Apocephalus comatus Borgmeier

Brown, Brian V., 2014, Revision of the Apocephalus analis group of ant-decapitating flies (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 3857 (4), pp. 551-570 : 556-557

Apocephalus comatus Borgmeier

( Figs. 2, 3 , 11 )

Apocephalus comatus, Borgmeier 1958: 320 –322, figs. 4–6, 11.

Diagnosis. Venter of segment 6, in addition to comblike row, with both dense setulae and medial grouping of thick, short, slightly posteriorly curved setae ( Fig. 11 ).

Description. Body length 1.2–1.3 mm. Frons 0.48 head width. Flagellomere 1 round, whitish yellow. Pleuron white. Costa 0.53 wing length. Halter brown. Abdominal tergites brown, normal sized. Tergite 6 yellowish-brown, about as broad as tergite 5, entire, apical margin straight, with large thick setae posterolaterally. Venter of abdomen whitish yellow, 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 posterior dense comblike row of setae. Venter of segment 6 with large brown sclerite extending to dorsal margin, with triangular group of curved, hooklike setae medially; laterally with long setae along posterior margin, ventralmost thicker and apically curved. Oviscape elongate oval, anterior process elongate, anteriorly pointed, large lateral setae absent. Dorsum of oviscape with long thin setae dorsolaterally to laterally from midlength to near apex. Apex broadly truncate, downturned, lacking dorsoapical setae. Oviscape with large ventrolateral seta on each side. Intersegment 7–8 without sclerotization. Anterior arms of stylet broad, similar to A. analis ( Fig. 50 ).

Distribution. Costa Rica to Argentina.

Natural history. In the original description of the species, Borgmeier (1958), reported that some specimens were collected with Labidus coecus in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Derivation of specific epithet. From Latin for shaggy, apparently referring to the ventral comblike row of setae on segment 6.

Material examined. ARGENTINA: Misiones: Iguazu National Park, 25.68°S, 54.44°W, 200m, 2♀ 2–7.xii.2003, B.Brown,G.Kung, Malaise trap #4 ( LACM), 2♀ 30.xi–2.xii.2003, B.Brown,G.Kung, Malaise trap #4 ( LACM). COSTA RICA: Alajuela: Alberge de Heliconia, 10.71°N, 85.04°W, 700m, 1♀ 23–28.ii.2002, B.Brown et al., Malaise trap ( LACM). ECUADOR: Zamora Chinchipe: Rio Bombuscaro, 4.12°S, 78.98°W, 1100m, 1♀ 26.vi–4.vii.1996, P.Hibbs, Malaise trap ( LACM). PERU: Madre de Dios: Pakitza, 11.94°S, 71.28°W, 356m, 1♀ 18–23.ii.1992, B.Brown,D.Feener, Malaise trap #3 ( LACM), 1♀ 23–28.ii.1992, B.Brown,D.Feener, Malaise trap #1 ( MUSM).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Apocephalus analis group. 1 – 2. Lateral habitus. 3. Frons, anterior, image digitally manipulated to enhance symmetry. 4. Hind leg, anterior. Abbreviations: dsa—dorsal supra-antennal setae; flg 1 — flagellomere 1; plp—palpus; vif—ventral interfrontal setae; vsa—ventral supra-antennal setae.

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

FIGURES 43 – 51. Stylets, dorsal.