Thripomorpha ungula, Huerta & Dzul, 2010

Huerta, Herón & Dzul, Felipe, 2010, New species of Rhegmoclematini (Diptera: Scatopsidae) from Mexico, Zootaxa 2542 (1), pp. 18-32 : 20-25

Thripomorpha ungula n. sp.

Figs. 1–4

Type material. Holotype male, adult, slide mounted, labeled: “ HOLOTYPE Thripomorpha ungula n. sp. México, Hidalgo, Tlanchinol, Bosque Mesofilo de Montaña, Km 4 Carretera Tlanchinol-Apantlazol , 3–6-Jul.- 1997, trampa Malaise, Cols. Blackaller J., Salceda B. & Pérez A. GPS: 20º 59’ 849’’ N; 98º 37’ 538’’ W; elevación: 1465 msnm”. (in CAIM).

Paratypes: 1 male, 6 females, same data as holotype. Male and one female on 80% ethanol, others specimens mounted on microscopic slides. 1 female in NHNN ; 1male, 1 female in MZUSP .

Diagnosis. Tergite 7 of male with medial and posterolateral projections; male terminalia with the gonostyle forming an acute, heavily sclerotized process.

Description. Male. Color. General body coloration brown. Length, ca. 1.6 mm. Head. ( Fig. 1A ) brown, length 0.38 mm in lateral view, eyes pubescent. Labella setose. Antennae ( Fig. 1B ) brown, 0.41 mm long, 10 brown flagellomeres, covered by sparse minute, hair-like microtrichia; flagellomeres 1–9 with a whorl of sensilla chaetica on the medial portion and with distinct type distal antennal sensilla on posterior margin ( Fig. 1C ); flagellum length, 0.33 mm, last flagellomere club-shape, 0.07 mm long, sparsely setose and abundant scattered antennal sensillae above basal whorl of setae. Palpus ( Fig. 1D ) brown, length 0.06 mm, with sparsely setae and palpal sensillae. Thorax. Reddish brown, scutum with sparsely covered short setae; scutellum with scattered setae; anterior spiracular sclerite with 30–32 setae, supra-alar setae, 5–6; antepronotum, proepimeron and proepisternum with scattered setae; anepisternum with 4 anterior setae, last setae stronger and longer than remaining setae; katepisternum and meron bare. Wing. ( Fig. 1E ) length, 1.58 mm; width, 0.6 mm. R 1 and R 4+5 with irregularly arranged rows of short setae on dorsal surface; Sc incomplete, with 3–4 pores; base of M 1 largely absent; macrotrichia present on veins M 1, M 2, CuA 1 and CuA 2 and some along the wing margin in the apical region and posterior margin, including anal region. Halter ( Fig. 1F ) brown, covered with fine micropilosity on entire surface, with three lateral setae and three apical setae on knob. Legs ( Fig. 2A–D , 4A ) brown, with pigmentation pattern. Coxae brown; front and mid femora pale brown, hind femur with narrow basal and distal reddish brown rings. Tibiae with basal reddish brown rings. Tarsi brown. Femora and tibiae with scattered setae, all tibiae with posteroapical spine-like setae and tibial comb in a regular row. Tarsomeres I armed with stout ventral spines in a palisade row ( Fig. 2D , 4A ); apical spine-like setae present on fore tarsomeres I, mid tarsomeres I–II, hind tarsomeres I–III. Claws strongly curved; empodia present.

Abdomen dark brown. Tergite 1 with microreticulation. Sternite 6 ( Fig. 4B ) with a medial group of spinose setae at posterior margin; tergite 7 with posteromedial and lateral projections (as in Fig. 3A ), sternite 7 ( Fig. 3A ) concave posteriorly, with posterior margin heavily sclerotized. Terminalia ( Figs. 3C–D ) length, 0.33 mm, width, 0.18 mm; strongly sclerotized basal, claw-shaped projection; male terminalia with an acute, heavily sclerotized medial gonostyle; epandrium fused to the gonocoxites, with pair of adjacent setose lobes; aedeagus C-shaped in lateral view.

Female. Differing from male as follows. Antenna brown, 0.45 mm long. Thorax. Anepisternum with 5–7 anterior setae. Wing. Length, 1.79 mm; width, 0.76 mm. Abdomen with tergite 7 as in Fig. 3B ; sternite 7 concave ( Fig. 3B ). Terminalia as in Figs. 4C–D ; tergite 8 triangular, with a pair of basal spiracles ( Fig. 4C ); sternite 8 surface with membranous aspect, posteriorly rounded, with a deep median cleft; vaginal furca rounded anteriorly, well sclerotized. Spermatheca oval, sclerotized; length, including neck, 0.15 mm.

Distribution. Mexico (Hidalgo).

Bionomics. All specimens were collected with Malaise traps in cloud forests, in the Huasteca region of the Sierra Madre Oriental.

Etymology. The named ungula refers to the prominent basal appendix with the shaped of a claw in the male genitalia.

Discussion. Thripomorpha ungula n. sp. is more closely related to those species with microreticulation on abdominal tergite 1 and the wing with base of M 1 largely absent. This species may be separated from others of similar appearance by the shape of the seventh abdominal tergite, by characters of male genitalia and the pigmentation pattern of legs and thorax. T. chaboti Haenni & Rapp and T. blantoni (Cook) are readily distinguished by their yellow legs. Abdominal tergite 7 greatly varies between species of the genus, being an important character for the identification of the species of this group. The most obvious differences between T. caudata with this Mexican new species are the general coloration, with thorax and legs black; comparing Duda’s illustration (1928, Fig. 20), the terminalia do not include details and are very difficult to interpretate. In relation to the Nearctic species - T. hubachecki (Cook) , T. major (Cook) , T. truncatum (Cook) and T. paludicola Enderlein -, tergite 7 of males of the latter three species has no posterior projections. T. hubachecki (Cook) has well developed lateral projections, but specific differences are observed in the structures of the male terminalia of both species. Males and females could be associated due to their similar pigmentation pattern and were collected at the same locality and date.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Thripomorpha ungula n. sp. (holotype): Male. A. Head, lateral view. B. Antenna, lateral view. C. Antennal flagellomere 8, lateral view. D. Palpus, lateral view. E. Wing, dorsal view. F. Haltere, lateral view. Scale (mm): A, C, D (0.04), B(0.064), E (0.42), F(0.16).

FIGURE 2. Thripomorpha ungula n. sp. (holotype): Male legs, lateral view, A. anterior, B. middle. C. hind, D. hind leg, tarsomere I. Scale (mm): A–C (0.16), D (0.04).

FIGURE 3. Thripomorpha ungula n. sp. (holotype): Male (A, C, D), (B paratype). A. Male. B. Female. Dorsal view, tergite 7 (above), sternite 7 (below). C. Terminalia, ventral view. D. Terminalia, lateral view. Scale (mm): A–B (0.16), C– D (0.064).

FIGURE 4. Thripomorpha ungula n. sp. (holotype): Male (A, B), (C, D paratype female). A. hind leg, tarsomere I, lateral view. B. Sternite 6 posterior margin, dorsal view. C. Terminalia, dorsal view. D. Terminalia, ventral view. Without scale.