Coproica novacula, Bergeron & Marshall & Swann, 2015

Bergeron, Matthew D., Marshall, Stephen A. & Swann, John E., 2015, A review of the New World Coproica (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) with a description of 8 new species, Zootaxa 3953 (1), pp. 1-157 : 35-36

Coproica novacula new species

Figs. 5, 19, 26, 201–211

Description. Body length 1.1–1.8 mm. Body colour brown. Face and frons brown. Interfrontal bristles in 4 subequal pairs, postocellar bristles erect, 1 pair of small postocellar setulae. Eye to gena ratio approximately 2:1; 4 genal setae in longitudinal row posterior to vibrissa, anterior bristle 2–3 times as long as posterior 3.

Scutellum with approximately 18 discal setae arranged in 2 sparse rows between basal 1/4 and basal 1/2; 2 lateral bristles between larger anterior and posterior marginal scutellar bristles. Katepisternum with 2 dorsal bristles, anterior and posterior bristles each approximately 1/7 and 2/3 as long as the distance between dorsal margin of katepisternum and wing base respectively. Legs brown, fore coxa brown to light brown. Mid tibia with 1 proximal posterodorsal bristle at 1/2. Mid basitarsus with row of stout anterior bristles extending from 1/3 to apex, a pair of bold sub-basal bristles, and three small pairs of bristles between 2/5 and 4/5. Second costal sector 0.7–0.9 times as long as third costal sector. Costal bypass long, extending 7 or more vein widths beyond R 4+5.

Male terminalia: Sternite 5 rectangular, with paired posteromedial tabs and posteromedial patch of dense microtrichia; discal bristles uniform in size. Sternite 6 slightly sinuate medially. Epandrium with enlarged pair of dorsolateral bristles; subanal plate present, narrow; ventral margin of cerci flat, with 1 large, central bristle. Surstylus elongate, triangular, pointed posteroventrally, with sharp point at apex, with row of small anteroventral setae, and elongate posterodorsal bristle. Postgonites straight, with narrow apical half. Basiphallus straight, tubular, posteriorly dorsal to epiphallus; epiphallus rounded. Lateral sclerite of distiphallus deflected medially, with plateau-like process at proximal dorsal angle and 2 small sharp dorsal processes, apex cup-shaped and shallow, subtly ribbed along dorsal margin apically. Central sclerite fused to lateral sclerites ventral to proximal process and with sharp apical process. Membranous sheets broad.

Female terminalia: Tergite 8 long laterally and short dorsally. Tergite 10 pollinose, narrowly fused with cerci laterally; cerci short, with rounded apex, apical setae long and sinuate. Sternite 7 broad and rectangular, with posterior margin slightly concave. Sternite 8 broad, with rounded posterior margin, and posterior row of 4 small setae. Sternite 10 with pointed posterior margin and medial pair of elongate bristles, posterior margin not curved dorsally. Spermathecae spherical; duct length approximately 4 times as long as spermathecal bulb.

Type material. Holotype male: COSTA RICA: Cartago, Rio Grande de Orosi , near Tapanti Nat. Pk., 1100– 1150 m, 9.x.1999, floodplain and for., S.A. Marshall and M. Buck (debu00103948, INBC) . Paratypes: ARGENTINA: Salta, El Rey Nat. Pk., 900m, Rio La Sala , 5–10.xii.1987, FIT, malaise tp., open stream side in for., S.&J. Peck (1♂, 1♀ –ill) ; Salta, El Rey Nat. Pk., 900m, Aguas Negras Trail , 11–15.xii.1987, for., malaise tp., FIT, S.&J. Peck (1♀) ; Salta, El Rey Nat. Pk., 1000m, Pozo Verde Trail , km. 7, 5–15.xii.1987, malaise, FIT, yungas for., S.&J. Peck (1♀) ; Salta, Rosario de Lerma , INESALT yard, 16–28.ii.1992, malaise tp., S.A. Marshall (1♀) ; Santa Fe, 26 km. S of Reconquista, Rt. 11, 2 km. NE Berna , 20–21.ii.1980, pig dung tps., R.E. Woodruff (2♀) . BOLIVIA: Santa Cruz, Acite Cuevo , 12 km. W of Boyuibe, 890m, 18.viii–2.ix.2000, malaise tp., Irwin & Hauser (1♂: debu00147387, UASC) ; Santa Cruz, Campo Guairuy , 24 km. S of Camiri, 870m, 18.viii–2.ix.2000, malaise tp., Irwin & Hauser (1♂ *: debu00143116*; 2♀: 00144564, 00144119, UASC) . BRAZIL: Rio Grande do Sul, Pelotas , vii.1998, C.L. Bicho (1♂ *: debu00105615*, MZSP) . COSTA RICA: Cartago, Purisil , ~ 1200 m, 10.x.1999, sweeping coffee waste, S.A. Marshall (4♂ *: debu00127435, 00127436, 00127437, 00127438*, INBC) ; Cartago, Rio Macho For. Reserve , 2200m, 10.x.1999, sweeping, S.A. Marshall (4♂: debu00103883, 00103884, 00103879, 00103876; 3♀: 00103844, 00103875, 00103897, INBC) ; Heredia, Sto. Domingo, INBio Pk. , 9°58’23N, 84°5’30W, 18–19.viii.2001, on compost, Buck & Barber (1♀: debu00187432, INBC) . ECUADOR: 12–23.iii.1992, S. Peck (1♂, QCAZ) . GUATEMALA: Fraijanes, Finca San Antonio, 1800m, 14.ii.1987, J. Manger (1♂: debu00263008); Quetzalten , Ango Prov. , 8 km. SE of Zunil, 2450m, 19–21.vi.1993 #069, ex. FIT, tp.#1, J. Ashe & R. Brooks (1♂) . HONDURAS: Oyuca, 30 km. E of Tegu, 1800m, 10.vi.1994, FIT, H. Howden (1♂); Zamorano , 7.vi.1994, dung tp. (1♀) . MEXICO: Mexico State, 3 mi. NE of Temascaltepec , 6300’, 2–7.ix.1971, oak madronopine, human dung, A. Newton (1♀ *–ill) ; Morelos, Cuernavaca , 6.viii.1938, L.J. Lipovsky, Snow Museum (1♂, SEMC) ; Oaxaca, 9 mi. E of El Camaron , 4300’, 23.viii–6.ix.1973, human dung, A. Newton (1♂ –w) . UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: AZ: Cochise Co., near Portal, SWRS., 18–23.viii.1984, mushroom tps., B. V. Brown (1♀). TX: Hidalgo Co. , Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley St. Pk. , 21–25.v.1971, willow-thorn for., near riv., dung, Newton (1♀) .

Other material examined. MEXICO: Morelos, Cuernavaca , 6.viii.1938, L.J. Lipovsky (11♂, 4♀, SEMC) ; same as previous except 4.viii.1938 (2♂, 5♀, SEMC) ; 1.viii.1938 (2♂, 1♀, SEMC) ; Jalisco, El Limón, Tampa , 17.vi.1953, P.B.L. (1♂, SEMC) ; Jalisco, Tlaquepaque , 1.x.1965, B.M. 1966–123, N.L.H. Krauss (1♂, BMNH) ; 6 mi. SW Puebla, 6600’, 2.vii.1953 (1♂, SEMC) ; Tepexpan , 6900’, 12.viii.1954 (1♂, SEMC) .

Distribution: Nearctic: USA (AZ, TX); Neotropical: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (JAL, MEX, MOR, OAX, PUE).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin word novacula , which means “sharp knife,” and refers to the blade-like appearance of the surstyli.

Comments. Coproica novacula is known from relatively few specimens, but ranges from southern South America to the southwestern United States. A unique mid basitarsal chaetotaxy ( Fig. 26) and surstylar shape ( Fig. 202) make this species easily recognizable.

See comments under C. hirticula .