Myriophora gigantea, Hash, John M. & Brown, Brian V., 2015

Hash, John M. & Brown, Brian V., 2015, Revision of the New World Species of the Millipede-Parasitic Genus Myriophora Brown (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 4035 (1), pp. 1-79 : 24

Myriophora gigantea sp. nov.

(Figs 4.1, 11.1, 17.1)

Diagnosis. Female. This species is the largest known species of Myriophora in the New World, one of the few species with two large anepisternal setae (e.g. Fig. 21.14) and is distinguished from the similar M. fuscidorsum by the larger body size and the shorter setae on the posterior margin of abdominal tergite 5.

Description. Female (Fig. 4.1). Body length 3.40–3.57 mm. Head: Frons brown, with 2 pairs of supraantennal setae; length of lower supra-antennal setae greater than 1/2 the length of upper pair; upper supra-antennals originate above lower interfrontal setae. First flagellomere brown, rounded under arista. Palpus yellow-brown, normal sized. Labrum prominent, enlarged. Labellum normal sized. Thorax: Scutum brown. Scutellum brown. Anterior scutellar setae about 3/4 the length of posterior pair. Pleuron mostly dusky yellow; anepisternum light brown with small setulae and at least two larger setae. Forefemur yellow. Midfemur yellow. Hind femur yellow with brown patch distally on anterior surface. Wing length 2.40–3.54 mm (Fig. 11.1); costal vein normal; costal length 1.37–2.17 mm; mean costal ratio 0.59. Knob of halter light brown. Abdomen: Tergites 1 and 2 brown; tergite 2 with strong, distinct setae on lateral margin. Tergite 5 brown; posterior setae on tergite 5 short. Tergite 6 greatly narrowed posteriorly; posterodorsal setae on segment 6 shorter than posteroventral setae. Venter of abdomen with dense, long setae. Oviscape (Fig. 17.1) sclerites brown, membrane light brown with darker parallel striations, strongly laterally compressed.

Distribution. Colombia and Ecuador.

Host. Unknown.

Etymology. An adjective from Latin for "giant" referring to this species as the largest known species of Myriophora.

Holotype. ♀, COLOMBIA: Valle de Cauca: PNN Farallones de Cali, La Meseta, 3.57°N, 76.67°W, 2080m, 27.viii–10.ix.2003, S. Sarria, CAP-4570, Malaise trap [ LACM ENT 234803] ( IAVH).

Paratypes. 9♀, same as holotype [ LACM ENT 234806, 234805, 234809, 234819, 234818, 234814, 234815, 234812, 234813].

Other material examined. COLOMBIA: Amazonas: Amacayacu NP, Matamata Station, 3.82°S, 70.26°W, 150m, 1♀, 23–30.x.2000, A. Parente, CAP-850, Malaise trap; Valle de Cauca: PNN Farallones de Cali, La Meseta, 3.57°N, 76.67°W, 2080m, 1♀, 10–24.xii.2003, S. Sarria, Malaise trap, CAP-4556, 8♀, 10–25.ii.2004, S. Sarria, CAP-4566, Malaise trap, 2♀, 10–25.ix.2003, S. Sarria, CAP-4567, Malaise trap, 4♀, 24.xii–27.i.2004, S. Sarria, CAP-4553, Malaise trap, 5♀, 24.xii–27.i.2004, S. Sarria, Malaise trap CAP-4564, 2♀, 25.ix–9.x.2003, S. Sarria, Malaise trap, CAP-4569, 2♀, 26.xi–10.xii.2003, S. Sarria, Malaise trap, CAP-4562, 1♀, 27.i–10.ii.2004, S. Sarria, CAP-4561, Malaise trap, 3♀, 27.i–10.ii.2004, S. Sarria, Malaise trap CAP-4563, 8♀, 9–26.x.2003, S. Sarria, Malaise trap CAP-4568. ECUADOR: Napo: Baeza, 0.6°S, 77.87°W, 1700m, 1♀, 15–19.v.1987, B. Brown & L. Coote, Malaise trap.