Latheticomyia xantha Marques & Rafael, 2016, sp. nov.

Latheticomyia xantha sp. nov.

Figures 32–45

Diagnosis. Scutum dark brown, except for a yellow median stripe that narrows anteriorly. Male sternite 6 entirely sclerotized marginally, anterior margin rounded and posterior margin somewhat straight. Cercus simple, flat. Distiphallus not coiled.

Description. Holotype male (figures from paratype). Body length 2.7 mm before drying (2.2 mm after dried). Head. (Figs 32, 33). Eyes subcircular. Ocellar triangle dark brown, with a pair of strong ocellar setae. With two pairs of small, thin, paravertical bristles and a row of postocular setulae. Frons (Fig. 33) with many scattered setulae, plate mainly brown, light yellow on lateral margin, under orbital bristles and medially on a subtrapezoidal shape, tapering from base of antenna and reaching ocellar triangle. Face, parafacialia, proboscis, palpus, and clypeus yellow. Gena yellow with a row of eight genal setae; one genal and one postgenal bristle stouter. Occiput yellow except for a narrow brown band extending from foramen magnum under eye to posterior region of gena. Antenna porrect; scape only brown dorsally, remaining yellow, small, with stout setulae; pedicel brown, inner face yellow, short, with complete ring of setulae apically; postpedicel mostly brown, large and somewhat subquared in shape; arista brown, inserted subapically, micropubescent. Thorax. Scutum (Fig. 34) dark brown, except for a yellow median stripe within dorsocentral rows that narrows anteriorly and does not attain anterior margin. Scutellum yellowish-white with dark brown stripes laterally. Mesopleuron (Fig. 32) light yellow except for a narrow dark brown stripe, beginning anterior to postpronotal lobe and reaching katepisternum; meron light brown medially. Chaetotaxy: 1 postpronotal; acrostichals 4-rowed anteriorly; 5 dorsocentrals, with 1 presutural, and posterior bristle stouter; intra-alar bristles small, 3–4 somewhat irregular rows; 1 supra-alar presutural, 1 supra-alar postsutural; 2 postalar; 3 pairs of scutellars, marginal, basal and lateral bristles subequal, apical one reclinate; 2 notopleurals; 1 proepisternal; katepisternum with setulae and two stouter bristles. Legs. (Fig. 32). Slender, mainly with short seta and setulae. Coxae and trochanters yellow. Fore and hind femora brown; mid femur yellow. Fore tibia with basal half yellow and distal half brown; mid tibiae entirely yellow; hind tibia brown with yellow base. Fore tarsomeres brown, mid and hind tarsomeres yellow. Wing. (Fig. 35). Length 2.4 mm. Clear, slightly brown on costal margin. Base of costal vein with 2 stout bristles before humeral weakening and 2 before subcostal break, the latter weaker. Halter yellowish. Abdomen. (Figs 32, 36–38). Tergites covered with black bristles; mainly brown with lateral and posterior margins yellow, furthermore, tergite 1 somewhat yellow medially and tergite 2 with a large median yellow spot in the shape of an inverted triangle on anterior margin. Sternite 1 inconspicuous, unsclerotized; sternites 2–5 yellow, sternite 2 without bristles; sternites 3–5 with two pairs of longer bristles laterally; sternite 6 yellow, larger than anterior ones, anterior margin rounded, posterior margin somewhat straight, entirely sclerotized along margins with longer bristles laterally, unsclerotized and with shorter bristles mesially (Figs 37, 38). Terminalia (paratype). (Figs 38–45). Syntergosternite 7+8 brown dorsally, yellow laterally, distinctly shorter than epandrium, with a few sparsely scattered setulae. Epandrium (Fig. 39) yellow medially and brown laterally, covered with many black bristles. Surstylus (Figs 39–42) elongated, with expanded apex, incurved. Cercus (Figs 40, 41) setulose, simple, flat. Subepandrial sclerite Y-shaped (Fig. 41), with an elongated lateral projection (Fig. 42). Hypandrium large, somewhat arched (Figs 43, 44). Phallapodeme rod-like (Figs 43, 44). Phallus slender, distiphallus not coiled (Figs 43, 44). Ejaculatory apodeme (Fig. 45) somewhat straight.

Variation (n= 2). Body length 2.6–2.7 mm (before drying). Wing length 2.4 mm–2.5 mm.

Type material. The holotype male is labeled: “PERU: Cusco, 19rd km W Quincemil, Rio Araza tributary, 13°20'10"S, 70°50'57"W, 874m, 23–31.viii.2012, Malaise, R.R. Cavichioli, J.A. Rafael, A.P.M. Santos & D.M. Takiya [collectors]” “ Holotype ♂ Latheticomyia xantha ” (MUSM). PARATYPES: same label as the holotype (2 ♂ MUSM, 3♂ INPA).

Holotype condition. Specimen previously stored in a tube with 70% ethanol. Right mid leg missing.

Etymology. From Greek, xanthos = yellow, and refers to the prominent yellow areas on the body of the specimens.

Distribution. Peru.