Milichiella nudiventris, Becker, 1907

Brake, Irina, 2009, Revision of Milichiella Giglio-Tos (Diptera, Milichiidae) 2188, Zootaxa 2188 (1), pp. 1-166 : 100-102

nudiventris -group

Species in the nudiventris -group are characterized by the combination of thorax with mesonotum densely brown or reddish brown microtomentose, vein R 4+5 and M weakly convergent [1.5x], abdominal triangle weak, silvery microtomentum on male tergites long.

Distribution. Honduras south to Peru.

Milichiella nudiventris Becker, 1907 (Pl. 18C, F, I)

Milichiella nudiventris Becker, 1907: 537 . BOLIVIA. Mapiri Sarampiuni, 700 m. HT ♂ SMTD. Sabrosky 1973: 5 [Neotropical catalogue]; Brake 2000: 106 [world catalogue].

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners in the combination of brown frons, mesonotum densely reddish brown microtomentose, 2dc, calypter margin dark brown, basitarsi yellow, T2–5 silvery microtomentose except for tip of T5, silvery microtomentum very long and in rows.

Description. Body length: 3.2 mm; wing length: 3.0 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons brown, ocellar triangle and orbital plates brown microtomentose, lunule black, basoflagellomere black, face greyish microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum densely reddish brown microtomentose, scutellum same, pleuron brown microtomentose, wing hyaline, veins light brown, brown spot at apex of vein R1 absent, calypter brown with dark margin, halter black, legs black except for yellow basitarsi, hind tarsus with conspicuous yellow brush; abdomen with T2–5 silvery white microtomentose except for narrow anterolateral corner of T2, lateral margins of T2–3 and posterior extended half of T5.

Head: frons with 2+0.5 orbital and 2 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta very slightly medioreclinate. In males frons 2.0x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 5.7x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista short, about as long as base of arista wide, posterior eye margin with notch (4om) and emargination (3om).

Thorax: 2 dc, 1 prsc, 1 pprn, 1+0.3 prs, 2 keps setae, posterior prsc as long as posterior dc, seta between posterior prsc and posterior dc small. Wing with veins R 4+5 and M weakly convergent (1.5); M-ratio is 2.0–2.2. Fore femur normal setulose, tibial organ absent.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 very weak. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with 2–3 lines of setae, T5 posterior half with long setae, silvery parts without setae. S5 1.3 x as long as wide, 1.0x as long and 4.4x as wide as S4, roughly triangular with posterior margin indented, setulose with setae getting longer posterolaterad (Pl. 18I). Male genitalia with apical seta on cercus longer than epandrial setae, 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus similar to M. turrialbae , but more gradually dilated, 6.5x as long as wide, structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface without setulae, some longer sensilla along anterior margin (Pl. 18C, F).

Special characters: silvery microtomentum extremely long and in rows.

Holotype, ♂: BOLIVIA. La Paz: Sarampione, 700 m (15°25'S, 68°7'W), 1–28.ii.1903, Schnuse ( SMTD, 3216899), in good condition.

Pl. 18: A–C. Male genitalia, lateral view. A. Milichiella argenteidorsa ; B. M. turrialbae ; C. M. nudiventris . D–F. Surstylus. D. M. argenteidorsa ; E. M. turrialbae ; F. M. nudiventris . G–I. Male sternite 4–5. G. M. argenteidorsa ; H. M. turrialbae ; I. M. nudiventris . Scale bar: 0.1.

Additional material examined ( USNM unless otherwise indicated): COSTA RICA. Cartago: La Suiza (9°51'0"N 83°37'.12"W), Schild (2 ♂ 1♀, 3216905, 3216922–3), 1–30.iv.1922 (4 ♂ 1♀, 3216908–12), 1–31.x.1923 (♂, 3216914), 1–31.iii.1924 (♂, 3216915), 1–30.ix.1924 (♂, 3216906), 12.vi.1926 (♂, 3216907); Turrialba (9°54'0"N 83°40'59.88"W), 1–30.xi.1922, Schild (4 ♂ USNM, BMNH, 3216916–9); HONDURAS. Atlantida: La Ceiba (15°46'59.88"N 86°49'59.88"W), 2.xii.1916, Dyer (♂, 3216904); PAN- AMA. Colon: Fort Sherman , Mojinga Swamp (9°18'0"N 79°58'.12"W), 25.vi.1952, Blanton (♂, 3216903). Panama: Barro Colorado I. (9°9'0"N 79°51'0"W), 13.viii.1977, Silberglied & Aiello (♂, 3216902), 10.vi.1978, Woodley (♂, 3216900); Summit (9°4'.12" N 79°39'0" W), 1–31.x.1946, Krauss (♂, 3216901); PERU. Madre de Dios: Manu, 400 m (12°15'0"S 70°49'59.88"W), 26–30.x.1962, Pena (♂ CNC, 3217854) .

Material of questionable identity (all HNHM): COSTA RICA. Cartago: La Suiza (9°51'0"N 83°37'.12"W), 1.iv.1921 (♂, 3218488), 11.v.1921 (♂, 3218487), 18.v.1921 (♂, 3218489), 1921 (♂, 3218486). Distribution. Honduras south to Peru .

Remarks. Milichiella nudiventris has been collected on Cassia leaves ( Fabaceae ).

Milichiella turrialbae Brake , sp. n. (Pl. 18B, E, H)

Diagnosis. Differs from M. nudiventris in male abdomen with T2 brown microtomentose except for silvery lateral sides, T3–5 silvery microtomentose except for brown microtomentose posteromedial margin of T3 and subshiny tip of T5.

Description. Body length: 2.8–3.4 mm; wing length: 2.4–2.9 mm. Male coloration and vestiture: frons brown, ocellar triangle and orbital plates brown microtomentose, lunule brown, basoflagellomere black, face greyish microtomentose, palpus black; thorax with mesonotum densely brown microtomentose, scutellum and pleuron same except for small shiny spots on an- and katepisternum, wing hyaline, veins brown, brown spot at apex of vein R1 absent, calypter brown, halter black, legs black except for yellow basitarsi, fore and hind tarsus with yellow brush; abdomen with T2 brown microtomentose except for silvery lateral sides, T3–5 silvery microtomentose except for brown microtomentose posteromedial margin of T3 and subshiny tip of T5. Female coloration and vestiture: halter black, abdomen with T2–5 brown microtomentose.

Head: frons with 2+0.5 orbital and 2 frontal setae, anterior frontal seta very slightly medioreclinate. In males frons 2.2x as wide at posterior margin than at base of antenna, arista about 5.0x as long as basoflagellomere width, pubescence on arista short, about as long as base of arista wide, posterior eye margin with slight notch (4om) and emargination (3om). Female posterior eye margin with slight notch (4om) and emargination (2om).

Thorax: 2 dc, 2 prsc, 1 pprn, 1 prs, 1+0.7 keps setae, posterior prsc about as long as posterior dc, seta between posterior prsc and posterior dc absent. Wing with veins R 4+5 and M weakly convergent (1.5); M-ratio is 2.3. Fore femur normal setulose, tibial organ absent.

Male abdomen: posteromedial triangular projection of T1 into T2 very weak. Tergal chaetotaxy: T2 anterolateral corner with 2–3 lines of setae, T2–5 bare except for setulose tip of T5. S5 1.5 x as long as wide, 1.3x as long and 4.6x as wide as S4, roughly triangular with posterior margin indented, scarce setulose except for strong setulose at posterior margin (Pl. 18H). Male genitalia with apical seta on cercus longer than epandrial setae, 1 seta on subepandrial plate, surstylus 0.7x as long as epandrium high, bent posteriorly, dilated apically (2.1x), 5.3x as long as wide, structure of lateral surface smooth, medial surface with two fine setulae at posterior margin (Pl. 18B, E).

Special characters: silvery microtomentum long.

Holotype, ♂: COSTA RICA. Cartago: La Suiza (9°51'0"N 83°37'.12"W), Schild ( USNM, 3217346), in good condition but with some dust.

Paratypes, same data as HT (♂ USNM, 3217347) ; COSTA RICA. Turrialba (9°54'0"N 83°40'59.88"W), 1–30.xi.1922, Schild (2 ♂ BMNH, USNM, 3217348–9) ; PANAMA. Panama: Summit (9°4'.12" N 79°39'0" W), 1–31.x.1946, Krauss (♂ USNM, 3217353) .

Material of questionable identity: COSTA RICA. Cartago: La Suiza (9°51'0"N 83°37'.12"W), 1–30.iv.1922, Schild (♀ USNM, 3217351); Turrialba (9°54'0"N 83°40'59.88"W), 1–30.xi.1922, Schild (♀ USNM, 3217350) .

Distribution: Costa Rica, Panama.

Remarks. It is possible that Milichiella turrialbae is just a variety of M. nudiventris because it differs only in the partly brown microtomentose male T2–3.

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