Houghia Reared
Creators: name: Fleming, Alan J.
name: Wood, Monty
name: Smith, Alex
name: Hallwachs, Winnie
name: Janzen, Daniel H.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Tachinidae
Houghia

description: Key to Males of Houghia Reared from Caterpillars in ACG, Northwestern Costa Rica
1 Sex patches (areas of shorter, denser, appressed hairs, often referred to as sex patches or Sturmia spots, present only in males) lacking, undersides of tergites 4 and 5 tomentose as on dorsal surfaces; vein R1 setose along its entire length dorsally....... 2
- Sex patches present (Fig. 10); if in doubt undersurface of tergite 4 differing in appearance from dorsal surface; vein R1 bare dorsally............................................................................................. 5
2 Scape and upper third or more of first flagellomere pale orange; first flagellomere slightly to strongly curved or sinuous (Figs. 35 c, 36c), its length surpassing lower facial margin by more than length of pedicel; dark stripes on scutum distinct (Figs. 35 a, 36a)................................................................................................ 3
- Antenna entirely black except for slightly paler base of first flagellomere; first flagellomere straight, its length barely surpassing lower facial margin; dark scutal stripes indistinct (Figs. 25 a, 32a)............................................. 4
3 Bases of femora orange, contrasting with dark apices of femora, tibiae and tarsi; first flagellomere distinctly S-shaped, the lower curve parallelling strongly curved facial ridge (Fig. 36 c).................................. ochrofemur sp. nov.
- Legs entirely black; first flagellomere merely slightly bowed anteriorly (only one male available)...... nigrofemur sp. nov.
4 Lateral margins of frontal vitta yellowish tomentose, leaving only a narrow dark median line (Fig. 32 b) and appearing to connect ocellar triangle to pale golden fronto-orbital plates.......................................... macilenta sp. nov.
- Frontal vitta wider, entirely brown, separating ocellar triangle from grayish fronto-orbital plates........ griseifrons sp. nov.
5 Sex patches present on black integument on tergites 3 as well as on tergites 4 and 5; palpus dark gray to black................................................................................................. sexmaculata sp. nov.
- Sex patches present on tergite 4, and usually also on tergite 5, but if apparently also on tergite 3 (as in H. gracilis (Fig. 10 a) and H. graciloides) then integument on ventral surface reddish; palpus pale........................................... 6
6 Pedicel and upper part of first flagellomere pale orange....................................................... 7
- Pedicel and first flagellomere entirely dark................................................................. 8
7 Facial ridge with row of fine white hairs on at least lower half, easily overlooked and best viewed in profile against a dark background; postgena posterior to postoccipital fringe, with a small patch of black setae............... fimbriata sp. nov.
- Facial ridge bare except for the usual few supravibrissal setae; postgena posterior to postoccipital fringe lacking black setae.......................................................................................... pallida sp. nov.
8 Eye conspicuously haired, each hair at least as long as width of three or more ommatidia together; setae of anterodorsal quadrant of anepisternum increasing in length anteriorly but lacking row of 3 or 4 distinctly larger setae..................... 9
- Eye bare or apparently so except at higher magnification, hairs if present, shorter than width of two ommatidia; setae of anterodorsal quadrant of anepisternum short except for row of 3 or 4 distinctly longer and thicker setae..................... 11
9 Parafacial and fronto-orbital plate entirely golden tomentose...................................... aurifera sp. nov.
- Parafacial silvery, contrasting with gold of vertex........................................................... 10
10 Posterior dark bands of abdominal tergites 2–5 grayish-brown tomentose, indistinctly differentiated from paler tomentum of remaining anterior portion of tergites; fronto-orbital plate gold pollinose only to level of anterior proclinate fronto-orbital seta..................................................................................... brevipilosa sp. nov.
- Posterior bands of abdominal tergites black, clearly differentiated from paler anterior portions of tergites; fronto-orbital plate gold tomentose to base of antenna......................................................... longipilosa sp. nov.
11 Scutum with 3 pairs of postsutural dorsocentral setae, with a gap between the first seta and the next (suggesting a missing seta)................................................................................................... 12
- Scutum with 4 pairs of postsutural dorsocentral setae, more or less equally spaced................................. 18
12 Tergite 5 yellowish tomentose ventrally, lacking any trace of sex patch, contrasting with well developed patch on tergite 4 (Fig. 10 c).................................................................................... omissa sp. nov.
- Tergite 5 with sex patch, similar to, although smaller than, patch on tergite 4, on black integument.................... 13
13 Scutum with longitudinal dark stripes on either side of dorsocentral row of setae connected to one another by dark brown tomentosity, creating the appearance of a single wide stripe on each side; integument of abdominal tergite 3 more reddish laterally than adjacent tergites.............................................................................. 14
- Scutum with 4 (2 pairs of) narrow longitudinal dark stripes separated from each other by golden tomentosity concolorous with rest of scutum; abdominal tergite 3 concolorous with adjacent tergites........................................... 15
14 Fronto-orbital plate gold tomentose from vertex to antennal bases; ocellar setae arising behind anterior ocellus; colour of brown tomentosity surrounding dorsocentral setae nearly as dark as longitudinal stripes................. bivittata sp. nov.
- Fronto-orbital plate silvery tomentose except for a tinge of gold extending from vertex to anterior proclinate fronto-orbital seta; ocellar setae arising slightly in front of anterior ocellus; colour of brown tomentosity surrounding dorsocentral setae paler than longitudinal stripes................................................................... biseriata sp. nov.
15 Inner and outer dark longitudinal stripes on each side of scutum converging posteriorly to coalesce at level of second last postsutural dorsocentral seta, thus enclosing, or nearly enclosing, seta with darker tomentosity............... confinis sp. nov.
- Inner and outer dark stripes remaining separate posteriorly separated by yellow tomentum concolorous with rest of scutum...................................................................................................... 16
16 Ocellar triangle, observed from above, sharply pointed anteriorly, the point extending to level of upper fronto-orbital seta; gold tomentosity of fronto-orbital plate extending forward only to same level; first flagellomere extending to lower facial margin...................................................................................... triangularis sp. nov.
- Ocellar triangle rounded, truncate, or notched anteriorly (point concolorous with vitta hence scarcely distinguishable), extending forward only to level of upper reclinate frontal seta; gold tomentosity of fronto-orbital plate extending forward to or nearly to level of upper fronto-orbital seta; first flagellomere shorter................................................. 17
17 Height of apical portion (fused part to apex) of cerci three times height of dorsal notch, enclosing anus (Fig. 19 d); surstylus dagger-shaped, pointed apically (Fig. 19 e)..................................................... crypta Townsend
- Height of fused portion of cerci less than twice height of dorsal notch (Fig, 21d); surstylus bluntly rounded apically............................................................................................... destituta sp. nov.
18 Ground colour of ventral surface of abdominal tergites 1 to 4 yellow or orange, somewhat translucent.................. 19
- Ground colour of ventral surface of abdomen entirely black, usually obscured by paler tomentosity.................... 23
19 Katepisternal setae 2.................................................................... luteiventris sp. nov.
- Katepisternal setae 3.................................................................................. 20
20 Sex patches on tergites 3, 4, and 5 consisting of shorter more appressed hairs than elsewhere on abdomen, but these hairs sparse and indistinct because of reddish background; ocellar setae arising behind anterior ocellus..................... 21
- Sex patches confined to tergites 4 and 5; ocellar setae arising beside anterior ocellus............................... 22
21 Eye apparently bare........................................................................ gracilis sp. nov.
- Eye with minute obscure hairs............................................................ graciloides sp. nov.
22 Fronto-orbital plate mostly silvery, with pale golden tomentosity, and area of small hairs, extending from vertex only to level of anterior fronto-orbital seta............................................................. delospilota sp. nov.
- Fronto-orbital plate entirely golden tomentose and more extensively haired, extending from vertex to lower margin of pedicel.............................................................................. pilosifrons sp. nov. (in part)
23 Fronto-orbital plate entirely gold tomentose................................................................ 24
- Gold tomentosity of fronto-orbital plate restricted to vertex................................................... 25
24 Parafacial silver tomentose, changing abruptly at level of antenna to gold.......................... pilosifrons (in part)
- Parafacial pale yellow tomentose gradually changing at level of antenna to darker brassy yellow on fronto-orbital plate............................................................................................... aerata sp. nov.
25 Height of gena one-tenth height of head in lateral view....................................................... 26
- Height of gena one-twelfth or less height of head........................................................... 29
26 Depth of V-shaped dorsal notch of cerci in posterior view one quarter or less height of entire cerci (Figs. 30 d, 28d); lateral scutal stripe converging to meet medial stripe at its posterior end (Figs. 30 a, 28a).................................. 27
- Depth of V-shaped notch one third or more height of cerci (Figs. 27 d, 45d); both pairs of scutal stripes separated along their entire lengths (Figs. 27 a, 45a)........................................................................... 28
27 Dorsal lobe of syncerus in posterior view almost as broad as high, bluntly rounded dorsally, depth of V-shaped dorsal notch one quarter height of cerci (Fig. 28 d); apices of cerci splayed apart apically........................... latilobus sp. nov.
- Dorsal lobe of cerci more pointed and attenuated dorsally; depth of V-shaped notch less than one quarter (about 1/4.5) height of cerci (Fig. 30 d); apices of cerci straight and parallel........................................ longicercus sp. nov.
28 Cerci in posterior view slightly constricted at midlength (Fig. 27 d); posteroventral quadrant of anepimeron sparsely short haired.................................................................................. latigena sp. nov.
- Cerci in posterior view tapering evenly to apex (Fig. 45 d); posteroventral quadrant of anepimeron more densely long haired......................................................................................... velutina sp. nov.
29 Width of frontal vitta one-tenth width of broad shiny silvery fronto-orbital plate....................... parmata sp. nov.
- Width of frontal vitta greater than one-tenth of fronto-orbital plate.............................................. 30
30 Gold tomentosity of fronto-orbital plate confined to vertex, not extending forward farther than upper fronto-orbital setae... 31
- Gold tomentosity extending at least to lower fronto-orbital setae and often to the antennal bases...................... 34
31 First flagellomere extending to lower facial margin.......................................................... 32
- First flagellomere terminating above lower facial margin by about half length of pedicel............................ 33
32 Surstylus distinctly longer than cerci (Figs. 26 d, e), its apex surpassing that of apex of cerci by more than the width of the sur- stylus; [palpus of female swollen apically].................................................. inflatipalpis sp. nov.
- Surstylus barely longer than cerci (Figs. 33, d, e); [palpus of female as in all other species (except H. luteipennis), only slightly enlarged apically]......................................................................... marini sp. nov.
33 Gold tomentosity of fronto-orbital plate restricted to upper margin, not extending forward beyond upper reclinate orbital seta and apex of ocellar triangle.................................................................. blancoi sp. nov.
- Gold tomentosity more extensive, extending to upper fronto-orbital seta............................ romeroae sp. nov.
34 Surstylus long, straight, and parallel-sided in lateral view (Fig. 43 e); apical processes of sternite 5 elongate, slender, and directed medially (Fig. 43 f)............................................................... spathulata sp. nov.
- Surstylus in lateral view obovate, widened moderately at mid-length; apical processes of sternite 5 shorter, thicker and directed posteriorly (Figs. 17 f, and 34f).......................................................................... 35
35 Posterior margin of surstylus rounded in lateral view (Fig. 17 d).................................. chavarriae sp. nov.
- Posterior margin of surstylus slightly concave in lateral view (Fig. 34 d)............................. matarritai sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Fleming, Alan J., Wood, Monty, Smith, Alex, Hallwachs, Winnie & Janzen, Daniel H., 2014, Revision of the New World species of Houghia Coquillett (Diptera, Tachinidae) reared from caterpillars in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, pp. 1-90 in Zootaxa 3858 (1) on pages 30-32, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3858.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/287013