Scaphytopius balaena Arias-Paco & Godoy, 2025

Scaphytopius balaena Arias-Paco & Godoy View in CoL , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1G–M View FIGURE 1 , 9B View FIGURE 9 , 10B View FIGURE 10 , 11C View FIGURE 11 , 12C View FIGURE 12 , 13C View FIGURE 13 )

Description. Length of male 3.99–4.02 mm. General appearance brown. Crown 1.5 x longer than basal width between eyes, light brown with two pale longitudinal bands in center, laterally pale with pair of oblique orangish brown maculae, remainder of dorsum with irregular orange-brown maculae and smaller orange brown spots near of apex; light brown with two pale longitudinal bands in center, separated by dark line, extending for 2/3 of crown; pale triangular spot at apex ( Fig. 1G View FIGURE 1 ). Face brown; gena and apex of frontoclypeus orange-brown, anteclypeus, lorum, and basal and medial parts of frontoclypeus dark brown ( Fig. 1I View FIGURE 1 ); apex of frontoclypeus has two pale-white transverse bands forming inverted V shape; with 4–5 short pale transverse lines along sides of frontoclypeus ( Fig. 1I View FIGURE 1 ). Forewings light brown with multiple irregular dark brown spots widely distributed, in apical area with very few white spots (5–6 round white spots) ( Fig. 1H View FIGURE 1 ), with 10–11 veinlets; veins dark brown. Legs light brown with black spots on tibiae.

Male genitalia. Pygofer in lateral view triangular, with rounded apex and multiple macrosetae ( Fig. 9B View FIGURE 9 ). Subgenital plate slightly triangular, somewhat wider at base than at apex, longer than wide, without macrosetae, with small punctures along outer margin ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ). Connective W-shaped. Style in ventral view with apophysis short, thin, rounded at apex; space between preapical lobe and apophysis C-shaped ( Fig. 1J View FIGURE 1 ). Paraphyses long, thin, and undivided, with two small dorsoventral spines at apex bifurcated ( Fig. 1L View FIGURE 1 ). Aedeagus in lateral view short and robust, with shaft and dorsal apodeme creating a V-shaped space in lateral view ( Fig. 1K View FIGURE 1 ); preatrium absent; dorsal apodeme straight and shorter than shaft; shaft straight and strongly compressed laterally, with pointed apex that is slightly curved dorsally ( Fig. 1K View FIGURE 1 ); in ventral view, shaft compressed laterally, with broad, drop-shaped gonopore and two small spines on either side ( Fig. 1M View FIGURE 1 ). Gonopore positioned ventral-apically.

Diagnosis. Paraphyses long, thin, and undivided, with two spines at apex that bifurcate dorsoventrally ( Fig. 1L View FIGURE 1 ). Aedeagus short and robust, with V-shaped space between shaft and dorsal apodeme in lateral view ( Fig. 1K View FIGURE 1 ).

Distribution. Costa Rica.

Biology. Unknown.

Etymology. From Latin balaena (whale), referring to the appearance of the paraphyses’ spines in lateral view, resembling a whale’s tail.

Material examined. Holotype. ♂. Costa Rica, Heredia, Estación Biológica La Selva , 3 km al sur de Puerto Viejo. 100 m. 10º26′N 84º 01′W. 25.VI.1990. col: H.A. Hespenheide, MUCR 0001078( MIUCR) GoogleMaps . Paratype. 1 ♂. Costa Rica, Heredia, Chilamate. 75 m . 3.IV.1990. col: Hanson & Godoy, ( USNM) .