Helgreelia, Gaimari, Stephen D., 2007

Gaimari, Stephen D., 2007, Three new Neotropical genera of Odiniidae (Diptera: Acalyptratae), Zootaxa 1443, pp. 1-16 : 3-4

Helgreelia gen. nov.

Type species. Helgreelia albeto , sp. nov., by present designation.

Etymology. Named in honor of my wife Helen (Hel-) Greeley (-greelia) Gaimari (nee Jones), for her constant support.

Diagnosis. Posterior part of head strongly concave. Postocellar setae absent. Frons with 3 fronto-orbital setae (2 reclinate posterior setae, 1 inclinate anterior seta). Lunule high, broadly arched, higher than frons length. Antennae widely separated; basoflagellomere orange, kidney shaped; arista pubescent. Face with deep antennal grooves. Gena lacking an upturned genal seta. Palpus orange, spatulate. Scutum with 1+3 dorsocentral setae; prescutellar acrostichal seta absent. Prescutellum absent. Scutellum arched, lacking setulae. Midtibia with 1 strong spur. Wing with vein C extending just past vein R4+5; costal spinules extending to vein R2+3; vein M1 becoming distinctly weaker from crossvein dm-cu to wing margin.

Adults, ɗ, Ψ. Body length 3.8–4.1 mm.

Head ( Figs. 2 A–B). Height 1.6–2.2 X length; width 1.1–1.3 X height. Eye only slightly higher than long. Medial and lateral vertical setae present, strong, subequal. Posterior part of head strongly concave. Frons 2.3– 2.9 X wider than long. Postocellar setae absent. Ocellar triangle bronzy to greyish pruinose, setulose; distance between anterior and one posterior ocelli 2 X that between posterior ocelli; ocellar setae proclinate and diverging, moderately strong. Frons orangish, lightly covered with bronzy pruinosity except along eye margin where bronzy pruinosity dense; frontal stripe area with few small setulae. Fronto-orbital plate setulose, with 2 moderately strong reclinate, posterior fronto-orbital setae and 1 moderately strong inclinate, anterior fronto-orbital seta, middle seta very close to anterior-most seta. Lunule 0.3–0.4 mm high, broadly arched; 1.2–1.4 X higher than frons length; with bronzy pruinosity; with few scattered setulae. Antenna mostly orange, except arista brown; scape with silvery pruinosity; basoflagellomere kidney shaped, 1.3–1.5 X higher than long; arista pubescent; antennal bases separated by distance greater than 3 X diameter of single antennal socket. Face concolorous with lunule; with deep antennal grooves. Oral vibrissa moderately strong, with 1–2 additional slightly smaller subvibrissal setae below. Gena bronzy pruinose, with black spots (groundcolor, lacking pruinosity) at base of each setula; 0.47–0.53 X as high as head height; lacking upturned genal seta, but with several upturned setulae along lower eye margin; setulose. Genal groove area (below eye) orange, narrow, bare. Palpus orange; spatulate; densely setulose, with long setulae. Prementum and labellum orangish brown, with dark setulae.

Thorax ( Fig. 1 A). Scutum 1.2–1.5 mm long, length and width subequal; bronzy-grey to bronzy-brown pruinose with faintly brownish median vitta; dorsocentral area lacking pruinosity (displaying dark groundcolor) at bases of dorsocentral setae; densely, but patchily, setulose; lateral portion of scutum (below intra-alar area) lacking setulae. Prescutellum absent. Scutellum 0.5 mm long, 1.4–1.7 X wider than long; anterior part concolorous with scutum, becoming lighter to pale yellowish in posterior part; lacking setulae; slightly arched dorsally. Chaetotaxy: 1+3 dorsocentrals (presutural + postsutural; posterior-most seta slightly stronger than others), prescutellar acrostichal absent, 1 postpronotal, 2 notopleurals, 1 postsutural intra-alar (in posterior part of scutum), 1 presutural supra-alar, 1 postsutural supra-alar, 2 postalars (anterior one strong, posterior one weak and sometimes setulae-like), 2 scutellars (posterior one slightly stronger). Pleuron above katepisternum lacking setae or setulae except for 1 strong proepisternal seta; goldish-yellow pruinose. Katepisternum more silvery pruinose, with 3 strong setae along dorsal edge, in addition to 1–2 small setulae. Legs. Predominantly yellowish. Fore femur with brownish-grey pruinescence, except at distal tip and in basal 1/3; mid and hind femora with partial covering of light silvery pruinescence. Midtibia with 1 strong spur. Wing ( Fig. 3 A). Length 4.2–4.9 mm, 2.8–3.1 X longer than high. Vein C extending just past vein R4+5. Costal spinules extending to vein R2+3. Veins yellow. Membrane hyaline, except slightly darkened at base of vein R2+3, and at crossveins rm and dm-cu, and sometimes with slight darkening of surrounding membrane (under dark-field microscopy, the area surrounding the darker membrane at crossveins rm and dm-cu is pale white). Vein M1 becoming distinctly weaker from crossvein dm-cu to wing margin. Halter yellow.

Abdomen, female (male known from only one of the species). Sternites 2–5 with strong setulae along posterior edge, and sparsely scattered setulae in middle. Sternite 2 large, 0.5–0.6 mm wide, 2.0–2.4 X wider than long.

Female terminalia. Tergite 6 large, setulose; strongly convex, saddle shaped, extending laterally around to venter. Tergite 7 dark, bare of pruinescence in anterior half, brownish- to silvery-grey pruinose in posterior half; saddle shaped, extending laterally around to venter; with 7th spiracle embedded in cuticle at anterolateral corner; posterolateral corner lobe-like, with cluster of posteriorly directed fine setulae. Sternite 6 with strong setulae along posterior edge, and sparse scattered setulae in middle; large, width 0.9–1.0 X that of sternite 3, 4.0–4.4 X wider than long. Small triangular sclerite, the point directed posteriorly, present on anterior edge of sternite 6. Sternite 7 small, 1/2 width of sternite 6, 2.5 X wider than long. Segment 8 tubular, 4.0 X longer than wide. With 2 spermathecae. Epiproct and hypoproct small, plate-like. Cerci separate, elongated and thin.

Remarks. Besides the two species described herein, several additional new species are recognized from Colombia (1), Ecuador (2), Peru (1) and Brazil (1).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Lateral habitus of holotypes of new species (for B – D, post-dissection state); inset is a dorsal view of each abdomen. Scale bar = 1.0 mm. A) Helgreelia albeto, sp. nov., Ψ (inset is a paratype). B) Helgreelia parkeri, sp. nov., ♂. C) Neoschildomyia fusca, sp. nov., ♂. D) Pradomyia hadromera, sp. nov., ♂.

FIGURE 2. Heads of new species. Scale bar = 1.0 mm. A – B) Helgreelia albeto, sp. nov., Ψ (holotype); A) anterodorsal view, B) lateral view. C – D) Neoschildomyia fusca, sp. nov., ♂ (holotype); C) anterodorsal view, D) lateral view. E – F) Pradomyia hadromera, sp. nov., ♂ (holotype); E) anterodorsal view, F) lateral view.

FIGURE 3. Wings of new species. Scale bar = 1.0 mm. A) Helgreelia albeto, sp. nov., Ψ (paratype). B) Neoschildomyia fusca, sp. nov., ♂ (holotype). C) Pradomyia hadromera, sp. nov., ♂ (holotype).