Melaloncha stenotes Gonzalez & Brown, 2004, new species

Melaloncha stenotes new species

Figs. 9, 16

Recognition. The ovipositor of this species is similar to that of M. compressicauda Brown in dorsal view (Brown, 2004a: fig. 68), with the apex of the ovipositor dorsoventrally flattened and slightly rounded. The ovipositor of M. stenotes, however, is much less deep, and in dorsal view is not as narrow as in M. compressicauda. It keys to couplet 31 in Brown (2004a), where it is somewhat similar to the characters diagnosing M. horologia Brown, but has a shinier, deeper ovipositor that is narrower in dorsal view than in that species.

Description. Female (male unknown). Body length 2.5–2.9 mm. Mean frontal width 0.31 head width; range 0.30–0.32. Frons orange except for black ocellar triangle and vertex; shiny and punctate with small black setulae; median furrow absent. Dorsal interfrontal setae present, located slightly ventral to ventral ocellus. Palpus unmodified. Ocular and genal setae flattened, yellow. Foreleg, including slightly enlarged foretarsomeres, uniformly brownish yellow. Combined length of foretarsomeres 0.9 tibial length. Tarsal claws on all legs finely bifurcate. Mid­ and hind legs brownish yellow; hind femur with dark brown macula at apex. Mean costal length 0.54 wing length; range 0.56–0.52. Vein R2+3 absent. Abdominal tergites black, with anterior band of silver pollinosity. Venter of abdomen gray; venter of segment 6 with few extremely fine setae. Ovipositor shiny, straight, and somewhat squared (ventrally flattened) throughout length in lateral view. Lateroventral ridge extends length of ovipositor, forming a lateroventral cavity at apex. Short dorsal setae present at apex; tip of the ovipositor curved ventrally. In dorsal view, short fine lateral setae with medium length lateral setae at the apex of ovipositor. Ovipositor broader at base (approximately twice the width of the apex). Dorsal midsection of ovipositor laterally compressed to form distinct ridge on dorsum. Apex of ovipositor dorsoventrally flattened and slightly rounded. In ventral view, deep groove on apical one­half of ovipositor.

Distribution. Costa Rica.

Derivation of specific epithet. Greek stenotes, narrowness, referring to the narrowed dorsal midsection of the ovipositor.

Holotype. Ψ, COSTA RICA: Guanacaste Province, Santa Cruz, Quebrada Balsar, 12.i.2000, Y. Cardenas, 160m, sweeping, #55269 [INB0003484362] (INBC).

Paratype. COSTA RICA: Guanacaste Province, Santa Cruz, Quebrada Balsar, 1Ψ 12.i.2000, Y. Cardenas, 160m, sweeping, #55269 (INBC).