Polytrichophora sinuosa, Mathis, Wayne N. & Zatwarnicki, Tadeusz, 2012

Mathis, Wayne N. & Zatwarnicki, Tadeusz, 2012, A revision of the new world species of Polytrichophora Cresson and Facitrichophora, new genus (Diptera, Ephydridae), ZooKeys 231, pp. 1-116 : 44-46

Polytrichophora sinuosa sp. n. Figs 7478

Diagnosis.

This species is distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: Small to moderately small shore flies, body length 1.65-2.10 mm.

Head: Frons dull, heavily microtomentose, 2-toned, mostly tan with some faint golden reflections on posterior 2/3, anterior 1/3 (from level of fronto-orbital setae anteriad), gray. Antenna mostly yellow to yellowish orange, anterior portion of pedicel and basodorsal area of basal flagellomere with some blackish coloration; arista with 5 dorsal rays. Face at narrowest point about equal to combined length of pedicel and basal flagellomere; face densely microtomentose, microtomentum with shiny to pearly luster, mostly yellowish to golden white but with considerable gold coloration in antennal grooves and extended laterally onto parafacial; parafacial not markedly differing from midfacies in color, more golden dorsally, becoming whiter ventrally; parafacial with slight to considerable ventral dilation; parafacial color not markedly different from that of middle of face, usually silvery white; parafacial 2-3 times wider ventrally than dorsally; gena moderately short, less than 1/4 eye height, subequal to height of basal flagellomere; gena-to-eye ratio 0.18-0.20.

Thorax: Mesonotum mostly dull, densely microtomentose, concolorous with posterior 2/3 of frons; pleural area blackish gray. Stout setae on apical half; anterior margin of wing lacking large, spine-like setae; costal vein ratio 0.65-0.70; M vein ratio 0.53-0.57. Forefemur lacking row of 9-10 short, stout setae along apical half of anteroventral surface; forefemur with posteroventral row of 7-10 short setulae, each equal to width of femur; tibiae mostly yellowish, mid- and hindtibia whitish to grayish over middle portion; basal tarsomeres yellow, apical 1-2 brown.

Abdomen: Tergites mostly broadly blackish brown, subshiny to shiny dorsomedially; tergite 5 of male broadly pointed posteriorly. Male terminalia (Figs 74-77): Epandrium connected dorsally above cerci (Fig. 75), in posterior view (Fig. 75) broadly oval with ventral, tapered extensions, oval portion evenly setulose; extensions parallel sided, separated apically with wide gap, apex narrowly rounded, extensions minutely setulose; ventral third of epandrium in lateral view (Fig. 75) shallowly sinuous, very narrow and elongate, curved anteroventrally, pointed apically; gonites almost symmetrical, in lateral view rod-like but relatively short, end toward hypandrium tapered and curved, opposite end truncate, in ventral view (Fig. 74) with flange on each side almost equal; aedeagus in lateral view (Fig. 77) complex, with distinct basiphallus that ends in an elongate digitiform extension, and a twisted distiphallus; phallapodeme in lateral view (Fig. 77) elongate, clavate, keel barely evident, in ventral view (Fig. 76) short, curved laterally to right; hypandrium in ventral view (Fig. 76) H-shaped, relatively small, in lateral view (Fig. 77) moderately elongate, tapered to point anteriorly.

Type material.

The holotype male is labeled "TRINIDAD. St. Andr[ew].: Low[er]. Manzanilla (12 km S, 10°24'N, 61°02'W)[,] bridgeNarivaRiv[er],20-27Jun1993, WNMathis/USNM ENT 00285967 [plastic bar code label]/HOLOTYPE ♂ Polytrichophora sinuosa Mathis & Zatwarnicki, USNM [red]." The holotype is double mounted (minute in a block of plastic), is in excellent condition, and is deposited in the USNM. One male paratype (USNM) bears the same label data as the holotype. A female paratype (USNM) is from TRINIDAD and TOBAGO. Trinidad. St. Andrew: Lower Manzanilla (16 km S; 10°22'N, 61°01'W), 20 Jun 1993, W. N. Mathis.

Type locality.

Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad. St. Andrew: Lower Manzanilla (12 km S; 10°24'N, 61°02'W).

Other specimens examined.

Neotropical. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO. Trinidad. St. Andrew: Lower Manzanilla (12 km S; 10°24'N, 61°02'W), bridge over Nariva River, 20-27 Jun 1993, W. N. Mathis (2♂, ♀; USNM). Tobago. St. John: Hermitage River and beach (11°18.9'N, 60°34.5'W), 22 Apr 1994, D. and W. N. Mathis (2♀; USNM).

Distribution

(Fig. 78). Neotropical: Trinidad and Tobago.

Etymology.

The species epithet, sinuosa, is of Latin derivation and means winding in reference to the sinuous ventral extensions of the epandrium of this species.

Remarks.

This is a species of the conciliata group and is distinguished from other congeners of that group by the following combination of characters: Parafacial and gena not greatly dilated and high; forefemur lacking row of setulae along anteroventral surface, and setae along posteroventral surface are not elongate; tibiae yellowish (often with dorsal surface silvery white), and ventral epandrial extensions elongate, thinly developed, and sinuous in lateral view (Fig. 75).

The desmata Group

Species included: Polytrichophora desmata (Williston), Polytrichophora pulchra (Cresson).

Discussion. This species group is distinguished from the other groups by the following combination of characters: Parafacial color contrasted sharply with the much darker midfacies; parafacial with little or no ventral dilation; and abdomen mostly shiny, brownish black to black.