Melaloncha altobenia, Gonzalez, Lisa & Brown, Brian V., 2004

Gonzalez, Lisa & Brown, Brian V., 2004, New species and records of Melaloncha (Udamochiras) bee­killing flies (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 730, pp. 1-14 : 6-8

Melaloncha altobenia new species

Figs. 3 , 10

Recognition. This species, like M. sarmientoi n. sp., keys to couplet 47 ( M. exigua Brown and M. falcata Brown ) in Brown (2004a). Unlike all three of these species, its ovipositor has a well­developed lateral keel, making the dorsum of the ovipositor flat, and lacks long, thick ventral setae.

Description. Female (male unknown). Body length 2.5–2.7 mm. Mean frontal width 0.31 head width; no variation. Frons orange with black ocellar triangle and vertex; frons with fine reticulate sculpturing and slightly punctate with small black setulae; median furrow present. Dorsal interfrontal setae present, located slightly ventral to ventral ocellus. Palpus unmodified. Ocular and genal setae yellow, flattened. Foreleg, including foretarsomeres, uniformly brownish yellow. Combined length of foretarsomeres 0.8 tibial length. Tarsal claws on all legs finely bifurcate. Mid­ and hind leg brownish yellow; hind femur with dark brown macula at apex. Mean costal length 0.53 wing length, no variation. Vein R2+3 absent. Abdominal tergites black with anterior band of silver pollinosity. Venter of abdomen gray; venter of segment 6 with several setae. Ovipositor in lateral view evenly curved with preapical deepening, except at dorsoventrally compressed apex. Thin, sparse, dorsal lateral and ventral setae present. Lateral ridge on posterior half of ovipositor forming sides of small ventral keel. In dorsal view, ovipositor parallel­sided with apical narrowing to rounded point.

Host. Flies were attracted to a mixed aggregation of A. mellifera , Partamona epiphytophila Pedro & Camargo , and Plebeia sp. Note that previous ( Brown, 2004a, 2004b) references to the bee fauna of Cumbre Alto Beni referred to the presence of Partamona combinata Pedro & Camargo. This was an incorrect identification, however (verified by Camargo) and all references to P. combinata should be changed to P. epiphytophila .

Distribution. Bolivia.

Derivation of specific epithet. Based on the name of the type locality, Cumbre Alto Beni in Bolivia.

Holotype. Ψ, BOLIVIA: La Paz: 40 km N Caranavi, Cumbre Alto Beni, 15.83°S, 67.56°W, 14.iv.2003, Brown, Marcotte, Zumbado, honey­spray, 1600 m [LACM ENT 180698] (CBFC).

Paratypes. BOLIVIA: La Paz: 40 km N Caranavi, Cumbre Alto Beni, 15.83°S, 67.56°W, 1Ψ, 14.iv.2003, Brown, Marcotte, Zumbado, honey­spray, 1600 m (LACM), 3Ψ, 14.iv.2004, 1Ψ, 19.iv.2004, E. Zumbado, honey spray, 1600 m (CBFC, LACM)

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Melaloncha (Udamochiras) spp. Ovipositors, dorsal.

FIGURES 10 – 16. Melaloncha (Udamochiras) spp. Ovipositors, right lateral.