Melaloncha flavilata Brown 2004, SP. NOV.

Recognition. The yellow lateral colour of the tergites (Fig. 25), together with the narrow, ventrally curved form of the ovipositor (Fig. 38), is distinctive for this species.

Description. Body length 2–2.3 mm. Frons orange, except ocellar triangle black. Setal base of all setae coloured like rest of frons. Mean frontal width 0.26 head width; range 0.26–0.26. Frons with fine reticulate sculpturing, slightly shiny, punctate, with small, pale setulae. Median furrow absent. Frontal setae normal; arrangement of frontal setae unmodified, with ventral interfrontal setae near venter of frons. Dorsal interfrontal setae present, 0.8 length of postocellar setae, level with ventral ocellus. Flagellomere 1 completely white. Palpus white, otherwise unmodified. Ocular and genal setae flattened, yellow. Thoracic pleuron with anterior portion of anepisternum, dorsum of posterior portion of anepisternum, bottom margin of katepisternum, and round spot on dorsal margin of katepisternum light brown; meron light brown except for dark band on dorsal one-third. Fore tarsomeres yellowish-brown, relatively narrow. Combined length of fore tarsomeres approximately 0.9 tibial length. Fore tarsomere 1 approximately twice as long as tarsomere 2. Fore tarsomere 5 relatively narrow. Pulvilli of fore leg relatively small. Tarsal claws of all legs small, finely bifurcate at apex. Mid and hind leg yellowish-brown. Mean costal length 0.55 wing length; range 0.54–0.55. Tergite 6 with anterior threefifths of dorsum orange with silver pollinosity. Tergites 2–6 dark brown, lateroventrally orange. Venter of abdomen yellow. Ovipositor relatively tubular, apically truncate, dorsoventrally flattened at apex, slightly curved ventrally. In dorsal view, lateral setae of ovipositor thin, short. Ventrally, ovipositor with short, fine, sparse setae. Surface of ovipositor with faint, irregular, reticulate sculpturing.

Geographical distribution. Amazonian Colombia.

Etymology. Latin adjective for yellow flank, referring to the colour of the lateral side of the abdominal tergites.

Holotype. ♀, COLOMBIA: Amazonas: Amacayacu National Park, 3.82∞S, 70.26∞W, 8–12.iii.2000, B. Brown, G. Kung, M. Sharkey, Malaise trap #8 [LACM ENT 128010] (UNCB).

Paratype. COLOMBIA: Amazonas: Amacayacu National Park, 3.82∞S, 70.26∞W, 1♀, 8–12.iii.2000, M. Sharkey, total sweep sample (LACM).