Platypalpus apterus, Freitas-Silva, Rafael Augusto Pinheiro De & Ale-Rocha, Rosaly, 2013

Freitas-Silva, Rafael Augusto Pinheiro De & Ale-Rocha, Rosaly, 2013, A new apterous species of Platypalpus Macquart (Diptera: Hybotidae, Tachydromiinae) from Ecuador, Zootaxa 3636 (4), pp. 590-596 : 591-594

Platypalpus apterus sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–9 )

Diagnosis. Small, black wingless species. Head set very close to thorax. Two pairs of distinct vertical bristles, mesonotum as long as wide, scutellum very small. Fore and mid femora thickened, mid femur bearing 3 strong anterior apical bristles aligned, 2 ventral rows of numerous black, short and strong spines and a row of 7 long posteroventral bristles. Mid tibia with short acute apical projection (spur).

Etymology. From the Greek, “ a ” = negative prefix, “pterus” = wings, the specific epithets apterus refers to “the one who has no wings”.

Male. Body length: 1.8–2.2 mm. Head with vertex, ocellar triangle, frons, occiput and postgena sub-shining black, covered with gold tomentum, setae black. Median occipital sclerite with strong longitudinal depression prolonged up to neck. Head set very closely to thorax, without visible neck (except dorsally). Frons very wide with divergent sides. Face with silvery white tomentum, clypeus bare, eyes distinctly separated. Gena not developed below eyes. Two pairs of black vertical bristles, inner pair longest, divergent; outer pair about half length of inner pair, convergent. One pair of long ocellar bristles. Postocular and occipital setae in single row. Ocular notch triangular. Antenna brown, scape minute, pedicel bell-like, bearing circlet of minute bristles. Postpedicel conical, twice as long as wide, setulose, twice as long as scape and pedicel combined, bearing apical pubescent stylus twice as long as postpedicel. Palpus short, darkened, somewhat oval, bearing one long bristle. Proboscis strong, labrum black, labium with basal half black, apical half yellow. Thorax subshiny black, entirely covered with gold to white tomentum, except katepisternum bare with slight roughness. Scutum as long as wide, scattered hairy, black setae. Anepisternum elongated reaching fore coxa below, anepimeron inconspicuous, laterotergite greatly reduced, scutellum upward, very short, subscutellum like small fold ( Fig. 9 ). Postpronotal lobe large, bearing 1 long inward and 2 very short bristles below. Acrostichals and dorsocentrals uniserial, with very tiny bristles. Other outstanding bristles: 2 short notopleurals, 1 long postalar, 1 long apical scutellar and 1 shorter lateral bristle about half length of apical pair. Legs: Fore coxa dark yellow bearing anterior white tomentum and 2 rows of setae, apical circlet with moderately long setae. Fore trochanter black to yellow. Fore femur yellow, except dorsal surface blackened; 1 row of long anteroventral setae, those of more ventral row longest; 1 row of posteroventral setae, shortening toward apex. Tibia yellow, somewhat brownish on anterior surface, bearing anterior comb of short setae. Fore tarsus yellow, darkened towards apex; pulvillus white. Mid leg raptorial, mid coxa black, anterior surface yellow with white tomentum and several long setae. Mid trochanter yellow, distally with circlet of short setae. Mid femur strongly thickened, 0.2 times wider than fore femur, brownish yellow, yellow at apical third, bearing 3 anterior aligned strong apical bristles and 1 long subapical bristle; 2 ventral rows of numerous black, short and strong spines, 3 long ventral bristles near base; row of 7 black posteroventral long bristles. Mid tibia strongly arched ventrally, bearing 1 row of ventral black spines, with short and acute apical projection (spur), as long as tibia is wide. Mid tarsus yellow to black towards apex; pulvillus white. Hind coxa black, with long apical setae. Hind trochanter yellow, with circlet of apical setae. Hind femur black on basal two thirds, apical third yellow, slightly arched posteriorly, bearing 1 long apical bristle. Hind tibia yellow, with short apical comb of small yellow setae. Hind tarsus yellow, except apical tarsomere black, with white pulvillus. Wing not developed, represented by very small and lanceolate stub bearing 1 small bristle ( Figs. 8, 9 ). Halter evidenced by very small stub, shorter than wing stub. Abdomen shining black, entirely sclerotized, bearing scattered short setae; segment 8 with tergite and sternite not fused, tergite very narrow. Terminalia brown, round; cerci ( Fig. 1 ) strong, elongated, densely pubescent, right cercus shorter than left, left cercus narrowed apically; hypoproct longer on left side, apex rounded, shorter than cerci. Epandrial lamellae ( Fig. 1 ) fused dorsally, left epandrial lamella fused with surstylus, shorter than right lamella, bearing several moderately long setae on apical margin ( Fig. 2 ); right lamella wide, longest, apex rounded, with subapical invagination (see black arrow on Fig. 1 ), bearing lateral finger-like projection embracing hypandrium ( Fig. 4 ), and with several moderately long setae on apical margin ( Fig. 3 ), right surstylus fused to lamella. Ejaculatory and ventral apodemes present ( Figs. 1–3 ). Hypandrium bearing several short strong setulae ( Fig. 4 ), phallus strong, spine-like. Female. Body length: 1.7–1.8 mm. Similar to male including very small wing stub. Ovipositor with tergite and sclerite 8 not fused ( Fig. 5 ). Tergite 8 narrow apically in lateral view. Sternite 8 divided longitudinally ( Fig. 7 ), narrower at apex in ventral view. Sternite 9 oval, elongate ( Figs. 5, 7 ). Tergite and sternite 10 separated ( Fig. 5 ); tergite 10 longitudinally divided, with basal part wider ( Fig. 5 ), almost touching other side, apical part narrow, pointed backward, with subtriangular form in dorsolateral view ( Fig. 6 ); sternite 10 very narrow longitudinally ( Fig. 7 ). Cercus narrow, elongate ( Figs. 5–7 ).

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE 3: ECUADOR: Azuay; 25 km NW Cuenca; [Parque Nacional Cajas, 02°46’48S, 79°13’26”W] Lago Toreadora, 3800 m; 31 Dec [ember] 1991, C. Carlton; R. Leschen #78, ex: dead; branches, Polylepis bark [white rectangular label] / Holotype male; Platypalpus apterus sp. nov.; Freitas-Silva & Ale-Rocha, 2013 [Red rectangular label] (KUMNH). Condition of the Holotype: In good condition, not dissected, fore left leg lost after description. PARATYPES: 2 3, 2 Ƥ, same data as holotype [1 Ƥ, INPA]; Cajas, 3700 m, 7.i.1992 #127 ex: beating [1 3, 1 Ƥ, KUMNH; 1 3, INPA].

Geographical record. Ecuador (Parque Nacional Cajas).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Platypalpus apterus Freitas-Silva & Ale-Rocha sp. nov. (Paratypes male and female). 1. Epandrium, hypandrium and cerci, dorsal view; black arrow indicates subapical invagination (see description); 2. Left epandrial lamella and hypandrium, lateral view (short setae omitted); 3. Right epandrial lamella and hypandrium, lateral view (short setae omitted); 4. Epandrial lamellae and hypandrium, ventral view; 5. Female ovipositor, lateral view; 6. Ovipositor, dorsal view; 7. Ovipositor, ventral view. Abbreviations: ej apod: ejaculatory apodeme; f cerc: female cercus; hypd: hypandrium; hyprct: hypoproct; l cerc: left cercus; l epand: left epandrial lamella; l f cerc: left female cercus; r cerc: right cercus; r epand: right epandrial lamella; r f cerc: right female cercus; st 8: sternite 8; st 9: sternite 9; st 10: sternite 10; tg 8: tergite 8; tg 10: tergite 10; v apod: ventral apodeme. Scale = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 8 – 9. Platypalpus apterus Freitas-Silva & Ale-Rocha sp. nov. 8. Habitus, paratype male; 9. Head and thorax, holotype male. White arrows indicate the small stub of the reduced wing.