Mberu soaresi sp. nov.

(Figs 18, 19)

Description. Male. (Fig. 18A) Body length: 2.49–2.94 mm. Wing length: 2.76–3.01 mm long, 0.84–0.95 mm wide (n = 9). Similar to Mberu amorimi sp. nov. in both general habitus and chaetotaxy, except as noted. Body mostly black to dark brown, with slight blue or green reflections. Head (Fig. 18B). Frons width 1/3 head width; vertex slightly excavated dorsally; face with dense silver pruinosity; clypeus dark brown, with silver pruinosity on edges; palpus dark brown, yellowish on edges and apex; postpedicel brown, triangular and pubescent, about 1.9 times longer than basal width; stylus about 2.6 times longer than postpedicel. Thorax. Brown, with some green or blue reflections, 1.1 times as long as abdomen; 4–5 dc s, increasing in size posteriorly; one presut spal s and two large psut spal s; two dark pprn s, one strong and one tiny. Wing. RMx ratio = 3.3, CuAx ratio = 0.3. Legs. Completely brown, coxae II and III sclerotized. Leg I. Coxa I without conspicuous projection (Fig. 18C); femur I with ventral excavation at apex; It1elongated, as long as remaining tarsomeres combined (Fig. 18D). Leg II. Femur II with one row of dark setae on anterior surface; ventral surface bare, except for av row of dark setae on apical half and one strong brown pv near apex; with ventral excavation at apex (all MSSC). Leg III. Femur III with apical pv and ventral excavation at apex; tibia III (Fig. 18E) with dorsal swelling at apical half, row of dorsal and ventral white setae, and comb of posterior white setae projecting into IIIt1, projecting towards tarsal excavation; IIIt1 with comb of posterior white setae projecting into IIIt2, with ventral excavation at base (MSSC). Relative podomere ratios: I: 8.2/ 8.5/ 4.9/ 2.1/ 1.5/ 1/ 1.2; II: 8.4/ 8.2/ 6/ 3.3/ 2.1/ 2.1/ 1; III: 7.7/ 8.4/ 2.8/ 2.9/ 1.7/ 1.2/ 1. Abdomen. Mostly black to dark brown, with some dark blue to green reflections. Hypopygium (Fig. 19). Epandrium elongate, twice longer than high, dark (Figs 19A, B). MEp elongate, digitiform, with two small dorsal setae near apex (Fig. 19C). DSur and VSur covering internal appendages (Fig. 19A, B); VSur (Fig. 19C) enlarged, twice higher than DSur, with one internal seta at apex, probably being LEp fused with VSur (see Quevedo et al. 2025); DSur (Fig. 19D) irregularly shaped and robust, with curved ventral margins and truncated, rounded distal lobe, 2.1 times wider than height. Hypandrium basally fused to epandrium. Phallus with short dorsal projection near apex (Fig. 19F). Cercus (Fig. 19E) divided in two parts, ventral part rounded and stout, with 4–5 spines ventrally, dorsal part rounded and covered by fine setae, with flattened seta apically. Female. Body length: 3.09 mm. Wing length: 2.99 mm long, 1.13 mm wide (n = 1). Similar to male, except as noted. Head. Face broader (about as broad as ocellar tubercle). Wing. RMx ratio = 4.6, CuAx ratio = 0.4. Legs. Leg II. Tibia II with av at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and at apex, one anterior seta at apex, two ad at 1/3 and 2/3, and two dorsal setae at 2/3 and at apex. Relative podomere ratios: I: 7.7/ 7.5/ 4.6/ 2.3/ 1.4/ 1/ 1; II: 9.5/ 8/ 6.2/ 3.3/ 1.9/ 1.2/ 1; III: 9/ 10.6/ 3.5/ 3.9/ 2.2/ 1.4/ 1. Abdomen. Tergite 1–5 covered by short setae. Oviscapt as in M. bodoquena sp. nov. .

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, “ BRASIL, RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Arroio [Stream] Corrientes, | Fazenda [Farm] Corrientes – Mata | Malaise – 28.x-5.xi.2011 | S31.55506 W52.14336 [31°33′18.2″S 52°08′36.1″W] | F.D. Kirst & R.F. Kruger col.; “HOLOTYPE | Mberu soaresi | Silva, Capellari & Oliveira [red label]” (MZUSP) . Holotype in good condition, genitalia not dissected. PARATYPES. Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul. Same data as holotype (4 ♂, two dissected, MZUSP) . Santa Catarina. Nova Teutônia, x.1970, 27°11′S 52°23′W, Fritz Plaumann Col. (2 ♂, one dissected, MZUSP) . Paraná. Bairro Santa Rita, 25°22′45.91″S 49°07′56.73″W, Malaise – 913 m, iv.2012, Savaris, M. col. (1 ♂, 1 ♀, MZUSP) . São Paulo. iv.1960, Forattini col. (1 ♂, MZUSP) .

Etymology. Named after Matheus Mickael Mota Soares (INPA), a prominent Brazilian dipterist specializing in Brachycera and a good friend who helped the first author during his stay at INPA.

Remarks. Mberu soaresi sp. nov. is similar to M. lamasi sp. nov., and both have tibia III with dorsal swelling at apical half, comb of posterior white setae projecting into IIIt1, projecting towards tarsal excavation (Figs 12E, 18E), and the hypopygial morphology similar to the pepocatu group, but can be differentiated by coxa I without conspicuous projection in M. soaresi sp. nov. (Fig. 18C), and It1 without modified setae (Fig. 18D). Mberu lamasi sp. nov. has coxa I with conspicuous posterior hook-shaped projection (Fig. 12C), and It1 with distinct row of spine-like setae (Fig. 12D).

Distribution (Fig. 24). Brazil: states of Paraná, São Paulo, Santa Catarina (Atlantic Forest biome), and Rio Grande do Sul (Pampa biome).