A revision of the genus Sclerocoelus Marshall (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) Kuwahara, Gregory K. Marshall, Stephen A. Paiero, Steven M. European Journal of Taxonomy 2025 2025-03-04 979 1 277 Kuwahara & Marshall & Paiero 2025 [620,870,826,853] Insecta Sphaeroceridae Sclerocoelus Animalia Diptera 68 69 Arthropoda species lazulita sp. nov.   urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: E33053F2-93CD-47A6-8862-E8CDFC271928  Figs 7D, 72–74    Etymology This name reflects the typelocality of this species, La Azulita, Venezuela.    Material examined   Holotype   VENEZUELA• ♂; Mérida, Jají-La Azulita;  3 May 1988; S.A. Marshallleg.; roadside sweeps; DEBU.   Paratypes   BOLIVIA–  La Paz• 1 ♂; Chulumani Road, near La Florida;  4 Apr. 2001; S.A. Marshallleg.; on rotting vegetation; CBFC•  1 ♂; Chulumani, Apa-Apa Reserve; 16°21′15″ S, 67°30′21″ W;  2000 ma.s.l.;  1–3 Apr. 2001; S.A. Marshallleg.; pan traps; CBFC. –  Santa Cruz•  1 ♂; Siringalito, near Pampa Grande;  2 Oct. 1996; Bettellaand Rossileg.; DEBU.   ECUADOR–  Carchi• 3 ♀♀; Bosque El Arrayán,  6 kmE of San Gabriel;  2830 ma.s.l.;  1 Nov. 1999; S.A. Marshallleg.; sweeping; QCAZ•  1 ♂; Guandera Forest Reserve,  15 kmE of San Gabriel;  3400 ma.s.l.;  1 Nov. 1999; S.A. Marshallleg.; hand; QCAZ. –   Loja• 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Podocarpus National Park, Cajanuma, Bosque Nublado trail;  3000 ma.s.l.;  16–20 Feb. 2009; M. Polletand A. De Braekeleerleg.; yellow pans; RBINS•  1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as preceding;  20–27 Feb. 2009; RBINS•  1 ♂, 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; Los Miradores trail;  16–20 Feb. 2009; RBINS. –   Napo• 1 ♀; Baeza;  1500 ma.s.l.;  16–19 May 1987; L.D. Cooteand B.V. Brownleg.; wet montane rainforest, Malaise trap; DEBU•  7 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; Baeza;  1700 ma.s.l.;  16–19 May 1987; L.D. Cooteand B.V. Brownleg.; near small creek, wet montane forest/pasture, Malaise head; QCAZ•  2 ♂♂; SierrAzul Lodge,  14 kmW of Cosanga;  2200 ma.s.l.;  5 Nov. 1999; S.A. Marshallleg.; forest, sweep; DEBU. –   Pichincha• 1 ♀;  3.5 kmSE of Tandayapa;  28 Oct. 1999; S.A. Marshallleg.; in green leaf litter(treefall); QCAZ•  2 ♂♂;  7 kmSE of Nanegalito, trout farm ‘San Jose’;  1500 ma.s.l.;  27–30 Oct. 1999; S.A. Marshallleg.; riverine forest, treefall sweeps; QCAZ•  1 ♀;  10 kmNW of Quito, valley near Hosteria San Jorge;  3050 ma.s.l.;  22–25 Oct. 1999; S.A. Marshallleg.; creek bed, pan traps; DEBU•  1 ♂;  15 kmNW of Nono, road to Mindo;  2000 ma.s.l.;  23–25 Oct. 1999; S.A. Marshallleg.; pan traps; DEBU•  1 ♂; Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve; 0°01′13″ S, 78°40′30″ W;  2200 ma.s.l.;  1 May 2011; S.A. Marshallleg.; pans near treefall; DEBU•  2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Campamento Pichan, near Nono;  3200 ma.s.l.;  24 Oct. 1999; S.A. Marshallleg.; sweeping; QCAZ•  1 ♂; Cotopaxi National Park, Quebrada Mishahuaycu;  3600 ma.s.l.;  25 Oct. 1999; S.A. Marshallleg.; under streamside vegetation; DEBU•  2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding;  26 Oct.–8 Nov. 1999; pans along stream; QCAZ. –   Zamora-Chinchipe• 2 ♀♀; San Francisco Biological Reserve, Canal trail; 3°58′30″ S, 79°04′25″ W;  2000 ma.s.l.;  18–25 Feb. 2009; M. Polletand A. De Braekeleerleg.; blue pan traps; debu00368027/ MYCRO1032-22sequenced for CO1- 5’; RBINS.   VENEZUELA–  Mérida• 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as holotype; DEBU•  1 ♂, 1 ♀;  6 kmS of Azulita, near road;  3 May 1988; S.A. Marshallleg.; DEBU. –   Trujillo• 1 ♂;  10 kmE of Bocono, Laguna de Lucerdo;  3 Mar. 1995; S.A. Marshallleg.; aspirated along river; DEBU•  4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Bocono, road to Guaramacal;  2570 ma.s.l.;  2 Mar. 1995; S.A. Marshallleg.; creek bed; DEBU•  1 ♂; Guaramacal National Park,  14 kmNE of Bocono;  2000 ma.s.l.;  25 Aug.–1 Sep. 1992; L. Masnerleg.; DEBU•  1 ♂; Guaramacal National Park;  2000–3000 ma.s.l.;  26 Aug.–1 Sep. 1992; L. Masnerleg.; car net; DEBU.    Description  BODY( Fig. 71A). Length 2.7–3.9 mm. Head dark brown, bottom of frons orange; face, gena, and antennae brown. Frontal width 2.2–2.3× frontal height. Two pairs of strong interfrontal bristles surmounting a fine third pair; anterior orbital 0.4–0.5× length of posterior. Palpus pale brown, slightly swollen. Eye large, greatest height about 4.0× shortest genal height. Thorax dark brown, scutum with paler lateral edges. Two pairs of dorsocentral bristles (anterior pair distinct, 0.4× length of posterior pair) separated by 6–7 rows of acrostichal setulae. Membrane around prosternum bare. Legs brown, hind leg darker. Fore femur with four large ventral preapical setae. Ventral surface of male mid tibia with two rows of stout setae in apical third. Wing ( Fig. 7D) slightly infuscate. CS2 0.7–0.8 × CS3. Halter pale brown.  MALE ABDOMEN( Figs 71B–C, 72). Dark brown, posterior edges of tergites sometimes slightly desclerotized. T2–5 and S2–4 uniformly long-setose with large posterolateral setae. S5 rectangular, 0.8× length and 1.3 × width of S4, laterally sparsely long-setose with a medial desclerotized patch and two posteromedial rows of setae above a small, dark central process. Anterior flange of S6+7 small, triangular, weakly developed. Sclerite A well developed, bean-shaped; sclerite B weakly sclerotized, narrow and arched; sclerite C absent; sclerites D and E fused, large, angulate; sclerite F large, elongate, distal third constricted and bent inwards; sclerite G large, rectangular; ring sclerite very weakly developed. Epandrium small, 0.2× length of S8, height 1.5× maximum length and 0.8 × maximum width, uniformly setose; perianal pads weakly developed but densely setulose. Pseudocercus absent; halves of subepandrial sclerite simple, slightly curved, fused medially forming a broad arc. Subcercus large, longer than surstylus, triangular in posterior view, tapered and blade-like in lateral view, apex rounded. Hypandrium with narrow anteromedial apodeme with two small posterior lobes. Surstylus simple, broad, subtriangular with ventral and posterior setae, apex bent slightly outwards. Postgonite large, gradually broadened anteriorly to about distal third then tapered to an asymmetrical point, apex slightly swollen. Phallapodeme long, apex dorsoventrally flattened; basiphallus elongate, curved, dorsally expanded to a point; distiphallus largely membranous, dorsoventrally flattened with two sinuate dorsolateral sclerites.  FEMALE ABDOMEN( Fig. 73). T7 broad, simple; T8 divided into two dark, lateral sclerites, posterolateral corners slightly expanded posteriorly. Epiproct broad, subtriangular, slightly desclerotized, entirely setulose and without dorsal pair of setae. Cercus short, apically pointed with long apical and dorsal setae. S7 broad, greatly extended posteromedially, apex flared (Y-shaped), posterior margin on either side of medial extension with two large posterior setae; S8 entirely membranous or absent. Three spermathecae, bulb stout, cylindrical, finely striate with deep but short invaginations on either end, invaginations with a finger-like, central process.    Distribution Neotropical: Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela.    Remarks   Sclerocoelus lazulita sp. nov.resembles  S. nebulosus sp. nov.and  S. paranebulosus sp. nov., but has two large interfrontal bristles (as opposed to three in  S. nebulosusand  S. paranebulosus). All three species are among the basal lineages that lack the pseudocercus and elaborate subcercus of the  S. galapagensisand  S. dasysternumgroups. 5104768326 [189,1394,1158,1184] 1988-05-03 roadside sweeps DEBU S. A. Marshall Venezuela Jaji-La Azulita 68 69 1 1 Merida holotype 5104768219 rotting vegetation 2001-04-04 CBFC S. A. Marshall Bolivia Chulumani Road 68 69 1 1 La Paz paratype 5104768576 2001-04-01 2001-04-03 2001-04-01 pan traps CBFC S. A. Marshall Bolivia 2000 -16.354168 Chulumani 21 -67.50584 68 69 1 1 Santa Cruz paratype 5104768709 1996-10-02 DEBU Bettella & Rossi Bolivia Siringalito 68 69 1 1 La Paz paratype 5104767836 1999-11-01 sweeping QCAZ Bosque El Arrayan & S. A. Marshall Ecuador 2830 Carchi 68 69 3 3 Carchi paratype 5104768118 1999-11-01 hand QCAZ S. A. Marshall Ecuador 3400 Guandera Forest Reserve 68 69 1 1 Carchi paratype 5104767579 2009-02-16 2009-02-20 2009-02-16 yellow pans RBINS M. Pollet & A. De Braekeleer Ecuador Podocarpus National Park 3000 Podocarpus National Park Cajanuma 68 69 3 2 1 Loja paratype 5104767640 [510,1325,1573,1600] 2009-02-20 2009-02-27 2009-02-20 RBINS M. Pollet & A. De Braekeleer Ecuador Podocarpus National Park 3000 Bosque Nublado Cajanuma 68 69 2 1 1 Loja paratype 5104768611 2009-02-16 2009-02-20 2009-02-16 RBINS M. Pollet & A. De Braekeleer Ecuador Podocarpus National Park 3000 Los Miradores trail Cajanuma 68 69 2 1 1 Loja paratype 5104767570 1987-05-16 1987-05-19 1987-05-16 Malaise trap DEBU L. D. Coote & B. V. Brown Ecuador 1500 Baeza 68 69 1 1 Napo paratype 5104767459 1987-05-16 1987-05-19 1987-05-16 Malaise head QCAZ L. D. Coote & B. V. Brown Ecuador 1700 Baeza 68 69 11 4 7 Napo paratype 5104768094 1999-11-05 sweep DEBU S. A. Marshall Ecuador 2200 forest SierrAzul Lodge 68 69 2 2 Napo paratype 5104768566 in green leaf litter 1999-10-28 QCAZ S. A. Marshall Ecuador Pichincha 68 69 1 1 Pichincha paratype 5104767875 1999-10-27 1999-10-30 1999-10-27 treefall sweeps QCAZ S. A. Marshall Ecuador 1500 trout farm ' San Jose' 68 69 2 2 Pichincha paratype 5104767976 1999-10-22 1999-10-25 1999-10-22 pan traps DEBU S. A. Marshall Ecuador 3050 valley near Hosteria San Jorge 68 69 1 1 Pichincha paratype 5104768491 1999-10-23 1999-10-25 1999-10-23 pan traps DEBU S. A. Marshall Ecuador 2000 road to Mindo 68 69 1 1 Pichincha paratype 5104767458 2011-05-01 pans near treefall DEBU S. A. Marshall Ecuador 2200 -0.02027778 Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve 21 -78.674995 68 69 1 1 Pichincha paratype 5104767482 1999-10-24 sweeping QCAZ S. A. Marshall Ecuador 3200 69 70 near Nono Campamento Pichan 68 69 3 1 2 Pichincha paratype 5104767496 under streamside vegetation 1999-10-25 DEBU S. A. Marshall Ecuador 3600 Quebrada Mishahuaycu National Park 69 70 1 1 Cotopaxi paratype 5104767445 1999-10-26 1999-11-08 1999-10-26 pans along stream QCAZ S. A. Marshall Ecuador 3600 Quebrada Mishahuaycu National Park 69 70 2 2 Pichincha paratype 5104767323 2009-02-18 2009-02-25 2009-02-18 blue pan traps RBINS M. Pollet & A. De Braekeleer Ecuador 2000 -3.9750001 San Francisco Biological Reserve 21 -79.07361 San Francisco Biological Reserve 69 70 debu00368027, MYCRO1032-22 2 2 Zamora-Chinchipe paratype 5104768052 [189,1126,513,540] 1988-05-03 DEBU S. A. Marshall Venezuela Merida 69 70 2 1 1 Merida paratype 5104767543 1988-05-03 DEBU S. A. Marshall Venezuela near road 69 70 2 1 1 Merida paratype 5104768793 1995-03-03 aspirated along river DEBU S. A. Marshall Venezuela Laguna de Lucerdo 69 70 1 1 Trujillo paratype 5104768329 1995-03-02 DEBU S. A. Marshall Venezuela 2570 road to Guaramacal Bocono 69 70 7 3 4 Trujillo paratype 5104768348 1992-08-25 1992-09-01 1992-08-25 DEBU L. Masner Venezuela 2000 Guaramacal National Park 69 70 1 1 Trujillo paratype 5104768529 1992-08-26 1992-09-01 1992-08-26 car net DEBU L. Masner Venezuela 2500 Guaramacal National Park 69 70 1 1 Trujillo paratype