Argentinomyia tropandeana Montoya sp. nov.

Argentinomyia sp. 8 by Montoya, unpublished

(Figs 84, 85 and 91C)

Type material. HOLOTYPE. Adult male, pinned, deposited at Colección Entomológica Universidad de Antioquia. Original label: “ COLOMBIA, Antioquia, Bello, San Félix, Páramo de Las Baldías ” / “ 6,33058, -75,645620, 3150m ” / “Net, 6.vi.2013, A.L. Montoya ”. “HOLOTYPE / Argentinomyia tropandeana / Montoya 2023” (CEUA 13210). Identified as Argentinomyia sp. 8 by Montoya 2019 . PARATYPES. BOLIVIA. La Paz, Sud Yungas nr Chulumani Apa reserve, 1° forest and shrubs, -16,197498, -67,71861, 2000 m, 4.i.2001, A.L. Norrbom (1♀, USNM ENT 00055978). COLOMBIA. Antioquia, Bello, San Félix, Páramo de Las Baldías, 6,330 58, -75,645620, 3150 m, Net, 6.vi.2013, A.L. Montoya (2♂, CEUA 93308); Belmira, Páramo Santa Inés, Cabaña Cabildo Verde, El Morro-Alto de La Gallina, 6,632 639, -75,645267, 3170–3200 m, Net ex Pentacalia trianae, 4-12.xii.2016, A. L. Montoya; J. Torres; J. D. Carmona (1♂, CEUA 95119); …, Malaise canopy, collect 2, A. Montoya; C. Rodríguez; J. D. Carmona (2♂, CEUA 98133, 95577, dissected); Guarne, Vereda Piedras Blancas, Parque Ecológico Piedras Blancas, cerca de quebrada, 6,271 98, -75,43345, 2350 m, in Bromelia sp. (Bromeliaceae) 12.vi.2009, E. Flórez (1♂, CEUA 93306); Sonsón, Vereda San Francisco, Cerro Las Palomas A, 5,725 972, -75,249253, 3364– 3310 m, Net, 31.iii-7.iv.2018, A.L. Montoya; J. P. Carmona (1♂, CEUA 103463). Risaralda. Santa Rosa de Cabal, Termales de Santa Rosa, 4.866663, -75.583315, 1900 m, VII-2-2008, leg. A. L. Montoya (1♀, CEUA 47445). ECUADOR. Pichincha, Quito, -0,179899, -78,466660, 3200 m, ex Baccharis sp. (Asteraceae) 2.i.1994, leg. L. Larrea (1♀, QCAZ 103714). PERÚ. Huanuco, Paso Tingo, -9,7, -76,15, 2800 m, 17.x.1954, W.M. Mathis (1♂, CAS).

Length (n= 4): Body, 7.8–8.3 mm; Wings, 7.3–7.6 mm.

Diagnosis. Scutum with two median pollinose white-ash vittae on anterior half beyond the notopleural suture, two additional lateral vittae beginning on line of notopleural suture, extending 3/4 of metanotum, apically acute; wing slightly darkened in the anterior margin from the costal cell to the stigma, cells r1 and r4+5, with some small hyaline areas, microtrichose, stigma dark brown; plumula reddish-brown; halter white, capitulum whitish brown; surstylus with dorsal margin slightly concave and ventral margin slightly convex, shorter than broad; hypandrium narrowed laterally towards the apex; aedeagal lobe circular, apex rounded.

Description. MALE. Head (Fig. 84A): Face and frontal triangle black and somewhat brassy, black pilose, the sides of the face very whitish-grey pollinose, black pilose. Facial tubercle at least with two transversal grooves. Gena black, white pollinose. Occiput white pollinose, black pilose on dorsal 2/3 and white pilose on ventral 1/3. Antenna reddish-brown, short, ratio 1.0:1.2:2.1, basoflagellomere at least twice as long as the pedicel and scape combined, basoflagellomere blackish dorsal and reddish ventral; arista black, with few short piles. Thorax (Figs 84B–C): Mesonotum, scutellum and pleura black-blue semi-opaque, scutum with two median pollinose whiteash vittae on anterior half beyond the notopleural suture, black pilose, two additional lateral vittae beginning on line of notopleural suture, extending 3/4 of metanotum, apically acute; mesonotal pile black. Pleura lightly coated with brownish to rusty-colored pollen, black pilose, except the katepimeron white pilose. Scutellum blue-black, shining, slightly rugose, pile black and long, ventral fringe brownish. Wing (Fig. 84C): Slightly darkened in the anterior margin from the costal cell to the stigma, stigma dark brown, cells r1 and r4+5, with some small hyaline areas, microtrichose; calypter wholly brown; plumula reddish-brown; halter white, capitulum whitish brown. Legs (Fig. 84C): black, pile sparse and pale, coxae black, white pilose. Abdomen (Fig. 84B): Dull black and only feebly shining down the middle but rather strongly metallic along the lateral margins, 1 st and 2 nd with long yellowish lateral pile; 3 rd white pilose; 4 th tergum white pilose in addition to some black pile on apical middle; 5 th tergum white pilose; sterna shining yellow to black with yellow pile, in addition to some few lateral black pile; male genitalia: surstylus in lateral view (Fig. 85A) with dorsal margin slightly concave and ventral margin slightly convex, shorter than broad; hypandrium in ventral view (Fig. 85C) narrowed laterally towards the apex; aedeagal lobe in ventral view (Fig. 85C) circular, apex rounded.

FEMALE (Figs 84D–F). Similar to male except for usual sexual dimorphism and differing in face white pilose, with some few black piles; abdomen white pilose, 5 th- 6 th terga black pilose.

Taxonomic notes. Argentinomyia tropandeana sp. nov. is similar to A. belmira sp. nov., A. ivani sp. nov. differing by the following combination characters: Scutum with two median pollinose white-ash vittae on anterior half beyond the notopleural suture, two additional lateral vittae beginning on line of notopleural suture, extending 3/4 of metanotum, apically acute (Figs 69B, E); wing slightly darkened in the anterior margin from the costal cell to the stigma, cells r1 and r4+5, with some small hyaline areas, microtrichose, stigma dark brown; plumula reddishbrown; halter white, capitulum whitish brown (Figs 69 B-C, E-F). Based on males, A. tropandeana sp. nov. differs from A. belmira sp. nov. and A. ivani sp. nov. in having the surstylus in ventral view (Fig. 85C) slightly parallelsides [versus surstylus concave in A. belmira sp. nov. (Fig. 17C) and A. ivani sp. nov. (Fig. 36C)] (see “diagnosis” under each species or key).

Etymology. The specific epithet “ tropandeana ” (nominative, adjective feminine) is derived from the ecoregion’s name Tropical Andean where the species was found and the Latin suffix - ana denoting a place, locality, country, or belonging to, pertaining to.

Biology. Label data and field observations suggest that A. tropandeana sp. nov. visits flowers of Baccharis sp., Pentacalia trianae (Asteraceae) and Bromelia sp. (Bromeliaceae) .

Geographical range. Argentinomyia tropandeana sp. nov. (n= 12) is distributed in both slopes of Central Cordillera in Colombia (Antioquia, Risaralda) and Cordillera Oriental Sur in Bolivia (La Paz) Ecuador (Pichincha) and Perú (Huanuco) (Fig. 91C). The species is present at middle and high altitudes (1900–3200 m) in the Northern Andes domain: Cauca (1900–3200 m); Central Andes domain (2000–2800 m): Rondônia (2800 m) and Yungas (2000 m).