Sclerocoelus latibarbus Kuwahara, Marshall & Paiero, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Kuwahara, Gregory K.
name: Marshall, Stephen A.
name: Paiero, Steven M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Sphaeroceridae
Sclerocoelus
Sclerocoelus latibarbus

description: Sclerocoelus latibarbus sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 7E41C439-94A0-4B8F-BA06-CC89999CE431
Figs 7C, 69–71
Etymology
This name refers to the broad posteromedial patch of setulae on the male S5, especially in relation to that of the externally similar S. longibarbus (from the Latin words ‘ latus ’, meaning ‘broad’, and ‘ barba ’, meaning ‘beard’).
Material examined
Holotype
GUATEMALA • ♂; Sacatepéquez, Finca San Rafael; 2100 m a.s.l.; 30 Jun. 1948; R.D. Mitchell leg.; sweeping in oak second growth; FMNH.
Paratypes
GUATEMALA – Baja Verapaz • 1 ♀; Biotopo del Quetzal; 15°12′46″ N, 90°12′56″ W; 1720 m a.s.l.; 7–10 May 2009; cloud forest, Malaise trap; UVGC. – Jutiapa • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; El Progresso, Cerro Pinalón; 15°05′01″ N, 89°56′42″ W; 2575 m a.s.l.; 29 Apr.–5 May 2009; treefall gap edge in cloud forest, Malaise trap; UVGC • 1 ♂; El Progresso, Cerro Pinalón; 15°05′06″ N, 89°56′42″ W; 30 Apr.–5 May 2009; cloud forest, Malaise trap; DEBU. – Quetzaltenango • 13 ♂♂, 15 ♀♀; 8 km SE of Quetzaltenango, Zunil, 2450 m a.s.l.; 17–19 Jun. 1993; J.S. Ashe and R.W. Brooks leg.; flight-intercept trap; DEBU • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 19–21 Jun. 1993; SEMC • 13 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 2480 m a.s.l.; 17–19 Jun. 1993; SEMC • 9 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 2500 m a.s.l.; SEMC • 9 ♂♂, 13 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 19–21 Jun. 1993; SEMC • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 19–21 Jun. 1993; DEBU • 1 ♂, 5 ♀; same data as for preceding; 2620 m a.s.l.; 17–19 Jun. 1993; SEMC • 3 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 19–21 Jun. 1993; SEMC • 3 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 2630 m a.s.l.; 17–19 Jun. 1993; DEBU • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 19–21 Jun. 1993; SEMC • 26 ♂♂, 31 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 2650 m a.s.l.; 17–19 Jun. 1993; DEBU • 23 ♂♂, 14 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 19–21 Jun. 1993; SEMC • 1 ♀; 12 km SE of Quetzaltenango, Zunil, Fuentes Georginas; 2460 m a.s.l.; 21 Jun. 1993; R. Anderson leg.; cloud forest, litter; DEBU. – Sacatepéquez • 2 ♀♀, 5 km SE of Antigua; 14°31′43″ N, 90°41′20″ W; 2330 m a.s.l.; 10–13 Jun. 2009; oak forest, Malaise trap; DEBU • 1 ♂, 5 km SE of Antigua; 14°32′14″ N, 90°41′40″ W; 2125 m a.s.l.; 10–13 Jun. 2009; hardwood forest, Malaise trap; UVGC. – San Marcos • 2 ♀♀; 8 km NE of San Lorenzo; 4–18 Jul. 1986; J.M. Campbell leg.; flight-intercept trap; CNCI • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 7–10 Jul. 1986; CNCI • 1 ♂, 8 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 10 Jul. 1986; CNCI • 8 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 12 Jul. 1986; CNCI • 4 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 13 Jul. 1986; CNCI • 10 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; San Antonio Sacatepéquez; 2440 m a.s.l.; 29 Sep. 1987; M.J. Sharkey leg.; CNCI • 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; San Lorenzo; 19 Jul. 1986; J.M. Campbell leg.; flight-intercept trap; CNCI. – Zacapa • 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀; 25 km N of Santa Cruz; 18 Nov. 1986; M. Sharkey leg.; moist banks of Rio Pasabien, sweep; CNCI • 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; above San Lorenzo; 1800–2000 m a.s.l.; 8 Nov. 1986; M.J. Sharkey leg.; sweep; CNCI • 1 ♂; Zacapa, 18 Nov. 1986; M.J. Sharkey leg.; sweep; CNCI.
HONDURAS – El Paraíso • 2 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; Cerro Montserrat; 1800 m a.s.l.; 24 May 1994; H. Howden leg.; Malaise trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; Yuscaran, Cerro Montserrat; 24 Jan. 1995; R. Cordiro leg.; flight-intercept trap; DEBU. – Francisco Morazán • 1 ♀; Cerro Uyuca; 1800 m a.s.l.; 10 May 1994; H. Howden leg.; Malaise trap; DEBU • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 27 May 1994; DEBU • 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 30 May 1994; DEBU • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 3 Jun. 1994; DEBU.
MEXICO – Chiapas • 1 ♂; 4 km SE of Custepec; 15°42′30″ N, 92°55′51″ W; 2100 m a.s.l.; 20 May 2008; cloud forest, Malaise trap; UVGC • 2 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; 5 km NNW of Coapilla; 17°10′34″ N, 93°07′59″ W; 1910 m a.s.l.; 25 May 2008; 2° mesophyll forest, Malaise trap; DEBU • 2 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; UVGC • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; 15 km E of San Cristóbal; 16°44′49″ N, 92°29′24″ W; 2500 m a.s.l.; 29 May–1 Jun. 2008; cloud forest, Malaise trap; DEBU.
Other material examined
HONDURAS – Cortes • 1 ♀; Cusuco National Park, base camp; 15°29′38.4″ N, 88°12′50.4″ W; 1600 m a.s.l.; 3 Jul. 2013; M. D’Souza leg.; forest, Malaise trap; BIOUG07842-G09/DMHGA543-13 sequenced for CO1-5’; BIOUG.
Description
BODY (Fig. 69A). Length 2.6–3.9 mm. Head dark brown, lower fifth of frons orange; face, gena, and antennae brown. Frontal width 2.2–2.3 × frontal height. Three pairs of strong interfrontal bristles surmounting a very fine fourth pair; anterior orbital 0.5–0.6 × length of posterior. Palpus yellow. Eye large, greatest height about 4.0× shortest genal height. Thorax dark brown, scutum with paler lateral edges. Two pairs of dorsocentral bristles (anterior pair distinct, 0.4× length of posterior pair) separated by 6–7 rows of acrostichal setulae. Membrane around prosternum bare. Legs brown, fore femur darker. Fore femur with three large ventral preapical setae. Ventral surface of male mid tibia with two rows of stout setae in apical quarter. Wing (Fig. 7C) slightly infuscate. CS2 subequal to CS3. Halter pale brown.
MALE ABDOMEN (Figs 69B–C, 70). Dark brown, posterior edges of tergites sometimes slightly desclerotized. T2–5 and S2–4 uniformly long-setose with large posterolateral setae. S5 rectangular, 2.0× length of S4, anteromedially emarginate, laterally setose with a dark, rectangular patch of dense setulae flanked by dark setose patches. Anterior flange of S6+7 very large, 1.0× as long as wide, longer than S5. Sclerite A elongate, dark; sclerite B broad, pale, arched; sclerite C absent; sclerite D dark, elongate, slightly angulate and arising from left side of posteromedial process of S5; sclerite E elongate with a broad, flat basal part and a narrow distal part; sclerite F large, with a small basal part and a large, broad, posteriorly projecting left process; sclerite G slightly reduced, strongly carinate, and fused to sclerite F; ring sclerite thick. Epandrium large, 0.7× length of S8, height 1.1× maximum length and 0.7× maximum width, uniformly setose, ventrolateral corners strongly emarginate; anal fissure triangular with sinuate sides, widest at base; perianal pads bulging, dark, densely setulose dorsally, densely setose ventrally. Pseudocercus large, separate form epandrium, and with three setae; halves of subepandrial sclerite thin, strongly arched, and medially fused. Subcercus with short inner part articulating with subepandrial sclerite dorsally, forming a small, posteriorly bent process ventrally, and a larger, triangular outer part with a curved, tapered, apicoventral process. Hypandrium with slightly sinuate anteromedial apodeme. Surstylus relatively short, subtriangular with apical third long-setose and curved anteriorly, inner surface with a large carinate anterior lobe. Postgonite large, flattened, apical third bent anteriorly, expanded, pale, and striate. Phallapodeme large, apex dorsoventrally flattened; basiphallus small, constricted medially with a small, flattened, triangular epiphallus; distiphallus short, largely membranous with a pair of dark, sinuate, dorsolateral sclerites and a broad, pale, ventral sclerite.
FEMALE ABDOMEN (Fig. 71). T7 broad, simple, posterior margin concave; T8 divided into a large, broad, pale, dorsal sclerite and two large, dark, lateral sclerites, posterolateral corners expanded and pointed. Epiproct large, medially split into two rounded plates, posteromedially desclerotized, and entirely setulose. Cercus elongate, apically pointed with long apical, dorsal, dorsolateral, and apicoventral setae. S7 broad, posteromedially pointed, broadly desclerotized posteriorly with four large posterior setae; S8 divided into two large, dark, subtriangular, lateral sclerites. Hypoproct very broad with thickened ventromedial setulae. Three spermathecae, bulb elongate, bean-shaped, finely striate with a shallow basal and a subapical invagination, both with a small, finger-like, central process.
Distribution
Neotropical: Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico.
Remarks
Sclerocoelus latibarbus sp. nov. is most easily distinguished from the similar S. longibarbus sp. nov. by the short but wide (1.5 × as wide as long) posteromedial tuft on the male S5. Sclerocoelus latibarbus is one of several members of the S. dasysternum species group found in cloud forest habitats in Mexico and Central America.
description: Published as part of Kuwahara, Gregory K., Marshall, Stephen A. & Paiero, Steven M., 2025, A revision of the genus Sclerocoelus Marshall (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), pp. 1-277 in European Journal of Taxonomy 979 on pages 67-69, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.979.2803, http://zenodo.org/record/14980852