Myriophora bicuspidis, Hash, John M. & Brown, Brian V., 2015

Hash, John M. & Brown, Brian V., 2015, Revision of the New World Species of the Millipede-Parasitic Genus Myriophora Brown (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 4035 (1), pp. 1-79 : 12

Myriophora bicuspidis sp. nov.

(Figs 1.8, 9.7, 15.7, 22.11)

Diagnosis. Female. Myriophora bicuspidis is easily recognized by the oviscape sternite that extends slightly beyond the margin of the oviscape membrane and bears two small, sharp, divergent projections (Fig. 22.11).

Description. Female (Fig. 1.8). Body length 2.14–2.98 mm. Head: Frons yellow, with 2 pairs of supraantennal setae; length of lower supra-antennal setae less than 1/2 the length of upper pair; upper supra-antennals originate even with lower interfrontal setae. First flagellomere yellow, rounded under arista. Palpus yellow, normal sized. Labrum prominent, enlarged. Labellum normal sized. Thorax: Scutum light brown. Scutellum light brown. Anterior scutellar setae less than 1/2 the length of posterior pair. Pleuron yellow; anepisternum with setulae and one large seta. Forefemur yellow. Midfemur yellow. Hind femur yellow, with brown patch distally on anterior surface. Wing length 2.0– 2.31 mm (Fig. 9.7); costal vein normal; costal length 1.12–1.4 mm; mean costal ratio 0.59. Knob of halter light brown. Abdomen: Tergites 1 and 2 brown or sometimes yellow with brown lateral margins; tergite 2 with strong, distinct setae on lateral margin. Tergite 5 yellow with brown lateral margins; posterior setae on tergite 5 short. Tergite 6 greatly narrowed posteriorly; posterodorsal setae on segment 6 equal in length to posteroventral setae. Venter of abdomen with sparse short setae. Oviscape (Fig. 15.7) strongly laterally compressed; sternite extends beyond the apex of the membrane and bears two small, diverging, points (Fig. 22.11); division between membrane and sclerites clearly defined; sclerites brown, membrane brown.

Distribution. Northern South America.

Host. Collected on an unidentified injured millipede.

Etymology. A noun from Latin for "two points" referring to the two small points on the apex of the oviscape sternite.

Holotype. ♀, COLOMBIA: Vichada: PNN El Tuparro, B. de Sabana, 5.35°N, 67.85°W, 5–14.i.2001, W. Villalba, Malaise trap, CAP-1384 ( LACM) [ LACM ENT 181129] ( IAVH).

Paratypes. ECUADOR: Sucumbios: Sacha Lodge, 0.5°S, 76.5°W, 270m, 1♀, 30.ix.–10.x.1994, P. Hibbs, Malaise trap [ LACM ENT 049965]. GUYANA: Berbice: Dubulay Ranch, 5.68°N, 57.86°W, 1♀, 23.i.1999, B. Brown, M. Sharkey, yellow pans [ LACM ENT 049965]. PERU: Madre de Dios: Pakitza, 11.94°S, 71.28°W, 356m, 2♀, 6.iii.1992, B. Brown, D. Feener, injured millipede [ LACM ENT 0 38508, 038509].