Leschenaultia belkysae Toma 2019, sp. n.

Leschenaultia belkysae sp. n.

(Figs 1–5, 10, 16)

Recognition. Leschenaultia belkysae sp. n. has syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3 with very tiny median marginal setae, hardly distinguishable from ground setulae and tergites 3 and 4 lacking discal setae. This species resembles L. braueri and L. brooksi but differs from the former by fore claws longer than second fore tarsomere and cercus straighter in profile, and from the latter by cercus in profile anteriorly indented at midlength, and more tapered in apical half (see Toma & Guimarães 2002: figs 51–52). It also resembles L. frangeri sp. n. but can be distinguished from it by cercus and surstylus in profile slightly more robust and mid tibia with about eight stout anterodorsal setae, the longest about twice length of anteroventral seta.

Description. Male. Body length: 14.13 mm; wing length: 12.82 mm.

Coloration. Vertex and frontal vitta dark brown; ocellar triangle darker; fronto-orbital plate and apical third of parafacial dark brown; the rest of parafacial, face, facial ridge and gena reddish-brown; head with gray pruinosity; antenna dark brown, except portion between first flagellomere and pedicel and apex of scape yellowish; palpus yellow except basal portion brownish; proboscis dark brown; thorax, legs and abdomen as in L. andarae, except supra-alar area, postalar wall and greater ampulla yellowish-brown and the stripes on the scutum narrower; wing veins light yellowish-brown, browner basally; calypters dark brown with dark brown pruinosity; halter yellowish except apex brownish.

Head. Vertex about 0.22x head width in dorsal view; ocellar seta about 0.75x length of reclinate orbital seta; fronto-orbital plate with about 11 frontal setae, one seta situated below level of lower margin of pedicel, upper frontal seta shorter and thinner; four to five smaller adjacent setae, giving an impression of an irregular row of frontal setae; first flagellomere about 2.5x length of pedicel; facial ridge with a row of supravibrissal setae on lower 0.55 of its length, setae 0.2–0.57x length of vibrissa; subvibrissal ridge with about four setae, 0.25–0.43x length of vibrissa.

Thorax. Posteriormost postsutural acrostichal seta about 1.3x length of preceding seta; posteriormost postsutural dorsocentral seta about 1.45x length of preceding seta; posteriormost postsutural intra-alar setae about 1.8x length of preceding seta; second and third postsutural supra-alar setae equal in length and about twice length of first postsutural supra-alar seta; mid tibia with about eight stout anterodorsal setae, the longest about 0.45x length of tibia and about twice length of anteroventral seta.

Abdomen. Syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3 with a few tiny median marginal setae hardly distinguishable from ground setulae; tergite 4 with a row of strong median marginal setae; tergites 3 and 4 without discal setae; tergite 5 with many discal setae, weaker than median marginal setae on tergite 4. Terminalia (Figs 10, 16). Cercus in profile posteriorly almost straight, as in L. brooksi, but anteriorly indented at midlength, and more tapered in apical half; surstylus in profile with rounded apex and about 0.9x length of cercus.

Female. Unknown.

Geographic distribution. Brazil (Mato Grosso).

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂ (MZUSP), labeled: “SISBIOTA—CNPq—FAPESP [in lateral] / BRASIL: MT: Chapada dos Guimarães / S15°26’40.7” W 055°47’22.9” / Coleta manual (rede) / Vale da Benção (mata) / 21.i.2012 / Lamas, Nihei & eq col.”; “ Leschenaultia belkysae / Holotype [red label, species name handwritten]”. [Holotype in good condition.]

Etymology. The specific epithet is in honor of Belkys Yubiris, a colleague from the biology department at Universidad de Carabobo, Venezuela.