Pieza rafaeli Mendes, Lamas, Evenhuis

Mendes, Luanna L., Lamas, Carlos J. E., Evenhuis, Neal L. & Limeira-De-Oliveira, Francisco, 2019, New Pieza Evenhuis (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae, Mythicomyiinae) from Northeast Brazil, Zootaxa 4629 (1), pp. 1-25 : 15-16

Pieza rafaeli Mendes, Lamas, Evenhuis & Limeira-de-Oliveira, sp. nov.

( Figs 43–51 )

Diagnosis. Mesonotum pale yellow on the triangular antero-mesonotal submedian mark and supra-alar area ( Fig. 44 ). Epandrium subrectangular, ventral margin about 1.5X longer than dorsal margin, anterior margin straight in lateral view ( Fig. 48 ). Cerci sub-hemispherical, slightly separated transversely in posterior view ( Fig. 50 ). Gonocoxite trapezoidal in ventral view ( Fig. 47 ), anterior margin strongly sclerotized, lateral and median margins weakly sclerotized, submedian area appearing membranous. Gonostylus not conspicuous, apparently absent.

Description of holotype male ( Fig. 43 ). Body length: 1.2 mm. Wing length: 1.0 mm. Head. Eyes separated at vertex by approximately 2.0X distance between posterior ocelli. Ocellar triangle dark brown, subshiny. Frons dorsal ½ dark brown, ventral ½ yellow, round brown mark on median depression; setae yellow, small, lateral; face yellow. Proboscis light brown to brown, about ⅔ longer than length of head; oral cavity yellow, light brown on margin. Post- cranium dark brown, subshiny, surface sparsely pruinose; setae brown. Antenna with second flagellomere as long as ½ maximum width of first flagellomere. Thorax. Mesonotum subshiny, sparsely pruinose medially on a stripe from anterior region to base of wing, setae brown, erect and sparse; mesonotum pale yellow on the following: triangular antero-mesonotal submedian mark and supra-alar area ( Fig. 44 ); prealar and notopleural setae dark brown; strong. Scutellum brown to dark brown, setae brown, sparse. Pleura yellow on the proepimeron, dorsal margin and ½ posterodorsal of anepisternum, dorsal ¼ of katepisternum, posterior margin of anepimeron and dorsal ½ of meron ( Fig. 45 ); posterodorsal ⅓ of katepisternum shiny, setae yellow, sparse, restricted to margin of anepisternum, sparse. Legs ( Fig. 43 ). Coxae brown dorsally, yellow ventrally. Femora dark brown, distal ¼ yellow. Tarsi yellow, tarsomeres II−V dark brown. Wing ( Fig. 46 ). Hyaline; costal vein ending at proximal ⅓ distance between veins R 4+5 and M 1; vein R 2+3 arising from Rs at approximately 60° angle, crossvein m-m about ½ length of crossvein r-m. Halter yellow, brown infuscate. Abdomen. Brown to dark brown, subshiny, tergites II−VII with plaques paler and shinier than surroundings, small, glabrous and dispersed; setae yellow, longer on tergites IV−VII; tergites I−III with posterolateral margin yellow; tergites IV−VII with pale yellow band on posterior margins. Sternites brown, yellow band on posterior margins. Terminalia. Epandrium bulging in ventral view ( Fig. 47 ), subrectangular, ventral margin about 1.5X longer than dorsal margin, anterior margin straight, setose on posterior ⅓ and ventral ⅔ in lateral view ( Fig. 48 ); epandrium with outer and inner margins rounded in posterior view ( Fig. 50 ). Pseudo-surstylus convergent, tapered toward apex in ventral and posterior views ( Figs 47, 50 ). Cercus sub-hemispherical, slightly separated transversely, dorsal ⅔ strongly sclerotized, thick laterodorsally, setae concentrated on dorsal ⅔ of inner surface, ventral ⅓ weakly sclerotized and glabrous in posterior view ( Fig. 50 ), subtriangular, median region projecting pos- teriorly, distal ⅓ elongate, projecting ventrally ( Fig. 48 ). Ejaculatory apodeme almost as long as length of anterior arm of parameral sheath, more heavily sclerotized on longitudinal axis, medial arms subrectangular, broad distally, about 2.0X wider than long in ventral view ( Fig. 47 ), anterior end rounded, curved dorsally, ventromedial projection subrectangular directed posteriorly, apex truncate in lateral view ( Fig. 48 ). Lateral ejaculatory process strongly sclerotized basally, slightly sinuous in ventral view ( Fig. 47 ), curved ventrally in lateral view ( Fig. 48 ). Phallus subquadrate, anterior margin concave with median notch in ventral view ( Fig. 47 ); basiphallus about 2.0X longer than distiphallus in ventral view ( Fig. 47 ), distiphallus simple with two inconspicuous apical openings. Anterior arm of parameral sheath with distal ½ almost 2.0X wider than proximal ½ in ventral view ( Fig. 47 ), sclerotization stronger on internal margin. Gonocoxite trapezoidal in ventral view ( Fig. 47 ), anterior margin strongly sclerotized, lateral and median margins weakly sclerotized, submedian area appearing membranous; gonocoxite with anterodorsal margin concave, anteroventral margin with short and strong sublateral setae in anteroventral view ( Fig. 49 ), strongly bilobed medially, anterior lobe setose, about 2.0X more robust than posterior lobe in lateral view ( Fig. 48 ). Gonostylus inconspicuous, apparently absent. Female. Similar to male. Genitalia ( Fig. 51 ). Genital fork V-shaped, anterior margin arched, posterior margin interrupted medially; inner posterior projection convergent distally, outer projection bifurcate, inner arms short, convergent distally of inner projection, shorter than outer arms, projecting posterolaterally. Common duct indistinct, basal plate hyaline. Sperm pump robust, almost 2.0X longer than wide, caliciform, membranous with transverse striations. Proximal spermathecal duct about 2.0 to 3.0X thicker than distal, distal spermathecal duct about 4.0X longer than proximal, translucent. Valve indistinct. Spermathecal reservoir strongly sclerotized, brown, slightly sinuous, almost the same length as sperm pump, without glandular trichomes.

Variation (n = 5). Body length: 0.99–1.20 mm. Wing length: 0.92–1.02 mm. Frons brown on dorsal ⅓, yellow on ventral ⅔. Proboscis variable in length, in some specimens about ½ of length of head to 2.0X longer than length of head. Mesonotum with a sub-median antero-mesonotal. Tergites with yellow band on posterior margin, sometimes evanescent almost inconspicuous.

Etymology. The specific epithet honors José Albertino Rafael for his contributions to taxonomy and insect systematics in Brazil.

Comments. The specimens captured directly from flowers at Parque Estadual do Mirador—Maranhão are associated with the plant family Chrysobalanaceae (Fig. 70).

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂: Brazil, MA[= Maranhão], Mirador, Parque Est.[=Estadual] Mirador , Posto dos Cágados, 06°48′30″S, 45°06′21″W / Arm.[=armadilha] Malaise, 21–26.viii.2016, F. Limeira–de–Oliveira & L.L. Mendes / MYTH 90 / Holotype ♂ Pieza rafaeli Mendes, Lamas, Evenhuis & Limeira-de-Oliveira ( CZMA) . PARATYPES: idem, Barreirinhas, PNLM [Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses], 02°39′49″S, 42º49′54″W, Altit. [=altitude] 16 m, Arm. [=armadilha]. Suspensa, 16–31.xii.2015, FLO , A.A.T. Sousa & L.L.M. Santos, cols. (1♀ CZMA) ; idem, 01–15.i.2017 / MYTH 129 (1♀ CZMA) . Same data as holotype (2♀ CZMA, 1♀ INPA, 1♀ MNRJ, 1♀ MZUSP) ; idem/ MYTH 35 (pinned: 1♂ MZUSP) ; idem/ MYTH 47 (pinned: 1♀ MZUSP) ; idem/ MYTH 49 (pinned: 1♀ CZMA) ; idem/ MYTH 57 (pinned: 1♀ INPA) ; idem/ MYTH 60 (1♀ CZMA) ; idem/ MYTH 92 (1♂ CZMA) ; idem/ MYTH 93 (1♂ MZUSP) ; idem, Posto Avançado do Mel , 06°43′50″S, 44°58′59″W / Coletado em flor, MYTH 34 (pinned: 1♂ CZMA) . idem, Carolina, PARNA [=Parque Nacional] Chapada das Mesas, Riacho Sucuruiu , 240 m, 07°07′05″S, 47°18′31″W / Armadilha Malaise, 20–31.viii.2013, JAR, FLO , T.T.A. Silva, cols./ MYTH 30 (pinned: 1♂ CZMA) . PI [= Piauí], Caracol, PARNA [= Parque Nacional ] Serra das Confusões, Riacho dos Bois, 575 m, 09°13′11″S, 43°29′26″W / Armadilha Suspensa, 20–30.vi.2014, JAR, FLO , T.L. Rocha & G.A. Reis, cols. (1♂ MNRJ) . idem, Guaribas, Parque Nacional Serra das Confusões, Andorinha , 515 m, 09°08′27″S, 43°33′42″W / Ar- madilha de Malaise, 15–31.vii.2013, JAR, FLO & T.T.A. Silva, cols. (pinned: 1♀ CZMA) ; idem, 20–31.viii.2013 / MYTH 94 (1♂ INPA) ; idem, 10–20.ix.2013 (pinned: 1♂ 1♀ CZMA, 1♂ INPA) ; idem, 20–30.ix.2013 (pinned: 1♀ CZMA) ; idem, suspensa dupla 20 meters, 11–20.viii.2013 (1♂ CZMA) .

Geographical record. This species is known only from the Brazilian states Maranhão and Piauí ( Fig. 69 ), where the type series was collected in the Cerrado, Restinga, Caatinga and relict of Atlantic Forest biomes.

Remarks. Pieza rafaeli sp. nov. differs from the other species from Brazil, in the absence of gonostyli in ventral and lateral views ( Figs 47–48 ) (gonostyli present in P. ankh sp. nov., P. aurislepus sp. nov., P. bittencourti sp. nov., P. parakake sp. nov., P. parnasecon sp. nov., P. silvanae sp. nov. and P. yeatesi sp. nov. in ventral and lateral views, Figs 5–6 , 14–15 , 22–23 , 31–32 , 39–40 , 56–57 , 65–66 ).

Figures

FIGURE 69. Geographical records of species of Pieza known from Brazil.

FIGURES 43–51. Pieza rafaeli sp. nov. 43, habitus male, holotype; 44, mesonotum, dorsal view; 45, pleura; 46, male wing; 47, male terminalia, ventral view; 48, male terminalia, lateral view; 49, gonocoxite, anteroventral view; 50, epandrium and cerci, posterior view; 51, female genitalia. Scale 0.01 mm.

FIGURES 1–9. Pieza ankh sp. nov. 1, habitus male, holotype; 2, mesonotum, in dorsal view; 3, pleura; 4, male wing; 5, male terminalia, ventral view; 6, male terminalia, lateral view; 7, gonocoxite, anteroventral view; 8, epandrium and cerci, posterior view; 9, female genitalia. Scale 0.01 mm.

FIGURES 10–17. Pieza aurislepus sp. nov. 10, habitus male, holotype; 11, mesonotum, dorsal view; 12, pleura; 13, male wing; 14, male terminalia, ventral view; 15, male terminalia, lateral view; 16, gonocoxite, anteroventral view; 17, epandrium and cerci, posterior view. Scale 0.01 mm.

FIGURES 18–26. Pieza bittencourti sp. nov. 18, habitus male, holotype; 19, mesonotum, dorsal view; 20, pleura; 21, male wing; 22, male terminalia, ventral view; 23, male terminalia, lateral view; 24, gonocoxite, anteroventral view; 25, epandrium and cerci, posterior view; 26, female genitalia. Scale 0.01 mm.

FIGURES 27–34. Pieza parakake sp. nov. 27, habitus male, holotype; 28, mesonotum, dorsal view; 29, pleura; 30, male wing; 31, male terminalia, ventral view; 32, male terminalia, lateral view; 33, gonocoxite, anteroventral view; 34, epandrium and cerci, posterior view. Scale 0.01 mm.

FIGURES 35–42. Pieza parnasecon sp. nov. 35, habitus male, holotype; 36, mesonotum, dorsal view; 37, pleura; 38, male wing; 39, male terminalia, ventral view; 40, male terminalia, lateral view; 41, gonocoxite, anteroventral view; 42, epandrium and cerci, posterior view. Scale 0.01 mm.

FIGURES 52–60. Pieza silvanae sp. nov. 52, habitus male, holotype; 53, mesonotum, dorsal view; 54, pleura; 55, male wing; 56, male terminalia, ventral view; 57, male terminalia, lateral view; 58, gonocoxite, anteroventral view; 59, epandrium and cerci, posterior view; 60, female genitalia. Scale 0.01 mm.

FIGURES 61–68. Pieza yeatesi sp. nov. 61, habitus male, holotype; 62, mesonotum, dorsal view; 63, pleura; 64, male wing; 65, male terminalia, ventral view; 66, terminalia, lateral view; 67, gonocoxite, anteroventral view; 68, epandrium and cerci, posterior view. Scale 0.01 mm.