Penniverpa megaplax Webb

Webb, Donald W. & Metz, Mark A., 2008, A revision of the New World genus Penniverpa Irwin and Lyneborg (Diptera: Therevidae: Therevinae), Zootaxa 1720, pp. 1-45 : 34-37

Penniverpa megaplax Webb spec. nov.

( Figs. 56–61, 86 , 89 )

Etymology. Megas (Greek) = large; plax (Greek) = plate, tablet. This name is derived from the large pointed plate on the ventral lobe and is used as a noun in apposition

Diagnosis. The male of Penniverpa megaplax is similar to P. alvatra , P. chersonesa , P. dives , and P. evani and is separated from these species by the PVL of ventral lobe ( Fig. 57) being large and directed posterolaterally and the LGP of the gonostylus ( Fig. 57) with an elongate VMP. The female of P. megaplax is indistinguishable for P. chersonesa and P. d i v e s but is separated from P. a l v a t r a in having white pubescence ( Fig. 86 ) across the posterior margin of tergites 1–3, over the entire dorsum of tergite 5, and posterolaterally on tergite 6.

Description of MALE. Variation (n=10).

Body length 5.8–7.0, 6.5 mm.

Head. Length 0.72–0.90, 0.83 mm. Ommatidia of equal size. Frons pubescence white, dense; setae absent. Antenna reddish brown, pubescence gray on scape; antenna/head length 0.68–0.81, 0.74; scape length 0.14–0.17, 0.15 mm, width 0.10 mm, length/width 1.4–1.6, 1.5, scape/pedicel length 1.8–2.3, 1.9, scape/flagellum width 0.83–0.91, 0.84, setae dark reddish brown, short, sparse with scattered short, white setae dorsally; pedicel length 0.07–0.08, 0.08 mm, width 0.10–0.11, 0.10 mm, length/width 0.7–0.8, 0.8; flagellum length 0.36–0.41, 0.38 mm, width 0.11–0.12, 0.12 mm, length/width 3.0–3.7, 3.2, flagellum/scape length 2.2– 2.9, 2.5. Maxillary palpus dark brown; length 0.30–0.40, 0.35 mm, width 0.06 mm, length/width 5.0–10.0, 6.1; setae dark reddish brown. Genal setae white. Occipital setae white, sparse dorsomedially; macrosetae extending in single row ventrally from lateral end of postocular macrosetae.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 1–2 sa. Mesonotum pubescence gray, dense; vittae evident as dull black bands; setae dark brown, erect intermixed with white, appressed setae. Pleuron pubescence gray; setae white on propleuron, anepisternum, katepisternum, laterotergite, and scutellum. Wing. Membrane pale smoky brown; veins brown; length 5.3–6.5, 6.0 mm, width 1.8–2.3, 2.0 mm, length/width 2.7–3.4, 3.0; pterostigma brown, narrow. Halter pale brown. Legs. Coxal setae white; hind coxa with anterior papillate knob. Femora reddish brown; ventral setae white, elongate on fore– and midfemora, white on dorsal surface; av 1–2:0:1–2, pv 0:0:1–5. Tibiae and tarsi dark reddish brown.

Abdomen. Tergite 1 dark brown, pubescence white across posterior margin, tergites 2–7 dark reddish brown, pubescence white, dense; dorsal setae white, elongate, appressed, denser across posterior margin. Terminalia (MEI 141597). Dark brown. Sternite 8 ( Fig. 56), setae dark brown continuous across posterior margin. Gonocoxite ventral view ( Fig. 56), setae dark brown, scattered; ventral lobe ( Fig. 57) PVL large, posterolaterally directed, pointed. Gonostylus ( Fig. 57), LGP oblong, apical setae moderately long, VMP elongate, apical setae moderately long. Aedeagus with dorsal apodeme ( Fig. 58), anterior margin truncate; ventral apodeme ( Fig. 59) extending slightly beyond anterior margin of dorsal apodeme; distiphallus dorsal view ( Fig. 58) tapered posteriorly with scattered spinous projections, ventral view ( Fig. 59) AAP elongate with two large apical spinous projections, lateral view ( Fig. 60), tapered posteriorly in broad curved ventrally.

FEMALE. Similar to male except for following. Variation (n=10).

Body length 6.5–7.2, 7.0 mm.

Head. Length 0.76–0.88, 0.81 mm. Frons pubescence dark brown to black, silver gray ventrally; setae dark brown, short on dorsal half, extending partially into area of silver gray pubescence. Antenna/head length 0.70–0.84, 0.77; scape length 0.14–0.20, 0.16 mm, width 0.10 mm, length/width 1.2–2.0, 1.6, scape/pedicel length 1.8–3.3, 2.2, scape/flagellum width 0.83–1.00, 0.98; pedicel length 0.06–0.08, 0.07 mm, length/width 0.6–0.8, 0.7; flagellum length 0.38–0.44, 0.38 mm, width 0.10 mm, length/width 3.2–4.2, 3.8, flagellum/scape length 1.9–3.3, 2.4, setae dark brown, short, basodorsally. Maxillary palpus length 0.32–0.40, 0.36 mm, length/width 5.3–6.3, 6.0. Occipital macrosetae scattered from lateral end of postocular macrosetae.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 1–2 sa. Vittae dark brown, more evident than in males. Wings. Length 5.5–6.3, 6.1 mm, width 1.7–2.1, 1.9 mm, length/width 3.0–3.7, 3.3. Legs. Anteroventral macrosetae 1–2:0:1–2, pv 0:0:2–3.

Abdomen. Tergites 1–3 dark brown, glossy ( Fig. 86 ), posterior fourth orange brown, narrow medially, with white pubescence across posterior margin; tergite 4 orange-brown, glossy; tergites 5–8 brown, pubescence white over entire dorsum of tergite 5 and posterolaterally on tergite 6; dorsal setae dark brown, elongate, appressed on brown areas of tergites 1–3, orange brown areas of tergites 1–3 with white appressed setae; tergites 4–8 with short, erect, dark brown setae. Terminalia (MEI 110555). Furca ( Fig. 61), sides broadly emarginate; length 0.74 mm, width 0.26 mm; anterolateral projection short, thick.

IMMATURE STAGES. Unknown.

Distribution. Penniverpa megaplax is known from Argentina and Bolivia ( Fig. 89 ).

Habitats and phenology. Penniverpa megaplax has been hand-netted or collected in Malaise and pan traps in February, March, August, September, and October.

Specimens examined. Type specimens. The holotype male of Penniverpa megaplax Webb (MEI 110550) is labeled " Bolivia, Santa Cruz Prov., 5 km N Camiri; 28-II-1999; 2580 ft., M.E. Irwin & F.D. Parker, 19° 59.2'S, 63° 31.98'W " and is deposited in CAS (Type No. 18252). PARATYPES. ARGENTINA. CATAMARCA. 8 km W Chumbicha, Trampasacha, [-28.833, -66.305], 650 m, 24.X.2003, Parker, F.D., Irwin, M. E., 1ɗ MEI 161630 (MEIC); S La Vina, El Pintado [-28.05, -65.583], 650 m, 27–29.IX.1968, Peña, 2ɗ MEI 141432, 141434 (CNC). JUJUY. NE Guemes [General Martin Miguel de Guemes], Agua Caliente [-24.585, -64.917], 1100 m, 18–19.X.1968, Peña, 2ɗ MEI 141496, 141497, 1Ψ 141488 (CNC). SALTA. 60 km S Guemes [- 25.206, -65.051], 8.X.1968, Peña, 1ɗ MEI 0 74216 (CNC). BOLIVIA. FLORIDA. Buena Vista [-17.461, - 63.661], 13.II.1999, Parker, F.D., 1ɗ MEI 111780 (MEIC); 23.II.1999, 1Ψ MEI 111746 (MEIC), Malaise trap; 27.II.1999, 1Ψ MEI 111732 (MEIC), Malaise trap. SANTA CRUZ. 10 km N Santa Cruz [-17.7, -63.2], 19.III.1975, Irwin, M.E., 1ɗ MEI 0 88496 (MEIC); 11 km N Boyuibe [-20.39, -63.373], 884 m, 5.III.1999, Irwin, M.E., Parker, F.D., 2Ψ MEI 110555 –6, (MEIC), pan trap; 6.III.1999, 2Ψ MEI 110553 –4 (MEIC), Malaise trap; 5 km N Camiri, [-19.995, -63.53]. 786 m, 28.II.1999, Irwin, M.E., Parker, F.D., 1ɗ MEI 110551, 2Ψ 110552, 110557 (MEIC); 12 km N Camiri [-19.945, -63.522], 884 m, 27.II–6.III.1999, Irwin, M.E., Parker, F.D., 5Ψ MEI 122370 –4 (MEIC), Malaise trap; 15 km S San Pedro Lorenzo [-17.967, -63.3], 17.VIII.2000, Irwin, M.E., Hauser, M., 1Ψ MEI 121790 (MEIC), Malaise trap; 20 km S Camiri, Quebrada Isiri [-20.174, - 63.479], 865 m, 18.VIII–2.IX.2000, Irwin, M.E., Hauser, M., 2ɗ MEI 121653, 121792, 2Ψ 121793 –4 (MEIC), Malaise trap; 3 km N Brasilio [-18.114, -63.175], 533 m, 26.II–7.III.1999, Irwin, M.E., Parker, F.D., 1ɗ MEI 122367, 3Ψ 111715, 111745, 122366 (MEIC), Malaise trap; 5 km N Camiri, [-19.999, -63.533], 786 m, 1.III.1999, Irwin, M.E., Parker, F.D., 1ɗ MEI 111781 (MEIC), Malaise trap; Rio Seco [-18.664, -63.24], 610 m, 18.VIII–2.IX.2000, Irwin, M.E., Hauser, M., 1Ψ MEI 121795 (MEIC), Malaise trap, river dunes; Acite Cuevo, 12 km W Boyuibe [-20.384, -63.404], 890 m, 18.VIII–2.IX.2000, Irwin, M.E., Hauser, M., 8ɗ MEI 121175 (CSCA), 121176 (BMNH), 121184 (USNM), 121307 (INHS), 121313, 121317, 121320 (MEIC) 9Ψ 121177 (CSCA), 121195 (USNM), 121305 (BMNH), 121311 (INHS), 121174, 121180, 121183, 121308, 121316 (MEIC), Malaise trap; Campo Guairuy, 24 km S Camiri [-20.197, -63.476], 870 m, 18.VIII– 2.IX.2000, Irwin, M.E., Hauser, M., 2ɗ MEI 119727, 121778, 1Ψ 121779 (MEIC), Malaise trap. PARA- GUAY. CENTRAL. Ascuncion [-25.2667, -57.6667], 30.X.1980, Lowrie, D.C., 2Ψ MEI 170045–6 (USNM).

Figures

FIGURE 89. Penniverpa spp., distribution map. alvatra (open circle), bradleyi (open square), dives (closed circle), evani (closed triangle), gracilis (open triangle), megaplax (asterisk), multisetosa (closed square).

FIGURES 78 – 87. Penniverpa spp., female abdomens. 78. alvatra, 79. chersonesa, 80. dives, 81. epidema, 82. evani, 83. festina, 84. gracilis, 85. insular, 86. megaplax, 87. multisetosa.