Laurenceomyia martinezae, Canneva, 2019

Canneva, Bruno, 2019, A new species of Laurenceomyia Wagner & Stuckenberg, with a key to species and new records for Psychodidae (Diptera) from Uruguay, Zootaxa 4544 (3), pp. 407-418 : 408-410

Laurenceomyia martinezae sp. nov.

Description. Male. Head: Typical of the genus, width: 0.6 mm. Eyes circular, separated by 3.5 facet diameters, frons with a cluster of 16–18 setae between eyes; these are separated from the other seta of frons and vertex ( Figure 1A ). Relative length of four palp segments: 24-29-28-96. Second palp segment with area of Newstead scales present on inner margin, terminal palp segment striated. Antenna with 14 flagellomeres and with the following formula: Scape(15)-Pedicel(15)-Flagellomeres(80-45-50-48-46-45-42-40-35-30-30-30-25-27). Apiculus of terminal flagellomere nearly 0.2 times segment length ( Figure 1B ). All flagellomeres, covered with setae and bearing short digitiform ascoids as well as mushroom shaped ascoids ( Figure 1C ). The digitiform ascoids are numerous on every segment, especially on the first one. The number of mushroom shaped ascoids are four on the first flagellomere, and two on each of the remaining segments.

Thorax: Legs elongate, circa 6 mm in length, lacking specific features. Prosternal paired projection slightly bulbous. Wing: typical of the genus, length 3.4 mm, radial fork shorter than vein R2+3; M2 originating before r-m on the distal third of discoidal cell; CuA1 short, reaching just before r-m; CuA2 curving towards wing margin ( Figure 1D ).

Abdomen: With small lateral extensions on fifth segment, from which long ornamental setulae arise; setulae length about 0.75X the width of abdominal segment. Eighth sternite represented by a thin sclerite ( Figure 1E ). Terminalia: parameres flat and translucent, with a basal pair of long setae, and with margins regularly covered with shorter setae. Aedeagus blade-like, with short dorsal extensions carrying setae ( Figures 1F, G ), basiphallus sclerite vertically developed, distiphallus short. Gonocoxites fused basally, with mesoapical spinose projection. Gonostylus thickened at base, bearing a group of about 50–70 long spines in the dorsomedial basal halves. Distal half of gonostylus bent inward, bifurcated into two spine-armed branches, conforming spatially a nearly orthogonal threedimensional structure ( Figure 1G ). Mesal branch of gonostylus short, with 8–12 spines, delineating a more or less horizontal plane. Distal branch of gonostylus long, bearing 9–14 spines on the apex, tracing a vertical plane, and with a small protuberance medially with 1–2 spines. Epandrium little longer than wide, decreasing in width distally; cercus small oval, laterally compressed ( Figure 1H ). Epiproct small setose, triangular and slightly folded in the longitudinal axis, giving the appearance of being digitate in dorsoventral view.

Female: Unknown.

Diferential diagnosis. Characteristic wing venation, mesal projection on gonocoxites and subapically bent gonostili place the specimens into the new world genus Laurenceomyia Wagner & Stuckenberg , presently composed of the species: L. pilipes , L. pallipes , L. similis , L. capixaba , and L. dampfianus ( Wagner & Stuckenberg 2016) . The new species L. martinezae differs from L. pilipes by the presence of lateral extensions on the fifth abdominal segment bearing ornamental setulae and by presenting Newstead scales on the second palpomere, and from the remaining Laurenceomyia species by having a large and stout, orthogonally bifurcated gonostylus, similar to that of L. pilipes . See key to species.

Type locality. Uruguay, Departamento de Salto, Arenitas Blancas .

Type material. Holotype 1♂ Uruguay: Departamento de Salto, Arenitas Blancas (31°24'45"S, 58°0'4"W), 14 February 2015, L. Verger & B. Canneva coll. (FCE-Dip 0367) . Paratypes 2♂ from the same locality and collectors: 0 8 February 2015, FCE-Dip 0368; 14 February 2015, FCE-Dip 0 369 .

Etymology. The specific epithet is in honor to my esteemed professor María Martínez, who has studied the broadest diversity of dipteran families in Uruguay.

Distribution. Currently known from type locality (Arenitas Blancas, Salto, Uruguay).

Natural History. Unknown

Remarks: L. pallipes (Shannon & Del Ponte, 1927) Type locality Iguazú Falls, Misiones, Argentina, was described on wing morphology and vestiture of a female individual, characters that were just enough to differentiate it from Bruchomyia argentina Alexander, 1921 , the other species present in Argentina at that time. Later, Alexander (1929) loaned the type of L. pallipes describing additional features, and observed it differed from L. pilipes (Tonnoir, 1922) in coloration of wing, body and tarsi, but expressed that wing venation were the same in both species. Fairchild (1952) stated that L. pallipes could be a synonym for L. pilipes on account of the identification by Alexander (1929) of a male specimen of L. pilipes in the type locality of L. pallipes, Iguazú Falls. The close relationships of L. pallipes with the remaining species of the genus are unclear, and only the eventual male description of L. pallipes would solve this issue, leading to the following three possible scenarios: validation of synonymy suggested by Fairchild (1952) as junior synonym of L. pillipes ; confirmation of L. pallipes and of the remaining five species in the genus including L. martinezae sp. nov. as distinct and valid species; subjective synonymy with one of the other five species in the genus, that were described after 1927.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Laurenceomyia martinezae sp. nov. male. A) Head. B) Apical flagellomere. C) Ascoids on 12th flagellomere. D) Wing. E) Abdomen: fifth to terminal segments. F) Parameres and aedeagus, dorsoventral view. G) Genitalia lateromedial view. H) Epandrium with cerci, dorsoventral view. Legend: ae = aedeagus; cx = gonocoxite; da = digitiform ascoid; gs = gonostylus; le = lateral extensions; ma = mushroom shaped ascoid; pa = paramere; st = eight sternite.