Pseudogaurax pallidus, 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 : 513-514

P. pallidus sp. nov.

( Figs. 44–53)

Type specimens examined: Holotype ♂ ( INPA; not dissected): BRAZIL, Roraima, Amajari, Tepequém , SESC, 3°44′45″N 61°43′40″W, 14–29.xii.2015, arm. Malaise, R. Boltrini, J.A. Rafael cols . Paratypes 3 ♂, 4 ♂: same as holotype except, 1–15.ii.2016 (2 ♂, 1 ♀ MZUSP; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, INPA); Amazonas, Manaus, Reserva Km 41, PDBFF, 10–12.xi.2004, Ranyse Querino Col. (1 ♀, INPA) .

Other specimens examined: BRAZIL, Roraima, Ilha de Maracá, Estação Ecológica de Maracá , 3°22.430′N, 61°26.154′W, 18–24.v. 2015, 136 m, Malaise trap, ponto 3 trilha Santa Rosa [St. Rose trail], Biffi, Falaschi, Marinho, Pinheiro & Riccardi leg. (1 ♀, MZUSP) .

Diagnosis. Scutum with dark yellow longitudinal stripes; scutellum as long as wide, with a complete longitudinal stripe dark yellow to brown; ocellar triangle and legs completely yellow; tibial organ brown.

Description. Body length 2.0 mm; wing length 2.0 mm; light brown to yellow body pilosity. Head ( Fig. 45). Pale yellow; ocellar triangle yellow, reaching to about ¾ of apex of frons; occiput entirely yellow; ocellar setae reclinate and convergent; postocellar as long as the outer vertical setae, cruciate; a row of interfrontal setulae curved inwards; vibrissa slightly distinct, yellow, as long as the genal pilosity; antenna yellow; postpedicel rounded; 1 st aristomere yellow, remaining arista dark, with short and sparse pilosity; palpus yellow; proboscis dark yellow. Thorax ( Figs. 44; 46). Scutum pale yellow with slight indistinct dark yellow longitudinal stripes, acrostichal (mesal) stripe complete and as wide as half width of scutellum, dorsocentral stripe (inner) not divided by the transverse suture, intra-alar (outer) stripe absent; postpronotum entirely yellow; scutellum pale yellow, as long as wide dorsally, with a complete dark yellow longitudinal stripe as wide as the acrostical; subscutellum dark yellow; pleuron yellow, with an orangeish mark on the anepisternum; 1 + 2 notopleural setae; legs entirely yellow; tibial organ brown, reaching half length of hind tibia. Wing. Hyaline; tegula with yellowish setulae; costal sectors 1–4: 5, 4, 3, 3.5; halter pale yellow. Abdomen. Syntergite 1+2 yellow, remaining tergites dark yellow; sternites yellow. Male terminalia ( Figs. 49–51). Epandrium round, wider than long posteriorly; cerci about twice as long as wide in dorsal view, round apically, one subapical seta 2–3 times longer than the remaining setae; hypandrium subquadrate, with the inner projections closed; postgonite rectangular, with one seta basally; phallapodeme short and entire apically; basiphallus subtriangular ventrally; distiphallus striate. Female. Same as male. Terminalia ( Figs. 52–53). Segments 6–8 narrow; epiproct bare, with a pair of setae; hypoproct pilose; cerci dark yellow, long and narrow.

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘ pallidus ’ is derived from Latin, meaning pale. It refers to the faded coloration of the thoracic stripes.

Distribution. Brazil (Amazonas, Roraima).

Comments. The coloration of the scutellum stripe varies from pale to dark brown. This species resembles P. signatus (Loew, 1876) which has been recorded in the United States, Mexico and Cuba. Their similarities lie on the scutum with four dark yellow longitudinal stripes. However, P. pallidus sp. nov. has legs entirely yellow, while P. signatus has tibiae, fore and hind tarsi brown.