New species and records of Melaloncha (Udamochiras) beekilling flies (Diptera: Phoridae)
Author
Gonzalez, Lisa
Author
Brown, Brian V.
text
Zootaxa
2004
730
1
14
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.158463
b6c0d681-42dd-443e-a3ad-7eb1109dc45d
11755326
158463
49972CE6-847E-4708-940A-239B2ADB3745
Melaloncha corniculata
new species
Figs. 6
,
13
Recognition. This is the only
Udamochiras
species with a pair of sharply pointed, hornlike processes extending from the apex of the ovipositor. In Brown’s (2004a) key, it possibly could be taken to the first lead of couplet 4 because tergite 6 is yellowish brown laterally. The second lead of this couplet should be amended to state “At least abdominal tergites 1– 5 darkbrown to black laterally.” If we take the second lead, it could key to
M. simillima
Borgmeier
at couplet 24 because of the dark, ventral setae; however, the hornlike processes of
M
.
corniculata
are distinctive.
Description. Female (male unknown). Body length
2.7–2.9 mm
. Mean frontal width 0.25 head width; range 0.23–0.27. Frons orange, except ocellar triangle black; with fine reticulate sculpturing and scattered shallow punctures; median furrow absent. Dorsal interfrontal setae present, located slightly ventral to ventral ocellus. Palpus unmodified. Ocular and genal setae yellow, flattened. Foreleg brownish yellow. Foretarsomeres relatively narrow, slightly darker than tibia. Combined length of foretarsomeres 0.78 tibial length. Tarsal claws on all legs finely bifurcate. Mid and hind leg brownish yellow; hind femur with dark brown macula at apex. Mean costal length 0.56 wing length; range 0.56–0.57. Vein R2+3 absent. Abdominal tergites black (except tergite 6, which is yellowish brown laterally) with anterior band of silver pollinosity. Venter of abdomen gray, except fading to yellow at apex of segment 6; venter of segment 6 with scattered setae. Ovipositor relatively short, slightly dorsoventrally flattened at apex, relatively straight; basally yellowcolored; apically with pair of posteriorly directed hornlike processes. Short, fine, mostly lateral setae present on ovipositor, with some longer, thicker setae ventrally.
Host. Unknown. Flies were attracted to a mixed aggregation of bees, including
A. mellifera
,
Plebeia
spp. and
Trigona spinipes
(F.).
Distribution. Northern
Argentina
.
Derivation of specific epithet. Latin
corniculata
,
meaning horned, and referring to the hornlike processes of the ovipositor.
Holotype
. Ψ,
ARGENTINA
: Misiones: Reserva Vida Silvestre Uruguaí,
25.97°S
,
54.11°W
,
11.xii.2003
, B. Brown, G. Kung, bee screen,
400 m
[LACM ENT 189260] (MACN).
Paratypes
.
ARGENTINA
: Misiones: Reserva Vida Silvestre Uruguaí,
25.97°S
,
54.11°W
, 1Ψ,
7–9.xii.2003
, B. Brown, G. Kung, Malaise trap #
1, 400 m
(LACM), 1Ψ,
28.xii.2003
, 1Ψ,
29.xii.2003
, L. Gonzalez, honey spray,
400 m
(LACM, MACN).