Cheiromyia palmaticornis (Parent)

Brooks, Scott E., Cumming, Jeffrey M. & Pollet, Marc A. A., 2010, Revision of the Neotropical genus Cheiromyia Dyte (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), Zootaxa 2333, pp. 41-58 : 52-54

Cheiromyia palmaticornis (Parent)

( Figs. 1 B, 2C, 6A–C, 8B)

Cheirocerus palmaticornis Parent, 1930: 13 .

Cheiromyia palmaticornis (Parent) : Dyte 1980: 223.

Recognition. Males of this species can be recognized by the following features: postpedicel subovoid basally with narrow elongate apical projection and 3–5 pubescent digitiform projections on outer surface; cercus large, triangular; face narrow. Females have similar body coloration to that of males and possess a proepisternal bristle with a fine curved tip, also similar to that of males.

Redescription. Male: Body length: 3.6–4.1 mm, wing length: 2.5–3.1 mm. Head: Postocular setae: upper 5–7 dark, lower setae pale, lowermost seta dark and stronger. Frons subrectangular (wider than high), dark with blue-green and violet reflections. Face silvery white, narrow (Fig. 2C), sides convergent below. Clypeus concolorous with face, relatively narrow (higher than wide). Palpus pale, with strong apical seta and short weak setulae on outer surface. Proboscis without close-set row of 3 fine elongate hairs on anterior surface of each labellar lobe. Antenna ( Fig. 1 B): scape, pedicel and base of postpedicel pale, apical part of postpedicel and stylus dark; scape obconical, with acute medial and ventral process; pedicel short; postpedicel ovoid basally with digitiform, pubescent apex, outer surface with 3–5 pubescent digitiform projections, basalmost projection broader (usually longer than in C. brevitarsis and C. laselva ), projections occasionally bifurcate; stylus dorsal, before middle of dorsal margin of postpedicel, basal article elongate, extending to tip of postpedicel, distal article strongly pubescent. Thorax: Scutum metallic green with violet reflections, often with coppery reflections anteriorly, bronze-brown laterally above notopleuron. Scutellum mainly metallic green, bronze-brown laterad medial scutellar bristle. Proepisternal bristle long with fine curved tip. Mesopleuron gray pruinose, with dark often brownish background coloration and metallic reflections. Legs: Mainly pale except as noted below. I: TI not swollen; It1–5 decreasing in length distally, lacking velvety pile on ventral or anterior surface, claws normally developed. II: CxII with lateral surface and outer margin of anterior surface weakly infuscate, lateral surface often weakly pruinose; FII with av row of setulae, stronger than other femoral setulae; tarsus II weakly infuscate from tip of IIt1– 5. III: CxIII with lateral surface weakly pruinose; FIII with av setulae slightly stronger than other femoral setulae; tarsus III weakly infuscate from tip of IIIt1–5. Wing: Hyaline; with weak arc beyond bend similar to C. bicornis and C. pennaticornis (cf. Fig. 2E). Abdomen: Tergites 1–5 blackish to dark brown with metallic green reflections, with silverish pruinosity laterally. Hypopygium (Figs. 6A–C): Epandrium with left bv lobe bump-like, with dentiform projection immediately distad bv epandrial seta, right bv lobe not developed, lacking dentiform projection distad bv epandrial seta; apv epandrial lobe elongate, projecting ventrally, with 2 long apicolateral setae, lateral surface darkened, anterior and posterior margins keel-like, medial surface with bulging weakly sclerotized to membranous area, left and right lobes asymmetrical, right lobe with narrow elongate posterior projection. Surstylus: dorsal and ventral arm elongate; dorsal arm with broad sac-like medioventral lobe, with short dorsal finger-like projection bearing apical seta, apex with microtrichia ventrally; ventral arm with narrow ventrally curved apex bearing tooth-like seta, with subapical crest. Postgonite elongate, upturned with narrow tip. Cercus mainly pale with dark outer margin, greatly enlarged, triangular, with strong elongate marginal setae. Hypandrium widened apically, apex with medial notch. Phallus strongly widened preapically. Ejaculatory apodeme with ventral curve. Female: Similar to male except as follows: Face and clypeus broader, clypeus subquadrate. Antenna unmodified, postpedicel lacking projections, about as long as wide, apex acute. FII and FIII with av row of setulae not as strongly developed. Terminalia as in generic description.

Cheiromyia palmaticornis (Parent) male terminalia: (A) hypopygium (left lateral view); (B) hypandrium and phallus (ventral view); (C) sperm pump and phallus (left lateral view). Abbreviations: apv lb: apicoventral epandrial lobe; cerc: cercus; dsur: dorsal arm of surstylus; ej apod: ejaculatory apodeme; hypd: hypandrium; pgt: postgonite; ph: phallus; spm pump: sperm pump; vsur: ventral arm of surstylus.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE 3 from Pará, Brazil, labelled: “Unt. Amaz. Tape-/ rinha [02°31'S 54°17'W] b. Santarem/ 1.– 10.VI. ’27.Zerny”; “ Type ” [red label]; “ Cheirocerus / palmaticornis / nov. gen./ nov. spec./ O. Parent” ( NMW).

Additional material examined. BRAZIL: 13 Amapá, Serra do Navio (00°53'45"N 52°00'07"W), ix.1957, J. Lane ( MZSP); 13 Pará, Belém, Irituia (01°46'28"S 47°26'28"W), xii.1959, L. Gomes. ECUADOR: 13 Orellana (as “Napo”): Res. Ethnica Waorani, 1 km S. Onkone Gare Camp (00°38'S 76°36'W), Trans. Ent., 220m, 24.i.1994, T.L. Irwin et al. Insecticidal fogging of mostly bare green leaves some with covering of lichenous or bryophytic plants, Project MAXUS, At x-trans 8,0m Lot 640 ( USNM), 13 same except 00°39'10"S 76°26'W, 8.ii.1995, in terre firme forest, At Trans 10, Sta. 4, Lot 963 ( USNM), 23 same except At Trans 10, Sta. 7, Lot 966 ( USNM), 13 same except 4.ii.1996, At Trans 2, Sta. 3, Lot 1413 ( USNM), 13 same except At Trans 2, Sta. 8, Lot 1418 ( USNM). FRENCH GUIANA: 23, 2Ƥ Sinnamary (Commune), Sinnamary, Petit Saut (05°11'N 52°51'W), 1–31.x.2000, Malaise trap, Philippe Cerdan, FRGY / 2000/010B ( CNC), 13 same except ( MPCB), 13 same except ( KBIN),13 same except Pointe Combi (05°18'N 52°56'W), rainforest, FRGY /2000/008 ( CNC). SURINAM: 13, Colakreek, nr. Zanderij (05°27'58''N 55°13'47''W), 16–28.vi.2006, Malaise trap, Savannah forest, Menno Reemer ( MPCB).

Distribution. Cheiromyia palmaticornis is now known from Ecuador, northern Brazil (Amapá, Pará), Surinam and French Guiana ( Fig. 8 B).

Remarks. Dyte (1980) mentioned that the British Museum has a specimen determined by Oldroyd as C. palmaticornis from Mazaruni, Guyana, that was taken as prey of the asilid Ommatius marginellis (F.). That specimen (which is mounted on the same pin as the asilid) along with a second specimen (also from Mazaruni) is actually Cheiromyia brevitarsis Brooks sp. nov. (see above).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Male antenna: (A) Cheiromyia bicornis Brooks sp. nov. left antenna (outer surface); (B) C. palmaticornis (Parent) right antenna (medial surface); (C) C. pennaticornis (Parent) right antenna (medial surface) of holotype; (D) C. pennaticornis (Parent) slide preparation of left antenna (outer surface). Abbreviations: pp apex: postpedicel apex; pp proj: postpedicel projection.

FIGURE 8. Known distribution of Cheiromyia species: (A) C. bicornis Brooks sp. nov. and C. brevitarsis Brooks sp. nov.; (B) C. laselva Brooks sp. nov., C. palmaticornis (Parent), and C. pennaticornis (Parent).