Introduction
Rhinoprosopa Hull, Reference Hull1942 (Diptera: Syrphidae) is a small flower fly genus that is distributed in the Neotropics (from Mexico and the West Indies to Peru), and it may occur in the Nearctic Region (Mexico: Durango, Nuevo León) (Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976; Thompson Reference Thompson1999). These flower flies are scarce in collections, but easy to identify by their face greatly produced anteriorly, antennal pits distinctly separated, plumula absent, metasternum glabrous, and abdomen narrowly to strongly petiolate (Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009; Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Rotheray and Zumbado2010). Four of the five known species were originally described as Rhinoprosopa (Hull Reference Hull1937, Reference Hull1942, Reference Hull1943a, Reference Hull1943b, Reference Hull1947), but species citations in the recent literature have been done under the genus Allograpta Osten Sacken, 1875 (see Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009).
Hull (Reference Hull1937) gave an extensive description of his new genus Oligorhina Hull, Reference Hull1937, based on two females of the species Oligorhina aenea Hull, Reference Hull1937. Later, he proposed a new name for his taxon, Rhinoprosopa Hull, Reference Hull1942, as Oligorhina was preoccupied in Coleoptera (Hull Reference Hull1942). In 1943, Hull (Reference Hull1943a) described a new species of Rhinoprosopa from Peru, Rhinoprosopa flavophylla Hull, 1943. The same year, Hull (Reference Hull1943b) described another species from Ecuador, Rhinoprosopa lucifer Hull, 1943. Just a few years later, Hull (Reference Hull1947) described another species of this genus from Costa Rica, Rhinoprosopa sycorax Hull, Reference Hull1947. Later, in his work about New World Baccha Fabricius, 1805, Hull provided an identification key for the four species “of large, petiolate flies with triangularly produced or peaked face” (Hull Reference Hull1949a). Together with the key, Hull (Reference Hull1949a) illustrated the abdomens of the four species of Rhinoprosopa and the wing of R. sycorax.
In his masterpiece about genera of flower flies, Hull (Reference Hull1949b) diagnosed the genus Rhinoprosopa to distinguish it from similar ones, and discussed its affinities to Baccha and to his Epistrophe Walker, 1852 group (including Allograpta). Hull (Reference Hull1949b) also provided illustrations of facial profiles for R. flavophylla and R. aenea.
Years later, Vockeroth (Reference Vockeroth1973) synonymised Rhinoprosopa under Allograpta based on adult morphological and male genitalic characters, moving it to the tribe Syrphini. Thompson et al. (Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976) listed Rhinoprosopa under Allograpta as a new synonym, although it was already synonymised by Vockeroth (Reference Vockeroth1973). Thompson et al. (Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976) also changed the gender of Allograpta lucifera, and gave broader distribution data for A. nasuta (Bigot, Reference Bigot1884) and A. sycorax. In his revision of the syrphid fauna of the West Indies, Thompson (Reference Thompson1981) provided a new description of A. aenea based on the paratype.
Vockeroth (Reference Vockeroth1973) also transferred Sphaerophoria nasuta Bigot, Reference Bigot1884 to Allograpta as he considered this species as part of Rhinoprosopa. He also designated Sphaerophoria nasuta Bigot, Reference Bigot1888 as a junior synonym of this species. Bigot (Reference Bigot1884) described Sphaerophoria nasuta based on a male from Mexico. Years later, he described another male of this species, also from Mexico, with the same name (Bigot Reference Bigot1888). Giglio-Tos (Reference Giglio-Tos1893) synonymised both names under Baccha. However, Aldrich (Reference Aldrich1905) mentioned that there were two different species, and listed Baccha nasuta (Bigot, Reference Bigot1884) under Baccha and Sphaerophoria nasuta Bigot, Reference Bigot1888 under Sphaerophoria LePeletier and Serville, 1828. Thompson et al. (Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976) synonymised both names under Allograpta nasuta (Bigot, Reference Bigot1884).
More recently, Thompson et al. (Reference Thompson, Thompson and Fairman2000) described a sixth species of Rhinoprosopa, Allograpta (Rhinoprosopa) zumbadoi Thompson, 2000. The new species was quite different from the others, with an abrupt facial tubercle, unique colour pattern, and long, thick pile covering the second tergum in males. Later, Mengual et al. (Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009) transferred Allograpta zumbadoi to a new subgenus, Allograpta (Costarica) Mengual and Thompson, 2009. Thompson (Reference Thompson2012) proposed the new name Tiquicia Thompson, Reference Thompson2012 for the subgenus Costarica because the later was a junior homonym of a name validated by Koçak and Kemal (Reference Koçak and Kemal2008) for a grasshopper. Thompson (Reference Thompson2012) also elevated all subgenera of Allograpta to the genus level. Consequently, Rhinoprosopa Hull, Reference Hull1942 is again considered a valid genus.
In this work, I revise the genus Rhinoprosopa and describe two new species. I also provide an identification key and illustrate all species of Rhinoprosopa.
Materials and methods
Differential diagnoses, synonymies, and distributions are given for all species included in the study. New species are described in full, with terminology following Thompson (Reference Thompson1999). An asterisk (*) in the distribution statement means records from the literature or from Systema Dipterorum (Thompson Reference Thompson2013). The codens used for collections follow the standard of the Systema Dipterorum (Thompson Reference Thompson2013), and their equivalents are given below:
AMNH – American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, United States of America.
CSCA – California State Collection of Arthropods, Sacramento, California, United States of America.
CNC – Canadian National Collections of Insects, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
CUIC – Cornell University Insect Collection, Ithaca, New York, United States of America.
DEBU – University of Guelph Insect Collection, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
INBio – Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio), Santo Domingo de Heredia, San José, Costa Rica.
JS – John Smit, personal collection, Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
MCZ – Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
MZCR – Museo de Zoologia, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
MZH – Finnish Museum of Natural History, Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland.
OUMNH – Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford, United Kingdom.
RMNH – Naturalis Biodiversity Centre [formerly Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie], Leiden, South Holland, the Netherlands.
USNM – National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, United States of America.
ZFMK – Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
In the description of type labels, the contents of each label is enclosed within double quotation (“ ”), italics denote handwriting, and the individual lines of data are separated by a forward slash ( / ).
All measurements are in mm and were taken using a reticule in a Leica M165 C microscope (Wetzlar, Hesse, Germany). Photographs were composed using the software CombineZP based on images of pinned specimens taken with a Canon EOS40D mounted on a Microptics Camlift (Visionary Digital, Santa Monica, California, United States of America) and the help of Adobe Lightroom (version 4.0) (San Jose, California, United States of America).
Abdomen, dorsal view of: 1, Rhinoprosopa aenea, male; 2, Rhinoprosopa aenea, holotype female; 3, Rhinoprosopa flavophylla, holotype female; 4, Rhinoprosopa lucifer, paratype male; 5, Rhinoprosopa sycorax, holotype female. 6. Rhinoprosopa sycorax, wing, holotype female. Head, lateral view of: 7, Rhinoprosopa flavophylla, holotype female; 8, Rhinoprosopa aenea, male. 9. Rhinoprosopa nasuta: a, male genitalia, lateral view; b, stenum 9, superior lobes and aedeagal base, ventral view. (Figs. 1–6 from Hull Reference Hull1949a; Figs. 7–8 from Hull Reference Hull1949b; Fig. 9 from Vockeroth Reference Vockeroth1973).
Rhinoprosopa aenea, female: 10, dorsal view; 11, lateral view; 12, frontal view; 13, labels. Rhinoprosopa aenea, male: 14, labels; 15, frontal view; 16, lateral view; 17, frontolateral view of head; 18, dorsal view.
Rhinoprosopa hulli: 19, paratype female, dorsal view; 20, holotype male, dorsal view; 21, paratype female, lateral view; 22, holotype male, lateral view; 23, paratype female, frontal view; 24, paratype female, frontolateral view of head; 25, holotype male, frontal view; 26, holotype male, frontolateral view of head.
Rhinoprosopa hulli: 27, holotype male, labels; 28, paratype female, labels. Rhinoprosopa flavophylla, male: 29, labels; 30, lateral view; 31, dorsal view; 32, frontal view; 33, frontolateral view of head. 34. Rhinoprosopa aenea, paratype female, frontal view. Rhinoprosopa nasuta, labels: 35, male; 36, female.
Rhinoprosopa Hull, Reference Hull1942
Oligorhina Hull, Reference Hull1937: 30 (preoccupied by Fairmaire and Germain Reference Fairmaire and Germain1863). Type species: Oligorhina aenea Hull, Reference Hull1937 (original designation).
Rhinoprosopa Hull, Reference Hull1942: 23 (new name for Oligorhina Hull, Reference Hull1937).
Mengual et al. (Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009) gave a complete diagnosis and a systematic overview of the genus Allograpta, including Rhinoprosopa as a subgenus. They also included the described species and geographic distribution. The following diagnosis is modified from Mengual et al. (Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009).
Diagnosis. Face greatly produced anteriorly, with small tubercle or no tubercle, triangular in profile; oral opening about 5.5 times as long as wide, with oral apex greatly extended beyond level of antennal base; antenna short, with scape and basoflagellomere slightly longer than broad; antennal pits distinctly separated; eyes bare, dichoptic. Anterior anepisternum bare; metaepisternum bare; metasternum bare; plumula absent; subscutellar pile fringe absent; wing microtrichose, without apical dark macula; alula present, narrow, linear or broad, at most as wide as cell bm. Abdomen narrowly to strongly petiolate, not emarginated; tergum 2 without long pile in males; male genitalia: superior lobes fused to sternum 9, and aedeagus segmented (Fig. 9).
Natural history. Nothing is known about the immature stages of Rhinoprosopa (Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Rotheray and Zumbado2010). Adults have been seen and collected on flowers, and one can assume they feed on pollen and nectar as many other syrphid adults.
Systematics. From the beginning, Hull related his new genus Rhinoprosopa with Baccha (Hull Reference Hull1943c), and included it in the tribe Bacchini (Hull Reference Hull1949a, Reference Hull1949b). Interestingly, all his species were described in articles with Baccha species descriptions (nowadays under the genus Ocyptamus Macquart, 1834). Hull (Reference Hull1949b) mentioned Rhinoprosopa as example of his “prosotype” concept in Bacchini: species of a group with the most advanced or farthest developed morphological characters (Hull Reference Hull1949b: 272), but he was doubtful about the closest group of Rhinoprosopa: if it was Baccha (current Ocyptamus) because the bare metasternum and petiolate abdomen, or the closest group was the Epistrophe complex (including Allograpta), with similar face.
In his superb revision of the tribe Syrphini, Vockeroth (Reference Vockeroth1969) pointed out the similarity between Allograpta and Rhinoprosopa male genitalia, and suggested convergent evolution in abdominal shape to explain the inclusion in Bacchini. Vockeroth thought Rhinoprosopa was derived from an Allograpta-like species and that Rhinoprosopa was a sister group of some or all of the New World Allograpta, but only New World species (Vockeroth Reference Vockeroth1969, Reference Vockeroth1973). Although Rhinoprosopa differs from Allograpta by having a bare metasternum, it also lacks the pile on anterior anepisternum and on metaepisternum (below posterior spiracle) diagnostic of most of Neotropical Baccha (current Ocyptamus) (Vockeroth Reference Vockeroth1969).
Vockeroth (Reference Vockeroth1973) synonymised Rhinoprosopa under Allograpta, and moved the species to Syrphini; a concept followed by Thompson et al. (Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976) and Thompson (Reference Thompson1981, Reference Thompson1999). Thompson et al. (Reference Thompson, Thompson and Fairman2000) considered the species group of Rhinoprosopa as a subgenus, from which Allograpta zumbadoi Thompson, 2000 derived (currently in the genus Tiquicia Thompson, Reference Thompson2012). Mengual et al. (Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009) recognised six subgenera and two species groups within Allograpta. Thompson (Reference Thompson2012) elevated all subgenera of Allograpta to the generic level, including Rhinoprosopa.
Previously, molecular evidence pointed out the high diversity of lineages among the Allograpta-Sphaerophoria clade (Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008a, Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b, Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2012) and the need to recognise this diversity. Mengual et al. (Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008a) resolved Sphaerophoria into the Allograpta clade, Allograpta as a paraphyletic group and the subgenus Fazia Shannon, 1927 in a different clade. Mengual et al. (Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b, Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2012) found that Tiquicia (as subgenus CR or Costarica), Antillus Vockeroth, Reference Vockeroth1969, Rhinoprosopa, and part of Fazia were grouped together as a sister group of Allograpta+Fazia in part+Sphaerophoria+Exallandra Vockeroth, Reference Vockeroth1969. It was evident that the concept of Allograpta of Vockeroth (Reference Vockeroth1969, Reference Vockeroth1973) was paraphyletic.
Geographical distribution.Rhinoprosopa is a New World genus, which ranges from Mexico (including some Nearctic parts such as Durango and Nuevo León) to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia Venezuela, and the West Indies (Hispaniola, Cuba).
Remarks.Rhinoprosopa comprises seven species in total, two new species described here. However, there might be more species in this genus. Vockeroth (Reference Vockeroth1969, Reference Vockeroth1973) mentioned three males of “an apparently undescribed species from Ecuador”, but I could not find those specimens in the CNC.
There are no species groups designated within Rhinoprosopa, and male genitalia among species show insignificant differences. Rhinoprosopa species have male genitalia as in Figure 9, with inconspicuous differences in surstylus shape. Nonetheless, one can find some similarities among different species: presence/absence of facial tubercle, light/dark pleura, or size of alula.
Rhinoprosopa aenea (Hull, Reference Hull1937)
Oligorhina aenea Hull, Reference Hull1937: 31. Type Locality: Haiti, Mt. La Hotte, Desbarrière (holotype female, MCZ, original designation).
Baccha aenea: Fluke Reference Fluke1956 (catalogue citation, misidentified in part).
Rhinoprosopa aenea: Hull Reference Hull1942 (new combination); Hull Reference Hull1943a (citation); Hull Reference Hull1943b (citation); Hull Reference Hull1943c (key); Hull Reference Hull1949a (key, figs.); Hull Reference Hull1949b (figs.); Fluke Reference Fluke1957 (catalogue citation); Vockeroth Reference Vockeroth1969 (citation).
Allograpta aenea: Vockeroth Reference Vockeroth1973 (studied material); Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976 (catalogue citation); Thompson Reference Thompson1981 (redescription, citation, key); Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Thompson and Fairman2000 (key); Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008a (list); Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b (list); Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009 (figs., list).
Allograpta sp. 5: Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b (DNA voucher XP145).
Differential diagnosis. Species very distinct, with abdominal maculae large, mostly joined medially. Abdomen largely orange, yellow pleuron and narrow alula. It differs from R. flavophylla by the facial tubercle (absent in R. flavophylla), oral margin straight, and abdominal maculae larger.
Length (4): body, 10.0–13.0 (12.0) mm; wing, 9.0–10.0 (9.5) mm.
Distribution: Cuba, Hispaniola, West Indies*.
Material examined. Holotype, female, “Desbarriere/Mt. La Hotte/nr 4000 ft./Oct. 12-14” “Haiti/1934/Darlington” “M.C.Z./Type/22468” [red] “Oligorhina/aenea/Hull” [white, red, margin] “Jan.-July 2003/MCZ Image/Database” “MCZ-ENT/00022468” [barcode] (MCZ). Paratype, female, “Desbarriere/Mt. La Hotte/nr 4000 ft. /Oct. 12-14” “Haiti/1934/Darlington” “PARATYPE/aenea/Hull” [orange] “PARATYPE/Oligorhina/aenea Hull/CNC No. 19262” (CNC).
Additional material. CUBA: Granma, Pico Turquino, N. side, 4500-6000 ft., 18-20.vi.1936, Darlington (1 ♀, CNC; #186417). DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Independencia Prov., road from El Aguacate to Puerto Escondido, sitio de flores, 13.viii.2006, D. Perez, voucher specimen MZH_XP145 (1 ♀, ZFMK); Independencia Prov., Sierra de Neiba, Los Bolos, on way down from cloud forest, ~1300 m., 9.vii.2003, D. Perez, R. Bastardo, B. Hierro (day) (1 ♂, ZFMK; USNM ENT 00038316); Independencia Prov., RD-110 ~100 m up from El Sitio del Agua, cloud forest, 1520 m., 18º39.339'N 71º39.279'W, 27.iii.2003, D. Perez, R. Bastardo, B. Hierro (day) (1 ♀, USNM; USNM ENT 00038315); La Vega Prov., P.N. Armando Bermúdez, RD-255 La Compartición - Pico Duarte, 2450-3087 m., 1.vii.2004, D. Perez (2 ♀, USNM; USNM ENT 00038325, USNM ENT 00038326); La Vega Prov., P.N. Armando Bermúdez, RD-256 La Compartición - Los Tablones, 2450-1110 m., 3.vii.2004, D. Perez (1 ♀, USNM; USNM ENT 00038328); La Vega Prov., P.N. Armando Bermúdez, RD-251 Los Tablones - La Laguna, 1270-1980 m., 30.vi.2004, D. Perez (2 ♂ 2 ♀, USNM; USNM ENT 00038320, USNM ENT 00038321, USNM ENT 00038323, USNM ENT 00038324); La Vega Prov., P.N. Armando Bermúdez, RD-253 Trail Agüita Fría - La Compartición, 2450-2650 m., 1.vii.2004, D. Perez (3 ♂ 1 ♀, USNM; 1 ♀, ZFMK; USNM ENT 00038322, USNM ENT 00038318, USNM ENT 00038319, USNM ENT 00038327, USNM ENT 00038329); La Vega Prov., Reserva Científica Ébano Verde, RD-150 Trail Loma La Golondrina - La Sal, 12.vii.2003, D. Perez, R. Bastardo, B. Hierro (3 ♀, USNM; USNM ENT 00038308, USNM ENT 00038309, USNM ENT 00038310); La Vega Prov., Reserva Científica Ébano Verde, RD-151 La Sal, 1043 m., 19º04.101'N 70º34.089'W, 12.vii.2003, D. Perez, R. Bastardo, B. Hierro (night) (1 ♂ 1 ♀, USNM; USNM ENT 00038314, USNM ENT 00038311); La Vega Prov., Reserva Científica Ébano Verde, RD-023 Loma Casabito, 1390 m., 340-522 mE 2106-146 mN, 31.i.2002, R. Bastardo, B. Hierro, D. Perez (2 ♀, USNM; USNM ENT 00038312, USNM ENT 00038313); La Vega Prov., Reserva Científica Ébano Verde, RD-177 El Arroyazo, 25-26.xi.2003, D. Perez, R. Bastardo (1 ♀, USNM; USNM ENT 00038317); La Vega Prov., P.N. Armando Bermúdez, nr. La Ciénaga, 1000 m., 12-22.i.1989, L. Masner (1 ♂, ZFMK); La Vega Prov., P.N. Armando Bermúdez, subida Pico de la Cotorra, 5.xi.2012, D. Perez, C. Ramírez (1 ♀, ZFMK).
Remarks. Here there is incongruence: Hull originally described R. aenea from two females (Hull Reference Hull1937), but the illustration from the paratype (Hull Reference Hull1949a) is a male abdomen, which is confirmed and noted in the text (Hull Reference Hull1949a: 222, 223; fig. 147). The paratype belongs to the Hull’s collection (currently at CNC), and it is a female. Thus, the drawing of the male abdomen is not from the paratype.
Mengual et al. (Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b) published the specimen DNA voucher XP145 as Allograpta sp. 5 (GenBank accession numbers EU241731, EU241778, and EU241829). After its re-study, this specimen is clearly identified as Rhinoprosopa aenea and it was collected in Dominican Republic, instead of Costa Rica as originally stated.
Rhinoprosopa flavophylla Hull, 1943
Rhinoprosopa flavophylla Hull, 1943: 139. Type Locality: Peru, Perené Valley, El Campamiento (holotype female, CUIC, original designation). Hull Reference Hull1943c (key); Hull Reference Hull1949a (key, figs.); Hull Reference Hull1949b (figs.); Fluke Reference Fluke1957 (catalogue citation).
Allograpta flavophylla: Vockeroth Reference Vockeroth1973 (list); Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976 (catalogue citation); Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Thompson and Fairman2000 (key); (list); Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009 (list); Montoya et al. Reference Montoya, Pérez and Wolff2012 (list, distribution).
Differential diagnosis. Species with narrow alula and pleuron dark posteriorly, with yellow markings on anepisternum, katepisternum and anepimeron. Scutellum yellow, although sometimes difficult to assess. This species has no facial tubercle protruding in lateral view as in R. aenea, R. nasuta, or R. lucifer, but the face is perfectly smooth, round as in R. zophina. Rhinoprosopa hulli has no facial tubercle, but a little facial expansion can be distinguished in dorsal view, and the facial profile is a bit convex laterally.
Length (2): body, 12.0–12.5 (12.3) mm; wing, 11.0–11.5 (11.3) mm.
Distribution: Colombia*, Peru, Venezuela.
Redescription. Male.Head. Face produced anteriorly, triangular in profile, shorter in length than eye width, without tubercle, yellow with medial dark vitta from oral margin to antennal bases and continues dorsally, scarcely black pilose; oral margin notched, protruding laterally beyond the clypeus; gena yellow, black pilose; lunule black; frons yellow with a triangular medial black macula (continuation of the facial vitta), which does not reach the eye margin, scarcely black pilose; vertical triangle black, black pilose; antenna orangish yellow, black pilose, basoflagellomere brown dorsally; arista brown, bare; eye bare; occiput black on dorsal 2/3, grey pollinose, yellow on ventral 1/3, yellow pilose on ventral 2/3 and black pilose on dorsal 1/3.
Thorax. Scutum orangish yellow, darker medially, copper pollinose, yellow and black pilose, mostly black pilose; postpronotum yellow, bare; notopleuron yellow, yellow pilose; supra-alar area and postalar callus dark pilose; scutellum dark yellow, lighter basally, dark pilose, subscutellar fringe absent. Pleuron yellow, orangish brown posteriorly, yellow pilose; metasternum bare; calypter yellow with black margin; halter dark brown; posterior spiracular fringes yellow. Wing. Wing membrane yellow, darker anteriorly and apically, entirely microtrichose; alula narrow, narrower than cell bm. Legs. Proleg and mesoleg yellow, tarsi slightly darker, black and yellow pilose; metafemur yellow on basal 1/2–2/3, black on apical 1/3–1/2, metatibia and metatarsus black.
Abdomen. Strongly petiolate, not emarginated, black pilose. Tergum 1 yellow, black posteriorly; tergum 2 black, lighter basally, with two subquadrangular, oblique yellow maculae, which may join medially; tergum 3 black, with similar maculae; tegum 4 dark with an inverted V-shaped fascia, thinner than the maculae in terga 2 and 4; tergum 5 dark, with a similar inverted V-shaped fascia but broader; sterna yellow, black pilose.
Material examined. Holotype, female, “El Campamiento/Col. Perene, Peru/21 June ’20/Cornell Univ. Exp.” “HOLOTYPE/Cornell U./No. 2246” [red] “Holotype/flavophylla” [red] “♀ HOLOTYPE/Rhinoprosopa/flavophylla/Hull” [white, left margin red] (CUIC).
Additional material. PERU: Huanuca, Tingo Maria, U.N.A.S., 18.ii.1972, L. Schuster, on flower of Campelia zanonia (Comelinaceae) (1 ♂, USNM; USNM ENT00036290). VENEZUELA: Amazonas State, Cerro de la Neblina, T.F.A., Camp V, 1250 m., 0°49'N 66°0'W, 23-24.iii.1984, O.S. Flint, Jr (1 ♂, USNM; 1 ♂, ZFMK; USNM ENT00890770, USNM ENT00890787).
Remarks. Specimens from Costa Rica identified as R. flavophylla belong mostly to Rhinoprosopa hulli. To avoid further confusion, a male from Venezuela was used for the redescription.
The two male specimens from Venezuela are lighter than the holotype (scutum pale orange, katatergum and katepimeron dark orange), but the head shape, oral margin, and overall morphology are similar. These males have the pleuron not clearly darkened and may key out incorrectly in couplet 2. For this reason, this species appears twice in the key.
Rhinoprosopa hulli Mengual, new species
Differential diagnosis. Species similar to R. flavophylla, but it has the oral margin straight, not notched, a broad, dark facial vitta reaching eye margin dorsally in males, and metatarsi yellow. It differs from R. lucifer by having the metafemur dark, pale yellow on apical 1/6 or less, and the metabasitarsomere yellow. It has no clear facial tubercle, but face is not smooth and round medially as in R. flavophylla or R. zophina.
Type locality. Costa Rica, San José Prov., Estación Santa Elena, Sendero La Bota, 3.5 km al SE del Cerro Chucuyo, 1690 m.
Etymology. This new species is named after Frank Montgomery Hull (1901–1982), for his enormous contribution to Dipterology. Species epithet to be treated as a noun in the genitive case.
Description. Male.Head. Face produced anteriorly, triangular in profile, without clear tubercle but a little expansion below antennae, yellow with broad, medial black vitta from oral margin to antennal bases and continues dorsally to eye margin, scarcely yellow pilose with a few black pile; oral margin not notched; gena yellow, yellow pilose; lunule black; frons yellow with a medial black vitta (continuation of the facial vitta), scarcely black pilose; vertical triangle black, pollinose, black pilose; antenna orangish yellow, black pilose, basoflagellomere brown, lighter basally; arista brown, bare; eye bare; occiput black on dorsal 2/3, grey pollinose, yellow on ventral 1/3, yellow pilose on ventral 2/3 and black pilose on dorsal 1/3.
Thorax. Scutum black, yellow laterally, grey pollinose, yellow pilose; postpronotum yellow, bare; notopleuron and postalar callus yellow, yellow pilose; scutellum yellow, grey pollinose, dark pilose with two long, black setulous pile, subscutellar fringe absent. Pleuron yellow anteriorly, black posteriorly: anatergum, katatergum, katepimeron, meron, and metaepisternum black, yellow pilose; metasternum bare; calypter yellow with black margin; halter yellow; posterior spiracular fringes yellow. Wing. Wing membrane yellow, darker anteriorly and apically, entirely microtrichose; alula narrow, as narrow as costal cell. Legs. Proleg and mesoleg yellow, black and yellow pilose; metafemur dark, yellow on apical 1/6; metatibia dark, yellow on basal 1/3–1/2; metatarsus yellow.
Abdomen. Strongly petiolate, not emarginated, black pilose. Tergum 1 yellow, black posteriorly; tergum 2 black, with two lateromedial, linear, oblique yellow maculae, which may be diffuse; tergum 3 black, with two oblique yellow maculae, which may join medially; terga 4 and 5 dark; sterna light, black pilose.
Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism.
Variation. There is a very dark female from Cordillera de Tilarán (Costa Rica), which has oblique maculae on tergum 2 (although very diffuse), but the rest of the abdomen appears black.
Some other specimens may have the metafemur pale yellow on the basal 1/3 (Figs. 20, 22). Others may have the ventral part of the katepisternum and anterior anepisternum darker.
Length (4): body, 11.0–13.0 (12.2) mm; wing, 9.0–11.0 (10.5) mm.
Distribution: Costa Rica.
Material examined. Holotype, male, pinned, deposited at the Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio), Santo Domingo de Heredia, Costa Rica. Original labels: “COSTA RICA, Prov. San José, Est./Santa Elena, Sendero La Bota,/3.5 Km al SE. del Cerro Chucuyo,/1690 m. 16 SET 1997. E. Alfaro/L_S_373400_507300 #47934” “COSTA RICA INBIO/CRI002/575031” [barcode] “HOLOTYPE/Rhinoprosopa/hulli/Mengual 2013” [red, handwritten except first line]. Paratypes: “PARATYPE/Rhinoprosopa/hulli/Mengual 2013” [yellow], COSTA RICA: San José Prov., Est. Santa Elena, Sendero La Bota, 3.5 km al SE del Cerro Chucuyo, 1690 m., L_S_373400_507300, 18.iii.1997, M. Segura #45358 (1 ♂, USNM; INBIO CRI002535942); San José Prov., Est. Las Nubes de Santa Elena, Fca de Olman Bonilla, 1450 m., L_S_372500_507700, 1.x.1995, A. Picado #6310 (1 ♀, INBio; 1 ♀, ZFMK; INBIO CRI002328785, INBIO CRI00328783); Puntarenas Prov., San Luis, Fca. Buen Amigo Monteverde, 4 km S de Reserva, 1000-1350 m., LN_250850_449250, v.1998, Z. Fuentes, sobre vegetación #50687 (1 ♀, USNM; INBIO CRI002417644); Puntarenas Prov., Cordillera de Tilarán, Monteverde Biol. stat., 1782 m., 10°19’31.7’’N 84°48’07.6’’W, 14-18.viii.2010, M. Reemer & J.T. Smit (1 ♀, ZFMK); Heredia Prov., 16 km SSE La Virgen, 1050-1150 m., 10-16.iii.2001, M.A. Zumbado, LN-250000, 527100 (1 ♂, ZFMK; 1 ♂, INBio; INBIOCRI INB0003910642, INBIOCRI INB0003910643).
Remarks. Most of the studied specimens were identified as R. flavophylla mainly because until now it was the only known species without a clear facial tubercle. Rhinoprosopa flavophylla has a different facial profile, with the oral margin notched, but it has a little expansion, which is not a facial tubercle.
Rhinoprosopa lucifer Hull, 1943
Rhinoprosopa lucifer: 37, female, dorsal view; 38, female, frontal view; 39, female, lateral view; 40, male, frontal view; 41, male, lateral view; 42, male, dorsal view; 43, female, labels; 44, male, labels.
Rhinoprosopa lucifer Hull, 1943: 216. Type Locality: Ecuador, Piñas (holotype male, AMNH, original designation). Hull Reference Hull1947 (citation); Hull Reference Hull1943c (key); Hull Reference Hull1949a (key, figs.); Fluke Reference Fluke1957 (catalogue citation).
Allograpta lucifer: Vockeroth Reference Vockeroth1973 (list); Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Thompson and Fairman2000 (key).
Allograpta lucifera: Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976 (catalogue citation); Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b (list); Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009 (list); Montoya et al. Reference Montoya, Pérez and Wolff2012 (list, distribution).
Allograpta aenea: Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b (DNA voucher XP79).
Allograpta flavophylla: Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2012 (DNA voucher XP79).
Allograpta sycorax: Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b (DNA voucher XP147).
Differential diagnosis. This species is difficult to distinguish. Scutellum mostly black or dark grey, posterior half of the pleuron dark, metaepisternum usually black, with small facial tubercle. It differs from R. nasuta by the thin, oblique abdominal maculae on tergum 2.
Length (4): body, 11.5–13.0 (12.2) mm; wing, 10.0–10.5 (10.3) mm.
Distribution: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela.
Material examined. Holotype, male, “Piñas, Ecuad/1600 meters” “25-VII-41/D.B, Laddey” “Holotype/lucifer” [red] “Baccha/(Rhinoprosopa)/lucifer Hull” (AMNH).
Additional material. COLOMBIA: Valle del Cauca, San Antonio, Cerro La Horqueta, 76°37'60'' W 3°29'14''N, 24.ii.2006, B.J. & F.C. Thompson (1 ♀, USNM; USNM ENT00035864). COSTA RICA: INBio code: 3439, voucher specimen MZH_XP147 (1 ♀, ZFMK); Limón Prov., P. INt. La Amistad, Valle del Silencio, Sendero Circular, 2450 m., L_S_340258_577465, 28.ix.2003, D. Rubí #75712 (1 ♂, USNM; INBIO INB003788082); Limón Prov., P. INt. La Amistad, Valle del Silencio, Sendero Circular, 2450 m., L_S_340258_577465, 20-22.ix.2003, D. Rubí #75039 (1 ♀, USNM; INBIO INB003757508); Limón Prov., P. INt. La Amistad, Valle del Silencio, Sendero al Jardín Natural, 2400 m., L_S_341290_577409, 4.x.2003, R. Delgado #75045 (1 ♀, USNM; INBIO INB003757828); Cartago Prov., P.N. Tapantí, Site 2. 11.i.2005, 1500 m., G. Ståhls, voucher specimen MZH_XP79 (1 ♂, ZFMK); Cartago Prov., P.N. Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte, Rancho Negro, 1700–1900 m., L_N_186158_560971, 12.iii.2002, M. Alfaro #67219 (1 ♀, USNM; INBIO INB003440475); Cartago Prov., P.N. Tapantí, 1650–1750 m., 1.x.1999, Marshall & Buck (1 ♀, DEBU; debu00107425); Cartago Prov., Alto El Roble, 2200 m., L_N_189900_552200, 20.x.2002, M. Alfaro, red de golpe #71712 (1 ♀, USNM; INBIO INB003543305); Cartago Prov., R. Grande de Orosi, desde Puente R. Dos Amigos hasta la Represa, 1400–1800 m., L_N_186600_562000, 1-11.ii.1996, R. Delgado #6948 (1 ♀, USNM; INBIO CRI002395431); Cartago Prov., Sendero Rancho Negro, 1580 m., L_N_186600_560250, 12.ii.1997, M. Segura #45299 (1 ♀, USNM; INBIO CRI002498832). PERU: Cusco, Aguas Calientes, 13°09’ S 72°31’ W, 10-11.v.2004, J.T. Smit (1 ♂, JS); Cusco, Wayqecha Biol. Stn., ~9 km NE Challabamba, ~2800 m., 13°10'S 71°35'W, 13-15.v.2007, cloud forest, S.M. Paiero (1 ♂, DEBU; debu00303156); Cusco, Wayqecha Biol. Stn., Trocha Oso vic., 2557 m., 13°10'08''S 71°35'11''W, 11.xii.2011, Norrbom, Steck, Sutton & Nolazco (1 ♂, ZFMK); Lima, Yauyos, Callanga (1 ♂, RMNH); Madre de Dios, Manu, Manu National Park, Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, 13°03'21''S 71°32'46''W, 18.x.2006, ~1380 m., J. Skevington (1 ♀ in alcohol, CNC; Mol.Spec. # 1877, J. Skevington Specimen # 19243). VENEZUELA: Merida, Mucuy Fish Hatchery, 7 km E Tabay, 6600 f., 10-13.ii.1978, J.B. Heppner (1 ♂, USNM).
Remarks. I accept the original epithet “lucifer” as the correct spelling as a name in apposition, although I do consider the gender of the genus to be feminine (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1999, Article 34.2.1). Hull (Reference Hull1942) did not state the gender for Rhinoprosopa, but -prosopa is the feminine form of prosopon (Greek word, neuter, meaning face, front; Brown Reference Brown1956).
Mengual et al. (Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b, Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2012) published the specimens DNA voucher XP79 (GenBank accession numbers EU241729, EU241776, and EU241827) as Allograpta aenea and Allograpta flavophylla respectively. Mengual et al. (Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b) published the specimens DNA voucher XP147 (GenBank accession numbers EU241732, EU241779, and EU241830) as Allograpta sycorax. After a careful re-study, these two specimens are identified as Rhinoprosopa lucifer but there is a molecular pairwise distance of 0.1% between their COI sequences.
The above current concept of this species might involve more than one taxon, but I cannot confirm this. Some specimens from Peru look a bit different, but I cannot measure those differences.
Rhinoprosopa nasuta (Bigot, Reference Bigot1884), new combination
Rhinoprosopa nasuta, female: 45, lateral view; 46, dorsal view; 47, frontal view; 48, frontolateral view of head. Rhinoprosopa nasuta, male: 49, lateral view; 50, dorsal view; 51, frontal view; 52, frontolateral view of head.
Sphaerophoria nasuta Bigot, Reference Bigot1884: 103. Type Locality: “Mexico” (holotype male, OUMNH, original designation). Giglio-Tos, Reference Giglio-Tos1893 (description); Aldrich Reference Aldrich1905 (catalogue citation); Kertész Reference Kertész1910 (catalogue citation); Hull Reference Hull1943c (possible new combination); Fluke Reference Fluke1956 (catalogue citation).
Sphaerophoria nasuta Bigot, Reference Bigot1888: 253. Type Locality: “Mexico” (holotype male, OUMNH, original designation). Preoccupied Bigot Reference Bigot1884, junior homonym; synonymised by Giglio-Tos Reference Giglio-Tos1893 and Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976. Giglio-Tos Reference Giglio-Tos1893 (list); Aldrich Reference Aldrich1905 (catalogue citation); Kertész Reference Kertész1910 (catalogue citation); Fluke Reference Fluke1956 (catalogue citation).
Baccha nasuta Williston, Reference Williston1891: 35. Type Locality: “Mexico” (syntype 1 male and 1 female, unknown]. Synonymised by Giglio-Tos Reference Giglio-Tos1893.
Allograpta nasuta: Vockeroth Reference Vockeroth1973 (studied material, figs.); Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976 (catalogue citation); Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Thompson and Fairman2000 (key); Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009 (list).
Allograpta neonasuta Thompson in litt.: Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b (list). Nomen nudum.
Allograpta neonasuta (Bigot, Reference Bigot1884): Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b (DNA voucher XP91). Nomen nudum.
Differential diagnosis. Species with narrow alula, pleuron mostly yellow, facial tubercle and dark facial vitta reaching the eyes or the ocellar triangle dorsally. Similar to R. aenea, but abdomen darker in colouration and facial vitta reaching the eyes dorsally. It differs from R. flavophylla by having facial tubercle and dark facial vitta reaching the eyes dorsally.
Length (4): body, 11.0–11.5 (11.2) mm; wing, 8.0–9.0 (8.5) mm.
Distribution: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico (Chiapas, Durango, Nuevo León, Veracruz), Venezuela.
Material examined. Holotype, male, “Holo-/type” [round, red margin] “S. nasuta/EX COLL. BIGOT” “Baccha nasuta/(Bigot) (Reference Bigot1884)/d.L.Knutson’69” (OUMNH).
Holotype of Sphaerophoria nasuta Bigot, Reference Bigot1888 (junior synonym): male, “Mexique” “Sphaerophoria?/nasuta ♂/n.sp. Epedict./Paril. Mai/1888 M. Bigot/nec lron Gen nov./Mexique” [handwriting, underlined words are not possible to read clearly] “S. nasuta/EX COLL. BIGOT” “Baccha nasuta/ (Bigot) (Reference Bigot1888)/d.L.Knutson’69” (OUMNH).
Additional material. COLOMBIA: Dpto Valle del Cauca, Palmira, Corrg. La Buitrera, Nirvana, 1440–1530 m., 14.ii.2006, X. Mengual, voucher specimen MZH_XP91 (1 ♀, ZFMK). COSTA RICA: San José Prov., San Gerardo de Dota, 2200–2600 m., 7-10.viii.1995, J.M. Cumming (1 ♂ 1 ♀, CNC; CNC DIPTERA # 225202, 225203); San José Prov., San Gerardo de Dota, 9.33°N 8.48°W, 2300 m., roadside, 8.viii.1995, D.C. Caloren (2 ♀, DEBU; debu01049436, debu01046435); San José Prov., Est. Cuerici, Sendero al Mirador, 4.6 km E de Villa Mills, 2640 m., L_S_389700_499600, 3.i.1996, B. Gamboa #6768 (1 ♀, USNM; INBIO CRI002331847); San José Prov., Est. Santa Elena, Viejo, Santa Elena, Las Nubes, 1210 m., L_S_371750_507800, 3-10-viii.1995, A. M. Maroto #5446 (1 ♂, USNM; INBIO CRI002251247); San José Prov., Santa Ana, Z.P. Cerro Escazú, Bebedero Alto Granilla, 1600 m., L_N_210000_518600, 9.i.1999, M. A. Zumbado #57287 (1 ♂, USNM; INBIO INB0003164087); San José Prov., 25.iii.1997, M. A. Zumbado #46350 (1 ♂, USNM; INBIO CRI002552758); Cartago Prov., San José, 15 km SE Empalme, 2600 m., xii.1988, Hanson (2 ♀, MZCR); Cartago Prov., El Guarco, San Isidro, Estación La Esperanza, 2450 m., L_N_549250_185700, 16.ii.2011, R. Delgado #61845 (1 ♀, USNM; INBIO INB003157898); Puntarenas Prov., Las Tablas, ENE Las Mellizas, 15 km ENE San Vito, 28.v.1987, A.L. Norrbom, sweeping Bidens pilosa L. (1 ♂, USNM); Puntarenas Prov., San Luis, Cerro Amapala, Monteverde, 1300 m., L_N_249200_448850, 27.i.1997, Z, Fuentes, red de golpe #45267 (1 ♂, USNM; INBIO CRI002534466); Puntarenas Prov., Monteverde Res., cloud forest, 1500 m., ii.1980, W. Mason (1 ♀, CNC; CNC DIPTERA # 102924); Alajuela Prov., R. Jesus, C. La Lana, San Ramón, 1200 m., L_N_221750_481050, i.1997, G. Carballo #45477 (1 ♀, USNM; INBIO CRI002490973); Heredia Prov., R. B. Chompipe, 2100 m., L_N_229900_528600, 3.i.1994, M. Zumbado #2657 (1 ♂, USNM; INBIO CRI001725640). ECUADOR: Bolívar Prov., Chota R., Carchi, 2000 m., 10.vi.1965, L. Peña (Pena in the original label) (2 ♂, CNC; 1 ♂, ZFMK; CNC DIPTERA # 149509, 186458, 178134). EL SALVADOR: Monte Cristo, 26.iii.1978, D.R. Barger (1 ♂, USNM). GUATEMALA: Suchitepéquez, Santa Barbara, Ref. Quetzal UVG, 1600 m., Lat.: 14.5417598495 Lon.: -91.1972949818, 26-30.iv.2007, Camposeco y Monzón (1 ♀, USNM); Baia Verapáz, Pantín, Finca Santa Rosa, 1600.m, 20.xi.2007, J. Monzón, B. Sutton, G. Steck, All. Norrbom (1 ♀, USNM); Quetza Itenango, Zunil, Fuentes Georginas, 91°28'48.67''14°45'0.11'', 2456 m., 25.i-18-ii.2007, J. Monzón, F. Camposeco (7 ♂, USNM). MEXICO: Chiapas, 10 mi NE San Cristobal, 7500 feet, 13.v.1969, H.J. Teskey (1 ♂ 1 ♀, CNC; CNC DIPTERA # 178132, #178136); Chiapas, San Cristobal de las Casas, 7087 ft., 25.v.1969, B.V. Peterson (1 ♂, CNC; CNC DIPTERA # 178133) Chiapas, 1 km S of Rayon, 1400 m., 19.ix.1987, A. L. Norrbom, sweeping Erigeron karwinskianus DC. M-7 (1 ♀, USNM); Chiapas, NW of Union Juarez, S slope Volcán Tacaná, Chiquihuites, 15°05'N 92°06'W, 1800–2000 m., 14-18.xi.1994, L. E. Carroll & C. Estrada (1 ♂, USNM); Chiapas, Cerro de Huitepec, 16°45'38''N 92°40'50''W, 2200 m., 4.iv.2007, M. Reemer (1 ♀, ZFMK); Durango, 14 mi SW El Salto, 8000 ft., 26.vi.1964, W.R.M. Mason (1 ♀, USNM); Durango, El Salto, 10 mi W, 9000 ft., 12.vi.1964, W.R.M. Mason (1 ♀, CNC; CNC DIPTERA # 178135); Nuevo León, 15 mi S Monterrey, 23.ii.1972, F. Parker & D. Miller (1 ♀, USNM); Veracruz, Orizaba, i.1945, N.L.H. Krauss (1 ♂, USNM). VENEZUELA: Estado Lara, P.N. Yacambú, sector “El Blanquito”, along the road, point 1, 20.i.2007, X. Mengual (1 ♂, ZFMK); Estado Miranda, San Antonio de los Altos, IVIC, Centro de Ecología, 1680–1690 m., 10°24.069'N 66°58.667'W, 22.i.2007, X. Mengual (1 ♂, ZFMK).
Remarks. Some dark specimens are difficult to key out properly in couplet 2. The yellow colouration of the pleuron may be confused with a kind of grey, and key out to couplet 3. For this reason, there is an extra step in the identification key (couplet 4) to distinguish these dark specimens.
Thompson (in litt.) used the name Allograpta (Rhinoprosopa) neonasuta for this taxon when it became a secondary junior homonym of Allograpta nasuta Macquart, 1842 after Vockeroth (Reference Vockeroth1973) placed A. nasuta Bigot, Reference Bigot1884 under the genus Allograpta. Mengual et al. (Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b) used this new name for the DNA voucher specimen XP91 (GenBank accession numbers EU241730, EU241777, and EU241828). Because this new name was never properly published and Thompson (Reference Thompson2012) considered Rhinoprosopa as a valid genus different from Allograpta, Rhinoprosopa nasuta (Bigot, Reference Bigot1884) must be used for this taxon as a new combination.
Rhinoprosopa sycorax Hull, Reference Hull1947
Rhinoprosopa sycorax: 53, female, dorsal view; 54, female, lateral view; 55, male, male, lateral view; 56, male, dorsal view; 57, female, frontal view; 58, female, frontolateral view of head; 59, male, frontal view; 60, male, frontolateral view of head; 61, male, labels; 62, female, labels.
Rhinoprosopa sycorax Hull, Reference Hull1947: 239. Type Locality: Costa Rica, La Suiza (holotype female, USNM, original designation). Hull Reference Hull1949a (key, figs.); Fluke Reference Fluke1957 (catalogue citation).
Allograpta sycorax: Vockeroth Reference Vockeroth1973 (studied material); Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Vockeroth and Sedman1976 (catalogue citation); Thompson et al. Reference Thompson, Thompson and Fairman2000 (key); Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ståhls and Rojo2008b (list); Mengual et al. Reference Mengual, Ruiz, Rojo, Ståhls and Thompson2009 (list); Montoya et al. Reference Montoya, Pérez and Wolff2012 (list, distribution).
Differential diagnosis. This is one of two species with a broad alula; easy to distinguish from R. zophina by the facial tubercle, oral margin not notched and dark facial vitta not extending laterally towards oral margin. Rhinoprosopa sycorax has, in general, a broader abdomen than the rest of the species, but this difference could not be measured efficiently.
Length (4): body, 10.0–11.0 (10.8) mm; wing, 8.5–10.0 (9.5) mm.
Distribution: Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela*.
Material examined. Holotype, female, “12 IX” “COSTA RICA/La Suiza ’24/P. Schild” “Holotype/Rhinoprosopa/sycorax/Hull” [red] (USNM).
Additional material. COLOMBIA: Valle del Cauca, Buenaventura, 70 km E, Anchicayá, 400 m., 17-20.ii.1970, D.M. Wood (1 ♀, CNC; CNC DIPTERA # 102947). COSTA RICA: Puntarenas Prov., Las Cruces, 1191 m., 8.78578°N 82.95995°W, 28.vii.2010, J.H. Skevington (4 ♀, CNC; 1 ♀, ZFMK; J. Skevington # 22154, 22155, 221569, 22153, 22152); Puntarenas Prov., Las Cruces, 1191 m., 8.78578°N 82.95995°W, 30.vii.2010, J.H. Skevington (1 ♀, CNC; J. Skevington # 22183); Puntarenas Prov., OTS Reserve, along Melissa trail, sweeping, 3.viii.2010, K.M. Bayless, A.T. Burke (1 ♀, ZFMK); Alajuela Prov., Peñas Blancas, 700 m., 12.i-2.ii.1987, E. Cruz, MT, primary rain forest (1 ♂ 8 ♀, CNC; 1 ♀, ZFMK; CNC DIPTERA # 149510, 149512, 149513, 149515, 102948, 102949, 102950, 102951, 149511, 149514); Alajuela Prov., Bijagua, Albergue de Heliconias, 10°42'48''N 85°02'27''W, 1000–1100 m., ridge trail, 18.vi.2000, N.E. Woodley (1 ♀, USNM; USNM ENT00031106); Cartago Prov., R. Grande de Orosi, Sector el Humo, 1400–1700 m., L_N_189500_560200, v.1997, R. Guzman #46360 (1 ♂, USNM; INBIO CRI002552251); San José Prov., San Carlos, La Virgen, 9°34'50''N 84°07'51''W, 821 m., secondary forest, 25.ii.2006, S.M. Paiero (1 ♂, DEBU; debu00256567).
Rhinoprosopa zophina Mengual, new species
Rhinoprosopa zophina: 63, female, dorsal view; 64, female abdomen, posterior view; 65, female, lateral view; 66, male, male, dorsal view; 67, male, lateral view; 68, female, labels; 69, male, labels.
Rhinoprosopa zophina: 70, female, frontal view; 71, female, frontolateral view of head; 72, male, frontal view; 73, male, frontolateral view of head.
Differential diagnosis. One of only two species with broad alula. It differs from R. sycorax by the absence of facial tubercle, oral margin notched and broader facial vitta. It differs from R. flavophylla and R. lucifer by the broad alula.
Type locality. Costa Rica, Cartago Province, Río Grande de Orosi, Administ. hasta senda La Pava, orilla de quebrada, 1150–1600 m.
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Greek zophos meaning darkness, dusk, gloom (Brown Reference Brown1956: 876). Species epithet to be treated as an adjective.
Description. Male.Head. Face produced anteriorly, triangular in profile, without tubercle, yellow with broad, medial dark vitta reaching oral margin laterally, from oral margin to antennal bases and continues dorsally, yellow pilose; oral margin notched, protruding laterally beyond the clypeus; gena yellow, yellow pilose; lunule black; frons yellow with broad medial black vitta (continuation of the facial vitta), which reaches the eye margin, black pilose; vertical triangle black, pollinose, black pilose; antenna orangish yellow, black pilose, basoflagellomere dark brown dorsally; arista brown, bare; eye bare; occiput black on dorsal 2/3, grey-yellow pollinose, yellow on ventral 1/3, yellow pilose on ventral 2/3 and black pilose on dorsal 1/3.
Thorax. Scutum black, yellow laterally, bronze pollinose, yellow and black pilose, mostly black pilose; postpronotum yellow, bare; notopleuron yellow, black pilose; supra-alar area and postalar callus black pilose; scutellum yellow, lighter basally, pollinose, dark pilose, subscutellar fringe absent. Pleuron black, except katepisternum black with dorsal yellow macula, anterior anepisternum pale yellow, posterior anpisternum yellow on posterior 1/2–2/3, anepimeron yellow on anterior 1/2, yellow and black pilose; metasternum bare; calypter yellow with black margin; halter with yellow capitulum and brown pedicel; posterior spiracular fringes yellow. Wing. Wing membrane yellow, darker anteriorly and apically, entirely microtrichose; alula broad, much broader than costal cell. Legs. Proleg and mesoleg yellow, black and yellow pilose; metafemur yellow on basal 1/2, black on apical 1/2, metatibia and metatarsus black.
Abdomen. Strongly petiolate, not emarginated, black pilose. Tergum 1 yellow, black posteriorly; tergum 2 black or dark brown, lighter basally, with two lateral yellow maculae; tergum 3 dark, with a broad, medial, inverted U-shaped fascia; tegum 4 similar, but fascia more diffuse and narrowing towards lateral margin; tergum 5 dark, lighter basally without clear yellow markings; sterna yellow, black pilose.
Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism.
Variation. As mentioned before, coloration is quite variable and some darker specimens present no clear yellow markings on tergum 4.
Length (4): body, 11.0–13.0 (12.0) mm; wing, 9.0–10.0 (9.5) mm.
Distribution: Costa Rica.
Material examined. Holotype, male, pinned, deposited at the Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio), Santo Domingo de Heredia, Costa Rica. Original labels: “COSTA RICA. Cartago, R. Grande/de Orosi, Administ. hasta Send. La/Pava, 1150-1600 m OCT 1995. R./Delgado, Orilla de Quebrada./L_N_192500_560400 #6368” “HOLOTYPE/Rhinoprosopa/zophina/Mengual 2013” [red, handwritten except first line] “COSTA RICA INBIO/CRI002/445453” [barcode]. Paratypes: “PARATYPE/Rhinoprosopa/zophina/Mengual 2013” [yellow], COSTA RICA: Guanacaste Prov., Macizo Miravalles, Estación Cabro Muco, 1100 m., 24.ix-4.x.2003, J.D. Gutiérrez, libre, L_N_299769_411243 #75638 (1 ♂ 1 ♀, USNM; INBIOCRI INB0003783855, INBIOCRI INB0003783844); Guanacaste Prov., Macizo Miravalles, Estación Cabro Muco, 1100 m., 24.ix-5.x.2003, B. Hernández, libre, L_N_299769_411243 #75638 (1 ♂, INBio; INBIOCRI INB0003772908); Guanacaste Prov., P.N. Guanacaste, Est. Cacao, lado SO Volcan Cacao, 800–1600 m., vii.1993, J.F. Quesada, L_S_323300_375700 #2218 (1 ♂, INBio; INBIO CRI001953490); Cartago Prov., Sect. Quebrada Segunda, Administ. hasta Send La Pava, 115–1600 m., ii.1997, R. Guzman, L_N_192500_560400 #4561 (1 ♂, ZFMK; INBIO CRI00253948); Cartago Prov., P.N. Tapantí, 1250 m., 18–28.ii.1993, F.A. Quesada, L_N_194000_560000 (1 ♀, ZFMK; INBIO CRI001211396); Puntarenas Prov., Res. Biol. Monteverde, Est. La Casona, x.1991, J.C. Saborio, L_N_253250_449700 (1 ♀, INBio; INBIO CRI000578244); Puntarenas Prov., Est. Biol. Monteverde, 1500 m., 10°19.138'N 84°48.508'W, 15–18.viii.2010, M. Hauser (1 ♂, CSCA); Limón Prov., 16 km W Guápiles, 400 m., xii.1989, P. Hanson (1 ♀, MZCR).
Remarks. Most of the specimens of this new species were identified as R. lucifer due to the dark pleuron, or as R. flavophylla because of the lack of facial tubercle. The size of the alula is crucial to properly identify specimens. This species is only known from Costa Rica.
Acknowledgements
I thank David Grimaldi and Andrew Johnston (AMNH), Jeff Skevington (CNC), Jason Dombroskie (CIUC), Steve Marshall (DEBU), Philip Perkins (MCZ), Paul Hanson (MZCR), Martin Hauser (CSCA), Adrian Pont (OUMNH), John Smit, Menno Reemer, and Ben Brugge (RMNH) for kindly letting me study material in their care. I acknowledge INBio for letting me examine material from its collection and Manuel Zumbado (INBio) for helpful comments. I also thank Michelle Locke (CNC) for the images of the paratype of Rhinoprosopa aenea (Fig. 34). I sincerely thank F. Christian Thompson (USNM) for permission to study the USNM collection and for his major contribution to understand the diversity of flower flies.
I am very grateful to Louis Sorkin, on behalf of The New York Entomological Society, for permission to use the illustrations from Hull (Reference Hull1949a). I thank John Wiley and Sons and The Zoological Society of London for permit to use the illustrations from Hull (Reference Hull1949b). I am also indebted to Kevin Floate, on behalf of The Entomological Society of Canada, for permission to use the illustrations from Vockeroth (Reference Vockeroth1973).
I also thank the Curtis W. Sabrosky Diptera Research Fund and The CanaColl Foundation, as well as Torsten Dikow and Jeff Skevington respectively, for financial support. This project was partly funded by the SYNTHESYS programme (European Union–funded Integrated Activities grant NL-TAF-2685).
