Ulia poecilogastra

Brake, Irina, 2009, Revision of Milichiella Giglio-Tos (Diptera, Milichiidae) 2188, Zootaxa 2188 (1), pp. 1-166 : 103-107

poecilogastra -group

Species in the poecilogastra -group are characterized by the combination of male mesonotum subshiny or shiny black, in some species slightly sculptured, calypter margin dark, tibial organ present.

Distribution. El Salvador south to Bolivia and Brazil (Mato Grosso)

Milichiella boliviana Brake , sp. n. (Pl. 19B, F)

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners in the combination of a finely sculptured frons and mesonotum as well as shiny black male T1–5 except for silvery microtomentose paired small spots close to abdominal triangle on T2, and narrow anterior margins of T3–5.

Description. Body length: 2.5 mm; wing length: 2.7 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons shiny black, ocellar triangle and orbital plates shiny black, sculptured on anterior 3/5, lunule black, basoflagellomere black, face black microtomentose, palpus black, basomedially yellow; thorax with mesonotum subshiny black, scutellum and pleuron same, wing hyaline, veins yellow, brown spot at apex of vein R1 present, calypter brown or hyaline with brown margin and brown hairs, halter black, legs black except for yellow basitarsi, fore tibia appears yellow ventroapically due to brush of yellowish setae; abdomen with T1–5 shiny black except for silvery microtomentose paired small spots close to abdominal triangle on T2, and narrow anterior margins of T3–5.

Head: frons with 1 (middle) orbital and 2 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta medioclinate. In males frons 3.0x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 7.0x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista very short, posterior eye margin with notch (4om) and emargination (2om).

Thorax: 1 dc, 0 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 convergent (~2.4); M-ratio is 2.0. Fore femur normal setulose, tibial organ present.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 present. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with single line of setae, T2–5 black parts with some fine setulae. S5 same as M. poecilogastra (see Pl. 19D). Male genitalia with apical seta on cercus slightly longer than epandrial setae, 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus 0.5x as long as epandrium high, dilated posteroapically (1.3x), with apical edentation, 0.9x as long as wide, structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae (Pl. 19B, F).

Special characters: proboscis elongated with labellum 2.2x as long as palpus and about as long as vertical eye diameter, female with long lunule, ventral tip of lunule reaching distal half of basoflagellomere (male: tip of lunule reaches middle of pedicel), frons and mesonotum finely sculptured.

Holotype, ♂: BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz: Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Los Fierros (14°33'30''S, 60°55'54''W), 20–30.i.1997, Gill & Forsyth (DEBU, 3218315; debu00256320), in suboptimal condition, fore legs missing, mesonotum slightly indented, abdomen dissected.

Paratype: BOLIVIA. La Paz: Mapiri, San Carlos (15°0'0''S 68°0'0''W), 1–31.i.1903, Schnuse (♂ SMTD, 3219185) .

Material of questionable identity: BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz: Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Los Fierros (14°33'30''S, 60°55'54''W), 20–30.i.1997, Gill & Forsyth (♀ DEBU, 3218316) .

Distribution. Bolivia.

Etymology. The species name, boliviana , is an adjective derived from the type locality.

Remarks. The female which might be conspecific with Milichiella boliviana is characterized by a black halter and abdomen with T2–5 shiny black except for brown microtomentose narrow anterior margins

Pl. 19: A–C. Male genitalia, lateral view. A. Milichiella poecilogastra ; B. M. boliviana, HT ; C. M. metallica . D–E M. poecilogastra . D. Male sternite 4–5; E. Surstylus. F. M. boliviana, HT , surstylus. G. M. metallica , male sternite 4–5. Scale bar: 0.1.

Milichiella maculatiradii Brake , sp. n. (Pl. 30B, E)

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners in the combination of brown microtomentose male abdomen except for shiny posterolateral corners and brown spot on R1.

Description. Body length: 2.3 mm; wing length: 2.1 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons shiny black, ocellar triangle and orbital plates shiny black, lunule brown, basoflagellomere black, face black microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum subshiny black, scutellum and pleuron shiny, wing hyaline, veins brown, brown spot at apex of vein R1 present, calypter hyaline with brown margin and brown hairs, halter black, legs black except for yellow tips of mid and hind tibia and tarsi; abdomen with T2–4 brown microtomentose except for shiny posterolateral corners, T5 shiny except for brown microtomentose anterior margin.

Head: frons with 2 orbital and 2 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta medioclinate. In males frons 2.2x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 4.0x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista very short, posterior eye margin with slight notch (2om) and slight emargination (1om).

Thorax: 1 dc, 1 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 convergent (2.0); M-ratio is 2.7. Fore femur normal setulose, tibial organ present.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 weak. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with 2–3 lines of setae, T2–5 setulose. S5 ~1.5x as long as wide, ~1.4x as long and 1.2x as wide as S4, setulose, thinner setulae at posterior margin (Pl. 30E). Male genitalia with apical seta on cercus shorter than longest epandrial setae, 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus 1.5x as long as epandrium high, dilated apically (1.7x), 8.8x as long as wide, structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae, some longer sensilla on distal half (Pl. 30B).

Special characters: labellum 1.5x as long as palpus.

Holotype, ♂: BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz: Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Los Fierros (14°33'30"S, 60°55'54"W), 20–30.i.1997, Gill & Forsyth (DEBU, 3217691; debu00256247), in good condition.

Paratype, same data as HT (♂ DEBU, 3217692) .

Material of questionable identity: PANAMA. Panama: Barro Colorado I. (9°9'0"N 79°51'0"W), 13.viii.1946, Krauss (♀ USNM, 3218626); PERU. Loreto: Iquitos (3°46'.12" S 73°15'0" W), 1.iii.–30.iv.1931, Shannon (1 ♂ 1♀ USNM, 3218639–40) .

Distribution. Bolivia,? Panama,? Peru.

Etymology. The species name, maculatiradii , is derived from maculatus = spotted, referring to the brown spot on the radial vein.

Remarks. A specimen from Peru has a narrower distal tip to the surstylus.

Milichiella metallica Brake , sp. n. (Pl. 19C, G)

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners in the metallic blue green sheen of the male mesonotum.

Description. Body length: 2.1 mm; wing length: 2.0 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons subshiny black, ocellar triangle and orbital plates shiny black, lunule brown, basoflagellomere black, face brown microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum shiny black with metallic blue green sheen, scutellum and pleuron shiny, wing hyaline, veins brown, brown spot at apex of vein R1 absent, calypter hyaline with brown margin, halter black, legs black except for yellow tips of tibiae and tarsi; abdomen with T1–5 shiny black. Female coloration and vestiture: thorax with mesonotum shiny black without metallic blue green sheen, scutellum and pleuron shiny, halter black, abdomen with T2–5 shiny black except for brown microtomentose narrow anterior margins.

Head: frons with 2 orbital and 2 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta medioclinate. In males frons 2.4x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 4.9x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista very short, posterior eye margin with slight notch (2om) and slight emargination (1om).

Thorax: 1 dc, 1 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 weakly convergent (1.6); M-ratio is 2.6. Fore femur normal setulose, tibial organ present.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 absent. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with single line of setae, T2–4 with one scarce row of setulae at posterior margin. S5 1.3 x as long as wide, 1.4x as long and 1.5x as wide as S4, posterior margin indented, setulose (Pl. 19G). Male genitalia with apical seta on cercus longer than epandrial setae, 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus 0.3x as long as epandrium high, very slightly dilated apically (1.1x), 1.3x as long as wide, structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae (Pl. 19C).

Special characters: ocellar triangle large, labellum 1.4x as long as palpus, mesonotum slightly sculptured posteromedially in both sexes.

Holotype, ♂: BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz: Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Los Fierros (14°33'30"S, 60°55'54"W), 20–30.i.1997, Gill & Forsyth (DEBU, 3217688; debu00256177), in good condition.

Paratypes, same data as HT (7 ♂ DEBU, 3217682–7, 3217689) .

Additional material examined: BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz: Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Los Fierros (14°33'30"S, 60°55'54"W), 20–30.i.1997, Gill & Forsyth (♀ DEBU, 3217690) .

Distribution. Bolivia.

Etymology. The species name, metallica , is an adjective and refers to the blue green sheen of the mesonotum.

Milichiella poecilogastra ( Becker, 1907) , comb. nov. (Pl. 19A, D, E)

Ulia poecilogastra Becker, 1907: 544 . PERU. Pichis & Rosalina. ST 1 ♂ 1♀ SMTD. Becker 1907: 544 [fig. of head, wing, male abdomen]. Hennig 1939: 85 [Bolivia, Costa Rica]; Sabrosky 1973: 7 [Neotropical catalogue]; Brake 2000: 13 [fig. of wing, male genitalia, Costa Rica].

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners in the combination of a finely sculptured frons and mesonotum as well as shiny black male T1–2 and T5 except for silvery microtomentose subanterior band and posterolateral margin of T2 and anterior margin of T5; T3–4 silvery microtomentose except for row of black dots at hind margin.

Description. Body length: 3.0 mm without head (var.: 2.9–3.7); wing length: 3.2 (var.: 2.7–2.9) mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons shiny black, ocellar triangle and orbital plates shiny black, lunule brown, basoflagellomere black (var.: basomedially yellow), face black, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum subshiny black, scutellum and pleuron same except for shiny spots on an- and katepisternum, wing hyaline, veins yellow, brown spot at apex of vein R1 present, calypter brown with brown margin and brown hairs, halter black, legs black except for orange basitarsi; abdomen with T1–2 and T5 shiny black except for silvery microtomentose subanterior band and posterolateral margin of T2 and anterior margin of T5; T3–4 silvery microtomentose except for row of black dots at hind margin. Female coloration and vestiture: calypter hyaline with brown margin and brown hairs, halter black, abdomen with T2–5 shiny to subshiny black.

Head: frons with 2+1 (var.: 1) orbital and 2 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta? (var.: slightly medioreclinate). In males frons?x (var.: 2.9x) as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about?x (var.: 5.8x) as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista? (var.: very short), posterior eye margin with emargination (var.: notch (4om) and emargination (2om)). Female posterior eye margin with notch (4om) and emargination (2–3om).

Thorax: 1 dc, 0 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 convergent (2.8–3.1); M-ratio is 1.9. Fore femur normal setulose, tibial organ present.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 present. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with more than 3 lines of setae, T2–5 black parts with some fine setulae, some longer setulae at tip of T5. S5 0.8 x as long as wide, 1.5x as long and 1.9x as wide as S4, posterior margin only slightly indented, setulose with short setae and longer setae along posterior margin (Pl. 19D). Male genitalia with apical seta on cercus not longer than epandrial setae, 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus 0.5x as long as epandrium high, dilated apically (1.4x), very broad, 1.3x as long as wide, with posteroapical indentation, structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae (Pl. 19A, E).

Special characters: proboscis elongated with labellum 2.5x as long as palpus and 1.2x as long as vertical eye diameter, female with long lunule, ventral tip of lunule reaching distal half of basoflagellomere (var.: male tip of lunule reaches middle of pedicel), frons and mesonotum finely sculptured (var.: frons sculptured to a larger extent in females than in males), female hind leg slightly enlarged, wing plane nearly without microtrichia.

Syntypes: PERU. Cusco: Rosalina, Urubamba river (12°28'59.88"S 72°43'59.88"W), 3.ix.1903, Schnuse (♂ SMTD, 3219187), head and one wing missing . Pasco: Pichis, Puerto Bermudez (10°16'59.88"S 74°55'59.88"W), 11.xii.1903, Schnuse (♀ SMTD, 3219186), head glued on, thorax broken, one wing missing. There is 1 male and 1 female syntype. The female was labeled as lectotype by A. L. Serra in 1991 and the male as paralectotype. However, this lectotype designation has not been published so far and is not valid .

Milichiella poecilogastra var. ( USNM unless otherwise indicated): BOLIVIA. La Paz: Tumupasa (14°9'0"S 67°55'.12"W), Dec.1921?, Mann (♀, 3218651); Santa Cruz: Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Los Fierros (14°33'30"S, 60°55'54"W), 20–30.i.1997, Gill & Forsyth (3 ♂ 15♀ DEBU, 3218297–314); BRA- ZIL. Amazonas: Benjamin Constant (4°25'.12" S 69°58'59.88" W), 9.ix.1989, Mesgersmith (♀, 3218649). Mato Grosso do Sul : Maracaju (21°37'59.88"S 55°9'0"W), 1–31.v.1937, Servico Febre Amarela (♂, 3218645); COSTA RICA. San Jose: Farm La Caja (9°58'.12" N 84°7'.12"W), 07/25/19??, Schmidt (♂, 3218644), 1.i.–31.xii.1930 (♂, 3218643); ECUADOR. Napo: Puerto Orellana, Rio Tiputini (0°38'2"S, 76°8'9"W), 12–26.viii.1999, Mathis et al. (1 ♂ 1♀, 3218646–7); EL SALVADOR. La Unión: Volcán Conchagua (13°16'.12" N 87°49'59.88" W), 27–29.v.1958, Cartwright (♀, 3218648); PANAMA. Chiriquií : David , 671 m (8°25'59.88"N 82°25'59.88"E), 24.vii.1964, Broce (♂, 3218642); Panama: Barro Colorado I. (9°9'0"N 79°51'0"W), 10.vii.1978, Woodley (♀, 3218650) .

Distribution. El Salvador south to Bolivia and Brazil (Mato Grosso).

Remarks. All recently collected specimens of this species ( Milichiella poecilogastra var.) have only 1 orbital seta, whereas the type specimens have 3 according to the original description. However, since the head of the male type is lost and the female has no setae left on the frons, this character cannot be verified. I refrain from describing a new species because the difference in the number of orbital setae is most likely just variation within the species.