Elcaribe stellus Webb, 2006

Webb, Donald W. & Metz, Mark A., 2006, A Revision of the New World Genera Brachylinga Irwin and Lyneborg and Lysilinga Irwin and Lyneborg (Diptera: Therevidae: Therevinae) with the Description of a New Genus, Elcaribe Webb, Zootaxa 1288 (1288), pp. 1-241 : 198-200

Elcaribe stellus Webb spec. nov.

(Figs. 232, 246, 260, 274, 288, 302, 316, 330, 357)

Etymology

Stella (Latin) = star. This name is used as a noun in apposition and refers to the starshaped appearance of the male aedeagus in ventral view.

Diagnosis

Elcaribe stellus is taxonomically associated with E. abdominalis , E. anguilla , and E. starki in having an anterodorsal patch of short, dark brown to black setae on the gena and in having the male hypoproct (Fig. 232) quadrate with the posterior margin emarginate. Elcaribe stellus differs from E. abdominalis , E. bifidus , and E. starki in having the halter

knob dark brown and wing cell m 3 open widely.

Description of holotype male (USNM 201406)

Body length 4.7 mm.

Head. Length 0.72 mm. Ommatidia of uniform size. Frons pruinescence whitish gray; setae black, elongate. Antenna/head length 0.81; scape and pedicel black, flagellum dark brown, base of first flagellomere yellowish brown; scape length 0.22 mm, width 0.14 mm, length/width 1.6, scape/pedicel length 2.8, scape/flagellum width 1.0, setae black, elongate, grading into macrosetae; pedicel length 0.08 mm, length/width 0.7; first flagellomere quadrate attenuate apically, flagellum length 0.28 mm, width 0.14 mm, length/width 2.0, flagellum/scape length 1.3. Parafacial pruinescence gray. Maxillary palpus black, pruinescence gray; length 0.30 mm, length/width 5.0; setae pale yellow, black apically. Genal setae white with small patch of short black setae anterodorsally. Occipital setae white become lanceolate, appressed dorsally.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 1 sa (2 on right side of specimen), 1 pa, 2 dc, 2 sc. Mesonotum dull brown, gray anteriorly; setae black intermixed with white, elongate, lanceolate, appressed setae. Pleuron and scutellum black, pruinescence dull gray; setae white on propleuron, anepisternum, katepisternum, metanepisternum, and laterotergite, lanceolate on scutellum. Metakatepisternal setae not evident [possibly rubbed off]. Wing. Membrane pale gray, veins dark brown; length 3.8 mm, length/width 3.2; pterostigma dark brown; cell m 3 widely open. Halter dark brown. Legs. Femora dark brown, pruinescence white; ventral setae black on fore­ and midfemora; av 1:0:3, pv 0:0:0. Tibiae dark yellowish brown, apex dark reddish brown. Tarsomeres 1–2 dark yellowish brown, apex dark reddish brown; 3–5 dark reddish brown.

Abdomen. Tergites 1–2 dark brown, pruinescence white, tergites 3–8 yellowish brown, pruinescence white; dorsal setae white, appressed, lanceolate; lateral setae white, elongate. Terminalia . Tergite 8 and epandrium (Fig. 232), setae pale yellow. Sternite 8 ( Fig. 246), sides rounded, posterior margin moderately emarginate. Hypoproct (Fig. 232) quadrate, posterior margin emarginate; apicoventral surface flat. Gonocoxite ventral view ( Fig. 246) short, quadrate, basal third of medial margin rounded then deeply emarginate laterally with posterior half quadrate, setae dark yellow with anteromedial patch of dense, short, yellow setae; dorsal view ( Fig. 260) gonocoxal bridge absent; lateral view ( Fig. 274) quadrate, posterior half triangular, tapering apically to short point; ventral lobe ( Fig. 246) with ventral spines. Gonostylus (Fig. 288), basodorsal lobe absent; ventral margin bladelike, setae dark yellow, not extended apically in distinct tuft; fine, short spines in small basoventral patch. Aedeagus with dorsal apodeme ( Fig. 302) oval, sides broadened laterally, sclerotized as broad canopy over ejaculatory apodeme; ventral apodeme (Fig. 316) broad, anterior margin emarginate; distiphallus dorsal view ( Fig. 302) short, broad basally, tapered apically to blunt point; lateral view ( Fig. 330) short, broad basally, apex curved at 90° angle, subapical hood absent; ejaculatory apodeme ( Fig. 302) dark yellow, anterior half expanded laterally, not extending beyond anterior margin of dorsal apodeme, anterior margin convex, in cross­section flattened dorsoventrally with small ventral carina.

Female Unknown.

Distribution Elcaribe stellus has been collected in the Dominican Republic ( Fig. 357).

Specimens examined

Type specimen. The holotype male of Elcaribe stellus Webb ( USNM 201406 ) is labeled " Domincan Rp. LaRom.: Isla Saona , Mano Juan, 18°08.1’N, 68°44.5’W, 13 May 1995, W. N. Mathis " and is deposited in the USNM .