Bromeloecia ramus Yau and Marshall, 2018

Yau, Tiffany & Marshall, Stephen A., 2018, A revision of the genus Bromeloecia Spuler (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae: Limosininae), Zootaxa 4445 (1), pp. 1-115 : 33-37

Bromeloecia ramus Yau and Marshall sp. n.

(Figs. 6.1–6.14)

Description: Body length 1.1–1.6 mm (males), 1.2–1.7 mm (females). Generally similar to B. abundantia .

Head: Anterior fronto-orbital seta 0.3x as long as posterior seta, extremely weak, almost indistinguishable from setulae.

Wing: Distance between radial fork and r-m 5x length of r-m; dm-cu 2x length of r-m and distance between crossveins 2x length of dm-cu.

Legs: Ventral surface of male mid tibia with a comb of 9 stout setae increasing in size distally followed by a large apical seta on distal half; ventral surface of female mid tibia only with large apical seta.

Male abdomen and terminalia: S5 with a pair of rounded posteromedial lobes posteroventrally covered with spicules, and with 2 short and tight rows of ventromedially directed setae anterior to lobes; anterior row with 7 setae, half as strong as posterior row of 4 setae. Anteroventral process on right side of epandrium long and of uniform width; left thin long sclerite probably homologous with left anteroventral process; both articulating ventrally with anterior hypandrial apodeme. Cercus thin, apically tapering. Surstylus J-shaped with rectangular medial lobe and long slender lateral process. Distiphallus WS quadrate base upright and long; LFS basally narrow, apically spatulate; FDS form a dorsal arch weakly resembling a tongue; SDS distally desclerotized to almost membranous, leaf-shaped.

Female abdomen and terminalia: S7 posteriorly collapsed; posteriorly with 1 row of setae of alternating size on each half and anteriorly with several small scattered setae. Ventral edge of each half of T8 long, with 1 seta. S8 thin and very well sclerotized, arched from side to side. Cercus short, pear-shaped, with medial preapical stout hooked seta. Each spermatheca with 1 large hemispherical pit and 1 small shallow pit.

Type specimens: Holotype: ♂: ECUADOR: Napo: Tiputini Biodiversity Stn., 00°36ʹ50ʺS, 076°09ʹ01ʺW, May 2011, S. A. Marshall, debu00371112 ( QCAZ).

Paratypes: BOLIVIA: La Paz: Arroyo Tuhiri W Mapiri , 15°17ʹ27ʺS, 068°15ʹ29ʺW, 10 Apr 2001, S. A. Marshall (1♀, DEBU) ; Heath River Wildlife Centre, ~ 21 km SSW Puerto Heath , 12°40ʹ00ʺS, 068°42ʹ00ʺW, tree fall, yellow pans, 5–9 May 2007, Paiero & Kits (3♂, 2♀, CBFC, DEBU) ; Heath River Wildlife Research Centre, 12°40ʹ00ʺS, 068°42ʹ00ʺW, tree fall, yellow pans, 5–9 May 2007, Paiero & Kits (1♂, 1♀, DEBU) ; San Antonio, ca. 8 km S Mapiri , 15°20ʹ56ʺS, 068°13ʹ31ʺW, secondary forest, dung pans, 11 Apr 2001, S. A. Marshall (1♂, DEBU) . COLOMBIA: Amazonas: Leticia, Pepper Farm, dung, 1 Mar 1974, V. Nealis (2♂, 1♀, DEBU) ; Leticia , dung, 28 Feb 1974, V. Nealis (1♀, DEBU) . ECUADOR: Napo: same as holotye (2♂, DEBU) ; Tiputini Biodiversity Stn. , 00°36ʹ50ʺS, 076°09ʹ01ʺW, sweep, May 2011, S. A. Marshall (1♂, DEBU) ; Tiputini Biodiversity Stn., vic. Yasuní National Park , 00°38ʹS, 076°10ʹW, pitfall trap (human dung), 14–19 Feb 1998, D. C. Darling (4♂, 3♀, QCAZ, DEBU) ; Yasuní National Park, Yasuní Res. Sta., rainforest, Malaise trap, 3–20 Nov 1998, Pape & Viklund (2♀, DEBU). GUYANA: Potaro-Siparuni: Mazaruni-Potaro, Tukeit Falls, Potaro R., 1° rainforest, 300ʹ, human dung trap, 27–29 Sep 1990, B. Hubley (3♂, 1♀, ROME, DEBU) ; W. side Potaro R. downstream Tukeit Falls, 1° rainforest clearing, 300ʹ, Malaise-fine , 27–30 Sep 1990, B. Hubley & L. D. Coote (1♀, DEBU) ; Kabocalli, Iwokrama Forest Reserve, 60 m, FIT, 3–5 Jun 2001, Brooks & Falin (1♂, 3♀, DEBU) ; Kabocalli, Iwokrama Forest Reserve, 100 m, FIT, 22–25 May 2001, Brooks & Falin (2♂, 4♀, DEBU) ; Mount Wokomung , 05°7ʹ53ʺN, 059°48ʹ31ʺW, 1° rainforest, 698 m, pitfall trap (human dung), 21–26 Oct 2004, B. Hubley (2♂, DEBU) ; Upper Demerara-Berbice: Rupununi, Kurupukari , Essequibo R., 1° rainforest, 200ʹ, dung trap, 9 Oct 1990, B. Hubley (7♂, 3♀, ROME, DEBU) . PERU: Loreto: Teniente Lopez , FIT, 24 Jul 1993, R. Leschen (1♀, DEBU) ; San Jacinto , FIT, 12 Jul 1993, R. Leschen (1♀, DEBU) ; Campamento San Jacinto , 175–215 m, FIT, 11 Jul 1993, R. Leschen (1♀, DEBU) ; Madre de Dios: Amazonas Lodge, N of Atalaya , 12°52ʹ12ʺS, 071°22ʹ36ʺW, 480 m, FIT, 10–13 Nov 2007, D. Brzoska (1♀, DEBU) . VENEZUELA: Bolívar: Quebrada de Jaspe , 19–20 Jul 1986, B. Gill (1♂, 1♀, MUSM) ; 10 km S El Dorada , 200 m, 17 Jul–7 Aug 1986, B. Gill (1♂, 1♀, DEBU) ; 22 km S El Dorada , lowland rainforest, FIT, 25 Jun–12 Jul 1987, S. & J. Peck (1♀, DEBU) .

Etymology: This name refers to the antler-shaped surstylus (Latin ‘ramus’: branch, antler).

Comments: B. ramus is widespread at low elevations across South America. The 2 tight rows of setae on S5 usually seem to form a medial horn when observed under a dissecting microscope. The cercus is short and pointed when compared to B. abundantia , though not as small as B. fractacincta . The cerci are normally flexed inwards. The hypandrial arms are uniformly broader than in B. abundantia , B. magna , B. pinna , and B. robustora , but not as broad as those of B. fractacincta .