Pieza parnasecon Mendes, Lamas, Evenhuis & Limeira-de-Oliveira, sp. nov.

(Figs 35–42)

Diagnosis. Postgena yellow. Ejaculatory apodeme oval in ventral and lateral views (Figs 39, 40); anterodorsal region rounded, ventromedial projection subrectangular, directed posteriorly, apex truncate, ventro-median projection sub-hyaline in lateral view (Fig. 40). Gonostylus simple, apices triangular in ventral view (Fig. 39).

Description of holotype male (Fig. 35). Body length: 2.08 mm. Wing length: 1.6 mm. Head. Eyes separated at vertex by approximately 2.0X distance between posterior ocelli. Ocellar triangle light brown. Frons dorsal ¼ light brown, ventral ¾ yellow, round brown mark on median depression; setae brown, small, lateral; face yellow. Proboscis dark yellow to light brown, almost same length as head; oral cavity and margin yellow. Postcranium brown to light brown, yellow on median region toward postgena; setae yellow. Antenna with second flagellomere shorter than maximum width of first flagellomere. Thorax. Mesonotum with setae brown, yellow on postpronotal lobe, reclinate and dense (mostly lost); mesonotum yellow to pale yellow on the submedian antero-mesonotal triangular mark, submedian stripe projecting from antero-mesonotal triangular mark to prescutellar region (not connected posteriorly), and supra-alar area (Fig. 36); prealar and notopleural setae lost. Scutellum dark yellow to light brown, pale yellow on lateral margins; setae lost. Pleura yellow to pale yellow on the proepimeron, about dorsal ½ and posterior margin of anepisternum, dorsal ¼ of katepisternum, posterior margin of anepimeron and about dorsal ½ of meron (Fig. 37); setae yellow, sparse, restricted to margin of anepisternum. Legs (Fig. 35). Forecoxa yellow, infuscated brown on anterodorsal surface, mid and hindcoxa yellow. Femora dark yellow to light brown, distal 1/5 yellow. Tarsi yellow, tarsomeres II−V dark brown. Wing (Fig. 38). Hyaline; costal vein ending at proximal ⅓ of distance between veins R 4+5 and M 1; vein R 2+3 arising from Rs at approximately 60° angle, crossvein m-m length shorter than crossvein r-m. Halter pale yellow, anterior surface infuscated dark yellow. Abdomen. Dark yellow to light brown, subshiny; tergites III−VI with brown, shiny, small, glabrous and dispersed plaques; setae yellow, uniform in length; tergites I−VII with pale yellow band on posterior margin, wider laterally. Sternites light brown, each with yellow band on posterior margin. Terminalia. Epandrium rounded in ventral view (Fig. 39), entirely setose; subtriangular, ventral margin about 2.0X longer than dorsal margin, anterior margin straight in lateral view (Fig. 40); epandrium with outer and inner margins rounded in posterior view (Fig. 42). Pseudo-surstylus convergent, pointed in ventral and posterior views (Figs 39, 42). Cercus subtriangular, weakly sclerotized, setae concentrated on ⅔ of median surface in posterior view (Fig. 42), projecting posteriorly (Fig. 40). Ejaculatory apodeme oval medially, about 4/5 length of anterior arm of parameral sheath, more heavily sclerotized on longitudinal axis, medial arms subtriangular, apex about 2.0X longer than wide in ventral view (Fig. 39), anterodorsal region rounded, ventromedial projection subrectangular directed posteriorly, apex truncate, both sub-hyaline (Fig. 40). Lateral ejaculatory process strongly sclerotized basally, slightly sinuous in ventral view (Fig. 39), slightly curved ventrally in lateral view (Fig. 40). Phallus funnel-shaped, anterior margin flat in ventral view (Fig. 39); basiphallus about 2.0X longer than distiphallus in ventral view (Fig. 39), distiphallus simple with only one apical opening. Anterior arm of parameral sheath with distal ½ almost 2.0X wider than proximal ½ in ventral view (Fig. 39), sclerotization stronger on internal margin. Gonocoxite subtrapezoidal, anterior margin bulging, posterior margin convex, median notch small, lateral spiny projections small, median setae small, sparse in ventral view (Fig. 39); gonocoxite with anterodorsal margin convex, anterior ventral margin with medial setae small in anteroventral view (Fig. 41), subtriangular, rounded on anteroventral margin in lateral view (Fig. 40). Gonostylus simple, apices triangular in ventral view (Fig. 39).

Female. Unknown.

Variation (n = 3). Body length: 1.30–2.08 mm. Wing length: 1.2–1.6 mm. The dry specimens lack the submedian stripe on mesonotum and have only the antero-mesonotal guttiform submedian mark; general coloration dark brown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from combing the initial letters of Parque Nacional Serra das Confusões, a conservation unit of the state of Piauí, into one word. The name is treated as a noun in apposition.

Comments. It was not possible to ascertain whether there is pruinosity (except in the abdomen), in the alcohol-preserved specimens. The specimens captured directly from flowers at Parque Nacional Serra das Confusões— Piauí, are associated with plants of the family Malvaceae (Figs 72–73).

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂: Brazil, PI [= Piauí], Guaribas, Parque Nacional Serra das Confusões, Andorinha, 515 m, 09°08′27″S, 43°33′42″W / Catação em flor, 03–05.v.2014, FLO / MYTH 109 / Holotype ♂ Pieza parnasecon Mendes, Lamas, Evenhuis & Limeira-de-Oliveira (in alcohol: CZMA) . PARATYPES: idem, Caracol, Riacho dos Bois, 575 m, 09°13′11″S, 43°29′26″W / Armadilha de Malaise, 20–31.viii.2013, JAR, FLO & T.T.A. Silva / MYTH 110 (pinned: 1♂ CZMA) . Same data as holotype / MYTH 111 (in alcohol pinned: 1♂ CZMA) .

Geographical record. This species is known only from the Brazilian state of Piauí (Fig. 69), where the type series was collected in the Caatinga and relict of Atlantic Forest biomes.

Remarks. Pieza parnasecon sp. nov. differs from the other known Brazilian species in having the ejaculatory apodeme medially oval in ventral view (Fig. 39) (ejaculatory apodeme not oval medially in the other species in ventral view, Figs 5, 14, 22, 31, 47, 56, 65).