Milichiella chilensis, Brake, 2009

Brake, Irina, 2009, Revision of Milichiella Giglio-Tos (Diptera, Milichiidae) 2188, Zootaxa 2188 (1), pp. 1-166 : 60-63

chilensis -group

Species in the chilensis -group are characterized by the combination of short arista, eye emargination gradually separating from head margin ventrally, male thorax slightly brown microtomentose, and 3+1 dc.

Distribution: Northern and middle Chile.

Milichiella breviarista Brake , sp. n. (Pl. 10C, H)

Diagnosis. Differs from other members of the chilensis -group in the combination of parallel R 4+5 and M and T3–4 brown microtomentose.

Description. Body length: 2.3 mm; wing length: 2.4 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons subshiny black, ocellar triangle and upper orbital plates brown microtomentose, lunule black, basoflagellomere black, face brown microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum slightly brown microtomentose, scutellum and pleuron same except for shiny spots on an- and katepisternum, wing hyaline, veins yellow, brown spot at apex of vein R1 absent, calypter hyaline with brown margin, halter black, legs black; abdomen with T2–5 brown microtomentose except for posterolateral silvery spots on T5 which are far apart.

Head: frons with 2? orbital and 2? frontal setae, anterior frontal seta medioclinate. In males frons 2.3x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 2.6x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista very short, posterior eye margin with slight notch (2om), posterior eye margin separating from head margin on ventral 2/3.

Thorax: 3+1 dc, 3+1 prsc, 1 pprn, 1+0.4 prs, 2? keps setae, posterior prsc less than 0.8x as long as posterior dc, seta between posterior prsc and posterior dc absent. Wing with veins R 4+5 and M parallel (1.1); M-ratio is 3.0. Fore femur normal setulose, tibial organ?.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 present. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with 2–3 lines of setae, T2–5 brown parts setulose. S5 0.9 x as long as wide, 1.4x as long and 1.6x as wide as S4, setulose, posterior margin slightly indented (Pl. 10H). Male genitalia with apical seta on cercus shorter than longest epandrial seta, 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus ~0.3x as long as epandrium high, not bent, slightly dilated (1.2x), about as long as wide, structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae (Pl. 10C).

Special characters: arista short; anterior frontal seta inconspicuous, appears unusually distant from lunule. Pl. 10: A–B. Milichiella frontalis . A. Male genitalia, lateral view; B. Surstylus. C–E. Surstylus. C. M. breviarista ; D. M. conventa ; E. M. flaviventris, HT. F. M. flaviventris, HT , male genitalia, lateral view. G–J. Male sternite 4–5. G. M. frontalis ; H. M. breviarista ; I. M. conventa . J. M. flaviventris, HT. Scale bar: 0.1.

Holotype, ♂: CHILE. Coquimbo: Punta Teatinos (29°49'.12" S 71°16'59.88" W), 16.ix.1952, Kuschel ( USNM, 3218610), in good condition . Paratypes: CHILE. Atacama: Copiopo, Nantoco , 540 m (27°31'59.88"S 70°16'.12"W), 19.ix.1952, Kuschel (2 ♂ BMNH, USNM, 3218611–2); Copiopo, Piedra Colgada, 254 m (27°16'59.88"S 70°28'.12"W), 26.ix.1952, Kuschel (♂ USNM, 3218609) .

Material of questionable identity: CHILE. Atacama: Copiopo, Nantoco , 540 m (27°31'59.88"S 70°16'.12"W), 19.ix.1952, Kuschel (♀ USNM, 3218620); Copiopo, Piedra Colgada, 254 m (27°16'59.88"S 70°28'.12"W), 26.ix.1952, Kuschel (♀ USNM, 3218619). Coquimbo: Punta Teatinos (29°49'.12" S 71°16'59.88" W), 16.ix.1952, Kuschel (♀ USNM, 3218618) .

Distribution. Northern Chile.

Etymology. The species name, breviarista , is an arbitrary combination of letters derived from the Latin brevis = short and refers to the short arista of the species.

Milichiella chilensis Brake , sp. n.

Diagnosis. Differs from other members of the chilensis -group in the combination of parallel R 4+5 and M and T3–4 mainly silvery microtomentose.

Description. Body length: 1.9 mm; wing length: 2.1 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons subshiny black, ocellar triangle and upper orbital plates brown microtomentose, lunule black, basoflagellomere black, face black microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum slightly brown microtomentose, scutellum and pleuron same except for shiny spots on an- and katepisternum, wing hyaline, veins hyaline, brown spot at apex of vein R1 absent, calypter white with light brown margin in parts, halter black, legs black; abdomen with T2 brown microtomentose except for silvery posterolateral margins, T3–5 silvery microtomentose except for anteromedial margin of T3. Female coloration and vestiture: halter black, abdomen with T2–5 slightly brown microtomentose.

Head: frons with 2 orbital and 1+0.7 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta medioclinate. In males frons 2.3x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 2.5x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista very short, posterior eye margin with slight notch (2om), posterior eye margin separating from head margin on ventral 2/3.

Thorax: 3+1 dc, 2? prsc, 1 pprn, 1 prs, 2 keps setae, posterior prsc less than 0.8x as long as posterior dc, seta between posterior prsc and posterior dc absent. Wing with veins R 4+5 and M parallel (1.3); M-ratio is 2.1. Fore femur normal setulose, tibial organ?.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 weak. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with 2–3 lines of setae, T2 posterior margin with two rows of small setae, T3–5 with one row. S5 0.9 x as long as wide, 1.4x as long and 1.6x as wide as S4, setulose, posterior margin slightly indented (see Pl. 10I). Male genitalia same as M. conventa , 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus 0.3x as long as epandrium, not bent, slightly dilated (1.2x), about as long as wide, structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae (see Pl. 10D).

Special characters: arista short; anterior frontal seta inconspicuous, unusually distant from lunule; posterior half of mesonotum with few setulae, silvery microtomentum on male tergites long.

Holotype, ♂: CHILE. Atacama: Copiopo, Nantoco , 540 m (27°31'59.88"S 70°16'.12"W), 19.ix.1952, Kuschel ( USNM, 3218601), in fairly good condition.

Paratypes, same data as HT (1 ♂ 1♀ USNM, 3218602, 3218616); CHILE. Coquimbo: Incahuasi (29°13'18.84"S 71°0'42.84"W), 30.ix.1952, Kuschel (♂ USNM, 3218603) .

Additional material examined: CHILE. Tarapacá: Mamina (20°4'59.88"S 69°13'59.88"W), 15.ix.1951, Pena (♂ USNM, 3218604) .

Distribution. Northern Chile.

Etymology. The species name, chilensis , is derived from the type locality.

Milichiella conventa Brake , sp. n. (Pl. 10D, I)

Diagnosis. Differs from other members of the chilensis -group in the strongly convergent R 4+5 and M.

Description. Body length: 2.5 mm; wing length: 2.3 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons subshiny black, ocellar triangle and upper orbital plates brown microtomentose, lunule black, basoflagellomere black, face brown microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum slightly brown microtomentose, scutellum and pleuron same except for shiny spots on an- and katepisternum, wing hyaline, veins brown, brown spot at apex of vein R1 absent, calypter hyaline with brown margin, halter black, legs black; abdomen with T2–5 brown microtomentose except for large, posterolateral silvery spots on T5 which are nearly connected in middle. Female coloration and vestiture: halter black, abdomen with T2–5 slightly brown microtomentose.

Head: frons with 2+0.5 orbital and 1+0.7 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta medioclinate. In males frons 2.3x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 2.5x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista very short, posterior eye margin with slight notch (2om), posterior eye margin separating from head margin on ventral 2/3.

Thorax: 3+1 dc, 3 prsc, 1 pprn, 1 prs, 2 keps setae, posterior prsc less than 0.8x as long as posterior dc, seta between posterior prsc and posterior dc?. Wing with veins R 4+5 and M strongly convergent (3.6); M-ratio is 1.4. Fore femur normal setulose, tibial organ?.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 present. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with 2–3 lines of setae, T2–5 brown parts setulose. S5 0.9 x as long as wide, 1.4x as long and 1.6x as wide as S4, setulose, posterior margin slightly indented (Pl. 10I). Male genitalia with apical seta on cercus shorter than longest epandrial seta, 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus 0.3x as long as epandrium high, not bent, slightly dilated (1.2x), slightly longer than wide (1.2x), structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae (Pl. 10D).

Special characters: arista short; anterior frontal seta inconspicuous, unusually distant from lunule; wing venation special.

Holotype, ♂: CHILE. Atacama: Vallenar (28°34'14.88"S 70°45'29.16"W), 18.ix.1952, Kuschel ( USNM, 3218607), in fairly good condition.

Paratypes: CHILE. Atacama: Copiopo, Nantoco , 540 m (27°31'59.88"S 70°16'.12"W), 19.ix.1952, Kuschel (1 ♂ 1♀ USNM, 3218606, 3218617) . Valparaiso: Rio Acoricagua , N bank, floodplain, near mouth, opposite (32°55'S, 70°31'W), 6.xi.1996, Norrbom & Steck (♂ USNM, 3218605) .

Material of questionable identity: CHILE. Coquimbo: Punta Teatinos (29°49'.12" S 71°16'59.88" W), 16.ix.1952, Kuschel (♂ USNM, 3218608) .

Distribution. Northern and middle Chile.

Etymology. The species name, conventa , is an adjective derived from the Latin verb convergere = convergent.