Helina rufoapicata Malloch 1934

Helina rufoapicata Malloch, 1934

(Figs. 13, 15 D)

For a complete list of references, see the catalog by Carvalho et al. (2005). Information subsequent to this catalog: Löwerberg-Neto et al. 2011 (biogeography); Löwerberg-Neto & Carvalho 2013 (checklist).

Redescription. Male (Fig. 13 A). Length. Body: 5.73–6.30 mm, wing: 4.76–4.85 mm.

Head (Fig. 13 B). Black. Dichoptic, the shortest distance between eyes is 0.46–0.48 mm. 6–8 pairs of frontal setae, 1 or 2 posteriors lateroclinate. Eye hairs short and sparse. Lunule dark brown; fronto-orbital plate, gena, postgena, and occiput black. Parafacialia with brown pollinosity. Parafrontal plate with 2–3 setula above the insertion of antenna. Postocular setae divergent. Antenna black; arista pubescent, plumose, hairs two or three times as long as its basal diameter. Palpus black.

Thorax (Fig. 13 C). Scutum black with three grey pollinose vittae; scutellum black with grey pollinosity; anepisternum, anepimeron, katepimeron, katepisternum, proepisternum, proepimeron and meron black; anterior and posterior spiracles black. Chaetotaxy: acrostichal setae 1-2+1; dorsocentral setae 2+3-4; humeral setae 3; notopleural setae 2, posterior seta smaller. Prealar thinner, less than one fourth of the length of the anterior supraalar postsutural seta. Scutellum with thin and short basal and subapical setae. Anepisternum with a series of 4–6 strong setae.

Wing. Yellowish-brown; costal spine three time as long as its costal bristles; the transverse cross-vein dm-cu slightly curved; vein R 4+5 and vein M divergent apically; cross vein dm-cu in basal half of cell r4+5. Both calypters yellow with yellow margins.

Legs. Black, mid and hind femora with apical third yellow, hind tibia dark brown. Fore femur with long and fine setula on dorsal, posterodorsal, and posteroventral surface; fore tibia with one posterior seta, and 3 preapical setae. Mid femur with 4–5 setae in the basal third on ventral surface, and 3 preapical setae on posterodorsal to posterior surface; mid tibia with 4–5 posterior setae, one posteroventral seta, 1–2 anterodorsal setae, and 4 apical setae (anterodorsal, posteroventral, ventral, and anteroventral). Hind femur with a anterodorsal row, and 4–5 setae in the apical middle of anteroventral surface; hind tibia with 3–4 anteroventral setae, 3 anterodorsal setae and 2 posterior setae, calcar absent. Claws and pulivilli with similar size in all three legs.

Abdomen (Fig. 13 D). Black with grey pollinosity. Sternite 5 with similar length and width, with two or three strong setae on the apical third; and yellow and with two processes at posterior margin (Fig. 13 E).

Terminalia. Cercal plate longer than wide, with only a distal incision; with two protuberances straight at apex (Fig. 13 F). Surstylus curving forwards basally and inwards apically, with a wide margin in posterior view, and with strong setae on inner surface (Figs. 13 F–G). Aedeagus with aedeagal apodeme straight and strongly sclerotized; epiphalus slightly sclerotized, paramere slightly bent downward with setula; gonopod with short setulae; and distiphallus curved, slightly sclerotized (Fig. 13 H).

Female. Length. Body: 5.76–6.63 mm, wing: 5.41–6.50 mm.

Differs from male as follows: Head (Fig. 13 I). Dichoptic, the shortest distance between eyes is 0.74–0.92 mm. Parafrontal plate setulose. Legs. Mid femur with an anterior row of setae. Hind tibia brown without setae on posterior surface.

Terminalia: Tergite 8 with 2 parallel sclerotized plates, fused and with setulae on the distal margin; epiproct with proximal margin straight and strong spine, cercus digitiform with strong spine (Fig. 13 J). Hypoproct rounded, sclerotized, and setulose (Fig. 13 K).

Material examined. ARGENTINA: Chubut: 40 females, 93 males, PN Lago Puelo, Gendarmería, - 42.097468, -71.681953, I-2012, Mulieri & Patitucci leg. (MACN), 8 females, 2 males, PN Lago Puelo, La Playita, -42.099032, -71.607425, I-2012, Mulieri & Patitucci leg. (MACN), 3 females, PN Lago Puelo, Río Turbio, - 42.228541, -71.666482, I-2011, Mulieri & Patitucci leg. (MACN), 8 females, 7 males, PN Los Alerces, Cabaña La Cascada, -42.888499, -71.592376, II-2013, Patitucci leg. (MACN); 1 female, 2 malea, PN Los Alerces, Lago Futalaufquen, -42.840982, -71.632934, 14-I-1962 (MACN); Neuquén: 5 females, PN Lanín, Mirador Bandurrias, -40.159804, -71.371661, II-2011, Mulieri & Patitucci leg. (MACN), 11 females, 2 males, PN Lanín, Ruca Choroi, -39.229641, -71.177417, 10-I-2013, Olea, Mulieri & Patitucci leg. (MACN), 2 females, 1 male, PN Nahuel Huapí, Lago Traful, -40.566117, -71.489854, 31-I-1968, Stange leg. (IFML); Río Negro: 12 females, El Bolson, Cerro Piltriquitón, -41.978228, -71.450864, I-2012, Mulieri & Patitucci leg. (MACN). CHILE: Región de la Araucanía: 2 females, 2 males, PN Nahuelbuta, Malleco, -37.773804 -72.984174, 12-II-1967, Schlinger leg. (MNRJ).

Distribution (Fig. 15 D). ARGENTINA: Chubut (new record), Neuquén (new record), Río Negro. CHILE: Región de la Araucanía (new record).

Remarks. Malloch (1934) decribed H. rufoapicata from male and female specimens from several locations of Argentina and Chile. Here, we provide a redescripton and, for the first time, descriptions of male and female terminalia.

Biology. Specimens collected by the authors were captured with a baited trap, a Malaise trap, and a hand net over vegetation.