Australopericoma xavierae Araújo & Bravo, 2020

Araújo, Maíra Xavier & Bravo, Freddy, 2020, Two new species of Australopericoma Vaillant (Diptera: Psychodidae: Psychodinae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, Zootaxa 4732 (2), pp. 317-322 : 319

Australopericoma xavierae Araújo & Bravo sp. nov.

( Figs. 12–20 )

Type material. Holotype male: Brazil, Bahia, Serra da Jibóia, Sede Gambá , 10.V.2017 [light trap], Silva-Neto, Mendes & Moura legs.

Etymology. The species is dedicated to the to the mother of the first author, Maria Rosalie Grangeiro Xavier.

Diagnosis. This species is characterized by the male terminalia: hypandrium strip-like with two small lateral setae; one pair of triangular parameres with acute apex, asymmetrical; aedeagus paired, asymmetrical, one shaft with curved apex.

Description. Adult male. Eye bridge with three facet rows, separated at median by almost one facet diameter, interocular suture present, V-shaped, open dorsally. Two larger supraocular setae alveoli ( Fig. 12 ) and four or five larger alveoli on lateroposterior margin of eye ( Fig. 13 ). Antenna with scape cylindrical, 1.5 times of the spherical pedicel ( Fig. 14 ); 14 flagellomeres; basal flagellomeres fusiform; 13th flagellomere reduced, ovoid, 14th spherical with apiculus with the same length of flagellomere; flagellomeres 3–10 with a pair of filiform ascoids, shorter than the flagellomere bearing them ( Fig. 15 ). Mouthparts extending to the tip of the basal palpus segment, labellum with apicolateral bristles ( Figs. 12, 13 ). Palpus formula = 1:1.8:1.8:2.5, all segments striated ( Fig. 16 ). Wing ( Fig. 17 ): radial fork at the same level of medial fork, radial and medial forks arising basal to apex of CuA 2; R 5 ending slightly beyond of wing tip. Male terminalia (in dorsoventral view): epandrium plate-like, rectangular, longer than wide, distal margin concave, with apical pilosity; presence of two foramina near proximal margin. Cercus long, two times the length of epandrium, with one apical tenaculum. Epiproct subtriangular microsetose at apex. Hypoproct rounded at apex with apical micropilosity ( Fig. 18 ). Hypandrium strip-like with four smaller setae alveoli, one pair on each side. Gonocoxite robust basally larger than apex, pilose, approximately the same length as gonostylus. Gonostylus slightly curved, pilose, base wider than apex and ending in in a pointed apex ( Fig. 19 ). Gonocoxal apodeme fused anteriorly and bilobed posteriorly ( Fig. 20 ). Aedeagus paired, asymmetrical, one side with apex curved. Ejaculatory apodeme almost as long as aedeagus. One pair of parameres asymmetrical, triangular, with acute apex, one third the length of aedeagus ( Fig. 19 ).

Female. Unknown

Distribution. This species is currently known only from the type locality.

Comments. Three species of Australopericoma have robust gonocoxites, i.e. they are broader than long, and short parameres: the two new species A. onofrei sp. nov., A. xavierae sp. nov. and A. pallidula (Tonnoir) . A. onofrei sp. nov. differs from A. xavierae , A. pallidula and all other species of Australopericoma by the presence of an unsclerotized dorsal area between the parameres. Furthermore, A. xavierae differs from A. pallidula by the size of ejaculatory apodeme, longer than aedeagus in the new species, very short in A. pallidula ( Quate & Brown, 2004: 94) .

Figures

FIGURE 12–20. Australopericoma xavierae sp. nov. (12) head, anterior; (13) head, posterior; (14) base of antenna: scape, pedicel and five basal flagellomeres; (15) Flagellomeres 9–14; (16) palpus; (17) wing; (18) male terminalia, ventral: epandrium, cerci, epiproct and hypoproct; (19) hypandrium, gonocoxites, gonostyli and aedeagus, dorsal; (20) gonocoxal apodeme.