Apocephalus weissi, Brown, Brian V., 2012

Brown, Brian V., 2012, Revision of the Apocephalus mucronatus group of ant decapitating flies (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 3413, pp. 19-28 : 27

Apocephalus weissi new species

( Figs. 9 , 16 , 23 , 29 )

Species recognition. Tergites yellow with darker markings; tergite six lacking posterior row of enlarged setae. Oviscape long and thin; dorsomedian process short. Sternite six with small setulae on anterolateral darkening.

Description of specimens. Body length 1.45–2.23 mm. Frons dark brown, mean frontal width 0.45, range 0.44–0.46. Median furrow present. Supra-antennal setae absent. Ventral interfrontal setae near midline. Ocelli normal sized. Ommatidia normal sized. Flagellomere 1 rounded oval, brownish yellow, apically brown. Palpus yellow, normal sized. Scutum light brown. Scutellum brown, anterior seta about one-half length of posterior seta. Pleuron whitish yellow, except epimeron brown posteroventrally. Anepisternum bare. Wing normal sized, mean costal length 0.44, range 0.42–0.45. Halter with yellow stem and brown knob. Abdominal tergites yellow anteriomedially and brown posterolaterally, normal sized. Tergite 6 yellow anteriomedially and brown posterolaterally, about as broad as tergite 5, entire, apical margin straight, with thicker setae posterolaterally. Venter of abdomen yellowish brown, dark grey near tergites. Venter of segment 6 with large sclerite, with row of long thick setae. Oviscape elongate oval, anterior process short, broadly rounded, large lateral setae absent. Dorsum with dorsal process short, with scattered dorsolateral setulae on apical one-quarter. Apex broadly truncate, relatively straight, with few small apical setae. Venter with apical sclerite with triangular darkening posterolaterally; separated midventral sclerite elongate oval, with few thin setae near apex. Intersegment 7–8 with short rectangular sclerotization issuing laterally from oviscape. Anterior arms of stylet anteriorly parallel, well separated, relatively flat.

Distribution. Known from a single site in Costa Rica.

Derivation of specific epithet. Named for Alan Weiss, a supporter of the LACM Entomology Section.

Holotype. Ƥ, Costa Rica: Guanacaste: Santa Rosa National Park, 10.95°N, 85.62°W, 300 m, 14.iii–4.iv.1987, I.Gauld, D.Janzen, Malaise trap [barcode= LACM ENT 047961] (LACM).

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 9. Female Apocephalus species, oviscapes, dorsal.

FIGURES 10 – 16. Female Apocephalus species, oviscapes, ventral.

FIGURES 17 – 23. Female Apocephalus species, tergite 6, dorsal.

FIGURES 24 – 29. Female Apocephalus species, segment 6, ventral.