Apocephalus euryacanthus, Brown, Brian V., 2014

Brown, Brian V., 2014, Revision of the Apocephalus analis group of ant-decapitating flies (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 3857 (4), pp. 551-570 : 557-558

Apocephalus euryacanthus new species

( Figs. 6, 14 )

Diagnosis. Distinctive broadly separated thornlike setae on posterior margin of venter of seegment 6.

Description. Body length 1.3 mm. Frons 0.47 head width. Flagellomere 1 round, light brown. Pleuron yellowish brown. Costa 0.52 wing length. Halter light brown. Abdominal tergites brown, normal sized. Tergite 6 brown, about as broad as tergite 5, entire, apical margin slightly concave, with thicker setae posterolaterally. Venter of abdomen yellowish brown, dark grey near tergites, venter of segments 3–5 with scattered thin setae, venter of intersegment 6–7 with rounded, thinly sclerotized plate producing vertical surface in posterior view, consisting of large pair of thornlike setae in line with shiny medial plate; with shorter pair of thickened setae anterior to plate. Venter of segment 6 with large brown sclerite extending to about mid-depth of segment, with scattered short, thin setae. Oviscape without large lateral setae. Dorsum of oviscape with scattered dorsolateral setulae on apical onequarter. Apex roundly pointed, then ventrally produced forming a slightly concave posterior plate, strongly downturned, lacking dorsoapical setae. Intersegment 7–8 without sclerotization. Anterior arms of stylet broad, similar to A. analis ( Fig. 50 ).

Distribution. High elevation southern Costa Rica.

Derivation of specific epithet. From Greek words for ”broad” (eurys) and “thorn” (akantha) referring to the closely approximated pair of ventral thornlike setae on segment 6.

Holotype. ♀ COSTA RICA: San José: Km 80.5 PanAmerican Highway, 9.56°N, 83.8°W, 2150m, 21–23.vii.2000, Ashe, Brooks, Falin, FIT (LACM) [LACM ENT 075233].

Paratypes. COSTA RICA: San José: 19km S, 3km W Empalme, 9.65°N, 83.87°W, 2600m, 1♀ iv–viii.1992, P.Hanson, Malaise trap (LACM), 6km N San Gerardo, 9.55°N, 83.8°W, 2800m, 3♀ v.1992, P.Hanson, Malaise trap (LACM), 2♀ xi.1992, P.Hanson, Malaise trap (LACM), Km 80.5 PanAmerican Highway, 9.56°N, 83.8°W, 2150m, 1♀ 21–23.vii.2000, Ashe,Brooks,Falin, FIT (LACM), San Gerardo, 9.55°N, 83.8°W, 2200m, 1♀ 18–21.iii.2007, M.Pollet, blue pan traps, CR/2007/129 (LACM).

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 16. Female abdomens. 9 – 12. Ventral. 13 – 16. Posterior.

FIGURES 43 – 51. Stylets, dorsal.