Scipopus (Phaeopterina) musculosus, Lindsay & Marshall, 2023

Lindsay, Kate & Marshall, Stephen A., 2023, A revision of Scipopus Enderlein including the subgenera Scipopus s. str., Phaeopterina Frey and Parascipopus subgen. nov. (Diptera, Micropezidae, Taeniapterinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 904, pp. 1-189 : 139-140

Scipopus (Phaeopterina) musculosus sp. nov.

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Fig. 61

Differential diagnosis

Scipopus (Phaeopterina) musculosus sp. nov. resembles S. (Ph.) sexguttatus and S. (Ph.) brunneus sp. nov. in having three subapical hyaline spots on the wing and an at least partially white first fore tarsomere but differs by the black setae on T1 and the dark first hind tarsomere.

Etymology

The species name is inspired by the female single spermatheca that is divided into two parts that resemble the arms of a strongman showing off his muscles in a classic strongman pose.

Type material examined

Holotype

VENEZUELA • 1 ♀; Ar., Rancho Grande ; 1100 m a.s.l.; 12 Jul. 1967; R.W. Poole leg.; USNM (photographed, Fig. 61A, D ).

Paratypes

VENEZUELA • 1 ♀; Aragua, Henri Pittier Nat. Park, nr Rancho Grande ; 1150 m a.s.l.; 15–30 Nov. 1997; T. Pape leg.; Malaise trap; DEBU _0081/ DEBU081-06 sequenced for CO1; ZMUC (dissected and photographed, Fig. 61B–C ) • 1 ♀; Carabobo, Henri Pittier Natl. Pk., Portachuelo Pass ; 10°20′51″ N, 67°41′16″ W; 1143 m a.s.l.; 13–15 Sep. 2008; M.D. Jackson leg.; DEBU • 1 ♀; Aragua, Henri Pittier Natl. Pk., Rancho Grande ; 12–30 Dec. 1987; M. Sanborne leg.; DEBU .

Description

LENGTH. 12–13 mm.

HEAD. Palpus orange or light brown, pale microtrichose and setulose, narrow (length 5.0 × height). Clypeus orange, very short (width ~2.7× height), silvery microtrichose on entire surface. Frontal vitta dull, orange, microtrichose, tapered posteriorly. Epicephalon light to dark brown, shiny, white microtrichose posteriorly, wide (width ⅔ or more of upper frontal vittal width at inner verticals), clearly delineated from upper frontal vitta. Postocellar seta absent, 1–2 pairs of lower fronto-orbital setae; all other head chaetotaxy well-developed.

THORAX. Scutum black-brown with a wide, indistinct silvery blue median sheen. Female cervical sclerite slightly swollen posteriorly. Postpronotal lobe black-brown, with several scattered setulae on anterior surface. Notopleuron black-brown, with indistinct pale brown microtrichosity surrounding anterior notopleural seta. Thorax black-brown, entirely silvery microtrichose, microtrichia denser posteriorly, forming silvery transverse band seen at only some angles. Legs dark brown, paler brown basally on hind femur. Fore tarsomere 1 white on basal ½; hind tarsomere 1 dark brown. Wing brown-black infuscate on r

1, distal ½ and apex; three hyaline window-like spots in m

1, r

2+3, r

3+4 ( Fig. 61D ).

FEMALE ABDOMEN. T1 with fine, long, black setae. Pleuron pale grey, dorsal half of P2–5 dark brown. T1+2 ~1.5× length of T3, posterior margin of T2 ~2.1 × as wide as T1. Oviscape black-brown, short black setulose, white microtrichose on anterior ⅔, ~3.0× length of T6. Common duct very short, smooth, not delineated from paired duct. Paired spermathecal duct long (10.0 × length of paired spermathecae), narrow, parallel-sided, very swollen distally. Paired spermathecal stems very short and narrow. Paired spermathecae split into two sections by a constriction: basal section ovoid, distal section tapered apically. “Single” spermathecal duct (smaller duct, leading to two spermathecae with a large, ovoid basal section and a smaller, bent distal section) ½ length and ≈ diameter of paired duct, parallel-sided, arising from basal ¹/10 of paired duct.

MALE ABDOMEN. Unknown.

Remarks

Scipopus (Phaeopterina) musculosus sp. nov., S. (Ph.) sexguttatus and S. (Ph.) brunneus sp. nov. appear to be closely related, and are all characterized by a smooth common spermathecal duct arising from the bursa (in lieu of a rugose common duct), from which both the paired and “single” duct originates; this contrasts most other Central and South American species of S. ( Phaeopterina ), in which the common duct is absent but the single and paired ducts arise independently from the bursa copulatrix.

Distribution

Venezuela.

Figures

Fig. 61. Phaeopterina musculosus sp. nov. A. Head, ♀, lateral view, Venezuela, holotype (USNM). B. Head and thorax, ♀, dorsal view, Venezuela, paratype (ZMUC). C. Female spermathecae and associated structures, Venezuela, paratype (ZMUC). D. Habitus, ♀, Venezuela, holotype (USNM). Abbreviations: pd = paired spermathecal duct; ps = paired spermatheca (partially hidden by swollen duct); sd = “single” spermathecal duct (leading to pair of spermathecae).