Hemerodromia epandriocurvialis, Câmara, J. T., Plant, A. R. & Rafael, J. A., 2014

Câmara, J. T., Plant, A. R. & Rafael, J. A., 2014, Neotropical Hemerodromia Meigen (Diptera: Empididae), a world of discovery I: new generic record and new species from Brazilian Amazon Basin, Zootaxa 3893 (2), pp. 209-231 : 218-220

Hemerodromia epandriocurvialis sp. nov.

( Figs 32–39 )

Diagnosis. F1 with strong basiventral process. T1 with strong apicoventral extension, bearing strong apical spine ( Fig. 32 ); cercus wide basally, bifid apically, with lower projection longer and narrower ( Figs 35, 36 ); epandrium in-turned distally, narrowly rounded apically, with brush of setae below apex ( Fig. 35 ); sperm pump directed dorsally ( Fig. 38 ).

Description. Male ( Fig. 32 ). Head. Dark brown to black, antenna and mouthparts yellow, all setae whitish; ocellar triangle with 1 pair of proclinate setae; anterior ocellus larger. Eyes iridescent black, very narrowly separated on face which bears fine reclinate setulae. Frons with 1–2 setulae; 1–2 pairs of vertical setae contiguous with uniseriate postocular setae; occiput bearing scattered fine hairs. Clypeus with rather dense short downwardly directed pile. Proboscis slightly curved with setae yellow. Antenna with scape and pedicel bearing distinct short dorsal setulae; postpedicel about 1.3X as long as wide, stylus ~ 0.9X as long as postpedicel. Thorax ( Fig. 32 ). Elongate, slightly arched ventrally; dorsum yellow, except brownish on prothoracic collar, narrowly behind postpronotal lobe, posterolaterally above wing base on scutum, strong median longitudinal band on scutum, suture between katepisternum and meron, katepisternum ventrally behind C1, scutellum and mediotergite; antepronotum with anterior margin almost straight; scutum with yellow setae, very small and fine except 1 notopleural. Legs ( Fig. 32 ). Whitish yellow, except tarsomeres 4–5 of all legs. C1 ~ 1.3X longer than distance between C1 and C2, 6X as long as wide with some pale dorsoapical setae. F1 ~ 1.1X as long as C1, 3.0–3.5X as long as wide. Femoral formula 6/23–24/1+19–20/5; strong basiventral process; denticles confined to distal 0.8, becoming closer together distally, black, 2 rows linear, without distal discontinuity. T1 ~ 0.7X as long as F1, evenly curved, ventral face shallowly concave; with 2 rows of 15–19 sharply pointed spinose setae ventrally; dorsal ciliation of decumbent short pale setulae, denser distally; with strong apicoventral extension on T1 bearing strong apical spur. Mid and hind legs slender with fine setae but T3 with ‘comb’ of short setae posteroapically. Wing ( Fig. 33 ). Membrane faintly yellow, veins brownish; R2+3 long and straight, not strongly curved towards C apically, joining C ~ 0.6 distance between end of R1 and R4; R4+5 fork angle acute (~ 60°), distal to position of M1+2 fork by about 2.0X as long as R4; R5 and M1 convergent distally and diverging at extreme apex; vein R5 ~ 2.5X as long as R4; cell bm+dm short, ending at level of R1, ~2.0X as long as cell br. Halter whitish yellow. Abdomen ( Figs 32, 33 ). Tergites 1–6 and 8 brownish; tergite 7 and sternites yellowish. Tergites 7–8 with pale strong setae laterally on posterior margin; tergite 8 shorter than sternite 8. Terminalia. Brown. Cercus wide basally, bifid apically, with lower projection longer and narrower, distinctly setose on outer face ( Figs 35, 36 ); left and right cerci close together anterodorsally ( Fig. 36 ). Epandrium wide, in-turned distally, apically narrower and rounded, scattered setae on outer face and brush of setae on inner face below narrowing apex ( Fig. 35 ). Surstylus absent. Hypandrium rather rectangular ( Fig. 39 ), without distinct setae; gonocoxal apodeme projecting as narrow process just beyond anterior margin of hypandrium ( Figs 35, 38 ). Subepandrial sclerite narrow, without posterior projections ( Fig. 37 ). Phallus sclerotized, extending just beyond hypandrium apex, with narrow membranous area apically without scattered spicules ( Fig. 38 ). Ejaculatory apodeme as antero-posteriorly flattened plate; sperm pump flattened laterally, curved upwards ( Fig. 38 ). Body length: 2.9 mm; wing length: 2.4 mm. Female.Unknown.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂ “BR[asil], AM[azonas], Novo Airão. Ig.[arapé] Mato Grosso. 02º48'43''S – 60º55'30.1''W. Varredura [sweeping]. 30.iii.2013. J.A. Rafael, A.R.Plant & J.T.Câmara” ( INPA). PARATYPES: Idem, Bl – 2, Suspensa, Ig. clareira. 1–10.vi.1998 (1 ♂, INPA); Idem, R. Ducke, Ig. Acará, 11–13.x.2002, Malaise, Vidal (1 ♂, INPA); Idem, Puraquequara. Malaise-Igarapé, Col. J. Vidal, 13.xi.1998 (1 ♂, NMWC); Idem, 25.xi.1998 (2 ♂, MZUSP); Idem, 23.xi.1998 (1 ♂, MPEG).

Holotype condition. Good. Not dissected.

Etymology. From the Greek curvus (curved) which refers to the curved epandrium.

Variation. Body length varying from 2.4 mm to 3.1 mm. Wing length varying from 2.1 mm to 2.5 mm.

Remarks. Hemerodromia epandriocurvialis sp. nov. appears to belong in the informal H. supertitiosa species - group (sensu MacDonald, 1998: 794) in having F1 with a prominent basiventral process. Hemerodromia epandriocurvialis sp. nov. is similar to H. mesomalaena Bezzi, 1909 by a strong median longitudinal band on scutum; epandrium wide, in-turned distally, apically narrower and rounded and brush of setae below the narrowing apex; and sperm pump directed dorsally. Hemerodromia epandriocurvialis sp. nov. differs from latter by T1 with strong apicoventral extension and cercus wide basally, bifid apically, with lower projection longer and narrower. In H. mesomalaena the T1 is without an apicoventral extension and the cercus is not bifid apically. This is a Neotropical species and it is not formally included in the informal H. supertitiosa group, but it has all diagnostic characters to belong to this species group.

Figures

FIGURES 32 – 39. Hemerodromia epandriocurvialis sp. nov., 32, holotype ♂. 33 – 39, paratype ♂. 32. habitus, lateral view; 33. wing; 34. abdomen from tergite 2 to terminalia; 35. terminalia, lateral view; 36. cercus, dorsal view; 37. subepandrial sclerite and epandrium, dorsal view; 38. phallus, gonocoxal apodeme and hypandrium, lateral view; 39. hypandrium, ventral view.