Argoravinia (Argoravinia) paraensis, Filho, Fernando Da Silva Carvalho & Esposito, Maria Cristina, 2012

Filho, Fernando Da Silva Carvalho & Esposito, Maria Cristina, 2012, Revision of Argoravinia Townsend (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) of Brazil with the description of two new species, Zootaxa 3256, pp. 1-26 : 11-14

Argoravinia (Argoravinia) paraensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 4 , 9 , 14 , 31–37 , 55 , 56, 65 )

Male— Length = 5.5−6.5 mm (n = 17).

Similar to A. alvarengai male but differing as follows: Head. Parafacial and fronto-orbital plate with grayish microtomentum; frons at vertex 0.31x head width; frontal row of six bristles. Thorax. Dorsocentrals = 2+4 (two posterior longer), meropleurals = 6. Abdomen. Reddish brown with usual pattern of silvery gray microtomentum ( Fig. 65 ); ST5 with posterior arm long and strongly divergent with rounded apex, and with long setae on inner lateral margin, posterior margin of ST5 with two asymmetrical short lobes, one lobe short and rounded and the other tooth-like and pointed with lateral margin serrated ( Fig. 14 ).

Terminalia. Syntergosternite 7+8 very large and globulous, reddish with golden microtomentum and scattered short black setulae and five marginal bristles; epandrium reddish with short black setulae, cercus short and strongly bent backwards ( Figs. 4 , 33 ), with a short apical projection on outer lateral margin ( Fig. 35 ), apex of cercus with a cluster of long spines on dorsal surface, close to tip ( Fig. 35 ), apical margin of cercus bearing minute spines ( Fig. 35 ), ventral surface of cercus with many scattered spines; lateral apophysis tongue-like, covering basal portion of surstylus and lateral margin of cercus ( Figs. 4 , 33, 34 ). Surstylus with narrow base, apex enlarged and bearing long and slender setae. Postgonite straight, with narrow pointed apex, with strong pre-apical bristle on anterior margin ( Figs. 9 , 36 ). Pregonite with slightly curved apex, and apical half set perpendicular to basal half ( Figs. 9 , 36, 37 ), slightly twisted and with bifid pointed tips ( Figs. 9 , 37 ). Phallus reddish; distiphallus with narrow base and enlarged apex; basal process of lateral stylus slightly sinuous ( Fig. 31 ); lateral plate large, folded and with apophyses; vesica short and membranous, V-shaped, with median region narrow, and anterior margin slightly thick ( Fig. 32 ); lateral stylus long and striated at apex ( Fig. 31 ); median stylus very long and slender.

Female— Length = 4.5−6.0 mm (n = 36).

As described for male except as follows: two well developed proclinate fronto-orbital bristles; mid femur without ctenidium; T3 without marginal lateral bristles, T5 with four to six pairs of marginal bristles; T6 entire with narrow hind region and a series of marginal bristles, spiracle 6 situated in membrane and 7 within the sclerite ( Figs. 55, 56 ); T8 divided into two narrow plates, without setae ( Figs. 55, 56 ); ST1 rectangular and covered with light short setae and without strong marginal bristles, wider than ST2−5 ( Fig. 55 ); ST2−5 quadrangular and covered with light short setae and with strong marginal bristles ( Fig. 55 ); ST6−7 larger than other sternites, with long marginal bristles and short scattered setae on posterior half ( Figs. 55, 56 ); ST8 short and covered with short setae and long marginal bristles; hypoproct membranous and covered with short setulae and with long marginal bristles ( Figs. 55, 56 ); cercus rounded, with long and short setae ( Fig. 55 ); epiproct membranous and bearing one long seta ( Figs. 55, 56 ); spermathecae pyriform, strongly striated, similar to those of A. rufiventris ( Fig. 53 ).

Type material. Holotype 3 ( MPEG): Pará: I. G. Imbaubau [Altamira, Ilha Grande-Imbaubau], Baixo Rio Xingu, 8.XII.1983, A.L. Nunes leg.

Paratypes: I. G. Imbaubau [Altamira, Ilha Grande-Imbaubau], Baixo Rio Xingu, 8.XII.1983, A.L. Nunes leg. (8 3 and 12 Ƥ, MPEG); ibidem, 06.XII.1983 (1 3 and 17 Ƥ, MPEG); ibidem, 18.XII.1983 (2 3 and 2 Ƥ, MPEG; 2 3 and 2 Ƥ INPA; 3 3 and 3 Ƥ, MNRJ).

Distribution. NEOTROPICAL: Brazil (Pará).

Remarks. This species is similar to A. rufiventris in the shape of the lateral apophysis, which is small and has a rounded apex. However, it differs from A. rufiventris in having a tongue-shaped lateral apophysis, with the apex little narrowed in relation to base and reaching below the posterior margin of cercus ( Figs. 33, 34 ). In A. rufiventris the lateral apophysis is cone-shaped, with narrow apex that does not reach below the posterior margin of cercus ( Fig. 25 ). The basal process of lateral stylus of A. paraensis is slightly sinuous ( Fig. 31 ), whereas in A. rufiventris it is almost straight ( Fig. 27 ). A straight basal process is found only in A. rufiventris , whereas in the other species of Argoravinia s.s. the basal process is sinuous. The straight basal process of A. rufiventris was also illustrated by Lopes (1976, fig. 15). In addition, the spines on apex of cercus are placed close to apical margin in A. paraensis ( Fig. 35 ), whereas they are further from the apex in A. rufiventris ( Fig. 26 ). The pregonite shape is very different as well, with two claw-like tips ( Figs. 9 , 36, 37 ) in A. paraensis , and two rounded tips in A. rufiventris ( Figs. 8 , 29 ). Externally, A. paraensis has two pre-sutural dorsocentral bristles, whereas A. rufiventris has three pre-sutural dorsocentral bristles. The examined specimens of A. paraensis are smaller than those of A. rufiventris ; however, the length of specimens belonging to the same species may differ due to the amount of food consumed during the larval period, as already documented by Lopes (1973).

The name-bearing types of the nominal species synonymized under A. rufiventris were not examined during this study, but the original descriptions of these taxa were consulted. As mentioned above, A. paraensis differs from A. rufiventris mainly in body length, number of pre-sutural dorsocentral bristles, and in the shape of male terminalia. In the descriptions of the nominal species synonymized under A. rufiventris , where the body length was mentioned the specimens were not less than 6 mm (the usual body length of A. paraensis being seldom over 6 mm), however this could be a variable feature. In addition, where given in the original descriptions of the nominal species synonymized under A. rufiventris , the number of pre-sutural dorsocentral bristles differs from that of A. paraensis . The shape of the lateral apophysis, the main difference found in the terminalia of A. rufiventris and A.

paraensis , was difficult to assess in the illustrations of the original descriptions. Based on available evidence, we conclude that A. paraensis is a valid species and is not conspecific with a nominal species currently in synonymy under A. rufiventris .

Etymology. The species name, paraensis , is derived from the type locality, Pará. Biology. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Epandrium and cercus, lateral view. 1. Argoravinia alvarengai Lopes. 2. Argoravinia catiae sp. nov. 3. Argoravinia rufiventris (Wiedemann). 4. Argoravinia paraensis sp. nov. 5. Argoravinia aurea (Townsend). Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: C = cercus; E = epandrium; LA = lateral apophysis; S = surstylus.

FIGURES 6 – 10. Postgonite and pregonite, lateral view. 6. Argoravinia alvarengai Lopes. 7. Argoravinia catiae sp. nov. 8. Argoravinia rufiventris (Wiedemann). 9. Argoravinia paraensis sp. nov. 10. Argoravinia aurea (Townsend). Scale bars = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: PRG = pregonite; PTG = postgonite.

FIGURES 11 – 15. Fifth sternite, ventral view. 11. Argoravinia alvarengai Lopes. 12. Argoravinia catiae sp. nov. 13. Argoravinia rufiventris (Wiedemann). 14. Argoravinia paraensis sp. nov. 15. Argoravinia aurea Townsend. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 31 – 34. Argoravinia paraensis sp. nov., male. 31. Distiphallus, lateral view. Scale bar = 100 µm. 32. Distiphallus, ventral view. Scale bar = 60 µm. 33. Epandrium and cercus, lateral view. Scale bar = 200 µm. 34. Lateral apophysis, lateral view. Scale bar = 40 µm. Abbreviations: BPS = basal process of lateral stylus; LA = lateral apophysis; LP = lateral plate; LS = lateral stylus; V = vesica.

FIGURES 35 – 37. Argoravinia paraensis sp. nov., male. 35. Cercus apex, dorsal view. Scale bar = 20 µm. 36. Pregonite and postgonite, lateral view. Scale bar = 50 µm. 37. Pregonite apex, lateral view. Scale bar = 20 µm.

FIGURES 55 – 60. 55 – 56. Argoravinia paraensis sp. nov., female. 55. Terminalia and abdominal sternites, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.3 mm. 56. Terminalia, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.3 mm. 57 – 58. Argoravinia aurea (Townsend), female. 57. Terminalia and abdominal sternites, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.3 mm. 58. Terminalia, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.3 mm. 59 – 60. Argoravinia brasiliana (Lopes), female. 59. Terminalia and abdominal sternites, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.3 mm. 60. Terminalia, ventral view Scale bar = 0.3 mm. Abbreviations: ce = cercus; ep = epiproct; hy = hypoproct; St = sternite; T = tergite.

FIGURES 61 – 66. Male abdomens of Argoravinia species. 61 – 62. Argoravinia rufiventris (Wiedemann). 63. Argoravinia catiae sp. nov. 64. Argoravinia alvarengai Lopes. 65. Argoravinia paraensis sp. nov. 66. Argoravinia aurea (Townsend). Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURES 47 – 54. 47 – 49. Argoravinia alvarengai Lopes, female. 47. Terminalia and abdominal sternites, ventral view. 48. Terminalia, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.3 mm. 49. First and second abdominal sternites. Scale bar = 0.3 mm. 50 – 53. Argoravinia rufiventris (Wiedemann), female: 50. Terminalia and abdominal sternites, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.3 mm. 51. Terminalia, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.3 mm. 52. First and second abdominal sternites. Scale bar = 0.3 mm. 53. Spermatheca. Scale bar = 0.1 mm. 54. Argoravia aurea (Townsend), female, spermatheca. Scale bar = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: ce = cercus; ep = epiproct; hy = hypoproct; St = sternite; T = tergite.

FIGURES 25 – 30. Argoravinia rufiventris (Wiedemann), male. 25. Lateral apophysis, lateral view. Scale bar = 30 µm. 26. Cercus apex, dorsal view. Scale bar = 30 µm. 27. Distiphallus, lateral view. Scale bar = 50 µm. 28. Distiphallus, ventral view. Scale bar = 60 µm. 29. Pregonite apex, lateral view. Scale bar = 20 µm. 30. Posterior margin of fifth sternite. Scale bar = 60 µm. Abbreviations: BPS = basal process of lateral stylus; LA = lateral apophysis; LP = lateral plate; LS = lateral stylus; V = vesica.