Mberu ericae sp. nov.

(Fig. 4)

Description. Male. Body length: 2.38–3.09 mm. Wing length: 2.20–2.61 mm long, 0.58–0.68 mm wide (n = 7). Similar to M. altamiro sp. nov. in both general habitus and chaetotaxy, except as noted. Body mostly dark brown with metallic reflections. Head (Fig. 4B, C) Complete row of white pocl s, increasing in size ventrally, ventralmost dense and sinuous, as long as anterior setae at base of coxa I; lower occiput covered by numerous white, sinuous ocp s, increasing in size ventrally, as long as lower pocl s. Pedicel completely yellow; postpedicel about 1.3 times longer than basal width; stylus about 5.3 times longer than postpedicel. Thorax (Fig. 4C). Brown, with some dark green reflections. Wing (Fig. 4F). Membrane completely hyaline. RMx ratio = 3.3, CuAx ratio = 0.2. Legs (Fig. 4A, C–E). Mostly brown, yellow on apical 1/4 of tibia II, apical 1/4 of IIt1, femur III at apex, tibia III near base and at apex, and basal 1/4 of IIIt1. Leg I. Anterior surface of coxa I largely covered with white setae, decreasing in length towards apex, basalmost setae sinuous, conspicuously longer than width of coxa I (Fig. 4C); base of femur I with 2–4 long pv white setae, sometimes bunched together, and 2–3 tiny hairs posteriad, apex of femur I with 2–3 strong dorsal setae (MSSC); tibia I with row of 8–10 ad brown setae on basal half, decreasing in size towards apex (MSSC). Leg II. Femur II with ad row of strong brown setae along apical 2/3, decreasing in length towards apex (Fig. 4E); ventral surface completely bare, except for av row of white setae on basal 3/4, decreasing in length towards apex, ending in one sinuous, brown av seta (Fig. 4D); tibia II with one anterior row of long, conspicuous brown setae, strongly curved medially (Fig. 4D, E). Relative podomere ratios: I: 20.9/ 18.1/ 11.3/ 2.5/ 1.4/ 1/ 1.4; II: 6.3/ 5/ 5.8/ 1/ 1/ 1.1/ 1; III: 7.4/ 9.9/ 4/ 5/ 3/ 1.5/ 1. Abdomen. Mostly brown, with some dark blue to green reflections. Hypopygium. As in M. altamiro sp. nov. (Fig. 2) (see Discussion). Female. Unknown.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, “ BRAZIL, DF [Distrito Federal], TAGUATINGA | Chácara Frutos da Terra [organic vegetable farm] | 15°49′45.0″S, 48°04′16.4″W | Malaise T 3 – 10/08/2012 [08.x.2012] | msp 09.26 | Harterreiten-Souza, E.S col.”, “HOLOTYPE | Mberu ericae | Silva, Capellari & Oliveira [red label]” (MZUSP) . Holotype in good condition, genitalia not dissected. PARATYPES. Brazil. Distrito Federal. Same data as holotype (1 ♂, MZUSP) . Brasília, Fazenda Água Limpa-UnB, Córrego da Capetinga, 4–12.ix.2024, Malaise Gressit & Gressit, F. S. P. Godoi e equipe col. (4 ♂, MZUSP) . Goiás. Mineiros, Parque Nacional das Emas, Malaise - Parcela 2 Mata, 17°54′08.0″S, 52°59′47.1″W, 04.ix–08.x.2017, Cols. Oliveira & Lopes (1 ♂, dissected, ZUFG) .

Etymology. Named after Érica Sevilha Harterreiten-Souza, who collected the holotype of this species and studied Dolichopodidae in the Brazilian Cerrado, especially in agricultural areas.

Remarks. Mberu ericae sp. nov. is similar to M. altamiro sp. nov. in general habitus and chaetotaxy, but they can be differentiated by wing membrane completely hyaline in M. ericae sp. nov. (Fig. 4F), the lower surface of occiput is covered by one row of pocl s and one row of ocp s, both white, sinuous, dense, regularly spaced, increasing in size ventrally, and the lowermost two times as long as oc s (Fig. 4B), and the anterior surface of coxa I covered with setae, the basal ones are sinuous and conspicuously longer than the width of coxa I (Fig. 4C). In M. altamiro sp. nov., the wing membrane is light brown, slightly darker along the anterior margin and at apex (Fig. 1F); the lower surface of the occiput is covered by one complete row of pocl s and one row of ocp s, both straight, sparse, and irregularly spaced, increasing in size ventrally, as long as vt s (Fig. 1B), the anterior surface of coxa I is covered by setae shorter than the width of coxa I (Fig. 1D). Mberu ericae sp. nov. is one of the seven morphospecies collected by Harterreiten-Souza et al. (2020), but only M. ericae sp. nov. and M. jawara sp. nov. have males in good enough condition to be described.

Distribution (Fig. 24). Brazil: Distrito Federal and state of Goiás (Cerrado biome).