Penniverpa chersonesa Webb, spec. nov.

Penniverpa chersonesa Webb spec. nov.

(Figs. 12–17, 79, 88)

Etymology. Chersonesos (Greek) = peninsula. This name refers to the peninsula of Baja California, from where the specimens of this species have been collected, and is used as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The male of Penniverpa chersonesa is similar to P. evani and is separated by the distiphallus (Fig. 14) tapered posteriorly, lacking a broad apicolateral flange and the anterior margin of the dorsal apodeme (Fig. 15) being truncate. The female differs from P. evani in having white pubescence (Fig. 79) across the posterior margin of tergites 1–3 and 5, and posterolaterally on tergite 6.

Description of MALE. Variation (n=3).

Body length 5.8–6.8, 6.4 mm.

Head. Length 0.78–0.88, 0.82 mm. Ommatidia smaller ventrally and laterally. Frons pubescence white, dense; setae absent. Antenna dark brown, scape pubescence gray; antenna/head length 0.7–0.8, 0.8; scape length 0.14–0.16, 0.15 mm, width 0.10 mm, length/width 1.5–1.6, 1.5, scape/pedicel length 1.8–2.0, 1.9, scape/flagellum width 0.8–1.1, 1.0, setae dark brown, short; pedicel length 0.08 mm, length/width 0.7–0.8, 0.8; flagellum oval, tapered apically, length 0.40 mm, width 0.10–0.11, 0.10 mm, length/width 3.6–4.0, 3.9, flagellum/scape length 2.5–2.9, 2.6. Parafacial pubescence white. Maxillary palpus dark brown; length 0.36– 0.38, 0.37 mm, width 0.06–0.08, 0.07 mm, length/width 4.5–6.0, 5.1; setae dark brown, elongate. Genal setae white. Occipital setae white, sparse dorsolaterally; macrosetae dark brown, extending as single row ventrally from lateral end of postocular macrosetae.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 2 sa. Mesonotum with vittae dark brown separated by dense gray pubescence; setae dark brown, erect intermixed with white, appressed setae. Postpronotal setae whitish yellow. Pleuron pubescence gray; setae white, elongate on propleuron, anepisternum, katepisternum, laterotergite, and scutellum. Wing. Membrane hyaline; veins pale brown; length 5.7–5.8, 5.7 mm, width 2.0–2.2, 2.1 mm, length/ width 2.6–2.9, 2.8; pterostigma pale brown, narrow. Halter brown. Legs. Coxae brown, pubescence silver; hind coxa with anterior papillate knob; setae white. Femora dark brown, pubescence gray; ventral setae brown on fore– and midfemora; av 0–1:0:1–2, pv 0:0:1–2. Tibiae and tarsi dark brown.

Abdomen. Dark brown, pubescence white, dense on posterior half of tergite 1, over all of tergites 2–8; dorsal setae white, elongate, appressed forming dense band across posterior margin; lateral setae white. Terminalia (MEI 080264). Sternite 8 (Fig. 12), posterior margin broadly emarginate; setae dark brown, absent medially on posterior margin. Gonocoxite ventral view (Fig. 12), setae dark brown, macrosetae dark brown across posteromedial margin; ventral lobe (Fig. 13), PVL in form of large, basal, spinous projection. Gonostylus dorsal view (Fig. 13), LGP oblong, apical macrosetae dark brown, VMP narrow, apical macrosetae elongate. Aedeagus with dorsal apodeme (Fig. 14), anterior margin emarginate; ventral apodeme (Fig. 15), extending beyond anterior margin of dorsal apodeme; distiphallus dorsal view (Fig. 14), broad basally, tapered posteriorly with several large spinous projections, ventral view (Fig. 15), AAP elongate, pointed with apical spinous projections, lateral view (Fig. 16), tapered posteriorly in broad curved.

FEMALE. Similar to male except for following. Variation (n=10).

Body length 6.2–8.0, 7.4 mm.

Head. Length 0.78–0.92, 0.84 mm. Frons tapered posteriorly, dark reddish brown, dorsal two-thirds with gray pubescence, ventral third with dense white pubescence; setae dark brown, short on dorsal-thirds. Antenna/head length 0.68–0.81, 0.77; scape length 0.14–0.19, 0.17 mm, width 0.10–0.12, 0.11 mm, length/ width 1.3–1.8, 1.5, scape/pedicel length 1.8–2.4, 2.0, scape/flagellum width 0.8–1.2, 1.0; pedicel length 0.07– 0.09, 0.08 mm, length/width 0.7–0.9, 0.8; flagellum length 0.36–0.43, 0.40 mm, width 0.10–0.12, 0.11 mm, length/width 3.0–4.3, 3.6, flagellum/scape length 2.2–2.4, 2.3. Maxillary palpus length 0.34–0.40, 0.37 mm, length/width 4.8–6.2, 5.5. Occipital macrosetae scattered dorsally.

Thorax. Macrosetae 3 np, 1–2 sa. Vittae dark brown, separated by dense gray pubescent stripes; setae dark brown, short, erect intermixed with white erect setae laterally. Wing. Length 4.8–6.3, 5.9 mm, width 1.7– 2.0, 1.8 mm, length/width 2.8–3.7, 3.1. Legs. Anteroventral macrosetae 0–1:0:0–2, pv 0:0:1–4.

Abdomen. Dark reddish brown (Fig. 79), posterior margin on tergites 1–3 with narrow fascia of gray pubescence, tergite 5 with broad fascia of gray pubescence, tergite 6 with gray pubescence posterolaterally; dorsal setae dark brown, appressed with band of white appressed setae across posterior margin of tergites 1–3; lateral setae dark brown, short. Terminalia (MEI 080265). Furca (Fig. 17) oblong; length 0.64 mm, width 0.22 mm; anterolateral projection short.

Distribution. Penniverpa chersonesa is known from Mexico, Baja California Sur (Fig. 88).

Habitats and phenology. Specimens of Penniverpa chersonesa have been hand-netted or collected in Malaise and pan traps during March, April, May, July, October, and November.

Specimens examined. Type specimens. The holotype male of Penniverpa chersonesa Webb (MEI 078144) is labeled "Mex. Baja Cal. Sur, Las Barracas, 21.IV.1986, Coll. P. DeBach, pan trap" and is deposited in the CAS (Type No. 18250). PARATYPES. MEXICO. BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR. 4.3 km SE El Valle Perdido [26.863, -112.443], 549 m, 15–16.X.1968, Sleeper E.L., Moore F.J., 2Ψ MEI 112012 –3 (CAS); Las Barracas [23.472, -109.453], 11.IV.1985, DeBach P., 1Ψ MEI 0 78142 (UCR), pan trap; 27.IV.1985, 1Ψ MEI 0 78139 (UCR), pan trap; 5.XI.1985, 2ɗ MEI 0 78140 (INHS) 0 78141 (UCR), pan trap; 21.IV.1986, 1Ψ 0 78143 (CSCA), pan trap; 2.V.1986, 2Ψ MEI 0 78137 (INHS), 0 78138 (USNM), pan trap; 4.8 km N San Antonio [23.862, -110.043], 366 m, 9–10.X.1968, Sleeper E.L., Moore F.J., 1Ψ MEI 112014 (CAS); 30 km E Santiago, Las Barracas [23.472, -109.453], 19–24.IV.1982, DeBach P., 1Ψ MEI 0 88484 (EMEC), Malaise trap; Miraflores [23.35, -109.75], 8.VII.1938, Michelbacher, Ross, 1Ψ MEI 0 88471 (CAS).