Neoplasta nigrithorax, Câmara & Rafael, 2016

Câmara, Josenir T. & Rafael, José A., 2016, Neoplasta Coquillett (Diptera: Empididae: Hemerodromiinae) from Brazil: new species and male description of N. fortiseta Smith, Zootaxa 4084 (2) : -

Neoplasta nigrithorax sp. nov.

( Figs 30–34 )

Diagnosis. A mostly black species with yellow legs ( Fig. 30 ); cercus ~ 2X as long as epandrium, upper directed distally, acute at apex ( Fig. 32 ); epandrium hemispherical ( Fig. 32 ); subepandrial sclerite with a long, median, pointed projection on posterior margin ( Fig. 31 ); surstylus absent.

Description. Male ( Fig. 30 ). Head ( Fig. 30 ): Dark brown to black, all setae whitish. Ocellar triangle with 1 pair of divergent proclinate setae; anterior ocellus larger. Eye iridescent black, ommatidia enlarged anteriorly. Frons with 2 frontal setulae; 1–2 pairs of vertical setae contiguous with uniseriate row of postocular setae. Face 3X longer than wide, diverging ventrally, bearing fine reclinate setulae. Occiput bearing scattered fine hairs. Mouthparts yellow, proboscis slightly curved with yellow setae. Antenna yellow, with scape and pedicel bearing distinct short dorsal setulae; postpedicel short, lanceolate, 1.2X as long as wide, stylus about 0.1X as long as postpedicel. Thorax ( Fig. 30 ): Black, elongate, slightly arched ventrally; pronotum with anterior margin almost straight and scutum with yellow setae, very small and fine, except 1 notopleural and 1 postalar seta. Legs ( Fig. 30 ): Yellow. Fore coxa ~ 1.1X as long as distance between fore- and mid coxae, 3X as long as wide, with a few setae dorsally. Fore femur ~ 1.3X longer than fore coxa, with row of 8 strong anteroventral and 27 posteroventral denticles, anteroventral row on apical third. Mid femur with anteroventral row of 8 distinct setae. Fore tibia ~0.8X as long as fore femur. Mid- and hind legs slender and with fine setae. Wing: Membrane faintly yellow, veins brownish; R2+3 short, not strongly curved towards C apically, joining C ~ 0.3X of distance between end of R1 and R4; R4+5 fork angle acute (~ 70°); cell bm+dm very long, ~1.3X as long as cell br. Halter yellowish. Abdomen ( Fig. 30 ): Brownish black. Tergite 8 shorter than sternite 8. Terminalia: Brown. Cercus ~ 2X longer than epandrium, upper directed distally and acute at apex, in lateral view ( Fig. 32 ); left and right cerci closely approximated anterodorsally, with scattered setae on outer face ( Fig. 31 ). Epandrium suboval, with scattered setae on outer face ( Fig. 32 ). Surstylus absent. Hypandrium with median sinus on posterior margin and distinct setae ( Fig. 34 ); gonocoxal apodeme projecting as narrow process just beyond anterior margin of hypandrium. Subepandrial sclerite with long, median, slender, pointed process on posterior margin ( Fig. 31 ). Phallus sclerotized, extending just beyond hypandrium apex ( Fig. 33 ). Ejaculatory apodeme unilamellar, very short. Specimen length: 2.1 mm; wing length: 2.5 mm. Female. Unknown.

Geographic distribution. Brazil (Santa Catarina state).

Type Material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “Brazilian. [Santa Catarina]. Nova Teutonia. 27º11'B[S]- 52º23'L[W] . xii.1971. Fritz Plaumann” (MZUSP). PARATYPE: Same data as holotype (1 ♂, INPA).

Holotype condition. Abdomen in microtube with glycerin.

Etymology. From the Latin nigra (black, dark) and thorax (thorax), referring to the black thorax.

Remarks. Neoplasta nigrithorax sp. nov. differs from other species especially by the cercus ~ 2X longer than the epandrium, upper directed distally and with acute apex and subepandrial sclerite with a median pointed process on posterior margin. Other species have the cercus downcurved, or straight and rounded and subepandrial sclerite is bilobate, v-shaped or rectangular on posterior margin.

Figures

FIGURES 30 – 34. Neoplasta nigrithorax sp. nov., holotype ♂. 30, Habitus, lateral view; 31, Cercus anD subepanDrial sclerite, Dorsal view; 32, Terminalia, lateral view; 33, Phallus anD hypanDrium, lateral view; 34, HypanDrium, ventral view.