Revision of the untreated taxa of Melaloncha s. s. bee-killing flies (Diptera: Phoridae)
Author
Brown, Brian V.
text
Zootaxa
2006
2006-08-03
1280
1
1
68
https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1280.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.1280.1.1
11755334
5070710
55F01BD6-4319-49C1-AA45-AAF0B27AEF15
Melaloncha rodeoensis
new species
Figs. 18, 23
Recognition.
This species is similar to
M. sinistra
, but differs by the longer foretarsus, larger apicoventral setae and shorter dorsal setae on the ovipositor.
Description.
Female (male unknown). Body length
1.9 mm
. Frons orange, evenly setulose; ocellar triangle black. Frons 0.35 head width. Medial furrow faintly present. Ocular and genal setae black. Flagellomere 1 basally white, apically yellow; aristomeres 1–2 yellow, 3 brown. Scutum dark brown, except anterolateral corner light brown. Scutellum dark brown, with anterolateral ligher brown round spot. Pleuron mixture of dark and yellowishbrown. Legs yellowishbrown, except apex of hind femur with dark brown spot. Combined length of foretarsomeres 1.1 length of foretibia. Foretarsal claws recurved, with large basal lobe.
Costa
0.48 wing length. Halter yellow. Abdominal tergites black, with silver pollinosity anteriorly. Venter of abdomen gray. Ovipositor dark brown; curved evenly, dorsally throughout length; relatively elongate, narrow, flattened dorsally, with rounded dorsal apex; with short sparse setae mostly on dorsal lobe, apicoventrally with group of several longer setae.
Host.
Unknown. The
holotype
was collected at a mixed aggregation of bees attracted to honey spray. It arrived on a day that the aggregation became dominated by
Scaptotrigona mexicana subobscuripennis
Schwarz.
Geographical distribution.
Costa Rica
and
Colombia
.
Derivation of specific epithet.
Named for the
holotype
locality.
Holotype
.
♀
,
COSTA RICA
:
San José
:
Zona Protectora El Rodeo
,
9.91°N
,
84.28°W
,
8.viii.2001
,
B. Brown
,
G. Kung
, honeysprayed leaves [
LACM
ENT 076019
] (
LACM
).
Paratype
.
COLOMBIA
:
Amazonas
: PNN
Amacayacu
,
Matamata
,
3.82°S
,
70.26°W
,
1♀
,
12.iii–2.iv.2001
,
D. Chota
,
Malaise trap
, CAP1608 (
UNCB
)
.