Melaloncha zurquiensis Brown 2006, new species
Creators: name: Brown, Brian V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2006
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Phoridae
Melaloncha
Melaloncha zurquiensis

description: Melaloncha zurquiensis new species   
Figs. 21, 60  
 Recognition. This species is extremely similar to lowland species M. laselvae, from which it can be distinguished by characters in the key. The situation between these two species is similar to that between M. digitalis and the similar species M. immaculata, described above. In both instances there are species pairs that are structurally similar, but one of which is found at middle elevations attacking a different host than the other in the lowlands.   
 The male does not key easily in Borgmeier’s (1971b) key. Couplet 9 differentiates medium­sized (2.5 mm) from smaller (1.8–2.0 mm) species, but the single male specimen of M. zurquiensis is 2.1 mm. If we consider this as smaller, the specimen keys to M. costaricana (see Remarks for M. sinistra group, above) from which it differs by the longer setae on the surstylus.   
 Description. Female. Body length 1.9–2.3 mm. Frons orange, punctate; ocellar triangle black. Mean frontal width 0.41 head width, range 0.41–0.42. Ocular and genal setae black. Flagellomere 1 and segments 1–2 of arista orange; aristomere 3 dark. Palpus yellow; palpal setulae black. Scutal color varied, with the amount of dark brown differing among specimens, but basically dark brown in center of posterior two­thirds and median strip; light brown in anterolateral corners and entire margin of scutum. Scutellum brown, with anterolateral round spots faintly indicated. Pleuron mixture of light and medium brown; basalare dark brown. Legs yellowish­brown, except apex of hind femur slightly and gradually darker. Forefemur with strong rounded flange on apical one­half. Foretibia longer than in M. laselvae, 0.8 length of forefemur, such that foretibia plus foretarsus longer than forefemur. Combined length of foretarsomeres approximately 0.48 tibial length. Foretarsal claws recurved, with large basal lobe. Mean costal length 0.51 wing length, range 0.50–0.52. Halter yellow. Abdominal tergites black, with silver pollinosity anteriorly. Venter of abdomen gray. Ovipositor medium brown on basal one­third, apically dark brown; tubular, with narrowing on apical one­third, and narrowed area laterally flattened; ventral apex with tuft of numerous long setae, otherwise with scattered, shorter setae, especially dorsally.   
Male. Frons orange, punctate; ocellar triangle black. Ocular and genal setae black. Flagellomere 1 and segments 1–2 of arista orange; aristomere 3 dark. Palpus yellow; palpal setulae black, well developed. Scutum mostly dark brown; light brown anteroventrally and along lateral margin. Pleuron mixture of light to dark brown; basalare dark brown. Legs yellowish­brown, except apex of hind femur with small dark spot. Abdominal tergites black, with silver pollinosity anteriorly. Venter of abdomen gray. Basal extremity of cercus gray, apex yellow. Surstyli with relatively long setae.  
 Host. One male and one female were taken at the nest entrance of a Meliwillea bivea Roubik et al. colony in a tree trunk.   
 Geographical distribution. Costa Rica.   
 Derivation of specific epithet. Named for the type locality, the only site where it has so far been collected.   
 Holotype. ♀, COSTA RICA: San José: Zurquí de Moravia, 10.05°N, 84.02°W, iv.1991, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 1600 m [LACM ENT 034065] (LACM).   
 Paratypes. COSTA RICA: San José: Zurquí de Moravia, 10.05°N, 84.02°W, 1♀, iv.1992, 2♂, vii.1992, 1♀, iii–iv.1993, 1♂, iv–v.1993, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 1600 m (LACM, MUCR), 1♂, 1♀, 20.vi.1993, B. V. Brown, nest entrance Meliwillea bivea (LACM).
description: Published as part of Brown, Brian V., 2006, Revision of the untreated taxa of Melaloncha s. s. bee-killing flies (Diptera: Phoridae), pp. 1-68 in Zootaxa 1280 (1) on pages 36-37, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1280.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5070710