 101133 (CSCA), 101150 (INHS), 101165 (MEIC), 101174 (USNM), 101180, 101187, 101193, 101197, 101207, 101215, 101223, 101243, 101246, 101249, 101257, 101276, 101286–7 101298, 101318, 101335, 101365 (EMUS). SINALOA. 106 km N Mazatlan, Las Escondidas [24.093, ­ 106.786], 137 m, 22.IV.1968, MEI, 1♂ MEI 040214 ( MEIC) .