Brachylinga curacaoensis 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 : 74-76

Brachylinga curacaoensis Webb spec. nov.

( Figs. 11, 34, 57, 80, 103, 126, 149, 172, 193, 214)

Etymology

Ensis (Latin) = a suffix denoting place, locality, country. This name is used as a noun in apposition and refers to the Island of Curaçao from which the holotype male was collected .

Diagnosis

Brachylinga curacaoensis is taxonomically associated with B. fraterna in lacking setae on the katepisternum; in having the postocular, mesonotal, and coxal macrosetae dark reddish brown; in having the parafacial silver or gray over entire surface in males; the male frons lacking setae; the halter knob yellow; the wing cell m 3 closed; the maxillary palpus pale yellow or at most with the basal half reddish brown; the male tergite 8 ( Fig. 11) narrow medially; and in having the posterior margin of the hypoproct emarginate. Brachylinga curacaoensis differs from B. fraterna in having the gonocoxite broad anteriorly ( Fig. 34) with the anterior half of the medial margin straight then tapering to a blunt point and possessing a posteromedial lobe ( Fig. 57) and the distiphallus in dorsal view ( Fig. 126) tapered apically and in lateral view broadly curved ventrally ( Fig. 172).

Description of holotype male (MEI 048175)

Body length 6.0 mm.

Head. Length 0.82 mm. Ommatidia smaller ventrally and laterally. Frons pruinescence white, pale brownish gray dorsally; setae absent. Antenna/head length 0.70; scape dark reddish brown, pruinescence gray, pedicel and first flagellomere dark yellow, second and third flagellomeres dark brown; scape length 0.14 mm, width 0.10 mm, length/ width 1.4, scape/pedicel length 1.8, scape/flagellum width 0.71, setae dark brown, short; pedicel length 0.08 mm, length/width 0.7; flagellum length 0.35 mm, width 0.14 mm, length/width 2.5, flagellum/scape length 2.5. Parafacial pruinescence white. Maxillary palpus dark reddish brown, apical half dark yellow; length 0.42 mm, length/width 5.3; setae white. 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 gray; setae dark brown, short intermixed with white, lanceolate, appressed setae. Pleuron and scutellum dark reddish brown, pruinescence white; setae white on propleuron, anepisternum, metanepisternum, laterotergite, and scutellum, absent on katepisternum. Wing. Membrane pale gray, veins yellow; length 4.5 mm, length/width 2.6; pterostigma indistinct; cell m 3 closed, petiolate. Halter pale yellow. Legs. Coxa setae white, present on posterior surface of midcoxa; macrosetae dark reddish brown. Femora reddish brown, pruinescence white; ventral setae white intermixed with dark brown setae apicoventrally on forefemur; av 2:0:4, pv 0:0:4. Tibiae dark yellow. Tarsomeres 1–2 dark yellow; 3–5 reddish brown.

Abdomen. Covered with dense white pruinescence; dorsal setae white, appressed; lateral setae white, erect. Terminalia dark yellow. Tergite 8 ( Fig. 11), narrow medially (0.04 mm); setae dark yellow, absent medially on posterior margin. Sternite 8 ( Fig. 34) rectangular, sides slightly rounded, posterior margin moderately emarginate. Epandrium ( Fig. 11), sides rounded; setae dark yellow. Cercus ( Fig. 11) ending basal to apex of hypoproct. Hypoproct ( Fig. 11), posterior margin slightly emarginate, ending distal to apex of cercus. Gonocoxite ventral view ( Fig. 34) broad anteriorly, medial margin straight, posteromedial angle rounded, tapering to short, blunt point; setae dark yellow, grading into macrosetae apically; dorsal view ( Fig. 57) posteromedial lobe rounded, gonocoxal bridge absent; lateral view ( Fig. 80) short, broad basally, tapered apically to broad point; ventral lobe ( Fig. 34) with spines ventrally. Gonostylus ( Fig. 103), basodorsal lobe large; ventral margin curved, setae dark yellow, directed apically in distinct tuft; fine short spines scattered laterally. Aedeagus with dorsal apodeme ( Fig. 126) quadrate, posterolateral margin rounded; ventral apodeme ( Fig. 149) bilobed anteriorly, anterior margin emarginate, not extending to anterior margin of dorsal apodeme; basiphallus ( Fig. 126) with short dorsal carina; distiphallus dorsal view ( Fig. 126) tapered apically, lateral view ( Fig. 172) broadly curved ventrally, apicolateral spines coarse; ejaculatory apodeme ( Fig. 126), anterior margin bifurcate.

Variation (n=3). Body length 5.3–6.4, 6.0.

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

Female Similar to male except for following.

Variation (n=9).

Body length 4.7–6.0, 5.5 mm.

Head. Frons pruinescence brownish gray, white ventrally with faint brown area dorsolaterally; setae dark brown, short.

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

Abdomen. Tergite 1 dark reddish brown, pruinescence brownish gray, setae dark brown, subappressed with white elongate appressed setae along posterior margin becoming erect laterally; tergites 2–4 dark reddish brown, posterior margin dark yellow, pruinescence gray, dorsal and lateral setae dark brown, short; tergites 5–6 dark reddish brown with dark yellow arc across median area, posteromedial area gray brown, dorsal and lateral setae dark brown. Terminalia (MEI 136245) dark reddish brown. Furca ( Fig. 193) oval; length 0.38 mm, width 0.22 mm; anterolateral projection short, narrow. Common duct ( Fig. 193) shorter than furca. Spermathecal duct ( Fig. 193) diverging anteriorly, basal fourth enlarged.

Distribution

Brachylinga curacaoensis is found in the Netherlands Antilles on the Islands of Bonaire and Curaçao ( Fig. 214).

Habitats and phenology

Brachylinga curacaoensis has been handnetted and collected in blacklight and Malaise traps in mesquite­acacia desert scrub near the coast. Adults have been collected February, April, May, August, October, and December.

Specimens examined

Type specimen. The holotype male of Brachylinga curacaoensis Webb (MEI 048175) is labeled " Curaçao [Netherlands Antilles], Coral Specht, 3 km E Willemstad [12.1, ­ 68.887], 13 February 1987, W. E. Steiner, J. M. Swearingen, at blacklight, mesquiteacacia, desert scrub near coast" and is deposited in the USNM. PARATYPES. NETHE RLAND ANTILLES. BONAIRE. Dos Poos, 24.V–6.VI.1930, H. J. MacGillavry, 1♀ MEI 136244 ( ZMAN) . CURACAO. Sint Kruis Hofje , 21–27.IV.1930, H. J. MacGillavry, 1♀ ME I 136243 ( ZMAN) ; Jongbloed [12.133, ­68.883], 3.VIII.1952, B. de Jong, 1♀ MEI 136241 ( ZMAN) ; 20.X.1952, 1♂ MEI 136236, 1♀ 136240, ( INHS) ; Porto Marie [12.217, ­ 69.067], 15.IV.1930, H. J. MacGillavry, 1♂ MEI 136242 ( ZMAN) ; 14–21.IV.1930, 1♀ ME I 136245 ( ZMAN) ; Ascencion [12.25, ­69.033], 12.II.1987, W. E. Steiner, J. M. Swearingen, 1♀ MEI 048168 ( USNM) , blacklight; 13.II.1987, 1♀ MEI 048174 ( USNM) , blacklight, mesquite­acacia desert scrub near coast. Willemstad [12.106, ­68.931], 4.XII.1983, G. E. Bohart, 1♀ MEI 007776 ( EMUS) ; 3 km E Willemstad, Coral Specht [12.1, ­68.903], 8–15.II.1987, W. E. Steiner, J. M. Swearingen, 1♀ MEI 048169 ( USNM) , Malaise trap in mesquite­acacia desert scrub, near coast.