Heteromeringia decora sp. n.

(Figs 4, 58, Map 3)

Description (Figs 4, 58)

Female

Body length 4.9 mm. Bristles black. Two dorsocentral bristles. Ocellar bristle relatively long and well-developed. All genal bristles small and hair-like. Three fronto-orbital bristles. Arista pubescent. Thorax largely yellow; anterior 3/4 of presutural scutum brown (excluding small lateral emargination and wide truncate posterior emargination); remainder of notopleuron slightly brownish-orange; postsutural scutum with one pair of thin stripes outside dorsocentral rows (not touching posterior margin); scutellum yellow and subscutellum brown. Legs mostly yellow; fore coxa and basal half of femora white; fore femur with brown inner-apical spot; fore tibia brown laterally; fore tarsi dark brown laterally (remainder light brown); fore tibia and tarsi with slight lateral compression. Head yellow except as follows: frons brownish-orange (excluding lateral margins) with anterior half dark brown (velvety medially); first flagellomere with small spot around base of arista; back of head dark brown above foramen; face dirty yellow; distal half of palpus dark brown; gena brown medially on anterior half (fading posteriorly); gena silvery tomentose on dorsal 2/5 of anterior half. Abdomen brown with terminalia yellow. Wing darkly infuscated along R

2 2+3

(excluding base) and along distal 2/5 around R 4+54+5; lightly infuscated along all veins posterior

to R

4. M ratio 8.3.

4+5 1+2

Female terminalia

Not dissected.

Male

Unknown.

Etymology

The specific name refers to the distinct colouration of this species.

Holotype: MEXICO. Chiapas: Montebello N.P., 5000', 31.v.1969, B. V. Peterson (Mal.) (1 , CNCI).

Comments

Heteromeringia decora is easily separated from other New World Heteromeringia by its characteristic colouration, similar to that seen in some Indoaustralian species.