Keroplatus maxi Mederos, 2018

Mederos, Jorge, 2018, New species of Heteropterna Skuse and Keroplatus Bosc (Diptera: Keroplatidae) become the second records of this family for Cuba, Zootaxa 4461 (1), pp. 57-68 : 62-67

Keroplatus maxi Mederos n. sp.

Diagnosis. Keroplatus maxi can be distinguished from all the other Neotropical Keroplatus by the overall yellow colour of the body with almost no markings, eXcept for the particular pattern of stripes on the dorsal part of thoraX; the wings with a slight pale yellowish tint and a total absence of coloured spots, and finally by the unique shape of the genitalia, particularly the gonostylus.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: male, CUBA: Cañón del Rio Santa Cruz , Sierra del Rosario , Artemisa province. 3-5-iX- 1999, 120masl, sweeping net on vegetation at river margins, J. Mederos leg. [ MCNB], specimen No. MZB 2017 -0327, preserved in 70% ethanol. The genitalia mounted on slide with Dimethyl Hydantoin Formaldehyde (DMHF).

Description. Male. Body length (without antennae) 8.2mm ( Fig. 6). Wing length 4.7mm. Length of

Terminalia 0.6mm.

Head: Yellow. Three ocelli in approXimately triangular position, inserted on a very dark brown circular-oval tubercle. This tubercle is medially divided by a distinct sagittal furrow, between the two large lateral ocelli, so that each lateral ocellus is in an independent tubercle. The third ocellus (miniscule) located on the front of this furrow. All three ocelli are located on the front verteX. The distance between the lateral ocelli is equal to or slightly higher than its own diameter, separated from the edge of the eye at a distance of 1.5 its own diameter. Compound eyes ( Fig. 7b ) about 1.2 times higher than wide in lateral view. Antennae brown, strongly compressed, almost two times higher than the head. Scape brown, ventrally with a beak shape. Pedicel brown, slightly wider than tall, with an oval to rounded shape, less wide than the scape. Flagellum with 14 brown flagellomeres, pectinated. Mouthparts reduced.

Thorax: Mostly yellow to pale yellow. Mesoscutum yellow, with three yellowish brown longitudinal stripes ( Fig. 7c ). The lateral stripes are fused at their basal point including part of the scutellum, forming a V-shape. The central stripe is interrupted (or reduced to a nearly imperceptible thickness) before touching this basal point. Scutellum yellow with some short, dispersed, setae. Mediotergite yellow to yellowish pale. Laterotergite yellow, large, with bristles on its upper and posterior part. Antepronotum yellow, covered with abundant hairs. Anterior spiracle and adjacent area pale yellow. Anepisternum and katepisternum yellow, nude. Halter with stem pale, knob yellowish brown to pale brown.

Wing: Yellowish infuscation to hyaline on background ( Fig. 7a ). No pattern present. The upper part with a more yellowish-brown colour (not defined) than the rest of the wing, which eXtends from the end of the vein C, continuing through the basal part of M1+2 and up to the base of the wing. Microsetae scattered throughout wing. Veins mainly yellowish brown, highlighting on the background colour. Macrosetae on R1 to the fusion with R4, and also from the apical half of R4+5 to almost the basal two thirds of R5.

Legs: Mostly yellow to yellowish brown. Fore legs, missing. Fore coXa yellow, covered with setae on its anterior side. Mid and hind coXa yellow. Mid coXa covered with setae anterolateraly, with its upper anterior third nude. Hind coXa laterally covered with setae. Femora yellow. Mid and hind femora covered with scattered and short hairs, particularly on dorsal side. Mid and hind tibiae and tarsi pale brown. All tibiae with numerous short setae forming distinct longitudinal rows. Two spurs present in both mid and hind tibae, with the posteroventral almost twice as long as the anteroventral. Tarsi with short setae forming distinct longitudinal rows and with several sparsely distributed setae on ventral side, equal, or shorter than tarsi diameter.

Abdomen: Mostly yellow, more yellowish brown to the apical part, with abundant setae throughout. Tergites and sternites without marks.

Terminalia: Yellow to brownish yellow ( Fig. 3g ; 7 d-f). Tergite 9, yellowish brown, wider than tall, slightly heXagonal. Gonostylus yellowish brown. In ventral view, with a small widening in the inner basal part, narrowing progressively towards the middle part and re-widening towards the apical half ( Fig. 7f ). Short and strong bristles on basal half of their inner side and throughout the apical margin.

Female. Unknown

Etymology. This species is named after my beloved son, MaX. Name in genitive, invariable.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Genitalia (Ventral VieW) of Keroplatus males from Neotropics: a—Keroplatus caribai; b—K. golbachi; c—K. papaveroi; d—K. townsendi e—K. striatus; f—K. fiebrigi; g—K. maxi n. sp.; h—K. ornativentris; i—K. trinidadensis. Modified from Matile (1990).

FIGURE 7. Keroplatus maxi n. sp., holotype: a—Wing; b—head in lateral VieW; c—scutum and scutellum; d—f male genitalia in d—lateral VieW, e—lateroVentral VieW; f—gonostylus, inner face VieW.