Ophirodexia pulchra Townsend, 1911

de Santis, Marcelo Domingos, 2021, A review of Ophirodexia Townsend, 1911 (Diptera: Tachinidae), Journal of Natural History 55 (3 - 4), pp. 151-161 : 158-160

Ophirodexia pulchra Townsend, 1911

( Figure 3 )

Ophirodexia pulchra Townsend, 1911 b: 134 , based on female reproductive system (also, 1912: 308, adult description). Type locality: Peru, Piura .

References. Guimarães, 1977: 101 (catalogue); Evenhuis et al. 2018: 194 (list); O’Hara et al. 2020: 60 (checklist of world Tachinidae ).

Material examined. PERU: Piura, 1 male, XI.1912, Townsend col ( NHM-UK). Note: This specimen is part of the three males and two females on which the adult description of this species was based, that Townsend (1912) later added to the description of the type material of this species ( Townsend 1911) that was based only in the female reproductive system. Not bearing any type status, this material was wrongly referred to as ‘paratype’ by Townsend ( Figure 3 (d)); however, as this adult specimen contributed to his view of what constitutes the identity of Ophirodexia pulchra , this material is invaluable to the recognition of the present species.

Redescription. Body length: 12.0 mm.

Colouration. Frontal vitta and ocellar triangle dark brown to black. Fronto orbital plate and parafacials with silver pruinosity. Occiput silvery pruinose with silvery setulae. Postpedicel light brown, but anterior 1/6 orange. Palpus light yellow to orange. Thorax brown to light brown with silver pruinosity; prescutum with 4 faint dark vittae, the 2 inner vittae are thinner than the outer, postscutum entirely silver pruinose, but anterior mid region brownish black. Scutellum light brown. Wing hyaline, but anterior margin smoky. Calypter hyaline. Halter and posterior spiracle light yellow. Legs tawny yellow, but tibia darker, tarsus black. Claws brown, pulvilli yellow. Abdomen mostly tawny yellow on syntergites 1 + 2 and tergite 3, with darker brown median vitta, tergites 4 and 5 mostly brownish-black but tergite 5 tawny yellow on apical 1/6, tergites 3 and 4 with silver pruinose band on basal 1/3 but tergite 5 with pruinose band on basal 1/4.

Head. ( Figure 3 (b,c)). Ocellar setae weak. Frontal vitta at its widest point ca. as wide as the vertex in dorsal view. Frontal vitta at its narrowest point smaller than the width of the ocellar triangle. Inner vertical setae well developed and long, outer vertical seta shorter, about 1/3 the length of inner. Fronto-orbital plate with 12–13 pairs of proclinate setae; narrower than frontal vitta and parafacial. Postocellar proclinate. Width of parafacial measured between inner margin of compound eye and antennal insertion is 0.8–0.9× the width of gena in lateral view. Postpedicel slender, 2× the combined length of scape and pedicel; ventral cilia longer than the dorsal, longest cilia ca. 4× basal width of arista. Facial ridge with 3–4 setulae on lower third. Lower facial margin not protruding, invisible in profile. Vibrissa long, inserted at the level of lower facial margin. Prementum about 0.8× the length of palpus. Labellum narrow, about 0.3× the prementum.

Thorax. ( Figure 3 (a,c)). Acrostichals 3 + 3. Dorsocentral 3 + 3. Intra-alar 2 + 3; intrapostalar absent. Supra-alar 1 + 3. Postpronotal lobe with 2 setae. Anepisternum with 6 strong setae and with 2 upwardly directed setulae anteriorly. Scutellum with 1 basal, 1 lateral, 1 apical and 1 discal pair of setae. Katepisternum with 2 setae. Anepimerum with various long setae. Notopleuron with 2 equal-sized setae. Postalar callus with 2 setae. Propleuron and prosternum bare. Anatergite bare. Posterior spiracle with posterior lappet larger than anterior. Katepimeron sparsely setulose.

Wing. ( Figure 3 (a,c)). Base of R dorsally and ventrally setulose. M vein bent forward to R 4+5, forming an angle slightly smaller than 90°, and convex after bend.

Legs. ( Figure 3 (c)). Fore coxa with many setae anteriorly; fore femur with dorsal and posteroventral rows of setae; fore tibia with 2 anterodorsal setae on median third, 6 preapicals, 1 dorsal, 1 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal, and 1 ventral, 1 anteroventral and 1 posteroventral. Mid femur 2 posteroventral on apical third; 1 dorsal and 1 posterodorsal on posterior third. Mid tibia with 2 posterodrosal setae on median third, 1 ventral on distal and 1 posterodorsal on apical third; 6 preapicals, 1 dorsal, 1 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal, and 1 ventral, 1 anteroventral and 1 posteroventral. Hind femur with 5 anteroventral setae on basal half. Hind tibia with 6 posteroventral setae on basal half and 1 anteroventral seta on median half; 6 preapicals, 1 dorsal, 1 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal, and 1 ventral, 1 anteroventral and 1 posteroventral. Claws straight with the tip curved, same length as 5th tarsomere.

Abdomen. ( Figure 3 (a,c)). Syntergite 1 + 2 and tergite 3 each with 1 pair of median and 1 pair of lateral marginals, tergites 4 and 5 each with complete row of marginals, tergites 3 and 4 each with 3 discals.

Terminalia . Not dissected.

Female. Head with a pair of proclinate orbital setae; abdomen broader on middle.

Biology. Unknown.

Figures

Figure 3. Ophirodexia pulchra Townsend ♂. (a) Dorsal habitus. (b) Head, frontal view. (c) Lateral habitus. (d) Labels.