Pseudogaurax poseidoni, Marques & Riccardi & Ale-Rocha, 2022

Marques, Carla De Oliveira, Riccardi, Paula Raile & Ale-Rocha, Rosaly, 2022, New records and species of Pseudogaurax Malloch, 1915 (Diptera: Chloropidae) from the Amazon basin, Zootaxa 5200 (6), pp. 501-524 : 515-517

P. poseidoni sp. nov.

( Figs. 54–60 )

Type specimens examined: Holotype ♀ ( INPA): BRAZIL, Amazonas, Manaus, UFAM 03°06′02″S / 59°58′19″W, 26.vii.1982, Malaise, J.A. Rafael col. Paratypes 5 ♀: same data as holotype except, 19.vii.1982, arm. Malaise (1 ♂, MZUSP, 1 ♀, INPA) ; idem, 23.vii.1982 (1 ♀, INPA) ; idem, 28.vii.1982 (1 ♀, MZUSP) ; Manaus, Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, Platô , trilha Norte-Sul , arm. suspensa sub-bosque, 01–06.ix.2006, Ale-Rocha R., Freitas G. cols. (1 ♀, INPA) .

Other specimens examined: FRENCH GUIANA, Mitaraka , different sites nr base camp and along trails , tropical moist forest (different sites), 1–6.iii.2015, SLAM, leg. Julien Tourout & Eddy Poirier (FR-GU/Mitaraka/2015)—sample code MITARAKA/195 (1 ♀, MNHN) .

Diagnosis. Scutum with three dark mesal longitudinal stripes fused posteriorly and extending below the postpronotum anteriorly, dark postalar longitudinal stripe present; scutellum about as long as wide, with a complete dark longitudinal stripe; anepisternum and katepisternum almost entirely dark; ocellar triangle and tibiae dark; tibial organ dark yellow.

Description. Body length 3.3 mm; wing length 2.5 mm; dark brown to yellow body pilosity. Head ( Fig. 55 ). Yellow; ocellar triangle dark brown, reaching about ¾ to frons apex; occiput dark brown mesally; ocellar setae reclinate and convergent; postocellar as long as the outer vertical setae, cruciate; a row of pale interfrontal setulae curved inwards; vibrissa slightly distinct, dark, as long as the genal pilosity; antenna yellow; postpedicel reniform, with a projection on the insertion of arista; 1 st aristomere yellow, remaining arista dark, with short and dense pilosity; palpus yellow; proboscis dark yellow. Thorax ( Figs. 54; 56 ). Scutum yellow to dark yellow with three black longitudinal stripes fused posteriorly, intra-alar stripe present, a pair of round black marks below the postpronotum; postpronotum entirely yellow; scutellum yellow, as long as wide dorsally; subscutellum yellow with a thin mesal longitudinal stripe; pleuron yellow, anepisternum and katepisternum with a large dark mark, large dark mark in the area behind the wing insertion; 1 + 2 notopleural setae; legs yellow except the dark tibiae; tibial organ dark yellow, reaching half length of hind tibia. Wing. Hyaline; tegula with yellowish setulae; costal sectors 1–4: 4, 4, 3.5, 2; halter yellow. Abdomen. Dark brown except the dark yellow middle of the syntergite 1+2 yellow; sternites yellow. Female terminalia ( Figs. 59–60 ). Segments 6–8 narrow; epiproct bare, with a pair of setae; hypoproct pilose; cerci dark brown, long and narrow. Male terminalia. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘ poseidoni ’ is derived from Greek, referring to the god of sea. It refers to the character of Greek mythology Poseidon, who uses a trident as a weapon, which is the figure formed by the dark stripes on the scutum of the species.

Distribution. Brazil (Amazonas), Frencha Guiana (Mitaraka).

Comments. This species resembles Pseudogaurax tridens Sabrosky, 1966 in the scutal stripes. Unlike P. tridens , P. poseidoni has the arista densely pubescent, the tibiae dark brown and the scutum with a more intricate pattern of coloration ( Fig. 56 ). Holotype with wing and right mid leg lost.

Figures

FIGURES 54–58. Pseudogaurax poseidoni sp. nov. external morphology. 54, habitus, lateral; 55, head, front view; 56, thorax, dorsal view; 57, Sub-scutellum, posterior view; 58, hind tibia, posterior view (orange yellow oval area indicating location of tibial organ). Scale bars: Fig. 54 = 1.0 mm; Figs. 55–58 = 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 59–60. Terminalia of Pseudogaurax poseidoni sp. nov. 59, female terminalia, dorsal view; 60, female terminalia, ventral view. Scale bars: Figs. 59–60 = 0.2 mm.