Polytrichophora reginae Mathis 1997

Polytrichophora reginae

DESCRIPTION.—Small to moderately small shore flies, length 1.7–2.15 mm.

Head: Frons dull, heavily microtomentose, 2-toned, mostly tan with some faint golden reflections on posterior two-thirds, anterior one-third (from level of fronto-orbital setae anteriad), gray. Antenna mostly yellow to yellowish orange, anterior portion of pedicel and basodorsal area of 1st flagellomere with some blackish coloration; arista with 5 dorsal rays. Face at narrowest point about equal to combined length of pedicel and 1st flagellomere; face densely microtomentose, microtomentum with shiny to pearly luster, mostly white but with considerable gold coloration in antennal grooves and extended laterally onto parafacial; parafacials not markedly differing from middle of face in color, more golden dorsally, becoming whiter ventrally; parafacials with slight to considerable ventral dilation; parafacials 2–3 times wider ventrally than dorsally; gena relatively short, less than one-fourth eye height; eye-to-cheek ratio averaging 0.13.

Thorax: Mesonotum mostly dull, densely microtomentose, concolorous with posterior two-thirds of frons; pleural area blackish gray. Anterior margin of wing lacking spine-like setae; costal-vein ratio averaging 0.43; M-vein ratio averaging 0.57. Forefemur lacking row of 9–10 short, stout setae along apical one-half of anteroventral surface; forefemur with a row of 7–9, well-developed, evenly spaced posteroventral setae, each equal to width of femur; tibiae mostly yellowish; basal tarsomeres yellow, apical 1–2 brown.

Abdomen: Tergites dull to subshiny, gray to blackish brown; tergites 1–4 bicolored, mostly blackish brown dorsally, gray lateroventrally; tergites 3–4 of male subequal, 4th not unusually longer, 3rd tergite not produced ventrolaterally; dorsum of 5th tergite of male not darker than preceding tergites and usually with distinct, semicircular, grayish areas laterally; 5th tergite of male in dorsal view blunt, bearing row of 6–10, distinctly larger setae along extreme posterior margin with posterodorsal orientation; 5th tergite of male also gray on posterior one-half to one-third; 4th and 5th sternites of male with dense row of setulae along posterior margin. Male terminalia (Figures 149, 150): epandrium not connected dorsally above cerci (Figure 149), in posterior view tapered ventrally to an acutely pointed apex under which lies cordate-shaped, laterally flanged anterior margin (Figure 149); epandrium in lateral view slightly curved anteroventrally, pointed apically, and with subapical ledge that also ends ventrally in a point, bearing a large, subapical seta laterally (Figure 150); gonite in lateral view rod-like, shallowly curved (Figure 150); aedeagus in lateral view shallowly sinuous, bifurcate apically, anterior process sclerotized, posterior process longer, wider, membranous, apex complicated with gill-like folds laterally, apex slender, recurved anterodorsally giving appearance of rounded apex (Figure 150); aedeagal apodeme with extended flange fan-like (Figure 150); hypandrium in lateral view sinuous (Figure 150), in posterior view deeply Y-shaped.

TYPE MATERIAL.—The holotype male, allotype female, and 15 paratypes (3, 12 USNM) are labeled “BELIZE.StannCreek Dist: Wee Wee Cay, 6–9 November 1987[,] W.N. and D. Mathis/HOLOTYPE Polytrichophora reginae W.N.Mathis USNM [species name and gender handwritten, red].” A female paratype is from the same district in Belize as follows: Twin Cays (Aanderaa Flats), Nov 1987, W.N. and D. Mathis (1; USNM). The holotype is double mounted (minuten in a block of plastic), is in excellent condition, and is deposited in the NMNH. Other paratypes are as follows: PERU. Cuzco: Paucartambo, Atalaya (400 m), Rio Alto Madre de Dios, 4 Sep 1988, W.N. Mathis (2; USNM). Huánuco: Huánaco (10 km N), Rio Huallaga, 4 Feb 1984, W.N. Mathis (2, 1; USNM). Madre de Dios: Manu, Cocha Salvador(240 m) Rio Manu, 14 Sep 1988, W.N. Mathis (1, 1; USNM); Manu, Diamante (400 m, 12°25′S, 70°57′W), Rio Alto Madre de Dios, 7 Sep 1988, W.N. Mathis (2, 1; USNM); Pakitza, Rio Manu (250 m, 12°7′S, 70°58′W), 9–23 Sep 1988, W.N. Mathis (4, 4; USNM); Manu, Romero, Rio Manu, 8 Sep 1988, W.N. Mathis (1; USNM). WEST INDIES. St. Lucia. Marquis (1.5 km S, 14°01′N, 60°55′W), 17 Jun 1992, W.N. and D. Mathis (2, 3; USNM).

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—BOLIVIA. El Beni: Huachi, Sep, W.M. Mann (1, 1; USNM); Rosario Lake, Rogagua, 28 Oct-9 Nov 1921, W.M. Mann (1; USNM); ECUADOR. El Oro: Pasaje (6 km E), 13 Jan 1978, W.N. Mathis (1, 6; USNM). Guayas: Gala, Dec 1955, J.R. Levi-Castillo (5; USNM). Loja: Catamayo, Dec 1955, J.R. Levi-Castillo (4, 1; USNM). Manabí:Pichincha, Aug 1955, J.R.Levi-Castillo (6; USNM). MEXICO. Chiapas: Finca Esperanza, 26 Aug 1956, R. Nettel F. (1; USNM); Puenta Macalapa (light trap), 22 May 1964, F.S. Blanton (7, 5; USNM). San Luis Potosi: Tamazunchale, 23 Nov 1946, F.E. Skinner (1, 1; USNM). Veracruz: Fortin de las Flores (light trap), Jun 1964, F.S. Blanton (3; USNM). PANAMA. Panama: Canal Zone, Gamboa, Pipeline Road, Jul 1967, W.W. Wirth (1; USNM); Canal Zone, Pedro Miguel, R.C. Shannon (1; USNM); Tocumen, 13 Feb 1953, F.S. Blanton (1; USNM). PERU. Huánuco: Tingo Maria (1 km S), 6 Feb 1984, W.N. Mathis (3; USNM). WEST INDIES. Jamaica. Wag Water River, 25 Feb 1969, W.W. Wirth (1; USNM).

DISTRIBUTION.—Neotropics: Belize, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, West Indies (Jamaica, St. Lucia).

ETYMOLOGY.—It is a pleasure to name this species after Regina Lewis, frequent matriarch of Carrie Bow Cay and whose many culinary skills made our visits to Carrie Bow Cay so pleasurable.

DIAGNOSIS.—This species is readily distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: parafacial concolorous with middle face; parafacial with little or no dilation ventrally; face unicolorous; mesonotum at most subshiny, grayish brown to brown; forefemur lacking comb-like row of stout, anteroventral setulae; tibiae yellowish; and fifth tergum of male in dorsal view blunt, bearing 6–10 distinctly larger setae along posterior margin with posterodorsal orientation.

Ceropsilopa Cresson, 1917:340 [type species: Ceropsilopa nasuta Cresson, 1917, by original designation].