Apenniverpa venezuelensis Webb, 2005

Webb, Donald W., 2005, New Genera of Neotropical Therevidae (Insecta: Diptera), Zootaxa 1091 (1), pp. 1-26 : 8-12

Apenniverpa venezuelensis Webb spec. nov.

( Figs. 10–21 )

Etymology. ensis (Latin) = a suffix denoting place, locality, country. This species in named for the country of Venezuela and is used as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Apenniverpa venezuelensis can be separated from other South American genera by the femora lacking appressed, lanceolate dorsal setae; the hypoproct ( Fig. 11 ) with the posterolateral margin curved ventrally to point; the autapomorphic characteristic of lacking enlarged acanthophorite spines on the female terminalia ( Fig. 19 ) and the female tergite 8 being broad, wing­like ( Fig. 19 ) with a thick anteromedial projection. The acanthophorite in the Therevinae is part of the proctiger or tergite 10 which carries enlarged thick macrosetae. Apenniverpa venezuelensis has this structure, but it does not have two sets of enlarged macrosetae on it.

Description of holotype male (MEI 128982).

Body length 6.2 mm.

Head. Length 0.78 mm. Ocellar tubercle dark reddish brown, pruinescence gray; not raised above level of vertex in male; setae dark reddish brown, moderately long. Eyes dark reddish brown; holoptic, ommatidia of homogeneous size. Frons pruinescence dark brown on dorsal three­fourths, ventral fourth silver with blackish brown markings dorsolateral to antennal base; narrow depression present medially; setae dark brown, appressed in medial depression, not extending lateral to antennal base. Antenna dark brown, pruinescence on scape gray, dense; antenna/head length 0.88; scape cylindrical, length 0.22 mm, width 0.12 mm, length/width 1.8, scape/pedicel length 2.4, scape/flagellum width 1.0, setae dark brown, short, absent medially, macrosetae dark reddish brown; pedicel globular, length 0.09 mm, length/width 0.75, setae dark reddish brown, short, absent medially; first flagellomere oval, tapered apically to second flagellomere, length 0.28 mm, width 0.12 mm, basodorsal setae absent, second flagellomere cylindrical, length 0.02 mm, width 0.04 mm, third flagellomere cylindrical, tapering to apical style, length 0.08 mm, width 0.04 mm, flagellum length 0.38 mm, length/width 3.2, flagellum/scape length 1.7. Parafacial narrow; setae absent. Maxillary palpus cylindrical, apex slightly clavate; dark reddish brown; length 0.36 mm, length/width 6.0; setae dark brown, pale yellow apically, elongate. Genal setae white, elongate; lacking anterodorsal patch of short setae. Occiput dark reddish brown, pruinescence white, dense; setae white, elongate, absent on dorsal half; macrosetae dark reddish brown, sparse. Postocular macrosetae dark reddish brown, in single row.

Thorax. 3 np, 1 sa, 1 pa, 1 dc, 2 sc. Mesonotum dark brown; vittae dark brown separated by yellowish brown pruinescence; posterior margin of scutellum with yellowish brown pruinescence; setae dark brown, subappressed to appressed, short. Postpronotal lobe concolorous with mesonotum; setae white, short with 1 dark brown macroseta (generally with several dark brown setae). Cervical sclerite with dense white pruinescence, setae white, elongate on lateral half. Prosternum with white, elongate setae. Pleura dark reddish brown, pruinescence white, dense; setae white, elongate on propleuron, anepisternum, katepisternum, laterotergite, and scutellum; absent on proepimeron, anepimeron, meron, metanepisternum and metakatepisternum. Wing. Membrane pale smoky brown; veins brown; length 6.2 mm, length/width 3.1; setulae absent on R 1; pterostigma brown, narrow, slightly darker than membrane; R 4 sinuate with broad anterior curvature; M 1, M 2, and M 3 originate separately from apex of dc; cell cup closed, petiolate; cell m 3 open; anal angle broadly rounded, alula rounded. Halter dark brown. Legs. Coxae dark reddish brown, pruinescence whitish gray; setae white, elongate; setae absent on posterior half of midcoxa; hindcoxa with anterior papillate knob; apical macrosetae dark reddish brown, hindcoxa with one lateral macroseta. Femora dark brown; ventral setae white, elongate on fore­ and midfemora, appressed, white, lanceolate setae dorsally; av 0:0:2, pv 0:0:5. Tibiae and tarsi dark brown.

Abdomen. Cuticle dark brown, pruinescence white, dense; dorsal setae white, elongate, appressed; lateral setae white erect. Terminalia (MEI 089823). Dark brown, glossy. Tergite 8 ( Fig. 10 ) bilobed, posterior margin deeply emarginate; median length short (0.02 mm), setae dark reddish brown. Sternite 8 ( Fig. 12 ) quadrate, anterior margin truncate, sides tapered apically; posterior margin emarginate; setae dark reddish brown, separated medially on posterior margin. Epandrium ( Fig. 10 ) quadrate, broad basally, tapering apically; shorter medially than wide; anterior margin emarginate, posterolateral margin projecting posteriorly as dark yellow, glabrous projection; lateral view ( Fig. 14 ) rectangular, posterolateral margin expanded ventrally; setae dark reddish brown. Cercus ( Fig. 10 ) free, oblong; ending distal to posterolateral margin of epandrium and basal to apex of hypoproct. Hypoproct ( Fig. 10 ), quadrate, ending distal to posterolateral margin of epandrium; posterior margin emarginate, ending distal to apex of cercus; posterolateral margin curved ventrally to point ( Fig. 11 ). Hypandrium reduced, strap­like, moderately sclerotized. Gonocoxite ventral view ( Fig. 12 ), separated medially, basal half broad, rounded laterally, tapered apically to broad point; setae dark reddish brown, 3 posterior macrosetae dark reddish brown; inner gonocoxal process concolorous with gonocoxite, narrow, tapered apically, fused to posteromedial margin of gonocoxite, extending beyond gonocoxite, apical macrosetae dark brown (thinner than gonocoxal macrosetae); dorsal view ( Fig. 13 ), gonocoxal apodeme narrow, extending slightly beyond anterior margin of gonocoxite, aedeagal bridge absent; lateral view ( Fig. 14 ) globular, posterior margin broadly rounded; ventral lobe ( Fig. 12 ), large, lacking ventral spines. Gonostylus lateral view ( Fig. 15 ) sinuate, dark brown with paler, ventral flange (flattened laterally); setae dark yellow. Aedeagus with dorsal apodeme ( Fig. 16 ) large, broad, sides rounded, tapering to narrow anterior projection, anterior margin truncate; ventral apodeme ( Fig. 17 ) narrow, tapered anteriorly, flattened laterally, not reaching anterior margin of dorsal apodeme; distiphallus dorsal view ( Fig. 16 ) elongate, tapered apically, lateral view ( Fig. 18 ) broad basally, sinuate, extending horizontally as thick projection, apex rounded with fine spicules, apicolateral spines short, coarse; ejaculatory apodeme ( Fig. 16 ) narrow, posterior and anterior halves slightly expanded, not reaching anterior margin of dorsal apodeme, in cross­section flattened dorsoventrally.

Morphometric variation (n=10).

Body length 6.2–7.5, 6.9 mm.

Head. Length 0.76–0.92, 0.84 mm. Antenna/head length 0.76–0.88, 0.83; scape length 0.20–0.26, 0.23 mm, width 0.10–0.12, 0.12 mm, length/width 1.7–2.2, 2.0, scape/pedicel length 2.4–3.3, 2.7, scape/flagellum width 0.8–1.0, 0.9; pedicel length 0.08–0.10, 0.09 mm, width 0.10–0.12, 0.12 mm, length/width 0.7–0.9, 0.7; flagellum length 0.36–0.40, 0.38 mm, width 0.12–0.14, 0.13 mm, length/width 2.6–3.2, 2.9, flagellum/scape length 1.5–1.9, 1.7. Maxillary palpus length 0.36–0.44, 0.39 mm, width 0.06–0.08, 0.06 mm, length/width 4.8–7.3, 6.1.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 1 sa, 1 pa, 1–2 dc, 2 sc. Wing. Length 6.0–7.2, 6.5 mm, width 1.8–2.3, 2.1 mm length/width 2.9–3.7, 3.2. Legs. Anteroventral macrosetae 0– 1:0:1–5, pv 0:0:3–9.

Female.

Similar to male except for following.

Morphometric variation (n=10).

Body length 5.7–7.3, 6.6 mm.

Head. Length 0.82–0.96, 0.88 mm.

Frons pruinescence yellowish brown, ventral fourth silver with blackish brown markings dorsolateral to antennal base; setae dark brown. Antenna/head length 0.76–0.89, 0.83; scape length 0.23–0.28, 0.25 mm, width 0.11–0.14, 0.12 mm, length/width 1.8–2.4, 2.1, scape/pedicel length 2.3–3.3, 2.8, scape/flagellum width 0.7–0.9, 0.8; pedicel length 0.8– 0.10, 0.09 mm, width 0.11–0.14, 0.12 mm, length/width 0.6–0.8, 0.8; flagellum length 0.34–0.42, 0.38 mm, width 0.14–0.17, 0.15 mm, length/width 2.0–2.9, 2.5, flagellum/ scape length 1.3–1.8, 1.5. Maxillary palpus length 0.38–0.50, 0.43 mm, length/width 5.3– 7.0, 6.2.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 1 sa, 1 pa, 1–2 dc, 2 sc. Wing. Length 6.3–8.0, 7.1 mm, width 2.0–2.5, 2.3 mm length/width 3.0–3.2, 3.1. Legs. Anteroventral macrosetae 0– 1:0:1–3, pv 0:0:4–9.

Abdomen. Dark reddish brown to black, pruinescence brownish gray on tergite 1, pruinescence white in narrow band across posterior margin of tergites 2–3, pruinescence white posterolaterally on tergites 4–7: dorsal setae dark brown, appressed on dark reddish brown to black areas with white, appressed setae across posterior margin of tergites 1–3. Terminalia (MEI 147533). Tergite 8 ( Fig. 19 ) broad, posterior margin deeply emarginate, anterior margin with median emarginate projection; setae dark yellow. Tergite 9 reduced to dark reddish brown median strap, which lacks setae. Tergite 10 ( Fig. 19 ), setae dark yellow, a mixture of thick and thin setae laterally with 2 dark yellow macrosetae posteromedially, lacking enlarged acanthophorite macrosetae. Sternite 8 ( Fig. 20 ) with posterior half bilobed, posterior margin with deep median fissure, setae dark yellow, thick, curved ventrally; aedeagal guide large, triangular. Furca ( Fig. 21 ) oval, sides sinuate; anteromedial, anterolateral, posteromedial, and posterolateral projections absent; length 0.50 mm, width 0.37 mm. Common spermathecal duct shorter than length of furca. Spermathecal ducts narrow posteriorly before becoming thread­like and ending in 2 spherical spermatheca. Duct of spermathecal sac narrow, expanding anteriorly to enlarged sac.

Immature stages. Unknown.

Habitats and Temporal Phenology. Apenniverpa venezuelensis has been handnetted; collected in Malaise traps; and collected at lights at elevations from 1100–1800 m. Adults have been collected in November, February, and March.

Distribution. Apenniverpa venezuelensis is known only from Venezuela.

Specimens examined. Type specimen. The holotype male of Apenniverpa venezuelensis Webb is labeled "Venezuela, Aragua, Ranch[o] Grande, Parque Nacional Henry Pittier, 1100m, III–4–1967, M.E. Irwin " (MEI 128982) and is deposited in the CAS (Type No. 18087). PARATYPES. VENEZUELA. Aragua. Parque Nacional Henry Pittier, Rancho Grande Biology Station [10.37, ­67.68], 1200–1400m, 26–28.II.1995, Marshall, S , 1 female MEI 0735889 ( DEBU); 1–5.III.1995 , 2 females MEI 073580 , 073583 ( DEBU), Malaise trap; 1150 m, 24.II–12.III.1995 , 1 male MEI 073590 , 1 female 073589 ( DEBU), at light; Rancho Grande [10.36, ­67.68], 1100 m, 14.II.1949, Fernandez, Y. F ., 1 male MEI 121636 , 2 females MEI 121638–9 ( MIZA); 25.II.1957, Fernandez.Y. F., Rosales, C. J ., 1 female MEI 147530 ( MIZA); 18–27.II.1971, Wood, G., Wood, M ., 1 female MEI 147529 ( CNC); 9.IV.1975, Salcedo, J., Dietz, R . E., 1 female MEI 121637 ( INHS); 4.II.1976, Salcedo, J . 1 male MEI 121635 ( INHS); 10.III.1976, Salcedo, J., Clavijo, J ., 1 male MEI 121634 ( MEIC); 26.II.1989, Grimaldi, D ., 2 females MEI 03051–9 ( AMNH) light trap; 1100–1800 m, 12–30.XI.1997, Pape, T ., 1 male MEI 152375 ( NHRS); 1100 m, 4.III.1967 Irwin , M. E . 2 males MEI 1475256 , 7 females 028439–40, 128988, 147527–8, 147531–2 ( MEIC); Choroni Road , 1500 m, 26.II.1971, Wood, G., Wood, M ., 1 female MEI 141613 ( CNC); 15 km S Maracay, on road to Choroni [10.115, ­67.6], 1550 m, 9.III.1995, Marshall, S. A ., 3 males MEI 076423–5 ( DEBU) .

Figures

FIGURES 10–21. Apenniverpa venezuelensis 10. Tergite 8, epandrium, cerci, hypoproct, dorsal view. 11. Epandrium, lateral view. 12. Sternite 8, hypandrium, gonocoxite, ventral view. 13. Gonocoxite, hypandrium, dorsal view. 14. Gonocoxite lateral view. 15. Gonostylus, lateral view. 16. Aedeagus, dorsal view. 17. Aedeagus, ventral view. 18. Aedeagus, left lateral view. 19. Female terminalia, dorsal view. 20. Female terminalia, ventral view. 21. Female internal reproductive organs. Scale = 0.1 mm. Abbreviation: T8 = tergite 8, T10 = tergite 10.