Dohrniphora penicillata Borgmeier

Brown, Brian V. & Kung, Giar-Ann, 2010, 2699, Zootaxa 2699, pp. 1-142 : 53-55

Dohrniphora penicillata Borgmeier

( Figs 109–110)

Dohrniphora penicillata Borgmeier, 1960: 280 , fig. 33.

Dohrniphora denticulata Borgmeier, 1960: 279 , fig. 32. New synonymy.

Holotype of D. penicillata . ♂, BRAZIL: Santa Catarina: Blumenau , 7.xi.1931, F. Weber [ LACM ENT 240011 ] ( MZSP; examined).

Holotype of D. denticulata . ♂, BRAZIL: Santa Catarina: Nova Teutônia, [no date], F. Plaumann [ LACM ENT 240126 ] ( MZSP; examined).

Recognition. Borgmeier (1960) described both D. denticulata and D. penicillata in the same paper. He differentiated the two in couplet 29 in his key, as follows:

29. Antenna black; pleuron brown; abdomen dark; hind femur with about 11 spear-shaped bristles ................ denticulata - Antenna red; pleuron yellow; abdomen with yellow bands; hind femur with bunch of long bristles ........... penicillata

Our examination of the hind femora of these two species indicates that they are the same, and that the supposed differences in the “bristles” are just variations in their orientation. The color differences exist, with the specimens from Nova Teutônia being darker, but could be the result of the preservation methods used. Therefore, we consider D. denticulata a junior synonym of D. penicillata (new synonymy).

This species, with its long, basally-directed setae, is unlike any other in the New World fauna. Our redescription uses freshly-collected specimens, so the colors reported here are more accurate than in the older descriptions.

Description. Body length: 1.59–2.72 mm. Head: Frons dark brown, second row of setae slightly concave. Flagellomere 1 rounded-oval, brown to light brown (ventrally). Palpus of normal size, yellow. Thorax: Scutum light brown. Scutellum dark brown, with 2 pairs of setae; anterior seta one-half length of posterior seta. Pleuron light brown to whitish-yellow ventrally. Mean costal length 0.53 wing length, range 0.52–0.53. Halter yellow. Legs yellowish-brown, except dorsal margin of apex of hind femur dark brown. Forecoxa in lateral view yellowish-brown. Foretibia with 3–5 dorsal setae. Foretarsomeres slender, elongate. Midcoxa yellowish-brown. Hind coxa whitish-yellow. Hind coxal lobe yellow, only slightly developed. Posterior face of hind femur with long, basally-directed setae set in basal concavity; more distally with narrow ventral concavity with thick posterior carina ( Figs 109–110). Abdomen: Abdominal tergite 1 light brown, tergites 2–6 brown, tergite 2 yellow anteriorly and all tergites with yellow posterior margin. Venter of abdomen yellow, with few setae, larger on posterior margin of segment 5. Male terminalia with epandrium yellowish-brown, hypandrium brown, and cercus yellow.

Distribution. Northeastern Argentina and southeastern Brazil.

Other material examined. 39♂ specimens from the following localities: ARGENTINA: Misiones: Iguazu NP, Reserva Vida Silvestre Urugua-í ( LACM, MACN) . BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro: Jacarepaguá (Taquara), Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro ( MZSP) ; Santa Catarina: Nova Teutônia ( MZSP) .