Cerodontha ( Cerodontha ) angela Boucher

Cerodontha ( Cerodontha) angela Boucher View in CoL sp. n.

( Figs. 17–20 View FIGURES 17 – 20 )

Cerodonta dorsalis (Loew) , of Becker (1920), in part.

Holotype ♂. Ecuador: El Angel, alt. 3000 m, P. Rivet 1903 ( MNHN).

Paratypes. Ecuador: 10 km S. Cuenca, Azuay. 13–14.iii.1965. 2200 m, L. Pena ( 2 ♂; 1 ♀; CNC).

Etymology. The species name is a noun in apposition derived from the type locality (El Angel).

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from other Neotropical species of Cerodontha ( Cerodontha) by the presence of acrostichal setulae, entirely bright yellow femora, distinct spine on first flagellomere; the presence of only 3 orbital setae; wing length between 1.8–2.1 mm in males; and the shape of the male genitalia.

Description. Frons width 0.25–0.30 mm; ratio of frons width to eye width 2.1–3.2 (measured in dorsal view); orbit 0.15–0.17 times width of frons (including orbits) at midpoint; parafacial well developed, forming narrow ring (cheek) below eye; 1 reclinate ors and 2 inclinate ori; orbital setulae sparse, mostly erect or reclinate with 1 or 2 proclinate anteriorly; first flagellomere elongated with dorsoapical spine and short white pubescence; arista slightly longer than maximum eye height and with short and dense pubescence; gena deep, conspicuously extended at rear; gena height at midpoint: 0.35–0.40 times maximum eye height; upper margin of clypeus narrow, rounded; eye bare or at most with short scattered pubescence. One presutural and three postsutural dorsocentrals; acrostichal setulae long, in 2 rows; prescutellar acrostichal seta absent; scutellum with only one pair of apical setae; notopleuron with 2 setae; postpronotum with 1 strong seta and 3 or 4 setulae; anepisternum with 1 strong seta on posterior margin a little above midpoint, and 3 or 4 smaller setae; fore femur without strong seta ventrolaterally; fore and mid tibiae without lateral seta; wing length 1.8–2.1 mm in male and 2.3 mm in female; M1+2 ending at wing tip; costa extending to M1+2; last section of CuA1 0.8–1.0 times length of penultimate.

Colour. Frons completely yellow with orbit sometimes slightly darker, mostly along eye margin or below ors; vt on brown with vti at the limit of yellow ground; hind margin of eye brown for a short distance beyond vte; face yellow; first and second antennal segments yellow, first flagellomere dark brown; palpus yellow; anterior margin of clypeus narrowly brown. Mesonotum and scutellum greyish pollinose; postpronotum yellow with central brown patch; notopleuron yellow with very small brown spot at anteroventral corner; anepisternum mostly brown with dorsal margin variably yellow; katepisternum completely brown or narrowly yellow dorsally; katatergite swollen and brown; calypter greyish with margin and fringe brown; halter white; legs mostly yellow (including coxae), with tibiae and tarsi darker, yellowish-brown.

Male genitalia. Distal tubules of phallus short with deep curvature at midpoint ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 17 – 20 ); distal ends of distiphallus enlarged, somewhat cylindrical, strongly sclerotized and not fused to each other; phallus normally strongly sclerotized ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 17 – 20 inset); epandrium with multiple short spines at hind corner ( Fig. 19 View FIGURES 17 – 20 ); ejaculatory apodeme with broad blade ( Fig. 20 View FIGURES 17 – 20 ).

Comments. Four of five specimens identified by Becker (1920) as Cerodontha ( C.) dorsalis (Loew) were examined. Among these, only one is C. ( C.) dorsalis . The other specimens represent C. ( C.) angela and C. ( C.) colombiensis Spencer.

This new species is very similar externally to Cerodontha ( C.) flavifrons (Philippi) , but is slightly smaller and has distinct male genitalia. In C. ( C.) flavifrons the distal ends of the phallus are fused and the distal tubules are longer. The phallus of C. ( C.) patagonica Spencer is also similar, but with a different curvature and fused distal ends.