Mythicomyia pedernalensis Ramos-Pastrana & Córdoba-Suarez & Evenhuis 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Ramos-Pastrana, Yardany
name: Córdoba-Suarez, Eric
name: Evenhuis, Neal L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Mythicomyiidae
Mythicomyia
Mythicomyia pedernalensis

description: Mythicomyia pedernalensis sp. nov.
Figs 7–9, 11B 1
Diagnosis. Male. Proboscis short, shorter than eye height; hind leg with basitarsus excavated near base on ventral surface, preceded by a short spur; mesonotum entirely dark brown; crossvein m-m 0.5× shorter length than rm crossvein; tergite I with proximal ½ whitish and distal ½ dark brown; tergites II–VII dark brown, except a lateral margin yellowish; pseudo-surstylus reduced, with acute apex in lateral view, triangular-shaped, with acute apex in posterior view; lateral ejaculatory process elongated, V-shaped, acute apex and upward-directed in lateral view; anterior arms of parameral sheath long, about 1.3× longer than ejaculatory apodeme, slightly curved sinuous margins and apex slightly acute in lateral; gonocoxa subdivided, with proximal lobe elongated, thickened basally and tapering gradually towards apex, distal lobe somewhat triangular-shaped, and acute apex downward-directed in lateral view.
Description. MALE (holotype). Body length 2.2 mm; wing length 1.1 mm. Head (Figs 7A, B). Brown; eyes contiguous for 11 facets; ocellar triangle dark brown gray pruinose, ocelli yellow; frons bare, small and triangular-shaped, whitish, not depressed medially (Fig. 7B); face whitish; proboscis light brown, short, shorter less than height to eye; occiput brown, with sparse whitish and small setae and gray pruinosity (Fig. 7A). Antenna (Figs 7A, C) dark brown yellowish pruinose; scape minute; pedicel rounded; first flagellomere slightly conical, with one lateral margin entirely straight about 1.8× longer than width; second flagellomere small, about 1.3× longer the width of first, with small subapical stylus. Thorax (Figs 7A, D). Mesonotum entirely dark brown, with gray-brown pruinosity on proximal ½, brown pruinosity on distal ½ and scattered inconspicuous whitish setae; postpronotal lobe and postalar callus whitish; scutellum dark brown and scattered conspicuous whitish setae (Fig. 7D); pleura dark brown, with sparse gray-yellowish pruinosity, with whitish yellow markings on: proepimeron, upper margin of anepisternum, anepimeron, katatergite, upper ½ of katepisternum and meron (Fig. 7A). Legs (Fig. 7A). Fore and middle coxae with proximal ⅔ brown, distal ⅓ whitish yellow; hind coxa entirely brown; femora with proximal ¾ brown and distal ¼ whitish yellow; hind femur slightly thickened on proximal ½, thin on distal ½; fore tibia with proximal ¼ whitish yellow, distal ¾ light brown; middle and hind tibiae with proximal ⅓ whitish yellow, distal ⅓ brown; tarsi I whitish yellow, tarsi II–V brown; hind leg with basitarsus excavated near base on ventral surface, preceded by a short spur. Wing (Fig. 7F). Hyaline, veins slightly tinged with brown color, microtrichose except on; proximal ½ of costal cell, proximal ⅓ of cell br and bm and proximal ⅓ of anal lobe; veins brown; costa, R 1, R 4+5 and CuA slightly more stained; costa ending at end of R 4+5; vein Sc weak, incomplete, ending slightly beyond origin of Rs; Rs evanescent at connection with R 1; R 2+3 arising approximately ⅔ distance from origin of Rs to rm crossvein; r-m crossvein at basal ⅐ of cell dm; vein separating cells br and bm not evident; cell dm six-sided; crossvein m-m 0.5× shorter length than r-m crossvein; crossvein dm-m slightly straight; R 4+5 ending slightly after M 1; vein M 1 curved; M 2 slightly sinuous, M 4 nearly straight; CuA straight, complete to wing margin; anal cell open in wing margin; CuP evanescent; anal lobed developed; halter knob brown dorsally, whitish ventrally. Abdomen (Figs 7A, G) with conspicuous whitish setae. Tergite I with proximal ½ whitish and distal ½ dark brown; tergites II–VII dark brown, except a lateral margin yellowish. Terminalia (Figs 8A–F). Epandrium somewhat oval-shaped, apex rounded in lateral view (Figs 8A, B), circular, with scattered setae except on lower ⅓ in posterior view (Figs 8C, D). Pseudo-surstylus reduced, with acute apex in lateral view (Figs 8A, B), triangular-shaped, with acute apex in posterior view (Figs 8C, D). Cercus elongated, somewhat oval-shaped, with setae on lateral margins in lateral view (Figs 8A, B), somewhat drop-shaped in posterior view (Figs 8C, D). Ejaculatory apodeme large, somewhat rectangular-shaped, with sinuous lower margin and rounded apex in lateral view (Figs 8A, B), long, thickened basally and gradually thinning towards the apex and rounded apex in dorsal view (Figs 8E, F). Lateral ejaculatory process elongated, V-shaped, acute apex and upward-directed in lateral view (Figs 8A, B), about 0.5× shorter than ejaculatory apodeme, with sinuous margins, acute apex and sideways-directed in dorsal view (Figs 8E, F). Phallus drop-shaped, in lateral and dorsal view (Figs 8A, B, 8E, F), basiphallus about 2× longer than distiphallus, distiphallus simple with single apical opening in dorsal view (Figs 8E, F). Parameral sheath large, simple, with two paired lobed projections divergent and two lobes basally in dorsal view (Figs 8E, F). Anterior arms of parameral sheath long, about 1.3× longer than ejaculatory apodeme, slightly curved sinuous margins and apex slightly acute in lateral view (Figs 8A, B), with apex rounded and divergent in dorsal view (Figs 8E, F). Gonocoxa subdivided, with proximal lobe elongated, thickened basally and tapering gradually towards the apex, distal lobe somewhat triangular-shaped, and acute apex downward-directed in lateral view (Figs 8A, B), with appearance of three lobes, one proximal lobe thickened with proximal margin rounded and distal margin sinuous, two distal lobes rounded with margins sinuous in dorsal view (Figs 8E, F). Gonostylus downward-directed, similar in length to ejaculatory apodeme, with acute apex in lateral view (Figs 8A, B), subdivided into two lobes, each lobe thin basally, thickened apically with apex rounded in dorsal view (Figs 8E, F).
FEMALE. (Fig. 9). Like male, differing in the following aspects: Body length 2 mm; wing length 0.9 mm. Head (Figs 9A, B). Brown, except gena, whitish; eyes separated at vertex by approximately 1.5× distance posterior ocelli; frons shiny, slightly depressed medially, with inconspicuous yellow setae scattered (Fig. 9B). Thorax (Figs 9A, C). Mesonotum brown; scutellum entirely yellow; lower ½ of notopleuron, supra-alar area and postalar callus whitish; pleura with whitish yellow markings on: proepimeron, upper ½ of anepisternum, distal margin of anepimeron, dorsal ⅓ of katepisternum, dorsal margin of meron. Legs (Fig. 9A). Same pattern as males, only differing in lighter brown coloration. Abdomen (Figs 9A, D). Tergite I whitish yellow, with two dark brown bands, tergites II–IV dark brown with distal margin whitish yellow, tergite V with proximal ½ dark brown and distal ½ whitish yellow, tergites VI–VII whitish yellow, with proximal margin dark brown. Terminalia (Figs 9E, F). Genital fork V-shaped, anterior margin arched with lower slightly acute, inner posterior projection convergent distally, interrupted medially, outer projection simple, short and divergent, projecting posterolaterally (Figs 9E, F); common duct indistinct, basal plate hyaline; sperm pump tubular with sclerosed surface, with apex widened, flattened and surrounded by smooth, transparent membrane that surrounds it (Figs 9E, F); proximal spermathecal duct translucent, about 3× longer than sperm pump (Figs 9E, F); distal spermathecal duct translucent, about 2× length of proximal duct, thickening at apex (Figs 9E, F); valve indistinct; spermathecal reservoir strongly sclerotized, brown, rhomboid-shaped, with apex slightly rounded, about 6× thickness of sperm pump at widest point, without glandular trichomes (Figs 9E, F).
Type material. HOLOTYPE. Male: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Pedernales, Cabo rojo, 17–55N/71–39W / 10m, 27.July.1990, J.E. Rawlins, C.W. Young, S. Thompson Leg. (1 ♂ CMNH) (photographed specimen). PARATYPES. idem (1 ♀ CMNH) (photographed specimen); idem (1 ♀ CMNH); idem (1 ♀ LEUA); idem (1 ♀ BPBM).
Etymology. The specific epithet is in apposition and refers to the name of the locality where holotype has been collected (Fig. 11B).
Geographical distribution. Dominican Republic (Pedernales) (Fig. 11B 1).
Taxonomic notes. In males Mythicomyia pedernalensis sp. nov. runs to M. huk Sánchez & Evenhuis in couplet 6 of the key in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024). It differs from M. huk by having first flagellomere slightly conical (Fig. 7C) [versus first flagellomere linear-lanceolate, see figs 1–2, 4 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)]; second flagellomere about 1.3× longer the width of first (Fig. 7C) [versus second flagellomere about 2× longer the width of first, see figs 1–2, 4 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)]; hind leg with basitarus modified, excavated near base on ventral surface, preceded by a short spur (Fig. 7E) [versus hind leg with basitarsus unmodified, see fig. 1 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)]; cercus elongated, somewhat oval-shaped, with setae on lateral margins in lateral view (Figs 8A, B), somewhat drop-shaped in posterior view (Figs 8C, D) [versus cercus triangular-shaped, with scattered setae on the upper half in lateral view, see figs 7–8 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024); pad-shaped in posterior view, see figs 9–10 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)]; epandrium somewhat oval in lateral view (Figs 8A, B) [versus epandrium somewhat triangular in lateral view, see figs 7–8 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)]; ejaculatory apodeme strongly thickened in lateral view (Figs 8A, B) [versus ejaculatory apodeme slightly thickened in lateral view, see figs 7–8 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)]; anterior arms of parameral sheath with acute apex in lateral view (Figs 8A, B) [versus anterior arms of parameral sheath with rounded apex in lateral view, see figs 7–8 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)]; gonostylus sideways-directed, sub divided into two lobes, each lobe thin basally, thickened apically with rounded apex in dorsal view (Figs 8E, F) [versus gonostylus upward-directed, thickened basally, thin apically with acute apex in dorsal view, see fig. 12 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)]. Females of M. pedernalensis sp. nov. run to M. iskay Sánchez & Evenhuis in couplet 12 of the key in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024). They differs from M. iskay by having genital fork V-shaped, anterior margin arched with lower slightly acute (Figs 9E, F) [versus genital fork U-shaped, anterior margin arched with lower margin truncated, see fig. 37 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)]; proximal spermathecal duct about 2× shorter than distal and (Figs 9E, F); [versus proximal spermathecal duct about 11× shorter than distal, see fig. 37 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)]; spermathecal reservoir short and thickened rhomboid-shaped (Figs 9E, F) [versus spermathecal reservoirs thin and elongate digitiform-shaped, see fig. 37 in Sánchez & Evenhuis (2024)].
description: Published as part of Ramos-Pastrana, Yardany, Córdoba-Suarez, Eric & Evenhuis, Neal L., 2025, First records of Mythicomyia Coquillett, 1893 (Diptera: Mythicomyiidae: Mythicomyiinae) from Central America, with description of three new species and an updated key to Neotropical species, pp. 69-90 in Zootaxa 5621 (1) on pages 80-81, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5621.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/15220029