Myriophora brevitarsus, Hash, John M. & Brown, Brian V., 2015

Hash, John M. & Brown, Brian V., 2015, Revision of the New World Species of the Millipede-Parasitic Genus Myriophora Brown (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 4035 (1), pp. 1-79 : 16

Myriophora brevitarsus sp. nov.

(Figs 2.4, 10.1, 15.11, 23.4)

Diagnosis. Female. Short, slightly laterally compressed, tube-like oviscape (Fig. 15.11) and the shortened foretarsus that is slightly shorter than the foretibia.

Description. Female (Fig. 2.4). Body length 1.58 mm. Head: Frons dusky yellow, with 2 pairs of supraantennal setae; length of lower supra-antennal setae greater than 1/2 the length of upper pair; upper supra-antennals originate above lower interfrontal setae. First flagellomere yellow-brown, rounded under arista. Palpus yellowbrown, normal sized. Labrum normal sized. Labellum swollen. Thorax: Scutum light brown. Scutellum light brown. Anterior scutellar setae near equal in length to posterior pair. Pleuron dusky yellow, anepisternum with setulae and one large seta. Forefemur dusky yellow. Midfemur dusky yellow. Hind femur dusky yellow with brown patch distally on anterior surface. Wing length 1.93–2.0 mm (Fig. 10.1); costal vein normal; costal length 1.02– 1.16 mm; mean costal ratio 0.55. Knob of halter light brown. Abdomen: Tergites 1 and 2 brown; tergite 2 with strong, distinct setae on lateral margin. Tergite 5 brown; posterior setae on tergite 5 short. Tergite 6 rectangular to slightly narrowing posteriorly; posterodorsal setae on segment 6 shorter than posteroventral setae. Venter of abdomen with sparse, long setae. Oviscape (Fig. 15.11) weakly laterally compressed, with only a few small setae in apical 1/4, membrane striations turn nearly 90° from base to apex; sclerites brown; membrane brown.

Distribution. Costa Rica.

Host. Unknown.

Etymology. A noun from Latin for "short tarsus" referring the shortened foretarsus on the foreleg.

Holotype. ♀, COSTA RICA: Heredia: Vara Blanca, 10.15°N, 84.15°W, 2100m, 1♀, ix.1989, P. Hanson, Malaise trap [ LACM ENT 044873].

Paratypes. COSTA RICA: Heredia: Refugio 2000m, near Vara Blanca, 10.18°N, 84.11°W, 2000m, 1♀, 21.ii.2002, ALAS, Malaise trap 20/M/12/012 [ LACM ENT 222947], 1♀, 10–11.ii.2002, B. Brown, L. Gonzalez, K. Walker, pan traps [ LACM ENT 167053]. Limon: 4km NE Bribri, 9.63°N, 82.82°W, 50m, 1♀, xii.1989 – iii.1990, P. Hanson, Malaise trap [ LACM ENT 096686].