Microphorella arcana, Brooks & Cumming, 2025

Brooks, Scott E. & Cumming, Jeffrey M., 2025, Revision of the Microphorella acroptera species group and establishment of the Microphorella arcana species group (Diptera: Dolichopodidae sensu lato: Parathalassiinae), Zootaxa 5661 (4), pp. 451-503 : 496-497

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5661.4.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F9498ECE-DED3-46F1-A7D3-1E726D1D11A0
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16606028
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039A87AB-FFFA-FFFD-FF42-FF7D2517F6E1
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Microphorella arcana
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Microphorella arcana sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:386AA3CC-A3FB-434F-BB61-EA0E9D5A5060

( Figs 106–108 View FIGURES 106–109 , 115 View FIGURE 115 )

Diagnosis. Males of this species can be distinguished from other members of the M. arcana species group by the following features: mid femur with cluster of 6 long basiventral setae ( Fig. 106 View FIGURES 106–109 ), hind femur with posterior patch of setae relatively sparse and not brush-like ( Fig. 107 View FIGURES 106–109 ), abdomen with transverse row of long curved setae on sternite 5 ( Fig. 108 View FIGURES 106–109 ) and bulbous projection on sternite 6 ( Fig. 107 View FIGURES 106–109 ).

Description. Male ( Figs 106–108 View FIGURES 106–109 ): Wing length 1.8 mm. Similar to M. ovata sp. nov. except as follows: Head ( Figs 106, 107 View FIGURES 106–109 ): Antenna with postpedicel ending in longer narrow apex. Thorax: Dark brown in lateral view; acrostichal setae weak and sparsely biserial, ending near 2nd pair of dorsocentrals. Legs: Hindleg: Femur with setae of anteroventral row distinctly longer than femur width, posterior surface with mound-like swelling weaker and bearing less dense cluster of setae ( Fig. 107 View FIGURES 106–109 ). Wing: As in description of M. acroptera . Abdomen ( Figs 106–108 View FIGURES 106–109 ): Dark brown with short dark setae; segment 6 mostly bare; segment 7 bare. Segments 5–7 narrowed and laterally compressed to form cavity on right side for hypopygium. Sternite 5 with broad subtriangular ventral process with membranous tip, with transverse row of about 6 long curved setae near posterolateral margin ( Fig. 108 View FIGURES 106–109 ). Sternite 6 with bulbous lateral projection ( Fig. 107 View FIGURES 106–109 ). Sternite 8 subquadrate, setose, slightly wider than segment 7. Hypopygium ( Fig. 106 View FIGURES 106–109 ): Concolourous with abdomen and about half as long; other features not observable on unique male holotype, which has the hypopygium mostly encased in glue.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution and seasonal occurrence. This new species is only known from Mount Pinos in Kern and Ventura counties, southern California, where the holotype was collected in early June of 1992 ( Fig. 115 View FIGURE 115 ).

Etymology. This species is named after the Latin for mystery, in reference to Iwihinmu, the Chumash name for Mount Pinos, which means “a place of mystery” in the Samala language. The name also alludes to the currently mysterious morphology of the terminalia of the only known male, which unfortunately is encased in glue.