Moruseodina cusucoensis Bravo & Cordeiro

Bravo, Freddy, Cordeiro, Danilo & Jocque, Merlijn, 2014, A new genus of Psychodinae (Diptera, Psychodidae) from phytotelmata in a Honduran cloud forest, Zootaxa 3841 (3), pp. 418-428 : 424-426

Moruseodina cusucoensis Bravo & Cordeiro sp. nov.

(Figs. 2–23)

Type material. HONDURAS, Cortés province, Parque Nacional el Cusuco, VII–VIII.2008, Jocque M. and Mendes H. col., holotype male with pupa exuvia (44774, MZFS); three paratypes, all male with pupa exuviae, same locality, date and collectors as holotype (44775, 44776, 44777, MZFS). The specimens were collected from a single tree hole in cloud forest close to the visitors center at an elevation of 1557 masl. (N15 29 ,824, W88 12,682). Larvae are mounted on a separate slide.

Etymology. The epithet refers to the name of the National Park in Honduras where the species was collected.

Diagnosis. Eye bridge separated by 4.0 facet diameters; R2 with basal swelling; R5 ending at wing apex; cercus with nine apical tenacula; aedeagus with two branches, one simple, the other longer and bifurcated.

Description. Male (Figs. 2–12): Head (Fig. 2, 3) with eye bridge with 4 facet rows, separated by 4.0 facet diameters; interocular suture present, concave, nearly V-shaped; hair patch of frons undivided, extending narrowly to frontal suture. Antenna with 14 flagellomeres (Fig. 2), scape subcylindrical 1.3 times as long as pedicel; pedicel spherical (Fig. 4); flagellomeres nodiform (Figs. 4, 5); apiculus of last flagellomere as long as the internode of 13th flagellomere (Fig. 5); flagellomeres 1–14 with pair of digitiform ascoids (Figs. 4, 5). Palpus formula = 1.0:1.9:1.7:2.4 (Fig. 6). Wing (Fig. 7). Length, 2.28 mm; maximum width, 1.05 mm. R2 with basal swelling; other longitudinal veins without swellings; radial fork little basal to medial fork, which is basal to CuA2; R2+3 and R4+5 completes; R5 ending at wing apex. Male terminalia with epandrium fused to hypandrium ( Fig. 8 ). Epandrium wider than long with distal U-shaped cleft, with clothed setae only in posterior area ( Fig. 9 ); presence of a single large, oval foramen ( Fig. 9 ). Cercus pilose, approximately 1.3 times as long as gonostylus, basally approximately 3 times wider than apically; with 9 subapical tenacula ( Fig. 8 ). Hypandrium bent, strip-like ( Fig. 10 ). Gonocoxite pilose, as long as gonostylus, but approximately 3.7 times the width of gonostylus, in dorsal view ( Fig. 10 ). Gonostylus slightly pilose. Epiproct and hypoproct tongue-shaped, both with apical micropilosity ( Fig. 10 ). Aedeagal complex asymmetric, with a dorsal plate covering aedeagus ( Fig. 8, 10, 11 ); aedeagus with two branches, one simple, slender, the other longer, bifurcated in dorsal and ventral pieces, dorsal piece bilobed at apex and ventral piece with acute apex ( Figs. 10–12 ). Aedeagal apodeme simple, as long as aedeagal complex ( Figs. 8, 10–12 ). Female unknown.

Pupa ( Figs. 13–19 ): Color light brown; body conical ( Fig. 13 ); total length: 3,55–4,0 mm; tips of sheats of legs not extending beyond the apices of the wing covers; respiratory horn approximately six times as long as its medial width, with small group of pits in the basal 1/5 and irregular longitudinal double rows of pits terminally ( Fig. 14 ). Abdomen with spiniform protuberances (generally with bifid apex) present on the posterior margin of the tergites of abdominal segments III–VII. Spiniform protuberances also present on the posterior margin of the sternites of abdominal segments III–VII, but in this case the protuberances are larger and have two to five acute endings. Following the segmentation, these protuberances reduce in number but increase in size. Anal division conical, less than 2X as long as its width at base, carrying protuberances with spiniform setae at the apex, as in the pattern shown by Vaillant (1971).

Chaetotaxy. Head with setae h very reduced in comparison to the nearby setae f and g. At the place of setae c, two long setae are present. Other setae are present at ocular and frontoclypeal sclerites, as illustrated ( Fig. 15 ). Thorax with setae 1, 11 and 14 very small ( Fig. 16 ). Abdomen with setae 1 of anterior tergite, and setae 2, 8 and 11 of posterior tergite, small ( Fig. 17 ). 2nd to 7th segment with same pattern of chaetotaxy, as follows: each side of anterior tergite with only one very small setae (id) and of posterior tergite with four setae on anterior margin and nine on posterior margin ( Fig. 17 ) and with the same pattern of reduction of the 1st segment (setae 2, 8 and 11 very small). From abdominal segment III–VII all setae of posterior tergal plate are associated with a protuberance. The five sternites ( Fig. 18 ) with three setae (16, 17 and 18) on posterior margin, and two setae (5 and 6) anteriorly (except the first sternite, where the anterior setae are missing). Anal division ( Fig. 19 ) cone shaped, dorsally with a uniform plate carrying setae 1–5.

Larva ( Figs. 20–23 ): Measurements, total length 8.15–8.55mm; head length 0,49–0,53 mm; head width 0,45–0,48 mm. Larvae of usual shape in Psychodinae : head oval; three thoracic segments, two tergal plates on each; seven abdominal segments, first with two tergal plates and II–VII with three tergal plates, and elongate anal division. Head ( Fig. 20 ) with dorsal epicranial suture V shaped. Frons with only five setae (setae 3 and 4 absent) on each side. Gena with only 13 setae (one trifid setae instead of setae 5, 6 and 7; one setae on the place of 11 and 12, one of them may be absent on this species). Setae 8 brush-like. Labrum with digitiform and setiform setae anteriorly. Hypostomium with three apical teeth. Thorax ( Fig. 21 ) with setae on all segments as described in Vaillant (1971) for the larvae of 4th instar of Clogmia albipunctata (Williston) , arranged as illustrated. Meso- and metathorax with the same number and arrangement of setae, differing only on the presence of a medial longitudinal suture on tergites of mesothorax, as on the prothorax. Ventrally, a transversal row of small spines formed by the cuticle is found on the line of setae 8 and 9, and nearby pedichaetes of meso- and metathorax. The anterior spiracle is short, without ornamentation. Abdomen ( Fig. 22 ) with protergite present on segments II–VII, meso- and metatergites present on segments I–VII, all showing same pattern of chaetotaxy of illustration ( Fig. 22 ). Small spines formed by the cuticle present on the side of each segment, on the level of mesotergite. Ventrally, each segment has a transversal row of spines on pro- and mesothorax, and an arched row on the metathorax. The spines on these rows are gradually smaller following the body segmentation, until the rows of spines of meso- and metathorax are completely indistinguishable on abdominal segment VII. Anal division ( Fig. 23 ) with dorsal sclerite around 2X longer than width at base. Number and arrangement of setae in accordance with the Vaillant (1971), as illustrated. Preanal plate subtrapezoidal, apical margin slightly convex, with four true setae on apical margin, together with a row of accessory setae.

Ecological observations. Moruseodina cusucoensis is commonly observed in water puddles in tree holes and in bromeliad leaf axils ( Tillandsia guatemalensis and Catopsis sp.). They often occur in high densities (30+ individuals) in small amounts of water (<200ml), together with several species of Chironomidae , Culicidae and Tipulidae . The species is also commonly found in experimental set-ups (unpublished information) consisting of plastic cups tied to trees in the forest, indicating a fast colonization rate and general common presence in this forest.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 15. Moruseodina cucucoensis sp. nov., male. Fig. 8 – 12. Male terminalia. Fig. 8. Lateral view. Fig. 9. Ventral view. Fig. 10. Dorsal view. Fig. 11. Aedeagal complex, lateral view slightly inclined. Fig. 12. Aedeagus and aedeagal apodeme in detail. Fig. 13 – 15. Pupa. Fig. 13. Overview of body. Fig. 14. Respiratory horn. Fig. 15. Head sclerites. (aec = aedeagal complex, dp = dorsal plate, d. r. = irregular longitudinal double rows of pits, fc = furca, g. r. = group of rows of pits in the 1 / 5 basal, pr = paramere)

FIGURES 16 – 19. Moruseodina cucucoensis sp. nov., pupa. Fig. 16. Thorax, dorsal view. Fig. 17. Anterior half of abdomen, ventral view. Fig. 18. Abdomen, dorsal view. Fig. 19. Posterior half of abdomen, ventral view. (id = internal dorsal setae)

FIGURES 20 – 23. Moruseodina cusucoensis sp. nov., larvae. Each illustration with dorsal (left) and ventral (right) views. Fig. 20. Head. Fig. 21. Pro- and meta-thorax. Fig. 22. Forth abdominal segment. 23. Anal division. (ps = proximal setae (“ ak ” in Vaillant 1971), el = external latero-anal setae (“ al ” in Vaillant 1971), id = intermediary dorsal setae, il = internal latero-anal setae, iv = intermediary ventral setae, pc = pos-cephalic setae, pd = pedichaetes)