Antrops niger, KITS & MARSHALL, 2013

KITS, JOEL H. & MARSHALL, STEPHEN A., 2013, <p class = " HeadingRunIn " align = " left "> <strong> Generic classification of the Archiborborinae (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), with a revision of <em> Antrops </ em> Enderlein, <em> Coloantrops </ em> gen. nov., <em> Maculantrops </ em> gen. nov., <em> Photoantrops </ em> gen. nov., and <em> Poecilantrops </ em> gen. nov. </ strong> </ p>, Zootaxa 3704 (1), pp. 1-113 : 39-40

Antrops niger sp. nov.

(Figs. 52–53, 199)

Description. Occiput and posterior two-thirds of frons black, anterior third of frons, orbital plates, face, gena, antenna, and prementum reddish brown, clypeus and maxillary palp orange. Head mostly covered with microtomentum, frons shiny except orbital plates to bases of interfrontal setae and patch from base of postverticals anteriorly through middle of ocellar triangle to around bases of preocellars, face mostly shiny with some microtomentum below lunule and below antennal bases. Ocellar bristles just anterior to median ocellus. Anterior genal bristle and subvibrissal bristle about 0.3X length of vibrissa.

Thorax black, mostly covered with microtomentum. Ventromedial shiny patch on anepisternum, covering about three-fifths height and two-thirds length of sclerite, posterior half of metapleuron shiny. Presutural and anterior postsutural dorsocentral bristles short in both sexes. Halter whitish, some brown below knob.

Legs black, trochanters and tarsi brown. Mid tibia with anterodorsal row, 1 anteroventral, 1 posteroventral, 5 subapical bristles. Hind tibia with 2 ventroapical bristles.

Wing brown, with white spots on crossveins r-m, bm-cu, and dm-cu, at tips of veins R 2+3, R 4+5, and M, and 1 basal and 2 distal to r-m on vein R 4+5.

Abdomen with tergites heavily sclerotized, black, covered with microtomentum. Sternites wider than long, heavily sclerotized, black, and covered with microtomentum in male, longer than wide and weakly sclerotized in female.

Male postabdomen: Sternite 5 with lateral margins rounded, broadest posteriorly; posterior margin with a triangular notch medially, posterolateral corners with a tuft of setae; anterior apodeme short, extending to base of segment 4, without dorsal keel (Fig. 53). Surstylus oblong. Postgonite with anterior and posterior lobes widely separated, posterior lobe pointed, anterior lobe broadly rounded. Basiphallus with short, thick epiphallus, thin short preepiphallus. Distiphallus with a short spinose dorsal tube, enlarged ventral sclerite projecting beyond other sclerites (Fig. 52).

Female postabdomen: Tergites 6–7 not sclerotized medially and posteriorly, anterior margin heavily sclerotized and shiny, lateral margins moderately sclerotized, covered with microtomentum, each with 3 short weakly sclerotized posterior strips. Tergite 8 moderately sclerotized, covered with microtomentum. Epiproct with parallel sides, pointed posteriorly, with 2 setae. Cerci normal. Sternites 6–7 not sclerotized medially and posteriorly, anterior margin heavily sclerotized and shiny, lateral margins moderately sclerotized, covered with microtomentum, each with 2 short weakly sclerotized posterior strips. Sclerites of sternite 8 with narrow shiny anterior portion, broad posterior portion covered with microtomentum and setae. Hypoproct trapezoidal, covered with microtomentum. Spermathecae not observed.

Type material. Holotype ♂: VENEZUELA: Mérida: Apartaderos, Laguna Negra , 3350 m, treeline moss forest, FMHD#89–61, carrion traps, 1–29 Jul 1989, S. & J. Peck, debu01041023 ( FMNH) . Paratype: Sierra Nevada Natl. Pk., Laguna Negra, 4000 m, elfin forest, yellow pans, 28–30 Aug 1992, L. Masner (1 ♀, DEBU) .

Comments. The species name refers both to the predominately black colouration of this species and the type locality. This species’ position is uncertain from phylogenetic analyses. It does not appear to be closely related to any species of Antrops and may not belong to the genus. It is superficially similar to undescribed Antrops sp. A , but it would be useful to have males of the latter to compare genitalic characters. The spot on R 4+5 basal to crossvein rm, 2 ventroapical bristles on the hind tibia, and dark head distinguish this species from others in the genus.