Long-term survey SISBIOTA-Diptera reveals three new species of Sarcophagidae (Diptera, Oestroidea)

Abstract

Three new species of Sarcophagidae are described based on adult male specimens collected in the SISBIOTA-Diptera project survey. The new species belong to the genera Dexosarcophaga Townsend, D. papia sp. nov., Lepidodexia Brauer & Bergenstamm, L. aenigmatica sp. nov., and Rettenmeyerina Dodge, R. guidae sp. nov. The genus Rettenmeyerina is no longer monotypic, as a new species is herein described. Adult male morphology for all new species is documented with original photographs and illustrations, including details of male terminalia. The relevance of long-term survey projects is reinforced by the description of three species previously unknown to science.

Key words
Dexosarcophaga; flesh flies; Lepidodexia; Neotropical; Rettenmeyerina; SISBIOTA; taxonomy

INTRODUCTION

Sarcophagidae is a widely distributed family of calyptrate flies with approximately 3,100 species and about 107 genera (Pape 1996, Zhang et al. 2016, Piwczynski et al. 2017, Buenaventura & Pape 2018, Barbosa et al. 2023), with 393 species known in Brazil (Mello-Patiu et al. 2025). However, the sarcophagid fauna remains relatively unexplored in areas such as the Brazilian Western Arc of Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal biomes (Lamas et al. 2023). Large surveys on these areas are particularly important given the current rates of biodiversity loss (Diaz et al. 2006), increasing the risk of losing species that are not yet formally described, but the taxonomic bottleneck make such surveys difficult to implement due to sparse taxonomic resources (Kim & Byrne 2006).

The SISBIOTA-Diptera Network emerged as a strategy to fill this gap, aiming to (1) investigate, catalog, and document dipteran diversity, including Sarcophagidae, in Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Mato Grosso (MT), and Rondônia (RO); and (2) organize and recruit human resources to continuously study this fauna in subsequent years (Lamas et al. 2023). Currently, this project has contributed nine papers on Sarcophagidae and has documented 44, 45, and 21 new flesh flies records in MS, MT, and RO, respectively, (Lamas et al. 2023) including the descriptions of five flesh flies species new to science (Mello-Patiu & Salazar-Souza 2016, Santos et al. 2022, 2023). The identification of the remaining flesh fly specimens in this project revealed new species of Dexosarcophaga Townsend, 1917, Lepidodexia Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1891, and Rettenmeyerina Dodge, 1968. In this paper, we describe three new species belonging to these genera, which were surveyed in the SISBIOTA-Diptera project.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Specimens were collected with Malaise traps in three sites established during SISBIOTA-Diptera survey: 1) Mato Grosso do Sul, Corguinho, Taboco, Reserva Quinta do Sol, 19°46’36.8” S 55°14’55” W; 2) Mato Grosso, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Guimarães, Trilha da Pedra – Final (Mirante), 15°24’21.8” S 55°50’07.5’ W; and 3) Mato Grosso do Sul, Porto Murtinho, Fazenda Retiro da Conceição, Trilha da Mata Bruta. For more details on the entire SISBIOTA-Diptera methodology and photographs of sites, see Lamas et al. (2023). Additionally, specimens from material previously deposited in the Coleção Entomológica of the Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (MNRJ) were analyzed, as specified in the ‘Type material’ section. The type specimens have been deposited at the Coleção Entomológica of Museu Nacional of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (MNRJ).

Terminalia were dissected, cleared in a double-boiling 10% KOH solution for approximately two minutes and neutralized with 10% acetic acid solution for five minutes and washed in 70% ethanol. The material was studied in glycerin in temporary slides and illustrated using a NIKON SMZ1270® stereomicroscope and a NIKON ECLIPSE E200MVR® microscope, both with camera lucida. After examination and illustration, the terminalia were placed in glycerin in plastic microvials, pinned with their respective source specimens.

Specimens were photographed using three devices: Leica MC190® HD digital camera connected to a Leica M205C® stereomicroscope and processed with LAS V4.6 software; ZEISS Smartzoom 5® Automated Digital Microscope and optical NIKON ECLIPSE E200MVR® microscope, with the software Zen 2 (version 2.0).

Terminology follows Cumming & Wood (2017) for external morphology, with the abbreviations T and ST given for abdominal tergites and sternites, respectively. Mello-Patiu & Pape (2000) was used for phallic morphology, except for the term “paraphallus”, which followed the concept of Whitmore et al. (2013). The type labels information is provided in verbatim, with lines separated by a forward slash, different labels separated by a double forward slash, and comments given in square brackets.

RESULTS

Genus Dexosarcophaga Townsend

Dexosarcophaga Townsend, 1917:221. Type species: Dexosarcophaga transita Townsend 1917, by original designation. For generic synonyms, see Pape (1996).

Diagnosis: Postgenal setae black except for a few white setae below the neck, male terminalia black, female abdominal tergite 8 with broad and ventro-laterally truncated halves connected medially by a narrow strip, male mid leg with ctenidium of normal spines, phallic juxta small (Mello-Patiu & Pape 2000).

Dexosarcophaga papia sp. nov. (Figs. 1-2)

Type material

Holotype : ♂ (MNRJ): “SISBIOTA: CNPQ/FAPESP/Brasil, MS [Mato Grosso do Sul], Corguinho, Taboco/ Reserva Quinta do Sol/ 19°46’36.8” S 55º14’55” W/ Malaise 14 12.x-12.xi.2012/ Lamas, Nihei e equipe col. [printed on white paper]//MNRJ-ENT1-57497[printed on white paper]” (Fig. 1a).

Figure 1
Dexosarcophaga papia sp. nov., male holotype. a. Labels. b. Habitus, lateral view. c. Habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Description

Male

Length: 8 mm.

Head: Parafacial, fronto-orbital plates and postocular orbits dark brown, with intense golden pollinosity (Figs. 1b–c); facial ridge with setae on the distal third parafacial with a row of setulae close to the eye, with two distal ones similar in length with subvibrissae setae; frons about 0.26× head width at level of ocellar triangle; frontal vitta entirely blackish; row of 8-12 frontal setae parallel, reaching level of apex of pedicel; 1 reclinate orbital seta present, proclinate orbital seta absent; ocellar setae as developed as upper frontals; outer vertical seta approximately 2x the length of postocular setae; inner vertical seta not differentiated; gena and genal groove dark brown with yellowish silvery pollinosity; black setae on gena; postgena dark brow with silvery pollinosity, black setae, and white setae restricted to posteriormost part; antenna dark brown; first flagellomere approximately 2× as long as pedicel; arista long plumose on basal ¾; palpus dark brown.

Thorax: Dark brown with yellowish silvery pollinosity (Figs. 1b–c); chaetotaxy: acrostichals 0+1, dorsocentrals 3+4 (two minor anterior), intra-alars 2+2, supra-alars 1+2, postpronotals 3, notopleurals 4; postalar wall setulose; postalar callus with 2 setae; scutellum with one pair of basal, one pair of subapical setae, one pair of discal setae and apical seta absent; katepisternum with 3 setae almost in a straight line; meral setae 6-7; proepisternum bare; prosternum bare.

Wing: Hyaline, veins dark brown (Figs. 1b–c); tegula white yellowish; basicosta dark brown; vein R4+5 setulose dorsally on 2/3 of the distance to crossvein r-m; vein R1 bare dorsally; cell r4+5 open at wing margin; costal spine not differentiated; third costal sector bare ventrally.

Legs: Blackish-brown, pulvilli yellowish-brown; fore femur with rows of dorsal and posteroventral setae; fore tibia with 1 posteroventral median seta and 3 apical setae, 1 posteroventral and 2 dorsal setae; mid femur with 2 median anterior setae, a row of anteroventral setae, a row of posteroventral setae, and without ctenidium posteroventrally; mid tibia with 1 posterodorsal seta in basal third, 1 median ventral seta, 1 median anterodorsal seta, 1 median posterodorsal seta and 5 preapical setae alternating in length size; hind trochanter without a ventromedian pad of short, spiniform setae; hind femur with rows of anterodorsal, anteroventral and posteroventral setae and 2 dorsal preapical setae; hind tibia with 1 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal setae in basal third, 1 anterodorsal, 1 posterodorsal and 1 anteroventral setae in median third, and 2 preapical dorsal and 1 apical anterior setae.

Abdomen: Dark brown; a row of marginal setae on T5; ST1, ST2 and ST3 with black setae; marginal setae of ST2–4 not differentiated from discal setae; ST5 cleft in apical third and with divergent margin covered with short setae, setae concentrated in central and apical third of ST5 (Figs. 2a–b).

Terminalia: Dark brown; cercus with long setae in basal half and short sparse setae in apical half; cerci pointed, straight and parallel in posterior view (Figs. 2c–d); surstylus cleaver-knife-shaped, slightly curved, with a truncated apex and apical setae (Fig. 2c); pregonite 1.5× longer than postgonite, with an enlarged basal third and curved forward (Figs. 2e–f); postgonite with the apex pointed, curved and with a long median seta (Figs. 2e–f); basiphallus and distiphallus distinctly separated by a dorsal membranous strip (Figs. 2e–f); vesica sclerotized, with enlarged basal half and narrowing apex in lateral view (Figs. 2e–g); juxta membranous and poorly delimited from paraphallus (Figs. 2e–g); median stylus straight (Figs. 2e–g); lateral stylus with spines in apical third and base oriented toward to anterior margin of the paraphallus (Figs. 2f–g).

Figure 2
Dexosarcophaga papia sp. nov., male holotype, terminalia. a, b. Sternite 5, ventral view. c. Epandrium, cercus and surstylus, lateral view. d. Cerci, posterior view. e, f. Phallus and associated structures, lateral view. g. Phallus, ventral view. Abbreviations: bp, basiphallus; ce, cercus; ju, juxta; ls, lateral stylus; ms, median stylus; po, postgonite; pr, pregonite; su, surstylus; ve, vesica. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Female

Unknown

ZooBank Life Science Identifier (LSID)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 977D55BB-FE15-45E0-916A-21B4859E5683

Etymology

The specific epithet papia should be treated as a noun in apposition. The epithet derives from the Greek word for duck and refers to the shape of the vesica, which resembles a duck’s beak, in lateral view.

Distribution

Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul).

Remarks

Dexosarcophaga papia sp. nov. is morphologically similar to Dexosarcophaga salgada De-Souza, Souza, Soares & Carvalho-Filho 2020. These species can be differentiated by the ctenidium posteroventral on the mid femur, absent in D. papia sp. nov. and present in D. salgada, the shape of cercus, straight in lateral view in D. papia sp. nov. (Fig. 2c) and slightly curved in D. salgada (De-Souza et al. 2020: Fig. 3e), and vesica pointed in lateral view in D. papia sp. nov. (Fig. 2e–f) and almost rounded in D. salgada (De-Souza et al. 2020: Fig. 3i). The holotype of D. papia sp. nov. was originally misidentified as Lepidodexia (Nochaetisca) rosaliae (Lopes 1983) by Gomes, M.M. as noted in Gomes et al. (2024). However, further studies, including the specimen dissection, revealed that it was a new species of Dexosarcophaga.

Figure 3
Lepidodexia aenigmatica sp. nov., male holotype. a. Labels. b. Habitus, lateral view. c. Habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Genus Lepidodexia Brauer & Bergenstamm

Lepidodexia Brauer & Bergenstamm 1891:379. Type species Lepidodexia tetraptera Brauer & Bergenstamm 1891, by monotypy. For generic synonyms and subgeneric classification, see

Riccardi et al. (2024).

Diagnosis: Vesica connected to distiphallic tube through a broad membranous connection, male mid leg without ctenidium, postalar wall setulose, phallic tube small (Riccardi et al. 2024).

Lepidodexia aenigmatica sp. nov. (Figs. 3-4)

Type material: Holotype: ♂ (MNRJ): “Brasil, SP [São Paulo], Ribeirão Preto,/ USP-RP, Guest House, 593m/ 21°09’54”S 47°50’56”W/ Malaise trap#2/ 09-21.i.2020, PR Riccardi leg [printed on white paper]//MNRJ-ENT1-71221[printed on white paper]” (Fig. 3a). Paratype: 01♂ (MNRJ): “SISBIOTA–CNPq/FAPESP/ Brasil, MS [Mato Grosso do Sul], Porto Murtinho/ Faz. Retiro da Conceição – Trilha da/ Mata Bruta 12.xii.2011/ Van Someren (mamão)/ Lamas, Nihei e equipe col. [printed on white paper]//MNRJ-ENT1-47780 [printed on white paper]”.

Description

Male

Length: 5–7 mm.

Head: Parafacial and fronto-orbital plates with golden pollinosity (Fig. 3b), postocular orbits dark brown with silvery pollinosity; facial ridge with setae on fifth distal; parafacial with three short setulae close to eye; frons about 0.14× head width at level of ocellar triangle; frontal vitta blackish; row of 6 frontal setae parallel, reaching level of apex of pedicel; 1 reclinate orbital seta present, proclinate orbital seta absent; ocellar setae shorter than upper frontals; outer and inner vertical setae broken; gena and genal groove dark brown with golden pollinosity; black setae on gena; postgena black with silvery pollinosity with white setae; antenna dark brown; first flagellomere approximately 2.5× as long as pedicel; arista long plumose on basal 2/3; palpus dark brown.

Thorax: blackish with silvery pollinosity (Figs. 3b–c); chaetotaxy: acrostichals 0+1, dorsocentrals 2+3, intra-alars 1+2, supra-alars 2+3, postpronotals 3, notopleurals 4; postalar wall bare; postalar callus with 2 setae; scutellum with one pair of basal setae, one pair of discal setae, one pair of subapical setae, and an apical seta absent; katepisternum with 3 setae almost in a straight line; meral setae 6; proepisternum bare; prosternum setulose.

Wing: Hyaline, veins dark brown (Figs. 3b–c); tegula whitish; basicosta whitish; vein R4+5 setulose dorsally nearly crossvein r-m; vein R1 setulose dorsally; cell r4+5 opened at wing margin; costal spine not differentiated; third costal sector bare ventrally.

Legs: Blackish-brown, pulvilli whitish; fore femur with rows of dorsal and posteroventral long setae; fore tibia with 1 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal median setae and 2 apical setae; mid femur with 3 median anterior setae, 2 median anteroventral setae, a row of posteroventral setae, and with ctenidium posteroventrally; mid tibia with 1 median anterodorsal and 2 posterodorsal setae and 7 apical setae alternating in length size; hind trochanter without a ventromedian pad of short, spiniform setae; hind femur with rows of anterodorsal and anteroventral setae, 1 dorsal and 1 posterodorsal preapical setae; hind tibia with 1 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal setae in basal third, 1 anterodorsal, 1 anteroventral and 1 posterodorsal setae in median third, 2 anterodorsal preapical setae and 3 apical setae.

Abdomen: Dark brown, with silvery pollinosity (Figs. 3b–c); T2 with a pair of lateral apical setae; T4 with a pair of dorsal marginal setae and two lateral marginal setae; T5 with a row of strong marginal setae and with elongated setae in ventral region; ST2–4 with dense and numerous ventral setae; ST5 cleft in apical 2/3 and with parallel margin covered with long setae and numerous short setae in the inner ventral margin (Figs. 4a–b).

Terminalia: Dark brown with syntergosternite T7+8 and epandrium orange; cercus with elongated setae in basal half and short setae in apical half; cerci straight with bent apex, parallel in posterior view (Figs. 4c–d); surstylus straight and almost equal in length to cerci (Figs. 4c–d); basiliform sclerite present and elongated (Fig. 4d); pregonite 2× longer than postgonite, slightly curved forward (Figs. 4e–g); postgonite with the apex pointed and curved and with a long setae inserted in the basal half (Figs. 4e–g); basiphallus and distiphallus distinctly separated by a dorsal membranous strip (Figs. 4g–h); vesica almost triangular and mostly membranous, with a distal part sclerotized (Figs. 4g–i); juxta with a pointed apex and articulated with paraphallus (Figs. 4g–i); harpes with bent apex in lateral view (Figs. 4g–h); median stylus c-shaped in lateral view, curved towards (Figs. 4h–i); lateral stylus almost straight and L-shaped in lateral view (Figs. 4h–i).

Figure 4
Lepidodexia aenigmatica sp. nov., male paratype, terminalia. a, b. Sternite 5, ventral view. c. Cerci and surstyli, posterior view. d. Epandrium, cercus and surstylus, lateral view. e, f. Pregonite and postgonite, lateral view. g, h. Phallus and associated structures, lateral view. i. Phallus, ventral view. Abbreviations: bp, basiphallus; bs, basiliform sclerite; ce, cercus; hp, harpes; ju, juxta; ls, lateral stylus; ms, median stylus; po, postgonite; pp, paraphallus; pr, pregonite; su, surstylus; ve, vesica. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Female

Unknown

ZooBank Life Science Identifier (LSID)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E0E9DFA1-FE06-44FB-839B-67B8ED612E93

Etymology

The specific epithet aenigmatica from Greek should be treated as an adjective. The name refers to the complexity of the phallic structures.

Distribution

Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo).

Remarks

Lepidodexia aenigmatica sp. nov. has close morphological affinities to the subgenera Chamayamyia and Pachygraphia. However, L. aenigmatica sp. nov. can be differentiated from Chamayamyia mainly by the length of surstylus, almost equal in length to cerci in L. aenigmatica sp. nov. (Figs. 4c–d) and reduced in Chamayamyia (Lopes 1969: Fig. 40); by the color of syntergosternite T7+8 and epandrium, entirely orange in L. aenigmatica sp. nov. (Figs. 3b–c), and syntergosternite T7+8 brown and epandrium yellow in Chamayamyia and by the setosity of the katepimeron, setose in L. aenigmatica sp. nov. and bare in Chamayamyia. The L. aenigmatica sp. nov. species can also be differentiated from Pachygraphia species by the katepimeron, setose in L. aenigmatica sp. nov. and bare in Pachygraphia and by the presence of the ctenidium on the middle femur in males, absent in L. aenigmatica sp. nov. and present in Pachygraphia.

Genus Rettenmeyerina Dodge

Rettenmeyerina Dodge, 1968:447. Type species: Rettenmeyerina serrata Dodge 1968, by original designation.

Diagnosis: Head of male with one proclinate frontorbital seta, thorax with postalar wall setose, male with abdominal sternite 5 with a patch of central setae, and female with spermathecae elliptical (Pape 1996).

Rettenmeyerina guidae sp. nov. (Figs. 1-2)

Type material: Holotype: ♂ (MNRJ): “SISBIOTA: CNPQ/FAPESP/Brasil, MT[Mato Grosso], Parque Nacional/ Chapada dos Guimarães/ Trilha da Pedra – Final (Mirante)/ 15°24’21.9”S 55º50’07”W/ Malaise 22 17.i-19.iii.2012/ Lamas, Nihei e equipe col. [printed on white paper]//MNRJ-ENT1-57319[printed on white paper]” (Fig. 5a).

Figure 5
Rettenmeyerina guidae sp. nov., male holotype. a. Labels. b. Habitus, dorsal view. c. Head, lateral view. d. Habitus, lateral view. Abbreviations: pc, proclinate orbital seta Scale bars = 1 mm, except c = 2 mm.

Description

Male

Length: 6 mm.

Head: Parafacial, fronto-orbital plates and postocular orbits dark brown, with intense silvery pollinosity (Figs. 5b–d); facial ridge with setae for the distal fifth; parafacial with one setula close to eye; frons about 0.28× head width at level of ocellar triangle; frontal vitta dark brown with silvery pollinosity; row of 5 frontal setae parallel, reaching the level of the apex of the pedicel; 1 reclinate orbital seta present, 1 proclinate orbital seta present (Fig. 5c); ocellar setae as developed as upper frontals; outer vertical seta approximately 2× of the length of postocular setae; inner vertical seta broken; gena and genal groove dark brown with silvery pollinosity; black setae on gena; postgena black with silvery pollinosity, black setae, and white setae restricted to posteriormost part; antenna dark brown; first flagellomere approximately 1.5× as long as pedicel; arista long plumose on basal ¾; palpus dark brown.

Thorax: Dark brown with silvery pollinosity (Figs. 5b); chaetotaxy: acrostichals 0+1, dorsocentrals 3 (the anterior one shorter) +4, intra-alars 2+2, supra-alars 2+2, postpronotals 3, notopleurals 4; postalar wall setulose; postalar callus with 3 setae; scutellum with one pair of basal setae, one pair of subapical setae, one pair of preapical discal setae and apical seta absent; katepisternum with 3 setae almost in a straight line; meral setae 3-4; proepisternum bare; prosternum bare.

Wing: Hyaline, veins dark brown (Figs. 5b, 5d); tegula whitish; basicosta whitish; vein R4+5 setulose dorsally nearly crossvein r-m; vein R1 bare; cell r4+5 closed at wing margin; costal spine not differentiated; third costal sector setulose ventrally.

Legs: Blackish-brown, pulvilli whitish; fore femur with rows of dorsal and posteroventral long setae; fore tibia with 2 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal median seta and 2 apical setae; mid femur with 2 median anterior setae, 2 median anteroventral setae, 2 preapical setae, a row of posteroventral setae, and without ctenidium posteroventrally; mid tibia with 1 median anterodorsal seta and 6 apical setae alternating in length size; hind trochanter without a ventromedian pad of short, spiniform setae; hind femur with rows of anterodorsal and anteroventral setae and 1 dorsal preapical seta; hind tibia with 1 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal setae in basal third, 1 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal setae in median third, 1 anterodorsal and 1 posteroventral preapical setae and 2 apical setae.

Abdomen: Dark brown, with silvery pollinosity (Figs. 5b, 5d); T5 with a row of marginal setae; ST1, ST2 and ST3 with pale short setae; marginal setae of ST2–4 not differentiated from discal setae; ST5 cleft in apical third and with divergent narrow margin covered with setae, basal margin 6x smaller than the apical margin, inner margin of ST5 with a cushion-like protuberance (=central region of Lopes 1974) with numerous spines (Figs. 6a–b).

Terminalia: Dark brown with epandrium orange (Figs. 5d); cercus with short setae in basal half and sparse short setae in apical half; cerci pointed, curved forward and divergent in posterior view (Figs. 6c–d); surstylus triangular, with apical setae (Fig. 6d); pregonite 1.5× longer than postgonite and slightly curved forward (Figs. 6d–e); postgonite with the apex pointed and curved and with few short setae (Figs. 6d–e); basiphallus and distiphallus distinctly separated by a dorsal membranous strip (Figs. 6e–f); vesica sclerotized, with a superior bifid arch in ventral view and an inferior median projection (Figs. 6e–g); juxta with a rounded apex and with a desclerotized area between the paraphallus and the juxta (Figs. 6e–f); median stylus c-shaped, curved towards distal end of paraphallus and with an anterior basal projection (Figs. 6e–g); lateral stylus elongated, c-shaped in lateral view and with its base almost reaching the ventral wall of the paraphallus (Figs. 6e–f); apex of lateral styli in ventral view overlapping each other (Fig. 6g).

Figure 6
Rettenmeyerina guidae sp. nov., male holotype, terminalia. a, b. Sternite 5, ventral view. c. Cerci, posterior view. d. Epandrium, cercus, surstylus and gonites, lateral view. e, f. Phallus and associated structures, lateral view. g. Phallus, ventral view. Abbreviations: bp, basiphallus; ce, cercus; cp, cushion-like protuberance; ju, juxta; ls, lateral stylus; ms, median stylus; po, postgonite; pr, pregonite; su, surstylus; ve, vesica. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Female

Unknown.

ZooBank Life Science Identifier (LSID)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BCB7F2EE-0F9D-4989-A8D8-1E5BB8C30B1A

Etymology

The specific epithet guidae (guid + ae), in the feminine genitive, is named in honor of Aida Margarida Pereira de Lima Gomes, the grandmother of the first author (MMG), who had the nickname Guida.

Distribution

Brazil (Mato Grosso).

Remarks

Rettenmeyerina was previously comprised of only one species, Rettenmeyerina serrata (Fig. 7a). Rettenmeyerina guidae sp. nov. fits the diagnosis and is here considered an unequivocal species of Rettenmeyerina. Rettenmeyerina guidae sp. nov. differs from R. serrata in the following morphological characteristics: wing with cell r4+5 closed at wing margin, ST5 with longer and divergent margins, pregonite thin and curved, and vesica thin in superior portion and broad in the inferior one (Fig. 7b).

Figure 7
Rettenmeyerina spp., male terminalia, lateral view. a. Rettenmeyerina serrata. b. Rettenmeyerina guidae sp. nov. Abbreviations: ce, cercus; ju, juxta; pp, paraphallus; ST5, sternite 5; ve, vesica. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Additional Material Examined

Rettenmeyerina serrata: 01♂ MNRJ-ENT1-69222: BR[Brazil], CE[Ceará], Pacoti, Campus UECE, Van-Someren, 04-05.xii.2021, M.A. Menezes col. (MNRJ)

DISCUSSION

The new species of Dexosarcophaga herein proposed is described following the broad generic concept proposed by Pape (1996), without assigning it to a subgenus. Although some authors (Mello-Patiu & Pape 2000, Silva & Mello-Patiu 2010, Carvalho-Filho et al. 2018) have proposed subgeneric divisions within the genus, a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis is still required to elucidate the relationships among its species.

Lepidodexiaaenigmatica sp. nov. is an unequivocal species of Lepidodexia presenting the vesica connected to the distiphallic tube through a broad membranous connection, a recognized autapomorphy for the genus (Riccardi et al. 2024). However, the morphology of this species does not reveal the placement of L. aenigmatica sp. nov. within any of the 33 currently recognized subgenera by Riccardi et al. (2024). Placing a species in Lepidodexia without assignment to a subgenus follows Buenaventura et al. (2021), who also described a species, Lepidodexia deboranga Buenaventura, Valverde-Castro & Wolff 2021, that did not share the diagnostic characteristics with any of the known subgenera, and they emphasized the need for further studies to better understand the genus.

With the description of Rettenmeyerina guidae sp. nov., the genus Rettenmeyerina is no longer monotypic. The description of this new species validates the following character states previously noted by Lopes (1974, 1990) as diagnostic for the genus: vein R1 bare, presence of one proclinate orbital seta and ST5 with a concave hind margin and spines. Additionally, the new species expands the known distribution of the genus, found only in the lowland tropical forest in Panama and the Caatinga biome in Brazil, to include the Cerrado biome.

Dexosarcophaga papia sp. nov. and R. guidae sp. nov. were discovered in the Cerrado biome, also known as South American savanna, one of the Brazilian biomes that had only two known endemic species of the genus Oxysarcodexia (Gomes et al. 2024). The finding of an additional two new species, which may also be endemic to this biome, doubles the number of endemic species known from the Cerrado. In contrast, L. aenigmatica sp. nov. was collected in Porto Murtinho (Humid Chaco) and Ribeirão Preto (Atlantic Rainforest), indicating that this species has a wider distribution, not restricted to one biome. These findings reinforce the importance of long-term surveys such as the SISBIOTA-Diptera project (Lamas et al. 2023), which continues to yield new taxa since 2011.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. Carlos Einicker Lamas and Camila Fernandes Conti for all the support given to access Sarcophagidae specimens in the Diptera collection of the MZUSP. We are also grateful to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Proc. 563256/ 2010-9) and the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, Proc. 2010/52314-0) for providing financial support to the project SISBIOTA–Diptera “Rede temática para estudos de diversidade, sistemática e limites distribucionais de Diptera nos estados do Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul e Rondônia”, from which the studied material was obtained. We are thankful to Geovane Alves de Souza (MNRJ), Mariane Targino (MNRJ) and Viviane Rodrigues de Souza (MNRJ) for the assistance in obtaining and processing the images. JRS is thankful to CNPq (Proc. 151008/2023-0) and Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro – FAPERJ (Proc. 210.604/2023) for the postdoctoral fellowship. MAM is grateful to CNPq (Proc. 150925/2025-5) for the postdoctoral fellowship. MSC is thankful to CNPq (Proc. 300386-80) for the financial support.

• Data availability
  The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

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Edited by

• Handling editor
  Marilia Danyelle Nunes Rodrigues http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0008-0912

Data availability

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  13 Mar 2026
• Date of issue
  2026

History

• Received
  09 May 2025
• Accepted
  01 Nov 2025