Leucophora chilensis ( Malloch, 1934 )

Leucophora chilensis ( Malloch, 1934) View in CoL

Figs. 22–26 View FIGURE 22 View FIGURE 23 View FIGURE 24 View FIGURE 25 View FIGURE 26

Hammomyia chilensis Malloch, 1934: 190 View in CoL figs. 26 (male head in profile), 27a (male genitalia), b (sternite 5). Type-locality: Bariloche, Argentina; Albuquerque, 1953:538 (catalogue).

Leucophora chilensis Pont, 1974:7 View in CoL (catalogue); Ramírez-Mora et al. 2023:323 (catalogue).

Diagnosis. Leucophora chilensis can be differentiated from its congeners by the following combination of characters: three wide longitudinal vittae on thorax, central one extending over the scutellum, abdominal tergites 3–5 with a central brown patch (in profile); male with surstylus widened (in posterior view), pregonite with one seta and two acute distal projections; female with sternites 6–7 connected on posterior margin, spiracle 7th displaced posteriorly on membrane of segment 7.

Material examined. Holotype 1 ♂ ( BMNH): “Bariloche. / 25–28.x.1926.”; Argentina: / Terr. Rio Negro. / F. & M. Edwards. / B.M.1927–63.”; “ Hammomyia / chilensis / Type / det. JRMALLOCH”. “ Holo- / type”. https://data. nhm.ac.uk/object/a4e23f9e-8be1-41f4-b620-f81de4aaa6a7

Paratype 1 ♀ ( BMNH): “L Gutierrez. / 3–14.xi.1926.”; “Argentina : / Terr. Rio Negro. / F. & M. Edwards. / B.M.1927–63”; “ Allo- / type”. https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/bb820676-53d2-4d33-838f-8fbcc764faf9

Other material: 10 ♂, 4 ♀ ( IFML, MACN). ARGENTINA. Neuquén, PN Nahuel Huapí, Isla Victoria [ 862 m. a.s.l.] [ -40.941667, -71.541389], XII-1954, L.S. de Orfila & R.N. col GoogleMaps . 1 ♀ ( MACN _ En [MR 2783]). Villa La Angostura [ 801 m. a.s.l.] [ -40.762742, -71.641797], 12-XII-1946, Hayward col. det. F. Snyder GoogleMaps 1954, 1 ♀ ( IFML - DIP0891 ). Chubut, PN Los Alerces, Puerto Mermoud , 521 [m.a.s.l.], -42.723190, -71.748825, 25-X-2014, Mulieri col. GoogleMaps 2 ♂, 1 ♀ ( MACN _ En 36227, 36228, 36237), same data except, Patitucci col. GoogleMaps 1 ♀ ( MACN _ En 36238); Arroyo Torcido, L. Fataufquen , 520 [m.a.s.l.], -42.76131, -71.75058, 26-X-2014, Mulieri col. GoogleMaps 2 ♂ ( MACN _ En 36229, 36230), same data except, Patitucci col. GoogleMaps 4 ♂ ( MACN _ En 36231, 36232, 36233, 36234), same data except, Torreta col. GoogleMaps 2 ♂ ( MACN _ En 36225, 36226) .

Description

Male ( Figs. 22–24 View FIGURE 22 View FIGURE 23 View FIGURE 24 )

Body length 5.0– 7.4 mm, wing length 4.0–6.0 mm.

Coloration ( Fig. 22 View FIGURE 22 ). Head black dorsally to dark brown towards genae, with whitish-silvery or slightly golden pruinosity; frontal vitta black ( Fig. 22B View FIGURE 22 ), seen from above with some light greyish pruinosity ( Fig. 22D View FIGURE 22 ). Ocellar triangle with golden pruinosity. Fronto-orbital plate, parafacialia and genae black to dark brown with slightly golden pruinosity, darker posteriorly; parafacialia in profile with wide shifting black to dark brown patch from level of insertion of antennae to the middle length of the postpedicel ( Fig. 22C View FIGURE 22 ), genae with a brown patch from the vibrissal margin to the lower margin of the eye. Face brown. Antennae black, lower margin of scapus lighter. Thorax black, with three longitudinal brown dorsal vittae ( Fig. 22D View FIGURE 22 ), central vitta filling the space between the acrostichal setae and continuing to the scutellum apex, lateral wide vittae following the posthumeral, presutural, and posterior intralar setae to the posterior postalar seta. Anepisternum with a light brown patch ( Fig. 22A View FIGURE 22 ). Legs dark brown, except femora black and tarsomeres dark brown. Pulvilli light brown. Wing membrane hyaline with a brownish tinge, veins brown. Calypters whitish. Halteres light brown with slightly darkened apices. Abdomen black with greyish pruinosity, with central brown longitudinal vitta ( Fig. 22E View FIGURE 22 ), on each segment the vitta widened posteriorly but not reach the posterior margin; in profile with a brown patch on lateral surface of tergites 3–5 ( Fig. 22F View FIGURE 22 ). Sternite 5 dark grey-brownish. Syntergosternite 7+8 black. Epandrium black to dark brown. Surstylus yellowish. Cerci brown.

Head. Fronto-orbital plate at narrowest point 0.7–0.9x width of anterior ocellus, rather widening anteriorly, with a couple of minute setulae; frontal vitta at narrowest point 1.4–1.8x width of anterior ocellus, widening towards lunule; eyes separated at narrowest point 3.0–3.5x width of anterior ocellus ( Fig. 22B View FIGURE 22 ). 6–7 pairs of fr s, the uppermost pair is minute at about level of anterior ocellus ( Fig. 22C View FIGURE 22 ); infr s slightly shorter than the shortest fr s. oc s the longest setae on head; ocellar triangle with 3 pairs of additional setulae; poc s slightly shorter than oc s. i vt s convergent; o vt s proclinate, about 0.5x the length the i vt s. Postpedicel 1.4–1.8x the pedicel length; arista length 1.6–2.1x the postpedicel length, pubescent, longest hairs as long as the basal diameter of arista. Parafacials 0.4–0.5x width of eye. Genae below lowest point of eye margin 0.3–0.4x eye height ( Fig. 22C View FIGURE 22 ). Prementum 0.6–0.7x the head height. Palpus 0.4–0.5x the head height, dilated at tip.

Thorax. Chaetotaxy: 5 pairs of short psut acr s; prescutelar pair slightly longer than longest presut acr s ( Fig. 22D View FIGURE 22 ). Prealar seta absent or present, when present, more than 0.5x the notopleural anterior seta. 5 anepst s. 2+2 kepst s, the lower anterior less developed ( Fig. 22A View FIGURE 22 ).

Legs. Fore femur with a row of fine av setulae on basal half. Fore tibia with 1–2 pv setae. Mid femur with 4–6 av setae on basal half; 4–5 pv setae on basal half, 1 preapical seta; a row of strong a setae on basal half; 2 p setae. Mid tibia with 1–2 ad setae; 1 pd seta; 2 p setae. Hind femur with a complete row of av setae, longer at distal half; a complete row of ad setae; 2 subapical d setae; 1 subapical p seta; 3 pv setae on basal half. Hind tibia with 3–4 av, ad, and p setae; 3 pd setae.

Abdomen. Tergites 2–5 with lateral marginal seta stronger than median marginal seta ( Figs. 22E, F View FIGURE 22 ). Sternite 1 3x wider than long, setulose except medially. Sternites 2–3 less than 1.5x longer than wide, tapered towards anterior and posterior margins, setulose, longer setae on posterolateral margin. Sternite 4 slightly longer than wide, anterior margin strongly tapered, setae as sternite 3. Sternite 5 ( Fig. 23A View FIGURE 23 ) slightly wider than long, anteriorly narrowed, anterior margin straight; processes shorter than basal region, moderately slender, parallel sided, apex rounded with slightly tapered tip, inner margin with fine setulae, outer surface with long and strong setae, longest setae longer than processes length.

Terminalia . Surstylus widened and distally tapered, inner and outer margins sinuous ( Fig. 23B View FIGURE 23 ); in lateral view dorsal surface almost straight and slightly convex on ventral margin towards mid-length, some scattered setulae on outer basal half ( Fig. 23C View FIGURE 23 ). Cercal plate less than 1.5x wider than long, almost 0.5x the surstylus length, basally wide and tapered distally with sightly notched tip; in profile with dorsal surface curved, with acute tip; setulose, with very long and strong setae laterally, longest setae more than 2x the cercal plate length. Pregonite ( Figs. 23E View FIGURE 23 ; 24A, B View FIGURE 24 ) about 2x longer than wide, almost as long as postgonite length, apically with two divergent arms directed ventrally, with 1 short seta on distal margin towards middle ( Fig. 24A View FIGURE 24 ), without sensilla. Postgonite slightly more than 2x longer than wide; constricted basally, apically acute and curved, with 1 seta ventrally, with a couple of sensilla on distal half. Phallapodeme ( Fig. 23D View FIGURE 23 ; 24A View FIGURE 24 ) in profile almost straight, thin, basally slightly curved, distally scarcely expanded, unpigmented on margins; epiphallus rounded distally and slightly projected ventrally ( Fig. 24A View FIGURE 24 ); distiphallus ( Figs. 23D, F View FIGURE 23 ; 24A View FIGURE 24 ) basally straight, with moderately short free paraphallic processes not reaching the acute tip of the dorsal sclerotization; acrophallus unpigmented, and trumpet-shaped apically, in profile distally projected ventrally ( Figs. 23D, F View FIGURE 23 ; 24C View FIGURE 24 ), surface with scattered filiform projections.

Female ( Figs. 25–26 View FIGURE 25 View FIGURE 26 )

Body length 7.1–7.4 mm, wing length 5.6–6.0 mm.

Differs from male as follows:

Coloration ( Figs. 25 View FIGURE 25 ). Fronto-orbital plate dorsally with brownish pruinosity ( Fig. 25B View FIGURE 25 ). Patches on parafacialia and genae connected on parafacial anterior margin ( Fig. 25C View FIGURE 25 ). Thorax. Longitudinal vittae wider than male, central vitta almost filling the space between the dorsocentral setae, but interrupted on anterior margin of scutellum ( Fig. 25D View FIGURE 25 ). Bases of dorsocentral setae and discal scutellar seta with brown spots. Anepisternum with additional brown patches on upper margin and surrounding the anterior spiracle ( Fig. 25A View FIGURE 25 ). Coxae and trochanters darker than in males. Abdomen. Longitudinal vitta parallel-sided ( Fig. 25E View FIGURE 25 ), strongly narrowed on tergite 5. Patches on lateral surface lighter.

Head. Fronto-orbital plate at narrowest point 1.9–2.2 width of anterior ocellus; frontal vitta at narrowest point 3.6–5x width of anterior ocellus, parallel sided; eyes separated at narrowest point 7.5–9x width of anterior ocellus ( Fig. 25B View FIGURE 25 ). 7–8 pairs of fr s ( Fig. 25C View FIGURE 25 ). poc s slightly longer than ocellar additional setae. i vt s strong, slightly convergent and reclinate; o vt s slightly shorter than i vt s and divergent. Postpedicel 1.8–2.1x the pedicel length; arista short plumose, longest hairs about 3x the basal diameter of arista.

Thorax. 4 short psut acr s; prescutelar pair as long as the longest presut acr s ( Fig. 25D View FIGURE 25 ). Prealar seta slightly shorter than notopleural anterior. 6 anepst s. kepst s the lower anterior scarcely longer than surrounding setulae ( Fig. 25A View FIGURE 25 ).

Legs. Mid femur with 1 short av seta on basal fifth; 2 pv setae on basal third. Hind femur with 5–6 strong av setae; a complete row of ad setae becoming longer at distal half. Hind tibia with 2–4 av setae; 2–3 pd setae; p seta absent.

Abdomen. Lateral marginal setae longer than median setae ( Fig. 25E View FIGURE 25 ). Sternite 1 4x wider than long, with some lateral setulae. Sternite 2 slightly wider than long, posterior margin rounded. Sternite 3 1.3x longer than wide. Sternite 4 almost 1.5x longer than wide. Sternites 3–4 narrowed anteriorly. Sternite 5 almost 2x longer than wide, anterior and posterior margins narrowed. Sternites 2–5 setulose, longer setae on lateral and posterior margins.

Ovipositor ( Fig. 26 View FIGURE 26 ). Tergite 6 represented by pair of wide plates continuous on posterior margin, with anterior margin rounded ( Fig. 26A View FIGURE 26 ); posterior margin less sclerotized and unpigmented with a row of alternate long and short setulae which extends onto lateroventral membranes forming with the setulae of sternite 6 a more or less continuous band around the segment. Spiracle 6th situated behind the posteroventral corner of tergite 6 ( Fig. 26B View FIGURE 26 ). Tergite 7 similar to tergite 6 but slightly longer, lateral plates more separated from each other, with acute posterior margin, posterior half weakly pigmented, setation (chaetotaxy) as tergite 6. Spiracle 7th situated on posterior half of lateroventral membrane, behind the fringes of setulae of tergite 7 ( Fig. 26B View FIGURE 26 ). Tergite 8 widely divided into a pair of strongly sclerotized and pigmented plates, elongate but continuous along posterior margin, slightly longer than tergite 7; with an inner projection towards middle and in posterior margin with a V-shaped unpigmented area ( Fig. 26A View FIGURE 26 ); in profile ( Fig. 26C View FIGURE 26 ) plates narrowed anteriorly with acute apex; on posterior margin with a couple of rows of short setulae. When fully extended, almost the anterior third of tergite 8 remains hidden by segment 7 ( Figs. 26A, C View FIGURE 26 ). Epiproct more than 2x wider than long, posterior margin setulose. Sternites 6–7 about 1.8x longer than wide ( Figs. 26B View FIGURE 26 ), anterior half strongly pigmented and sclerotized, posterior half slightly constricted and unpigmented; anterior margin narrowed, strongly in sternite 7; posterior margin with a couple of short setulae, longer setae towards lateral. Sternite 8 represented by a pair of small, scarcely sclerotized and unpigmented plates towards posterior margin, setulose. Hypoproct about 1.5 wider than long, posterior margin rounded, setulose, longer setae on posterior margin. Cerci longer than hypoproct, slightly expanded posteriorly in dorsal view, dorsally on inner ventral margins with 1–2 pairs of recurved spines (longest spines slightly longer than cerci height) ( Fig. 26C View FIGURE 26 ), towards dorsal and outer lateral surfaces with smaller spines. Three spermathecae ( Fig. 26D View FIGURE 26 ).

Remarks. Leucophora chilensis share lateral patches on abdominal tergites with L. andicola and L. johnsoni , but differs in having the patches on middle tergites 3–5 ( Fig. 22F View FIGURE 22 ), in L. andicola the patches are restricted to the anterior margin of tergites 3–5 ( Fig. 1F View FIGURE 1 ), and in L. johnsoni these patches are only present on tergites 2–4 ( Fig. 35A View FIGURE 35 ). Female ovipositor of L. chilensis resembles those in L. andicola , however can easily segregated by the pair of spiracles 7 are placed on membrane of segment 7, meanwhile in L. andicola is placed on membrane of segment 6.

Distribution. Neotropical: ARGENTINA ( Chubut *, Neuquén *, Rio Negro) ( Fig. 54B View FIGURE 54 ).