Robustagramma multiseta Cui and Marshall, 2005

Marshall, Stephen A. & Cui, Yongsheng, 2005, Systematics of Robustagramma, a new genus of New World Sphaeroceridae (Diptera), Zootaxa 1026 (1), pp. 1-122 : 92-93

Robustagramma multiseta Cui and Marshall , new species

( Figs. 279–286 )

As described for Robustagramma triangulatum except as follows.

Body length 1.5–2.3 mm. General color reddish to dark brown, with reddish­brown pollinosity on scutum, scutellum and tergites.

Interfrontal bristles in 3 pairs (rarely 2 or 4 pairs), middle pair slightly larger than other two pairs. Ocellar bristle, outer vertical bristle and posterior orbital bristle similar in length, and slightly longer than inner and outer occipital. Postvertical bristle ca. 3/5 as long as inner occipital bristle. Postocellar bristles cruciate, half as long as postvertical bristle. Male facial ridge between antennae as wide as width of scape. Arista slightly longer than head height. Aristal hairs ca. 4–5 times as long as basal width of arista. Preapical palpal bristles over twice as long as maximum width of palpus.

Acrostichal setulae in 6 pairs between anterior postsutural dorsocentral bristles; one pair of setulae between prescutellar acrostichal and dorsocentral bristles. Posterodorsal katepisternal bristle strong, nearly as long as distance between bristle base and wing base. Length of second costal sector ca. 0.37–0.44X length of third. R 4+5 and costa ending together before wing apex. Mid tibia with a strong posterodorsal proximal bristle, an anterodorsal bristle beyond middle, and an anterodorsal, dorsal and posterodorsal distally; usually also with an additional anterodorsal proximal bristle (rarely wit two smaller anterodorsal proximal bristles) and one or two strong additional anterodorsal setulae at middle. Mid femur of male with 5–6 ventral proximal bristles, 5–6 short anteroventral bristles and 4–5 very short posteroventral spines.

Male terminalia: Sternite 5 with many short scales on posteromedial margin. Dorsomedial length of epandrium ca. 0.33X length of sternite 8. Cercus narrow. Ejaculatory apodeme small.

Female terminalia: Sternite 7 rounded posteriorly. Spermathecae with a large elliptical distal portion and a short conical basal portion. Duct of paired spermathecae ca. 3 times as long as spermathecal body.

Holotype (♂, DEBU) and paratypes (56 ♂, 45 ♀, DEBU): DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Cabo Rojo (of Pedernales). Alcoa Road km 26, pans, 17–20.i.1989, S. A. Marshall & J. E. Swann.

Other paratypes: Same data as holotype, but FIT (4 ♂, 9 ♀, DEBU) . DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: La Vega. La Ciénaga, Malaise , 11–22.i1989, S. A. Marshall & J. E. Swann (1 ♂, 2 ♀, DEBU) . La Ciénaga , 1000m, human dung cups, 11–13.i.1989, S. A. Marshall (2 ♀, DEBU) . Pedernales. 28 km N Cabo Rojo , 760m, evergreen dry forest, carrion trap, 29.xi.1991, S. & J. Peck (2 ♀, DEBU) . Cabo Rojo, km 23–25 Alcoa Road , dry premontane forest, 18.i.1989 (1 ♂, DEBU) ; sweep dry pond (1 ♀, DEBU) , S. A. Marshall. Prov. Monte Cristi, 3 km N Villa Elisa, dung, 1–3.x.1985, R. E. Woodruff (1 ♀, DEBU) . Hato Mayor, Parque Los Haitises , 3 km W Cueva de Arena, 19 04'N, 69 29'W, 20m, mesic lowland forest, 7–9.vi.1992, R. Davidson, J. Rawlins, S. Thomson and C. Young (1 ♂, 2 ♀, FMNH) . Barahona. 7 km NW Paraiso , 200m, rainforest remnant, fungus on logs, 27.xi.1991, S. & J. Peck (1 ♂, 1 ♀, DEBU) .

Etymology: The specific epithet, multiseta , refers to the additional mid tibial bristles of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 279–286. Robustagramma multiseta sp. nov.: 279, dorsal view of left mid tibia of male; 280, posterior view of male terminalia; 281, lateral view of male terminalia; 282, lateral view of male internal genitalia; 283, male sternite 5; 284, dorsal view of female terminalia; 285, ventral view of female terminalia; 286, spermathecae.