Myriophora dividida, 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 : 21

Myriophora dividida sp. nov.

(Figs 3.5, 16.8, 21.24)

Diagnosis. Female. This species is recognized by the mostly pale, weakly laterally compressed oviscape (Fig. 16.8) and the clearly divided abdominal tergite 6 (Fig. 21.24).

Description. Female (Fig. 3.5). Body length 1.51 mm. Head: Frons dusky yellow, with 1 pair of supraantennal setae; supra-antennals originate even with lower interfrontal setae. First flagellomere yellow, rounded under arista. Palpus yellow, normal sized. Labrum normal sized. Labellum normal sized. Thorax: Scutum dusky yellow. Scutellum dusky yellow. Anterior scutellar setae less than 1/2 the length of posterior pair. Pleuron yellow; anepisternum bare. Forefemur yellow. Midfemur yellow. Hind femur yellow. Wing length 1.47 mm; costal vein normal; costal length 0.88 mm; costal ratio 0.60. Knob of halter dusky yellow. 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 divided in half longitudinally (Fig. 21.24); posterodorsal setae on segment 6 shorter than posteroventral setae. Venter of abdomen with sparse, long setae. Oviscape (Fig. 16.8) strongly laterally compressed, tergite and sternite dark brown and visible as thin stripes on the dorsal and ventral margins; membrane pale yellow and partially sclerotized; apex of oviscape brown and acutely downturned.

Distribution. Only known from Sacha Lodge, Ecuador.

Host. Unknown.

Etymology. Feminine past participle from Spanish meaning "divided" referring to the divided abdominal tergite 6.

Holotype. ♀, ECUADOR: Sucumbios: Sacha Lodge, 0.5°S, 76.5°W, 270m, 21–31.x.1994, P. Hibbs, Malaise trap [ LACM ENT 039298].