Scipopus (Scipopus) brikelos, 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 : 28-31

Scipopus (Scipopus) brikelos sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CF3F3C29-C339-437A-B7B2-97E52F12EEAA

Figs 8–9

Differential diagnosis

Scipopus (Scipopus) brikelos sp. nov. resembles S. (S.) nigripennis in having a white first fore tarsomere, a shiny epicephalon that is clearly delineated from the upper frontal vitta, an elongate spermathecal duct, and nearly spherical paired spermathecae. It differs in the orange clypeus that is dark and bare on the middle third, and in the fine, black setae on T1.

Etymology

The name, a Greek word translating to ‘tragic mask’, refers to the median dark part of the clypeus. This dark central area resembles a facial mask used in the COVID-19 pandemic, during which time this manuscript was written.

Type material examined

Holotype

COSTA RICA • 1 ♀; Alajuela, San Ramon Biol. Res.; 900 m a.s.l.; Apr.–May 2000; P. Hanson leg.; MNCR.

Paratypes

COSTA RICA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; debu00206321/MYCRO560-19 sequenced for CO1–5′; DEBU (dissected, photographed, Figs 8A–C, F , 9B ) • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; MNCR • 1 ♀; Puntarenas Province, Monteverde ; 22 May 2000; F. Joyce leg.; debu01088988/ MYCRO528-19 sequenced for CO1–5′; pseudoscorpion associated with specimen; DEBU • 1 ♀; Guanacaste, Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Sector Cacoa, Derrumbe ; 10.9292′ N, 85.4643′ W; 1220 m a.s.l.; 14 May 2015; D.H. Janzen and W. Hallwachs leg.; Malaise, forest; BIOUG-D09/ GMCCE108-17 sequenced for CO1–5′; BIOUG • 1 ♂; Puntarenas, Monteverde, San Luis Ecolodge ; 1–7 Apr. 2005; P.D. Careless leg.; MNCR (dissected and photographed, Fig. 8D–E ) .

Other material examined

COSTA RICA • 1 ♀; Monteverde; 17 Aug. 2010; S.A. Marshall leg.; MNCR (photographed, Fig. 9A ) .

Description

LENGTH. 14–17 mm.

HEAD. Palpus light brown, pale brown microtrichose and setulose on entire surface, narrow (length 6.0× height). Clypeus orange laterally, brown medially, width ~2.0 × height, bare medially, white microtrichose in posterolateral corners. Frontal vitta and orbital plate dull, orange, microtrichose. Epicephalon light brown, shiny, bare, narrow (width less than ⅔ of upper frontal vitta width at inner verticals), clearly delineated from upper frontal vitta. Paracephalon light brown and/or orange, slightly convex on posterolateral portions. Anterior lower fronto-orbital seta absent or present, all other head chaetotaxy well-developed.

THORAX. Scutum black-brown, dark brown microtrichose, with narrow, pale brown anteromedian vitta flanked by dark brown vittae and blue sheen, and with indistinct pale spot anterior to transverse suture. Female cervical sclerite convex. Postpronotal lobe black-brown with blue sheen with very few setulae on outer margin, notopleuron black-brown. Pleuron black-brown with the following microtrichosity: entirely white except dorsally on proepisternum, denser on outer margins, entirely white except dorsally on proepimeron, white on anteroventral ¼ of anepisternum, with ventral corner and remainder brown, white anterior patch on katepisternum, otherwise brown, white dorsally and ventrally on katatergite. Legs black-brown with blue sheen; first and second fore tarsomere white dorsally, hind tarsomere 1 almost entirely white dorsally. Wing uniformly black-brown infuscate.

ABDOMEN (J+ ♀). T1 with fine, long dark brown or black setae.

FEMALE ABDOMEN. T1+2 ~2.1 × length of T3. Pleuron almost entirely dark brown or black, grey on ventral ¼ of P2–6. Oviscape ~3.0× length of T6, black-brown, white microtrichose on anterior ⅓. Combined spermathecal ducts long; common duct making up ⅔ of entire duct length. Paired spermathecal duct short (~5.0× length of paired spermathecae), curved basally, mostly parallel-sided, slightly tapered basally and swollen apically. Paired spermathecal stem equal to or slightly longer than paired spermathecae, with numerous tubercles. Paired spermathecae approximately spherical, bent and tapered basally (collapsed in Fig. 8B ). Single spermathecal duct arising from base of paired duct, narrow, ~½ the diameter and length of paired duct, swollen apically. Single spermatheca small, elongate, swollen apically.

MALE ABDOMEN. T1+2 ~2.4× length of T3. Pleuron off-white, P1 and pleural sac dark brown or black, P3–6 black on dorsal half. Genital fork with arms converging, 3.0 × length of T6, inner basal process ⅓ length of arm. Epandrium length ~2.0 × height, rounded and taller posteriorly, short setose on posteroventral margin. Basiphallus small, crescent-shaped. Basal distiphallus very short (~1.0× phallic bulb), ending in phallic bulb. Phallic bulb short and small, length ~1.2 × height, bulbous on posterior half, nearly subquadrate on anterior half. Distal distiphallus long (> 2.0 × length of epandrium). Phallapodeme not observed.

Remarks

A specimen of S. (S.) brikelos sp. nov. from Monteverde, Costa Rica, is pinned with a pseudoscorpion that was previously attached to the specimen.

Distribution

Costa Rica.

Figures

Fig. 8. Scipopus (Scipopus) brikelos sp. nov. A. Head, ♀, anterior view, Costa Rica, paratype (DEBU). B. Female spermathecae and associated structures, Costa Rica, paratype (DEBU).C. Head and thorax, ♀, dorsal view, Costa Rica, paratype (DEBU). D. Male terminalia, lateral view, Costa Rica, paratype (MNCR). E. Male genital fork, ventral view, Costa Rica, paratype (MNCR). F. Thorax, ♀, left lateral view, Costa Rica, paratype (DEBU). Abbreviations: b = basiphallus; bdp = basal distiphallus; cd = common duct; ddp = distal distiphallus; e = epandrium; gf = genital fork; pb = phallic bulb; pd = paired spermathecal duct; ps = paired spermathecae; pss = paired spermathecal stems; sd = single spermathecal duct; ss = single spermatheca.

Fig. 9. Scipopus (Scipopus) brikelos sp. nov. A. ♀, Costa Rica, non-type (MNCR). B. Thorax, left lateral view, ♀, illustrating white microtrichosity, Costa Rica, paratype (DEBU).