Alepia, Enderlein, 1937

Cordeiro, Danilo Pacheco, Aquino, Karina Kethelen Silva De & Alves, Veracilda Ribeiro, 2021, The Psychodidae (Diptera) of Jaú National Park (Amazonas, Brazil) with description of two new species of Psychodinae, Zootaxa 5032 (2), pp. 275-282 : 276-278

Alepia iy Cordeiro & Aquino sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–9 )

Diagnosis. This species can be identified by the combination of the following characters: eye bridge short and strongly tapering to the midline, eyes separated by a distance equivalent to 8 times the diameter of one facet; gonostylus enlarged distally with spiniforme and hammer-like processes; aedeagus slightly asymmetric in dorsal view, with articulated apical portion, epandrial appendage with one apical digitiform tenaculum and large basal area bearing 28–36 long clavate accessory tenacula.

Description. Male. Head. Frons with seta patch undivided ( Fig. 2 ); eye bridge short, eyes separated by a distance equivalent to 8 times the diameter of one facet; no larger alveoli on area of supraocular setae and occipital setae ( Figs. 2 and 3 ); interocular suture present; clypeus wider than long; antenna with cylindrical scape, around 1.7 times length of spherical pedicel ( Fig. 2 ), 14 flagellomeres ( Fig. 4 ) with one medial row and one subapical of round alveoli from which long setiform ascoids arise, undistinguishable from hairs except for being slightly more hyaline, apical flagellomere with apiculus around 0.5 the length of whole flagellomere ( Fig. 5 ); palpal formula 1.0: 2.1: 2.1: 2.3 ( Fig. 1 ). Labellum flattened, with short spines on inner margin and several latero-apical setae. Thorax. Seta patch of anepisternum undivided. Wing ( Fig. 6 ). Wing membrane bare except on veins, with pattern of infuscation as illustrated; vein Sc short not extending beyond base of R 1; R 1 and CuAending at same level; radial fork complete and basal to incomplete medial fork. Legs. Distitarsi with apical projection. Male terminalia ( Fig. 7–9 ). Hypandrium plate-like, weakly sclerotized, separating gonocoxites; gonostylus as long as gonogoxite, club-like, enlarged distally with spiniforme and hammer-like processes, and with several small setae sparsely distributed throughout its length; gonocoxal apodemes large, expanding anteriorly and meeting at midline to form gonocoxal bridge ( Fig. 9 ); epandrial appendage conical, with area at base bearing 28–36 long clavate accessory tenacula and one apical digitiform tenaculum ( Fig. 7 ); aedeagal sheath large ( Fig. 9 ); aedeagus slightly asymmetric in dorsal view, well sclerotized and with apical digitiforme (in dorsal view) or sinuous (in lateral view) portion; aedeagal apodeme shorter than aedeagus; epandrium wider than long, with baso-lateral arms that articulate with base of gonocoxite, and with one large ellipsoid foramen; epiproct and hypoproct short, not projecting posteriorly to epandrium.

Female. unknown.

Material examined. Type material. HOLOTYPE ( INPA): ♂, BRAZIL, Amazonas , Parque Nacional do Jaú , Nazaré , Seringalzinho, right margin rio Jaú, PNJ023, 37masl, 01°54’54”S 61°35’25”W, 03-06.vii.2003, Malaise trap ( SW), col. D. M.Takiya .. PARATYPES: 32 ♂ same place, data and collectors as holotype (16 at INPA, 14 at MZFS, 2 at LACM) .

Etymology. The species epithet ‘iy’ derives from the word ‘îy’ from tupi language, meaning hatchet, in reference to the shape of the gonostylus. The name is in apposition.

Distribution. Brazil (Amazonas).

Comments. This species is morphologically close to Alepia ancylis Quate & Brown by venation and infuscation pattern of wing (see Cordeiro 2020) and morphology of male terminalia. However, they differ by features on the eye and epandrial appendage. In A. ancylis the eye bridge is not strongly tapering to midline, distance of eyes on eye bridge is of only 5 facet diameters and the epandrial appendage is more elongate and with basal area bearing accessory tenacula restricted to basal half of appendage, while in A. iy the eye bridge strongly tapers to midline, eyes are separated by a distance of 8 facet diameters and the epandrial appendage is broader and with basal area bearing accessory tenacula surpassing basal half of appendage.

* first record to Brazil

Figures

FIGURE 1–9. Alepia iy sp. nov. 1. Head with complete palpus. 2. Head, anterior view. 3. Head, posterior view. 4. Flagellomeres I–XIV. 5. Flagellomeres XI–XIV in detail. 6. Wing. Fig. 7–9. Male terminalia. 7. Lateral view. 8. Detail of hypandrium, gonocoxite, gonostylus and aedeagus, lateral view. 9. Detail of hypandrium, gonocoxite, gonostylus, aedeagal sheath and aedeagus, dorsal view.