Melaloncha cordyla, Brown, 2006

Brown, Brian V., 2006, Revision of the untreated taxa of Melaloncha s. s. bee-killing flies (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 1280 (1), pp. 1-68 : 28-30

Melaloncha cordyla new species

Figs. 14, 22

Recognition. The species differs from nearly all others in the M. sinistra group by the light brown scutum: only M. calathea , which is mostly yellow, does not have the scutum mostly dark brown. Additionally, the ovipositor in dorsal view has a distinctive subapical swelling.

Description. Female (male unknown). Body length 1.9–2.0 mm. Frons orange, punctate; ocellar triangle black. Mean frontal width 0.38 head width, no variation. Medial furrow present, but faint. Ocular and genal setae black. Flagellomere 1 and segments 1–2 of arista orange; aristomere 3 black. Palpus white; palpal setae black. Scutum light brown. Scutellum dark brown. Pleuron mixture of light and dark brown. Legs yellowish­brown, except apex of hind femur with round dark brown macula. Forefemur slightly expanded on apical one­half. Combined length of foretarsomeres approximately 0.8 length of foretibia. Foretarsal claws large, recurved, with large basal lobe. Mean costal width 0.50 wing length, range 0.49–0.51. Halter yellow. Abdominal tergites black, anteriorly with silver pollinosity. Venter of abdomen gray. Ovipositor dark brown; elongate, flat dorsally, curved dorsally, in dorsal view clavate subapically; with dense short setae, especially dorsally.

Host. Unknown. At San Antonio de Cumbaza, it was attracted to a mixed aggregation of bees, including Plebeia spp. , Partamona spp. , and Trigona truculenta .

Geographical distribution. Bolivia and Peru.

Derivation of specific epithet. From Greek kordyle for club, referring to the apically swollen ovipositor in dorsal view.

Holotype. ♀, BOLIVIA: Beni: Chacobo Indian village on Rio Benicito , 12.33°S, 66°W, 10–19.vii.1960, B. Malkin [ LACM ENT 132271 ] ( FMNH).

Paratype. PERU: San Martin: San Antonio de Cumbaza , 6.40°S, 76.41°W, 1♀, 10.vii.2004, B. Brown, E. Corona, honey­spray, 400 m ( LACM) .

Figures

FIGURES 13–24. Melaloncha spp., female, ovipositor. Figs. 13–21. Left lateral. Figs. 22–24. Dorsal.