Pseudosympycnus bickeli, Soares & Capellari, 2020

Soares, Matheus M. M. & Capellari, Renato S., 2020, Review of the Neotropical genus Pseudosympycnus (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) with description of six new species from Brazil and Peru, Zootaxa 4881 (2), pp. 231-256 : 238-242

Pseudosympycnus bickeli sp. nov.

( Figs 3 , 12 , 21–23 , 47, 48 , 68 , 75–78 , 83 , 86 )

Diagnosis (male). Metepimeron brown ( Fig. 3 ). Femora mostly yellow, apical 1/5 of femur III brown ( Fig. 3 ). Tibia I not strongly compressed (only slightly thicker than tibiae II and III). Tarsus I ( Fig. 47 ) entirely brown: It 1 with row of ventral setae in basal half and row of slightly curved anterior to anteroventral setae; It 2 with 3 curved anterodorsal setae and 1 conspicuous hook-like bristle at apex. Tarsus II unmodified. Tarsus III ( Fig. 48 ): IIIt 3–4 each with 2–3 posterior fine setae at apex; IIIt 4 slightly excavated at ventral surface.

Description. Male ( Fig. 3 ). Body length [holotype]: 4.0 mm. Wing length: 3.7 mm, width: 1.1 mm. Head ( Figs 21, 22 ). Similar to P. araza sp. nov., except for: face narrowing in middle, with eyes almost contiguous. Occiput dark metallic green with silvery reflections and white hairs below. Palpus ( Fig. 12 ) thin, ovoid, twice longer than wide, 2/5 as long as head height, ground color yellow, with dense silvery pruinosity, covered with few white, short hairs and 2–3 black setulae on apical edge. Pair of vertical setae convergent, slightly proclinate, and pair of divergent ocellar setae; two pairs of very small postocellars. Thorax. Similar to P. araza sp. nov., except for: mesonotum and scutellum mostly metallic dark green with bluish reflections, with coppery stripe in acrostichal setae area; pleura entirely dark brown, with some greenish reflections anteriorly and little pruinosity. One large erect and 2 smaller postpronotal setae. Scutellum and posteriormost part of mesonotum with a few scattered short hairs. Legs ( Fig. 3 ). Coxae II and III, apical 1/5 of femur III, tarsus I from apex of It 1, tarsus II and apex of tibia III and tarsus brown, otherwise yellow, tibia II and III darker. Leg I. Podomere ratios: 26, 23, 15/2/4/3/2. Anterior surface of coxa I covered by short brownish pale setae, with fringe of longer black setae on anterior apical edge, 3 laterals stronger. Femur I with short vestiture of black setae, posterior surface mostly bare, with row of ventral long setae decreasing in size towards apex, basal ones as long as twice diameter of femur at largest part (MSSC) ( Fig. 68 ). Tibia I slightly thicker than tibiae II and III, with posterodorsal seta at 1/3 and 1/2, basal one shorter, with row of anterodorsal curved setae, more conspicuous at apical half and almost as long as diameter of tibia (shorter than in P. araza sp. nov.), with row of anteroventral setulae at basal half (MSSC). Tarsus I ( Fig. 47 ): It 1 with ventral row 5–6 setae at basal half and row of anterior slightly curved setae, which extends to short It 2. It 2 with 3 curved anterodorsal setae and 1 conspicuously hook-like bristle at apex (all MSSC). Leg II. Podomere ratios: 26, 34, 25/10/7/3/2. Coxa II with row of short pale setae on outer margin of anterior surface, ending in 1 much longer black seta near apex. Femur II covered with short vestiture of black setae, except basal part of posterior surface and entire ventral surface mostly bare; with 1 anterior and 1 posterior pre-apical seta, posterior one preceded by row of some 4 shorter setae. Tibia II with pairs of anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae at 1/7 and 2/7 (anterodorsal setae slightly longer), with 1 anterodorsal at 5/7, with 1 anterior seta at 6/7, with 4 short ventral setae at 2/7, 3/7, 4/7 and 5/7; with group of subapical posterodorsal, dorsal, anterodorsal, anterior, anteroventral and ventral setae. IIt 1 with 3 anterior, 3 posterior and 5 ventral short setae, with group of subapical anterodorsal, dorsal (shorter), posterior, anteroventral and posteroventral setae. Leg III. Podomere ratios: 31, 39, 6/13/6/5/2. Coxa III with 1 large seta, as long as coxa, at basal 1/3 and 1 smaller seta near apex. Femur III with short vestiture, except posterior surface mostly bare; with row of inconspicuous short white hairs along ventral surface; with anterior preapical seta; short anteroventral and posteroventral preapical setae. Tibia III with pairs of anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae at 1/8, 2/8 and 5/8, with dorsal to posterodorsal seta near 1/2 and 1 subapical anterodorsal seta. IIIt 3–4 with 2–3 posterior fine setae at apex (2 in IIIt 3, one distinctly longer, and 3 in IIIt 4 with similar length); IIIt 4 slightly excavated at ventral surface (MSSC) ( Fig. 48 ). Wing. Similar to P. araza sp. nov. (see above), except by length of crossvein dm-m/last part of M 4 (“CuAx ratio”): 1.5. Abdomen. Setation and general color pattern similar to P. araza sp. nov., except for following differences. Mostly dark brown with coppery and some greenish reflections, including tergite 1; tergites 2–4 laterally yellow (on tergite 2 yellow extending upwards with only small posterior brown stripe, on tergite 4 only small yellow lateral patch. Sternites 2, 3 and base of 4 yellowish, apex of 4 and entire sternite 5 brown. Hypopygium ( Figs 75, 76 ). Capsule and surstylus brown, cercus pale. Foramen left lateral. Epandrial lobe short, with 1 seta. Dorsal lobe of surstylus with 2 setulae at apex and broader than ventral lobe; ventral lobe covered by a few scattered setae at apex. Hypandrium: distal part covering phallus-postgonite apparatus, punctated at apex on left side, fused with genital capsule at base; basal part prolonged into genital capsule as two hypandrial arms, forming distinct hypandrial apodemes. Phallus simple, thin. Postgonites extending from base of phallus to form two-branched structured, directed anteriorly, before fusing with each other in association with distal part of phallus. Cercus small and covered by long setae.

Female. Similar to male, except for MSSC and following features. Head. face broader, as broad as ocellar tubercle, with white pruinosity. Palpus unmodified, brownish with apical border yellow, with white pruinosity (absent in some females, likely due to state of preservation) covered only by black setae, 2 apical stronger ( Fig. 23 ). Legs. Podomere ratios of leg I: 26, 21, 12/5/4/3/2, leg II: 26, 34, 21/8/6/3/2, leg III: 32, 39, 6/11/6/4/3. Tibia I similar in diameter to tibiae II and III, with 2 posterodorsal setae at 1/5 and 2/5. Abdomen. Ovipositor ( Figs 77, 78 ). Retracted into preceding segments. Tergite 8 divided into 2 rod-like sclerites, each with subtriangular plate. Acanthophorite with 5 spines.

Type material. HOLOTYPE Ƌ, labelled: “ Brasil, Roraima, Caracaraí / Serra da Mocidade ; 1.050 / m.a [meters high]; 1º42′N; 61º47′W ″, “ 28.i.2016 / Em pedra molhada / cachoera [sic. cachoeira; on moist rock, waterfall]; J. Zuanon Leg. ”, “ Holotype / Pseudosympycnus bickeli / Soares & Capellari [red label]” ( INPA) . Holotype in good condition, right wing damaged, terminalia not dissected. PARATYPES: same data as holotype (2 Ƌ, 7 ♀, INPA; 2 Ƌ, 3 ♀ MZUSP, 1 Ƌ with detached genitalia stored in microvial with glycerin) ; idem, 25.i.–06.ii.2016, Malaise [trap], M. Oliveira, F.F. Xavier F., T. Mahlmann, cols. (1 Ƌ, 4 ♀, INPA; 2 Ƌ, 4 ♀, MPEG) .

Additional material examined. BRAZIL. Pará, [Parauapebas,] Serra Norte, N 1. B.D. Água, 29.vi.1985, M. Zanuto, MPEG DIP 12160367 (1 Ƌ, MPEG).

Etymology. Named after Dan Bickel (Australian Museum), who first identified the specimens as an undescribed species.

Remarks. Pseudosympycnus bickeli sp. nov. is superficially similar to P. sehnali sp. nov., sharing a row of ventral setae on femur I and absence of conspicuous modifications on tarsus I. Nevertheless, P. bickeli sp. nov. has It 1 with row of slightly curved anterior to anteroventral setae (absent in P. sehnali ), hook-like bristle at apex of It 2 (sinuous in P. sehnali ), IIIt 4 slightly excavated at ventral surface (unmodified in P. sehnali ) and scutellum with fine setulae (absent in P. sehnali ).

Distribution. Brazil (States of Roraima and Pará) ( Fig. 86 ).

Figures

FIGURE 86. Known geographic distribution of species of Pseudosympycnus Robinson.

FIGURES 1–6. Pseudosympycnus Robinson. Habitus. 1. P. albipalpus (Parent, 1930), syntype Ƌ (photo: Günther Wöss); 2. P. araza sp. nov., holotype Ƌ; 3. P. bickeli sp. nov., holotype Ƌ; 4. P. latipes (Parent, 1930), syntype Ƌ (photo: Günther Wöss); 5. P. latitibia sp. nov., paratype Ƌ; 6. P. maroaga sp. nov., holotype Ƌ. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURES 12–15. Pseudosympycnus Robinson. Male palpus under scanning electron microscopy. 12. P. bickeli sp. nov., holotype Ƌ; 13. P. latitibia sp. nov., paratype Ƌ; 14. P. palpiger (Van Duzee, 1931), paratype Ƌ; 15. P. robinsoni sp. nov., holotype Ƌ. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. Photogaphs: L.C. Dias.

FIGURES 16–29. Pseudosympycnus Robinson. Head. 16–17. P. albipalpus (Parent, 1930), identified specimen from State of Amapá, Brazil, 16. Anterior view. 17. Lateral view; 18–20. P. araza sp. nov. 18–19. Paratype Ƌ. 18. Anterior view. 19. Lateral view. 20. Possible ♀ (see text), anterior view; 21–23. P. bickeli sp. nov. 21–22. Holotype Ƌ. 21. Anterior view. 22. Lateral view. 23. Paratype ♀, anterior view; 24–25. P. latipes (Parent, 1930), identified specimen from State of Acre, Brazil. 24. Anterior view. 25. Lateral view; 26–27. P. latitibia sp. nov., paratype Ƌ. 26. Anterior view. 27. Lateral view; 28–29. P. maroaga sp. nov., holotype Ƌ. 28. Anterior view. 29. Lateral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 42–54. Pseudosympycnus Robinson. Male tarsus I, II and III. 42–43. P. albipalpus (Parent, 1930), identified specimen from State of Amapá, Brazil. 42. Tarsus I. 43. Tarsus III; 44–46. P. araza sp. nov., holotype Ƌ. 44. Tarsus I. 45. Tarsus II. 46. Tarsus III; 47–48. P. bickeli sp. nov., holotype Ƌ. 47. Tarsus I. 48. Tarsus III; 49–50. P. latipes (Parent, 1930), identified specimen from State of Acre, Brazil. 49. Tarsus I. 50. Tarsus III; 51–52. P. latitibia sp. nov., paratype Ƌ. 51. Tarsus I. 52. Tarsus III; 53–54. P. maroaga sp. nov., holotype Ƌ. 53. Tarsus I. 54. Tarsus III. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 66–71. Pseudosympycnus Robinson. Male secondary sexual characters. 66. P. araza sp. nov., paratype Ƌ, femur and tibia I; 67. P. latipes (Parent, 1930), syntype Ƌ, femur III (photo: Günther Wöss); 68. P. bickeli sp. nov., holotype Ƌ, femur I; 69. P. perornatus Robinson, 1967, paratype Ƌ, tibia II; 70. P. latitibia sp. nov., paratype Ƌ, tibia I; 71. P. robinsoni sp. nov., holotype Ƌ, femur III. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 75–78. Pseudosympycnus bickeli sp. nov. 75–76. Paratype Ƌ hypopygium, left lateral view. 77–78. Paratype ♀ ter- minalia. 77. Dorsal view. 78. Lateral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: acanth = acanthophorite; bac scl = bacilliform sclerite; cerc = cercus; d sur = dorsal lobe of surstylus; ej apod = ejaculatory apodeme; epand lb = epandrial lobe; hypd = hypan- drium; hypd ap = hypandrial apodems; hypd ar = hypandrial arms; pgt = postgonite; ph = phallus; sbepand scl = subepandrial sclerite; st 8 = sternite 8; tg 8 = tergite 8; v sur = ventral lobe of surstylus.

FIGURES 82–85. Collection localities and habitats of Pseudosympycnus species. 82. Type-locality of P. araza sp. nov. (Araza river, Cusco, Peru. Photograph: J.A. Rafael, 2012); 83. Type-locality of P. bickeli sp. nov. (unnamed waterfall, Serra da Mocidade, Roraima, Brazil. Photograph: F.F. Xavier F., 2016); 84. Type-locality of P. sehnali sp. nov. (Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Photo: M.M.M. Soares, 2018); 85. Type-locality of P. maroaga sp. nov. (Iracema Falls, Presidente Figueiredo, Amazonas, Brazil. Photograph: M.M.M. Soares, 2018).