Three new species of Pseudosympycnus (Diptera, Dolichopodidae) from Peru and an updated key to the species

ABSTRACT

Three new species of Pseudosympycnus Robinson are described and illustrated from Peru: P. pennipes sp. nov., P. latitarsus sp. nov. and P. rafaeli sp. nov. In addition, Pseudosympycnus latipes (Parent) is recorded for the first time from the country and the male terminalia are illustrated. The first photographs of the holotype of P. bicolor Robinson and an updated key to species of the genus are provided.

Keywords:
Long-legged flies; Neotropical Region; Rare taxa; Stolidosomatinae

Introduction

Pseudosympycnus Robinson, 1967 (Dolichopodidae: Stolidosomatinae) comprises 12 described species distributed from South Mexico (17ºN) to Southeast Brazil (22ºS) (Soares and Capellari, 2020). Species of the genus are relatively uncommon in collection, although the genus is widespread in the Neotropical region, and seem to prefer moist rocks near streams and waterfalls (Soares and Capellari, 2020). The genus was erected by Robinson (1967) to allocate three species previously described as Sympycnus Loew: P. albipalpus (Parent), P. latipes (Parent) and P. palpiger (Van Duzee) and two new species: P. bicolor Robinson and P. perornatus Robinson. Later, Robinson (1970) transferred Sympycnus singularis Parent to the genus. The genus remained without the inclusion of new species until the revisionary work conducted by Soares and Capellari (2020) where six new species were described from Brazil and Peru.

In this paper, three new sympatric species are described and illustrated from Peru. In addition, P. latipes (Parent) is recorded for the first time from the country and the male terminalia are illustrated. The first digital photographs of the holotype of P. bicolor Robinson and an updated key to the species of the genus are provided.

Material and methods

Specimens included in the present paper belong to the following collections: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA, Manaus, Brazil) and Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (MUSM, Lima, Peru). Photographs of the holotype of P. bicolor Robinson, housed in the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH, Washington D.C., USA), were studied. After the review of the genus conducted by Soares and Capellari (2020) more specimens were found in the INPA Invertebrate Collection, stored in CD holders with a thin layer of cotton, a storage method used for many years at the institution (see Rafael et al., 2003). The morphological nomenclature follows mainly Cumming and Wood (2017).

The following abbreviations are used: I, II, III: pro-, meso-, metathoracic legs; MSSC: male secondary sexual character(s) (some features are assumed to be so by comparison with other species in the genus, even when females are unknown at present); t_1-5: tarsomeres 1 to 5. Measurements of the leg segments are representative ratios and given according to the following formula: trochanter+femur, tibia, tarsomeres 1/2/3/4/5. Measurements of eyes were taken from the top to the bottom of the eye in lateral view. The position of setae on leg podomeres is given as a fraction of the total length, starting from the base.

Terminalia were removed from the abdomen, treated with hot 85% lactic acid and kept in a microvial with glycerin after drawing and subsequently pinned together with their respective specimens. Label data for the holotypes are cited verbatim in quotation marks (each line separated by a slash “/”), and annotations in square brackets. Specimens were photographed with a Leica MC170 HD camera, attached on a Leica M165C stereomicroscope. The multiple images were stacked and combined using Leica Application Suite V4.11.

Taxonomy

Dolichopodidae Latreille, 1809

Stolidosomatinae Robinson, 1967

Pseudosympycnus Robinson, 1967

Pseudosympycnus Robinson, 1967: 901. Type-species: Sympycnus palpiger Van Duzee (1931: 177), by original designation.

Diagnosis (males). Species of the genus are easily recognized (and distinguished by the closely related genus Sympycnus Loew) by the males with palpus covered with silvery pruinosity (Figs. 2A-F), often enlarged, rounded, covered with scale-like setae (MSSC). Tarsus I and distal segments of tarsus III modified in shape and/or setae, noticeably It₂ (shortened, distorted and/or ornamented with modified setae (MSSC) (Figs. 3A-F) [see Soares and Capellari (2020) for a complete diagnosis].

Figure 2
Pseudosympycnus Robinson. Head in anterior and lateral views respectively. A-B. P. pennipes sp. nov., holotype ♂. A. Head, anterior view. B. Head, lateral view; C-D. P. latitarsus sp. nov., holotype ♂. C. Head, anterior view. D. Head, lateral view; E-F. P. rafaeli sp. nov., holotype ♂ E. Head, anterior view. F. Head, lateral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figure 3
Pseudosympycnus Robinson. Male tarsus I and III respectively. A-B. P. pennipes sp. nov., holotype ♂. A. Tarsus I. B. Tarsus III; C-D. P. latitarsus sp. nov., holotype ♂. C. Tarsus I. D. Tarsus III, short dorsal projection on IIIt₃ highlighted; E-F. P. rafaeli sp. nov., holotype ♂. E. Tarsus I. F. Tarsus III. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: It_1-5 = fore tarsomeres 1 to 5; IIIt_1-5: hind tarsomeres 1 to 5

Key to species of Pseudosympycnus from Peru (males) (modified from Soares and Capellari, 2020)

• 1 Palpus as long as eye height (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 26-27); tibia I compressed, white, except ventral surface yellow (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 70) [Brazil: Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo] ... P. latitibia Soares & Capellari

• Palpus shorter than eye height, about 1/3 to 2/3 as eye height (Figs. 2A-F); tibia I not compressed (or only thicker than tibiae II and III), mostly yellow or brown, never white (Figs. 1A-D) … 2

  

  Figure 1
  Pseudosympycnus Robinson. Habitus lateral. A. P. bicolor Robinson, holotype ♂; B. P. latitarsus sp. nov., holotype ♂ (pre-dissection); C. P. pennipes sp. nov., holotype ♂; D. P. rafaeli sp. nov., holotype ♂. Scale bars = 2 mm.
  

• 2 It₁ compressed and trapezoidal, with dorsal crest bearing fringe of setae increasing in size towards apex (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 41, 58); It₂ with dorsal projection, and apical crest bearing long setae (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 41, 58); tibia II with anteroventral row of erect short setae (as long as diameter of tibia) extending to IIt₁ (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 69) [Dominica] . . . P. perornatus Robinson

• It₁ cylindrical or nearly so (Figs. 3A, C, E), sometimes with dorsal row of setae, but never with crest bearing fringe of setae; It₂ without dorsal projection or apical crest bearing long setae (Figs. 3A, C, E); tibia II without anteroventral row of erect short setae … 3

• 3 IIIt₃ with dorsal projection overlapping the base of IIIt₄ and with cluster of apical curved setae (Fig. 3D) … 4

• IIIt₃ cylindrical or nearly so, without apical cluster of curved setae (Figs. 3B, F) … 5

• 4 Metepimeron and coxa III brown (Fig. 1A); It₃ laterally compressed with dorsal rows of slender setae (Robinson, 1967, Fig. 10); femur III brown, except basal 1/3 yellow, with few slender ventral setae at basal 1/3 and 3-4 ventral strong setae near middle (Figs. 1A, 4A); tibia III slightly thicker than tibiae I and II, with ventral row of short, curved setae from base to apical 4/6 (Fig. 1A) [Mexico: Oaxaca and Chiapas] … P. bicolor Robinson

  

  Figure 4
  Pseudosympycnus Robinson. Male femur III, anterior view. A. P. bicolor Robinson, holotype ♂; B. P. pennipes sp. nov., holotype ♂; C. P. latitarsus sp. nov., holotype ♂; D. P. rafaeli sp. nov., holotype ♂. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.
  

• Metepimeron and coxa III yellow (Fig. 1B); It₃ slightly laterally flattened and with anterior to anterodorsal rows of long setae (Fig. 3C); femur III yellow, except apex brown, with ventral row of long and strong setae from base to apical 5/8 (Fig. 4C); tibia III not ticker than tibiae I and II (Fig. 1B) [Peru: Department of Cusco] … P. latitarsus sp. nov.

• 5 It_4-5 entirely white or covered by dense whitish pubescence on anterior surface (Fig. 3A; Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 55, 56) . . . 6

• It_4-5 entirely brown, without whitish pubescence on anterior surface (Figs. 3C, E) … 10

• 6 Palpus largely transparent (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 28, 29); metepimeron brown; tarsus I cylindrical or nearly so, It₂ with 1 long dorsal seta at apex, longer than segment (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 53); femur III mostly yellow, but apical 1/5 brown (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 6) [Brazil: Amazonas] . . . P. maroaga Soares & Capellari

• Palpus opaque (Figs. 2A-F); metepimeron yellow; tarsus I with flattened segments or overlapping projections (Figs. 3A, C, E) ... 7

• 7 It_4-5 (sometimes also It₃) laterally flattened, brown, and covered by dense whitish pubescence on anterior surface (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 55, 56); It₃ as long as It₁, without projection overlapping base of It₄ (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 7); IIIt_3-4 with row of setae decreasing in size towards apex (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 57) [Panama; Brazil: Acre and Amazonas] . . . P. palpiger (Van Duzee)

• It_4-5 not entirely flattened as above, white, but never covered by dense whitish pubescence on anterior surface (Fig. 3A); It₃ 2-3 times shorter than It₁, with projection overlapping base of It₄ (Fig. 3A); IIIt₃ with 3-4 posterior setae longer than tarsomere (Figs. 3B, F) … 8

• 8 Femur I yellow, with 1 conspicuous ventral seta near basal fourth, almost as long as half of femur length (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 66); It₃ dark brown, with dorsal row of curved setae (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 44); IIt₅ white (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 45) [Peru: Department of Cusco] . . . P. araza Soares & Capellari

• Femur I brownish (at least dorsal surface), without conspicuous, long ventral seta at basal fourth (Figs. 1A-D); It₃ white, without dorsal row of curved setae (Fig. 3A); IIt₅ dark brown … 9

• 9 Tibia I with anterodorsal row of setae as long as diameter of tibia; IIIt₅ without modified setation (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 50); ventral lobe of surstylus wide, with ventral margin projected ventrally (Figs. 6A-B) [Peru: department of Cusco; Brazil: Acre, Amapá and Pará] … P. latipes (Parent)

  

  Figure 6
  Pseudosympycnus latipes (Parent), identified specimen from Peru. Hypopygium, left lateral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.
  

• Tibia I without row of setae as long as diameter of tibia; IIIt₅ with anterodorsal to posterodorsal rows of long and slender setae (Fig. 3B); ventral lobe of surstylus long and narrow, with ventral margin nearly straight, dorsal margin weakly sclerotized (Figs. 5A-B) [Peru: department of Cusco] … P. pennipes sp. nov.

  

  Figure 5
  Pseudosympycnus Robinson. Hypopygia, left lateral view. A-B. P. pennipes sp. nov., paratype ♂; C-D. P. latitarsus sp. nov., holotype ♂; E-F. P. rafaeli sp. nov., paratype ♂. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: bac scl = bacilliform sclerite; cerc = cercus; d sur = dorsal lobe of surstylus; ej apod = ejaculatory apodeme; epand lb = epandrial lobe; hypd = hypandrium; pgt = postgonite; sbepand scl = subepandrial sclerite; v sur = ventral lobe of surstylus.
  

• 10 Femur I brown; It₂ without long dorsal bristle at apex (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 64); It₃ subtriangular, projecting dorsally and overlapping base of It₄ (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 64); It₄ 2 times as long as It₅ and cylindrical (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 64) [Colombia: Gorgona Island; Belize] . . . P. singularis (Parent)

• Femur I yellow; It₂ with 1-2 long dorsal bristles at apex, as long as tarsomere (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 40, 47, 51); It₃ not subtriangular and not projecting dorsally over base of It₄ (Figs. 3C, E); It₄ usually as long as It₅ (if It₄ longer than It₅, then It₄ laterally flattened) … 11

• 11 Femur I with ventral row of subequally long and slender setae; femur III with ventral row of strong setae abruptly decreasing in length from base to apical 5/8 (Fig. 4D); IIIt₃ with 3 posterior curved setae, as long as tarsomere (Fig. 3F) [Peru: department of Cusco] … P. rafaeli sp. nov.

• Femur I with or without ventral row of setae (if ventral row of setae present, decreasing in length towards apex); femur III without ventral row of strong setae; IIIt₃ without posterior curved setae as long as tarsomere … 12

• 12 Metepimeron yellow; femur I without row of conspicuous ventral setae; It₂ with 2 dorsal bristles at apex (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 42, 51); It_3-4 or It_4-5 conspicuously flattened (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 42, 60); IIIt_3-5 with posterior and posteroventral rows of short, slightly curved setae (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 43, 61) . . . 13

• Metepimeron light brown to brown; femur I with row of conspicuous ventral setae (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 40, 68); It₂ with 1 dorsal bristle at apex (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 47, 62); It_3-5 cylindrical or nearly so; IIIt_3-5 without posterior and posteroventral rows of setae (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Figs. 48, 63) . . . 14

• 13 It₃ twice length of It₄ (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 42); It₃ cylindrical; femur III without ventral row of long setae [Brazil: Amapá and Pará] . . . P. albipalpus (Parent)

• It₃ shorter than It₄; It₃ laterally flattened (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 60); femur III with 3 ventral setae on basal half, basal two short and curved at apex, apical one longer, twice diameter of femur at broadest point (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 71) [Brazil: Acre] ... P. robinsoni Soares & Capellari

• 14 It₁ without row of anterior setae; It₂ with 1 sinuous bristle at apex (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 62); It₃ with anterior surface mostly bare, with anterior comb of short setae at apex; distal half of femur III darkened (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 10); tibiae II and III brown (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 10); IIIt₄ unmodified [Brazil: Amazonas] . . . P. sehnali Soares & Capellari

• It₁ with one anterior row of slightly curved setae, which extends to It₂; It₂ with 1 hook-like bristle at apex; It₃ with anterior surface setose and without comb of short setae at apex (Fig. 47); femur III darkened only at apex (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 3); tibiae II and III dark yellow (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 3); IIIt₄ slightly excavated at ventral surface (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 48) [Brazil: Roraima and Pará] . . . P. bickeli Soares & Capellari

Pseudosympycnus bicolor Robinson

(Figs. 1A, 4A)

Pseudosympycnus bicolorRobinson, 1967: 902, Figs. 10-11. Type locality: Rio Valle Nacional, Oaxaca, Mexico.

Diagnosis. As in Soares and Capellari (2020) plus the femur III brown, except basal 1/3 yellow, with few slender ventral setae at basal 1/3 and 3-4 ventral strong setae near middle (Fig. 4A); tibia III slightly thicker than tibiae I and II, with ventral row of short, curved setae from base to apical 4/6 (Fig. 1A)

Distribution. Mexico (Chiapas and Oaxaca).

Remarks.Pseudosympycnus bicolor is similar to P. latitarsus sp. nov. by the IIIt₃ modified (mostly triangular and overlapping the base of IIIt₄ and with apical cluster of setae). But P. bicolor can be differentiated by the metepimeron and coxa III brown (metepimeron and coxa III yellow in P. latitarsus sp. nov.) and tibia III slightly thicker than tibiae I and II, with ventral row of short, curved setae from base to apical 4/6 (tibia III unmodified in P. latitarsus sp. nov.).

Pseudosympycnus pennipes sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4E578818-DBCA-4FB4-A5BD-5A456848B33C

(Figs. 1C, 2A-B, 3A-B, 4B, 5A-B, 7)

Figure 7
Type-locality of Pseudosympycnus pennipes sp. nov. and Pseudosympycnus latitarsus sp. nov. (Peru, Cusco, Quincemil). Photograph provided by DM Takiya.

Diagnosis (male). Metepimeron yellow (Fig. 1C). Femora yellow, except dorsal surface of femur I and apex of femur III brownish (Figs. 1C, 4B). Femur III with ventral row of strong setae decreasing in length from base to apical 5/8 of femur (Fig. 4B). Tarsus I (Fig. 3A): brown, except It₃-It₄ and basal 2/3 of It₅ white: It₂ with brush of compacted stout dorsal setae directed forward at base, followed by 3 stout curved setae, apex with dorsal and anterodorsal stout setae; It₃ laterally flattened with dorsal small projection overlapping base of It₄, with dorsal row of setae, 2-3 basal longer and curved. Tarsus II unmodified. Tarsus III (Fig. 3B): IIIt₃ with posterodorsal row of curved and strong setae, as long as segment, and 1 slender dorsal seta at apex; IIIt₄ with dorsal to posteroventral rows of slender and long setae, decreasing in length towards apex; IIIt₅ with anterodorsal to posterodorsal rows of long, slender and curved setae.

Description. Male (Fig. 1C). Body length [holotype]: 3.1 mm. Wing length: 3.3 mm, width: 1.0 mm. Head (Figs. 2A-B). Vertex slightly excavated. Face ground color dark yellow but obscured by dense silvery pruinosity, narrowing at middle (narrower than anterior ocellus at narrowest point). Clypeus covered by dense silvery pruinosity, ending below eye level, lower margin rounded. Frons dark blue purple, covered by weak silvery pruinosity. Occiput dark brown, except upper part posterior to ocellar triangle with weak bluish-purple reflections, covered by weak silvery pruinosity; one row of black postocular setae, increasing in length at lower 1/2; paravertical setae as long as postoculars; vertical setae proclinate and convergent, slightly shorter than ocellars; ocellar setae divergent, one pair of minute postocellar. Palpus thin, ovoid, 2 times longer than wide, 1/3 as long as eye height, ground color yellow, obscured by dense silvery pruinosity and covered with few pale short hairs and 1 black seta near apex. Proboscis pale brown. Antenna entirely brown. Pedicel with crown of setae at apex, dorsalmost slightly longer. Postpedicel triangular, with short pubescence, arista-like stylus arising at upper edge, dorsally, at middle. Thorax. Mesonotum and scutellum mostly metallic dark green, with strong bluish-purple reflections; notopleuron obscured by weak silvery pruinosity; pleura dark brown with some green to bluish reflections and weak silvery pruinosity, but metepimeron and dorsal part of metepisternum (around posterior spiracle) yellow. Chaetotaxy. Lower surface of proepisternum with 1 conspicuous black seta and 4-5 pale hairs. Acrostichals in two regular rows, 5 pairs of large dorsocentrals, increasing in size posteriorly, fourth pair slightly offset laterally; 1 large (slightly shorter than notopleural setae) and 2 very small postpronotal setae; 1 pre-sutural, 1 sutural and 1 post-sutural slightly offset laterally intra-alar setae, 1 pre- and 1 postsutural supra-alars, 2 notopleurals, 1 postalar; 1 pair of scutellars as long as postalar setae. Legs (Figs. 1C, 3A-B, 4B). Mostly yellow, but trochanter I, dorsal surface of femur I, It_1-2 and apex of It₅, lateral surface of coxa II, leg II from apical 1/3 of tibia, leg III from apex of femur brownish; It_3-5 white, except apex of It₅ brown. Leg I. Podomere ratios: 35/32/21/5/7/10/6. Anterior surface of coxa I covered by short black setae, outer edge with 3 pre-apical long black setae, apicalmost stronger, apical edge with 3-4 longer black setae. Femur I covered by short vestiture of black setae, with 4-5 slender setae on basal 1/3, almost as long as diameter of femur (MSSC), 1 short posteroventral seta near apex. Tibia I relatively thicker than II and III. Tarsus I (Fig. 3A): It₁ with ventral row of short setae, 2 basalmost longer than width of segment, with anterior to anterodorsal rows of setae on apical 1/3. It₂ with brush of compacted stout dorsal setae directed forward at base, followed by 3 stout curved setae, apex with dorsal and anterodorsal stout setae; It₃ laterally flattened with dorsal small projection overlapping base of It₄, with dorsal row of setae, 2-3 basal longer and curved, anterior and posterior surfaces mostly bare (all MSSC). Leg II. Podomere ratios: 39/55/41/15/13/7/4. Anterior surface of coxa II mostly bare, except apical edge with fringe of long setae, and with 2 setae at middle-length of outer edge, apicalmost twice longer than basal seta. Femur II covered with short black setae vestiture, but ventral surface mostly bare, 1 short and slender anteroventral seta at base, 1 anteroventral row of short hairs decreasing in length from basal 2/8 to apical 5/8 (MSSC), 2 posteroventral rows of short pale hairs from base to apical 5/8 (MSSC), 1 conspicuous anterior and 1 posterior preapical seta. Tibia II with 1 anterior seta at 6.5/8, 4 anterodorsal setae at 1/8, 3/8, 5.5/8 and 8/8, 3 posterodorsal at 1/8, 3.5/8 and 8/8, 1 ventral at 6.5/8 and 1 antero- and 1 posteroventral at apex. IIt₁ with anterior row of setae as long as width of segment from base to apical 6/8. Leg III. Podomere ratios: 42/51/6/17/7/12/5. Coxa III with 1 strong seta near base and 1 smaller near apex. Femur III (Fig. 4B) with ventral row of strong setae decreasing in length from base to apical 5/8 (MSSC), 1 anterior strong preapical seta. Tibia III with 3 anterior setae at 1/8, 3/8 and 5/8, 1 anterodorsal seta at apex, with dorsal row of more conspicuous setae from basal 2/8 to apex, and with group of ventral fine pale hairs at apex (MSSC). Tarsus III (Fig. 3B): IIIt₃ with posterodorsal row of curved and wide setae, as long as segment, and 1 slender dorsal seta at apex (MSSC); IIIt₄ with dorsal to posteroventral rows of slender and long setae, decreasing in length towards apex (MSSC); IIIt₅ with anterodorsal to posterodorsal rows of long, slender and curved setae (MSSC). Wing. Membrane brownish smoky, veins brown. Costal vein ending in wing apex. Posterior margin with conspicuous fringe of setae. Veins R₄₊₅ and M₁ subparallel near apex. CuA+CuP as indistinct fold. Length of crossvein dm-m/last part of M₄ (“CuAx ratio”): 1. Halter yellow. Abdomen (Fig. 1C). Entire tergite 1 except for a narrow patch dorsally and tergites 2 and 3 laterally yellow, sternites 1 and 2 yellow, abdomen otherwise dark brown with weak greenish reflections. Tergites 1-6 covered with short vestiture of black setae, but posterior margin of tergites with longer setae (those on tergite 1 1.5 times longer than tergite length). Hypopygium (Figs. 5A-B). Capsule brown, cercus yellow; ventral lobe of surstylus long and narrow, with dorsal edge weakly sclerotized, ventral edge with 4 long setae and few short setae at apex; dorsal lobe of surstylus short, subtriangular, with pointed apex; cercus as long as ventral lobe of surstylus, with pointed apex and covered with long setae; epandrial lobe short, with 1 short seta at apex; hypandrium: distal part covering phallus-postgonite apparatus, fused with genital capsule at base; basal part prolonged into genital capsule as two hypandrial arms, forming distinct hypandrial apodemes; phallus: basal part wide and parallel to ejaculatory apodeme, widening ventrally, parallel to hypandrium and strong narrowing at apex; postgonites extending from base of phallus to form two-branched structured, directed anteriorly, before fusing with each other in association with distal part of phallus.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “Peru, Cusco, Quincemil / 13º13′03.4″S 70º43′40″W / 633 m, 23-31.viii.2012” “Sweep, J.A. Rafael / R.R. Cavichioli, D.M. Takiya” “HOLOTYPE / Pseudosympycnus pennipes / Soares & Ale-Rocha [red label]” (MUSM). Holotype in good condition (terminalia not dissected). PARATYPES: same data as holotype (1 ♂, MUSM; 2 ♂, INPA, one specimen with detached genitalia stored in microvial with glycerin).

Etymology. From Latin penna = feather and pes = foot, referring to the IIIt₅ with remarkable rows of long, slender and curved setae.

Remarks.Pseudosympycnus pennipessp. nov. is similar to P. araza and P. latipes by having the It_3-5 mostly white, and to P. araza, P. latipes and P. singularis due to It₂ with brush of compacted stout dorsal setae directed forward and It₃ overlapping the base of It₄ in males. Nevertheless, the new species is distinct in having the tibia I without conspicuous setae, femur III with ventral row of strong setae decreasing in length from base to apical 5/8, IIIt₅ with rows of long, slender, and curved setae, and the ventral lobe of surstylus with dorsal edge weakly sclerotized.

Distribution. Peru (Department of Cusco) (Fig. 7).

Pseudosympycnus latitarsus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B24DA205-9E52-432C-8D64-75A764331938

(Figs. 1B, 2C-D, 3C-D, 4C, 5C-D, 7)

Diagnosis (male). Metepimeron yellow (Fig. 1B). Femora yellow, except dorsal surface of femur I and apex of femur III brown (Figs. 1B, 4C). Femur III with anteroventral row of slender setae decreasing in length towards apex, and ventral row of long and strong setae from base to apical 5/8 (Fig. 4C). Tarsus I (Fig. 3C): brown, except basal 2/3 of It₁ yellow: It₁ 4 times longer than It₂ and with anterior rows of long setae at apical 1/2. It₂ with brush of compacted stout dorsal setae directed forward at base, followed by 3 stout curved setae, and with dorsal row of long setae, apex of It₂ slightly overlapping the base of It₃ and with group of dorsal long setae. It₃ slightly laterally flattened and with anterior to anterodorsal rows of long setae. Tarsus II unmodified. Tarsus III (Fig. 3D): IIIt₃ with short dorsal projection overlapping base of IIIt₄ and with group of 4 apical curved setae. IIIt₄ with 2 posterior slender and curved setae at apical 1/2.

Description. Male (Fig. 1B). Body length [holotype]: 2.5 mm. Wing length: 2.6 mm, width: 0.7 mm. Head (Figs. 2C-D). Similar to P. pennipes sp. nov., except for: face ground color brown; palpus thin, ovoid, 1.5 times longer than wide, about 1/3 as long as eye height, with few pale hairs and 1 black seta at posterior margin. Thorax. Similar to P. pennipes sp. nov., except for: mesonotum and scutellum mostly brown, with greenish and bluish reflections. Legs (Figs. 1B, 3C-D, 4C). Mostly yellow, but coxa II, dorsal surface of femur I, tarsus I from apex of It₁, leg II from apex of tibia and leg III from apex of femur brownish. Leg I. Podomere ratios: 28/23/12/3/6/7/8. Anterior surface of coxa I covered by short black setae, outer edge with 3 pre-apical long black setae, apicalmost stronger, apical edge with 3-4 longer black setae. Femur I with short vestiture of black setae, ventral surface mostly bare, with anteroventral row of short setae and 3-4 posteroventral slender pale setae at basal 1/3 (MSSC). Tibia I relatively thicker than II and III, with anterodorsal row of short setae from basal 2/6 to apex (MSSC), 2 posterior setae at 4/6 and 5.5/6. Tarsus I (Fig. 3C): It₁ 4 times longer than It₂ and with anterior rows of long setae at apical 1/2. It₂ with anterior brush of compacted stout dorsal setae directed forward at base, followed by 3 stout curved setae, and with dorsal row of long setae, apex of It₂ slightly overlapping the base of It₃ and with group of dorsal long setae. It₃ slightly laterally flattened and with anterior to anterodorsal rows of long setae (all MSSC). Leg II. Podomere ratios 30/44/39/10/10/5/3. Coxa II with row of short pale setae on outer margin of anterior surface, ending in 1 much longer black seta near apex. Femur II covered with vestiture of short black setae, except basal part of posterior surface and entire ventral surface mostly bare, with antero- and posteroventral rows of fine setae from base to basal 4/8 (MSSC), with 1 anterior and 1 posterior preapical setae. Tibia II with 1 anterior seta at 7/8, 5 anteroventral setae at 1/8, 2.5/8, 3.5/8, 5.5/8 and 8/8, 4 posterodorsal setae at 1/8, 2.5/8, 4.5/8 and 8/8, 1 antero- and 1 posteroventral apical setae and with ventral rows of short and slender setae. IIt₁ with 6 more conspicuous ventral setae at 1/8, 2/8, 3/8, 5/8, 6.5/8 and 8/8. Leg III. Podomere ratios: 37/43/3/15/6/6/3. Coxa III with 1 large seta, as long as coxa, at basal 1/3 and 1 smaller seta near apex. Femur III (Fig. 4C) with anteroventral row of slender setae decreasing in length towards apex, and ventral row of long and strong setae from base to apical 5/8 (MSSC) and with 1 long anterior preapical seta. Tibia III with 4 anterior setae at 1/8, 3/8, 5.5/8 and 8/8, and with dorsal row of more conspicuous setae from 1/8 to apex and with group of short ventral fine pale hairs at apex. Tarsus III (Fig. 3D): IIIt₁ with 1 long posteroventral seta at apex, as long as segment. IIIt₂ with posteroventral row of more erected setae. IIIt₃ with short dorsal projection overlapping the base of IIIt₄ and with group of 4 apical curved setae. IIIt₄ with 2 posterior slender and curved setae at apical 1/2. IIIt₅ unmodified (all MSSC). Wing. Similar to P. pennipes sp. nov. (see above) including the “CuAx ratio”. Abdomen (Fig. 1B). Setation and general color pattern similar to P. pennipes sp. nov., except for tergite 1 entirely yellow. Hypopygium (Figs. 5C-D). Similar to P. pennipes sp. nov. except as noted: ventral lobe of surstylus narrow, rounded at apex, with 2 long setae at ventral edge and few short setae at apex; dorsal lobe of surstylus long, triangular, wider than ventral lobe; cercus as long as ventral lobe of surstylus, narrowing at apex; epandrial lobe short, with 1 long seta at apex; phallus: basal part narrow and shorter than ejaculatory apodeme, slightly arched ventrally.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “Peru: Cusco, Quincemil / 13º13′03.4″S 70º43′40″W / 633m, 23-31.viii.2012” “Sweep, J.A. Rafael / R.R. Cavichioli & D.M. Takiya” “HOLOTYPE / Pseudosympycnus latitarsus / Soares & Ale-Rocha [red label]” (MUSM). Holotype condition: left leg I, left leg II and right wing mounted between cover slides, genitalia dissected and stored in microvial with glycerin on the same pin of the specimen.

Etymology. From the Latin lato = broad and tarsus, referring to the remarkable IIIt₃ with dorsal projection overlapping the base of IIIt₄.

Remarks.Pseudosympycnus latitarsussp. nov. is similar to Pseudosympycnus bicolor Robinson by sharing the It₂ slightly overlapping the apex of It₃, It₃ laterally flattened, IIIt₃ with dorsal projection overlapping the base of IIIt₄ and with cluster of apical setae. The new species can be differentiated by the It₁ with dorsal rows of long setae at apical 1/2 (only short setae in P. bicolor), femur III yellow with apex brown and with ventral row of strong setae from base to apical 5/8 (femur III with apical 1/2 brown and with only 2-3 ventral setae near middle in P. bicolor) and tibia III not compressed (tibia III slightly compressed than tibiae I and II in P. bicolor).

Distribution. Peru (Department of Cusco) (Fig. 7).

Pseudosympycnus rafaeli sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:14051400-C30E-4912-B909-2B001341AE01

(Figs. 1D, 2E-F, 3E-F, 4D, 5E-F)

Diagnosis (male). Metepimeron yellow (Fig. 1D). Femora yellow, except apex of femur III brown (Figs. 1D, 4D). Femur III with ventral row of strong setae abruptly decreasing in length from base to apical 5/8 (Fig. 4D). Tarsus I (Fig. 3E): brown, It₁ 7 times longer than It₂, without modified setation; It₂ with 3 long setae at apex, the 2 posteriormost as long as segment, and with anterior row of curved setae; It_3-4 laterally flattened with anterior surface mostly bare. Tarsus II unmodified. Tarsus III (Fig. 3F): IIIt₃ with 3 curved setae, as long as segment. IIIt_4-5 unmodified.

Description. Male (Fig. 1D). Body length [holotype]: 2.7 mm. Wing length: 3.1 mm, width: 1 mm. Head (Figs. 2E-F). Similar to P. pennipes sp. nov., except for: face ground color brown; frons dark green, with weak blue-purple reflections. Palpus thin, ovoid, 1.6 times longer than wide, 1/3 as long as eye height, ground color yellow, with dense silvery pruinosity, covered with few pale setae and 1 black seta near apex at posterior margin. Thorax. Similar to P. pennipes sp. nov., except for: scutellum mostly metallic green with weak bluish reflections; fifth pair of dorsocentrals slightly offset laterally; pleura pale brown, with weak greenish reflections. Legs (Figs. 1D, 3E-F, 4D). Mostly yellow, except coxae I and II, tibia I and tarsus I, leg II from apex of tibia, leg III from apex of femur brownish. Leg I. Podomere ratios: 30/30/21/3/7/8/5. Anterior surface of coxa I covered by short black setae, with 3-4 long black setae on anterior apical edge, outer edge with 1 long black seta at apex. Femur I with short vestiture oft black setae, ventral surface mostly bare, with row of ventral subequally long and slender setae (MSSC). Tibia I not thickened, with 2 posterior setae at 4.5/8 and 6/8. Tarsus I (Fig. 3E): It₁ 7 times longer than It₂, without modified setae; It₂ with 3 long setae at apex, the 2 posteriormost setae as long as segment, and with anterior row of curved setae; It_3-4 laterally flattened with anterior surface mostly bare (all MSSC). Leg II. Podomere ratios: 34/47/30/10/10/6/3. Coxa II with row of short pale setae on outer margin of anterior surface, ending in 1 much longer black seta near apex. Femur II covered with vestiture of short black setae, except basal part of posterior surface and entire ventral surface mostly bare, with anteroventral row of slender pale setae decreasing in length from basal 1/8 to basal 3/8, with 1 anterior and 1 posterior pre-apical setae. Tibia II with 1 anterior seta at 6.5/8, 4 anterodorsal setae at 1/8, 2.5/8, 5/8 and 8/8, 3 posterodorsal setae at 1/8, 3.5/8 and 8/8, 3 ventral setae at 3/8, 5/8 and 6/8, 1 antero- and 1 posteroventral setae at apex. IIt₁ with 4 ventral short setae at 2/8, 4.5/8, 6/8 and 8/8. Leg III. Podomere ratios: 40/54/5/12/5/9/4. Coxa III with 1 large seta, as long as coxa, at basal 1/3 and 1 smaller seta near apex. Femur III (Fig. 4D) with ventral row of strong setae abruptly decreasing in length from base to apical 5/8, with 1 anterior preapical seta. Tibia III with 5 anterior setae at 1/8, 2/8, 3/8, 5/8 and 8/8, with dorsal row of more conspicuous setae from 2/8 to apex, and with group of short ventral fine pale hairs at apex (MSSC). Tarsus III (Fig. 3F): IIIt₁ with 1 anterior strong seta at apex. IIIt₂ with 2 posterior setae at apex. IIIt₃ with 3 curved setae, as long as segment. IIIt_4-5 unmodified. Wing. Similar to P. pennipes sp. nov. including the “CuAx ratio” (see above). Abdomen. Setation and general color pattern similar to P. pennipes sp. nov., except for: mostly brown, except tergites 1 and 2 laterally yellow, sternites 1 and 2 yellow. Hypopygium (Figs. 5E-F). Similar to P. pennipes sp. nov. except as noted: ventral lobe of surstylus wide, rounded at apex, with 4 long setae at ventral edge and few short setae at dorsal edge and apex; dorsal lobe of surstylus long, triangular, slightly narrow than ventral lobe; cercus as long as ventral lobe of surstylus, slightly narrowing at apex; epandrial lobe short, with 1 long seta at apex; phallus: basal part narrow, u-shaped ventrally, with 1 long and strong medial projection; postgonites wide and cap-like at apex.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “Peru: Cusco, Quincemil / Rio Araza, 13º21′18″S / 70º53′22″W / 1000 m “22.viii.2012, Malaise / J.A. Rafael, R.R. Cavichioli / & D.M. Takiya” “HOLOTYPE / Pseudosympycnus rafaeli / Soares & Ale-Rocha [red label]” (MUSM). Holotype in good condition (terminalia not dissected), left mid leg broken off. PARATYPES: same data as holotype (1 ♂, INPA, with detached genitalia stored in microvial with glycerin).

Etymology. Named after José Albertino Rafael, Brazilian dipterologist who contributed substantially to the knowledge of Neotropical Diptera and collected the type material.

Remarks.Pseudosympycnus rafaelisp. nov. differs from all species of genus by the simple setae and absence of conspicuous modifications on tarsus I: It₁ long, 7x longer than It₂, It₂ with 3 long dorsal setae at apex and It_3-4 laterally flattened and the dorsal lobe of surstylus long, triangular, slightly narrow than ventral lobe.

Distribution. Peru (Department of Cusco).

Pseudosympycnus latipes (Parent)

(Figs. 6A-B).

Sympycnus latipesParent, 1930: 23, Figs. 28-30. Type locality: Taperinha farm, Santarém, Pará, Brazil.

Diagnosis. See Soares and Capellari (2020) for diagnosis and photographs.

Hypopygium (Figs. 6A-B). Similar to P. pennipes sp. nov. except as noted: ventral lobe of surstylus wide, with 4 long setae at ventral edge and few setae at dorsal edge; dorsal lobe of surstylus short, triangular, narrower than ventral lobe, with pointed apex; cercus short, shorter than ventral lobe of surstylus, with pointed apex and covered with long setae; epandrial lobe short, with 1 short setae at apex; phallus: arched ventrally; postgonites wide and cap-like at apex.

Material examined. “Peru: Cusco, Quincemil / 13º13′03.4″S 70º43′40″W / 633m, 23-31.viii.2012” “Sweep, J.A. Rafael / R.R. Cavichioli & D.M. Takiya” (2 ♂, INPA, one specimen with detached genitalia stored in microvial with glycerin; 1 ♂, MUSM).

Distribution. Brazil (States of Acre, Amapá and Pará) (Soares and Capellari 2020), Peru (Department of Cusco) new record.

Remarks.Pseudosympycnus latipes is similar to P. araza, differing from it by the femur I without long seta near base (P. araza with 1 conspicuous ventral seta near basal 1/4, almost as long as half-length of femur) and IIt₅ unmodified (P. araza with IIt₅ conspicuously flattened and white). Pseudosympycnus latipes is also similar to P. pennipes sp. nov., but can be differentiated by the tibia I with anterodorsal row of setae as long as diameter of tibia (tibia I without anterodorsal row of setae in P. pennipes sp. nov.) and IIIt₅ unmodified (P. pennipes sp. nov. with anterodorsal to posterodorsal rows of long, slender and curved setae).

Discussion

With the addition of the three new species described above, Peru becomes the country with the secondmost highest species richness of the genus with five species (Brazil with eight known species). However, all the five species from Peru were collected at the same locality in Cusco, Quincemil, at the region of Camanti-Marcapata Biological Corridor of Peru, as defined by Salvador-Montoya et al. (2012), located between 13.2-13.26ºS and 70.77-70.54ºW, and is characterized by extremely high precipitation (up to 7,000 mm per year) and annual mean temperature of 25ºC, with vegetational elements including the upper limits of lowland Amazonian moist forest and Andean submontane and montane cloud forest. The occurrence of five species at the same locality makes the high level of sympatry at one site even more remarkable and suggest that more species await discovery. Except for P. latipes which is also widely distributed in the Brazilian Amazon (states of Acre, Amapá and Pará), all the other Peruvian species appear to be endemic to the country.

Species of Pseudosympycnus are very similar in overall habitus, differing mostly by features of the tarsus I and III and other MSSC. Although the cladistic relationships among the species of the genus are largely unknown, there is probably a monophyletic group comprising: P. araza Soares & Capellari, P. pennipes sp. nov. and P. latipes (Parent), defined on the basis of It_3-5 mostly white, (Fig. 3A), It₂ with brush of compacted stout dorsal setae directed forward at base, It₃ laterally flattened with dorsal small projection overlapping base of It₄, It₄ slightly constricted and bare at basal 1/3 and IIIt₃ with row of posterior curved setae (Fig. 3B). Pseudosympycnus singularis (Parent) seems related to this group, however it has tarsus I entirely brown and It₄ cylindrical (Soares and Capellari, 2020, Fig. 64). However, there are undoubtedly many species of Pseudosympycnus awaiting discovery and future studies with description of new species are needed to better understand the morphological diversity in this genus before species groups can be defined.

Acknowledgments

We thank the curator Marcio Oliveira (INPA) and the collectors JA Rafael (INPA), RR Cavichioli (UFPR) and DM Takiya (UFRJ) for making available the studied specimens. Allen Norrbom (NMNH) and Alyssa Seemann (NMNH) for photographs of the holotype of P. bicolor. Also, DM Takiya (UFRJ) for the photograph of the type-locality of the new species. Dayse Marques (INPA), Justin Runyon (MTEC) and Renato Capellari (IFTM) offered useful suggestions to earlier versions of the manuscript. MMMS thanks the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Ensino Superior (CAPES) for the PhD scholarships. RAR is funded by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). This study was financed in part by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas (FAPEAM) - POSGRAD.

• urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:46C154A4-616D-4324-AFEE-84C8F95E945A

References

• Cumming, J. M., Wood, D. M., 2017. Adult morphology and terminology. In: Kirk-Spriggs, A.H., Sinclair, B.J. (Eds.), Manual of Afrotropical Diptera: Introductory Chapters and Keys to Diptera Families. Vol. 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, pp. 89-113.
• Parent, O., 1930. Ergebnisse einer zoologischen Sammelreise nach Brazilien, insbersonders in das Amazonasgebeit, ausgefuhrt von Dr. H. Zerny. III. Diptera Dolichopodidae. Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien. 44, 5-26.
• Rafael, J. A., Henriques, A. L., Vidal, J. F., 2003. Armazenagem de pequenos insetos secos em bandeja-manta adaptada de “cd box”. Rev. Bras. Entomol. 47 (3), 469-471. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0085-56262003000300018
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• Robinson, H., 1967. A revision of the subfamily Stolidosominae (Diptera: dolichopodidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 60, 892-903.
• Robinson, H., 1970. Family Dolichopodidae. In: Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu de Zoologia. A Catalogue of the Diptera of the Americas South of United States. Vol. 40. Departamento de Zoologia, Secretaria da Agricultura do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, pp. 1-92.
• Salvador-Montoya, C. A., Millán, B., Janovec, J. P., Drechsler-Santos, E. R., 2012. A preliminary checklist of polypores of Peru, with notes on distribution in the Andes-Amazon region and new records for the country. Mycosphere 3 (3), 282-287. https://doi.org/10.5943/mycosphere/3/3/2
  » https://doi.org/10.5943/mycosphere/3/3/2
• Soares, M. M. M., Capellari, R. S., 2020. Review of the Neotropical genus Pseudosympycnus (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), with description of six new species from Brazil and Peru. Zootaxa 4881 (2), 231-256. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4881.2.2
  » https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4881.2.2

Edited by

Associate Editor: Fabio Quinteiro

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  04 May 2022
• Date of issue
  2022

History

• Received
  20 Jan 2022
• Accepted
  31 Mar 2022