Robustagramma gigantisclerosum 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 : 72-75

Robustagramma gigantisclerosum Cui and Marshall , new species

( Figs. 200–206 )

As described for Robustagramma biangulatum except as follows.

Body length 1.4–2.0 mm. Eye height 2.5–2.6 times genal height. Maximum palpal width slightly longer than 1/5 of length of palpus; preapical palpal bristles ca. 1.5 times as long as maximum palpal width. Wing almost clear. Length of second costal sector ca. 0.46X length of third. Mid tibia of male with stout, short, ventral bristles on distal 2/3.

Male terminalia: Sternite 5 with 2 uniform rows of bristles posterolaterally, 2 or 3 inner pairs relatively short and thick. Whip­like sclerites of distiphallus with indistinct, node­ like structures. Ejaculatory apodeme exceptionally large, over 2/3 as long as aedeagal apodeme.

Female terminalia: Spermathecae with distal portion distinctly smaller than basal portion. Paired spermathecae with ducts ca. 1.9 times length of spermatheca.

Holotype (♂, DEBU) and paratypes (30 ♂, 33 ♀, DEBU): ECUADOR: (Pichincha). Río Palenque , dung, 25.ii.1979, S. A. Marshall.

Other paratypes: Same data as holotype, but dated 27.ii.1979 (25 ♂, 35 ♀, QCAZ) . Same data as holotype, but carrion trap (2 ♀, DEBU) . BELIZE: Caves , forest dung, 23– 29.viii.1972, S. & J. Peck (1 ♂, DEBU) . Mtn. Pine Ridge , Hidden Valley Inst., 2500ft., grass­pine, dung traps, 10–15.i.1991, S.A. Marshall (1 ♂, 1 ♀, DEBU) . BOLIVIA: Ixia­

mas, Mulford Bio. Expedition , 22.xii.1921, W. M. Mann (1 ♂, AMNH) . COLOMBIA: Norte de Santander. Santiago , 2000ft, dung trap, 11–13.v.1974, S. Peck (5 ♂, 6 ♀, DEBU; 3 ♂, 4 ♀, UNCB) . Norte de Santander. 3mi N Chinacota , 3000ft, 8–10.v.1974 (6 ♀, DEBU) ; 2 mi N Chinacota , 3000ft, carrion, 12–14.v.1974 (2 ♀, DEBU) ; 20 mi S Cucuta, Quebrada Honda , 2500ft, carrion trap, 13–15.v.1974, S. Peck (1 ♂, DEBU) . COSTA RICA: 10 km W Pto. Viejo, La Selva Verde , 2–4.iii.1991, H. & A. Howden (1 ♂, DEBU) . Guanacaste. Guanacaste Cons. Area, Rincon de la Vieja, La Pailas , 1400m, Clusea rosea forest litter, R. Anderson (1 ♂, 3 ♀, DEBU) . ECUADOR: Pichincha. 250m, 4 km S Sto. Domingo, Río Palenque Station , 17–25.ii.1979, S. A. Marshall (31 ♂, 22 ♀, DEBU) . Pichincha. 250m, 47 km S. Sto. Domigo, Río Palenque Station , FIT, 17–25.ii.1979, (S. A. Marshall) (16 ♂, 16 ♀, INBC) . Same locality as previous label, dung, S. A. Marshall (17 ♂, 12 ♀, DEBU) . Same locality as previous, but dated 5.v.–25.vii.1985, rainforest, malaise­FIT, S. & J. Peck (1 ♂, 1 ♀, DEBU) . Same locality as previous label, but 160–190m, primary rainforest, screen sweep, 1–4.v.1987, L. D. Coote (2 ♂, DEBU) . Same locality as previous label, but dated 1–5.v.1987, rotting fruit, 180m, B.V. Brown and L. D. Coote (1 ♂, DEBU) . Pichincha. 250m, 27 km S Sto. Domingo, Río Palenque Station , 17–25.ii.1979, S. A. Marshall (1 ♀, DEBU) . Pichincha. Río Palenque , 22–23.ii.1976, (1 ♀, DEBU) , dung trap (9 ♂, 6 ♀, DEBU) ; 25–26.ii.1976, (1 ♂, 1 ♀, DEBU) , dung trap (1 ♂, 2 ♀, DEBU) ; 26.ii.1976 (5 ♀, DEBU) , S. Peck. Pichincha. 16 km E Santo Domingo, Tinalandia , 680m, rainforest, malaise­ FIT, 4.v–25.vii.1985, S. & J. Peck (1 ♀, DEBU) . Manabi. 20 km N Chone , 300m, cacao plantation, dung traps, 6–9.vi.1976, S. Peck (2 ♀, DEBU) . Napo. 42 km NW Baeza , 3300ft, carrion trap, 2–6.iii.1976, S. Peck (1 ♂, DEBU) . Napo. 12 km SW Tena , 500m, dung trap, 8–11.viii.1976, S. Peck (1 ♀, DEBU) . GUATEMALA: Peten, Tikal , dung trap, 28–30.vii.1978, Helava & Kukal (3 ♂, 3 ♀, DEBU) . GUYANA: Rupununi. Kurupukari, Essequibo R., 200ft, primary rainforest, dung traps, 9.x.1990, B. Hubley (4 ♂, 4 ♀, DEBU) . MEXICO: Chiapas. 4 mi S Palenque , 700ft, rainforest, human dung, 7– 15.viii.1971, A. Newton (2 ♂, DEBU) . PANAMA: Barro Colorado Island , excremento, 10.iii.1996, N. Eberhyld (3 ♂, DEBU) . Canal Zone, Barro Colorado Island , Malaise trap, vii, 1967, W. W. Wirth (2 ♀, USNM) . Canal Zone, Madden Forest , carrion trap, 10– 13.vi.1977, S. Peck (1 ♂, DEBU) . Colón, 10 mi SE Colón, Santa Rita Ridge , 270m, dung, 10–12.vi.1977, S. Peck (1 ♂, 1 ♀, DEBU) . Chiriquí, Lagunas , 5 km SW Hato del Volcán, 1360m, dung, 22–26.v.1977, S. Peck (1 ♀, DEBU) . PERU: Matucana , 14.vi.1914, H. S. Parish (1 ♂, UNSM) . TRINIDAD: St. George Co., Arima Ward, NY Zool. Soc. Sta. , pig dung trap, 11.vi.1977, R. Woodruff (1 ♂, 1 ♀, DEBU) . VENEZUELA: Bolívar. 10 km S El Dorado , 200m, 17.vii–7.viii.1986 (26 ♂, 29 ♀, DEBU; 10 ♂, 12 ♀, IZAV) ; 20 km S Dorado , 220m, 20–23.vii.1986 (1 ♂, DEBU) ; 33 km S El Dorado , 220m, 2–7.viii.1986 (1 ♂, 2 ♀, DEBU) ; 105 km S El Dorado , 350m, 17.vii–7.viii.1986 (1 ♀, DEBU) , B. Gill. Bolívar. Quebrada de Jaspe , 19–20.vii.1986 (3 ♂, 7 ♀, DEBU) ; km 40 Santa Elena­Icabaru Road , 1000m, 4–6.viii.1986 (1 ♀, DEBU) , B. Gill. Bolívar. 20 km (?), evergreen dry forest, FIT, vi– 12.vii.1987 (1 ♂, 6 ♀, DEBU) ; 26 km N Guasipati , FIT, sandy seasonly humid forest, 24.vi–12.vii.1987 (2 ♂, 3 ♀, DEBU) ; 22 km S El Dorado , lowland rainforest, FIT, 25.vi–12.vii.1987 (1 ♀, DEBU) , S. & J. Peck. Monagas. 15 km N Maturin , flood plain forest, malaise trap, FIT, S. & J. Peck (5 ♂, DEBU) . Tachira. 20 km NE San Cristóbal , 4000ft, dung trap, 18–22.v.1974 (1 ♂, 1 ♀, DEBU) ; 57 km SE San Cristobal, El Pinal , 1500ft, dung trap, 19–21.v.1974 (1 ♂, DEBU) , S. Peck. Aragua. El Limón, Picacho del Diablo , 570m, 13.iv.1994, L. Masner (1 ♂, DEBU) .

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the large ejaculatory apodeme of the male, which distinguishes Robustagramma gigantisclerosum from all known congeners.

Figures

FIGURES 200–206. Robustagramma gigantisclerosum sp. nov.: 200, posterior view of male terminalia; 201, lateral view of male terminalia; 202, lateral view of male internal genitalia; 203, male sternite 5; 204, dorsal view of female terminalia; 205, ventral view of female terminalia; 206, spermathecae.