Mythicomyia, Coquillett, 1893

Sánchez, Pável & Evenhuis, Neal, 2024, New Mythicomyia Coquillett, 1893 (Diptera: Mythicomyiidae: Mythicomyiinae) from Peru, Zootaxa 5541 (4), pp. 513-538 : 535-537

Key to the South American species of Mythicomyia (Modified from Ramos-Pastrana et al. (2024))

MALES

1 Knob of halter black, usually white below and at apex........................................................ 2

- Halter knob white or yellowish above and below............................................................ 8

2 Proboscis short, less than height of eye.................................................................... 3

- Proboscis longer, either equal to or greater than height of eye.................................................. 7

3 Postpronotal lobe entirely black, posterior margin in some specimens brownish............... M. collina (Philippi, 1866)

- Postpronotal lobe white or yellow........................................................................ 4

4 Scutellum with proximal half dark brown and distal half whitish; legs predominantly whitish, with light brown to brown spots in some of its structures............................... M. bilobata Ramos-Pastrana, Rojas-Portilla & Evenhuis, 2024

- Scutellum entirely dark brown to black; legs predominantly dark brown to black................................... 5

5 First flagellomere ovoid, not much longer than wide; m -m cross vein shorter than r -m cross vein; pseudo-surstylus elongate and narrow, rod-like in lateral view................................................ M. hyalinipennis (Brèthes, 1919)

- First flagellomere rod-like, much longer than wide; m -m cross vein longer than r -m cross vein; pseudo-surstylus relatively broad in lateral view, with apex somewhat pointed........................................................... 6

6 Distal third of coxae and femora yellowish; extreme base of dm cell anterior to R 2+3 bifurcation; anterior arms of parameral sheath somewhat clavate................................................................... M. huk sp. nov.

- Coxae and femora almost entirely brown; extreme base dm cell at level of R 2+3 bifurcation; anterior arms of parameral sheath characteristically spatulate with straight border.......................................... M. iskay sp. nov. (in part)

7 Proboscis not longer than height of eye, usually less........................................ M. brachytis Hall, 1976

- Proboscis long, projecting at least twice eye height beyond oral margin........................... M. problis Hall, 1976

8 Middle tibia straight................................................................................... 9

- Middle tibia deformed ( Fig. 38 ) or somewhat arcuate basally ( Fig. 76 ), best seen in lateral view...................... 14

9 Length of proboscis from oral margin equal to or greater than height of eye...................................... 12

- Length of proboscis from oral margin less than height of eye.................................................. 10

10 Scutellum whitish yellow........................................................ M. pusillima Edwards, 1930

- Scutellum dull black................................................................................. 11

11 Epandrium somewhat rectangular-shaped and wide in lateral view; anterior arms of parameral sheath narrow with acute apex ( Hall 1976: fig. 22 right)................................................................ M. orthis Hall, 1976

- Epandrium somewhat triangular-shaped; anterior arms of parameral sheath characteristically spatulate with straight border ( Figs 26–27 )..................................................................... M. iskay sp. nov. (in part)

12 Scape subequal to pedicel; face black, except along oral margin, narrowly yellow; diadem present..... M. macra Hall, 1976

- Scape much shorter than pedicel; face yellowish on the upper half, black bellow; diadem absent...................... 13

13. m-m crossvein absent, if present much shorter than r-m crossvein (i.e. dm cell usually five sided); first abdominal segment narrowly yellow medially; ejaculatory apodeme squarish paddle-like ( Hall 1976: fig. 21 right) ........ M. citrina Hall, 1976

- m-m crossvein present, as long as r-m crossvein (i.e. dm cell six sided, rarely five sided); first abdominal segment all black; ejaculatory apodeme broad, somewhat rounded ( Figs 61– 62 )...................................... M. tawa sp. nov.

14 Length of proboscis from oral margin less than height of eye.................................................. 15

- Proboscis long, projecting at least twice eye height beyond oral margin.............................. M. kinsa sp. nov.

15 Scape subequal to pedicel; middle leg without modifications.................................... M. trepta Hall, 1976

- Scape much shorter than pedicel; middle leg with modifications, first tarsomere with two ventral spines and third tarsomere laterally flattened and wide................................................................ M. pisqa sp. nov.

FEMALES

1 Legs black, knees at most yellow and occasionally underside of femora narrowly yellow............................ 2

- Legs predominantly yellow, sometimes basal half femora and tips of tarsi blackish................................. 7

2 Proboscis projecting beyond oral margin less than height of eye................................................ 3

- Proboscis equal to or longer than eye height................................................................ 5

3 Light colored stripe on lateral margin of mesonotum inside above near transverse suture, but not interrupted at transverse suture; scutellum entirely black.......................................................................... 4

- Lateral pale stripe broadly interrupted at transverse suture; scutellum white with posterior margin narrowly black.............................................................................................. M. orthis Hall, 1976

4 Frons black, narrowly yellow above antenna; first abdominal tergite yellow............. M. hyalinipennis (Brèthes, 1919)

- Frons whitish on lower ¾, black on upper fourth; first abdominal tergite yellow on posterior margins..... M. pisqa sp. nov.

5 Scutellum black, or black in middle and yellow at sides...................................................... 6

- Scutellum entirely yellow, never with black................................................ M. citrina Hall, 1976

6 Proboscis equal to eye height or nearly so............................................... M. brachytis Hall, 1976

- Length of proboscis at least three times height of eye........................................ M. macra Hall, 1976

7 Abdominal dorsum black, first segment yellowish white in middle of posterior margin only, rest of abdominal segments narrowly fasciate with yellow-white across their posterior margins or Abdominal dorsum black, tergite I entirely yellow or at least posterior and lateral margins of all segments yellow...................................................... 8

- Abdominal dorsum nearly entirely yellow; only extreme bases of all segments black, black color most extensive on two basal segments......................................................................... M. diasema Hall, 1976

8 Proboscis at most equals eye height, usually less........................................................... 11

- Proboscis projecting at least twice eye height, usually more, frons marked with a small black stripe.................... 9

9 Halter black, at least dorsally;........................................................... M. problis Hall, 1976

- Halter whitish...................................................................................... 10

10 Frons with conspicuous dark stripe on upper half; lateral margin of mesonotum (notopleural and supraalar regions) black emarginate above notopleural suture; spermathecal reservoir fusiform, extending to abdominal segment V... M. kinsa sp. nov.

- Frons with faint dark stripe at middle; lateral margin of mesonotum shallowly emarginate above notopleural suture; spermathecal reservoir knob-like, extending to abdominal segment III.......................................... M. tawa sp. nov.

11 Abdominal segments narrowly yellow on posterior margins, bases broadly black, not reduced in extent posteriorly....... 12

- Posterior margin of abdominal segments broadly yellow, amount of black color at base reduced posteriorly............ 13

12 First flagellomere at least four times longer than scape and pedicel combined; frons black, lower half yellow; halter knob entirely yellow;................................................................. M. collina (Philippi, 1866)

- First flagellomere at most three times as long as scape and pedicel combined; frons yellowish, upper ¼ dark brown; halter knob whitish, usually dark brown dorsally......................................................... M. iskay sp. nov.

13 Mesonotum with ground color brownish yellow, with three thick longitudinal bands................................................................................... M. bilobata Ramos-Pastrana, Rojas-Portilla & Evenhuis, 2024

- Mesonotum black with yellow markings, without longitudinal bands............................................ 14

14 Frons black with a small triangular yellow spot above antenna; lateral margin of mesonotum not emarginate above notopleural suture.............................................................................. M. trepta Hall, 1976

- Frons whitish yellow, except right below the ocellar triangle, dark brown; lateral margin of mesonotum broadly emarginate above notopleural suture.................................................................... M. huk sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 38–42. Mythicomyia kinsa sp. nov. Male holotype. 38. Lateral habitus, 39. Head and thorax, dorsal view, 40. Abdomen, dorsal view, 41. Wing, 42. Terminalia.

FIGURES 72–77. Mythicomyia pisqa sp. nov. Male holotype, except 75, male paratype. 72. Lateral habitus, 73. Head, frontal view, 74. Thorax and abdomen, dorsal view, 75. Wing, 76–77. Right middle leg, lateral view.

FIGURES 26–31. Mythicomyia iskay sp. nov. Male terminalia (based on paratype). 26–27. Lateral view, 28–29. Posterior view, 30–31. Dorsal view.

FIGURES 61–66. Mythicomyia tawa sp. nov. Male terminalia (based on paratype). 61–62. Lateral view, 63–64. Posterior view, 65–66. Dorsal view.