Parapiophila kugluktuk Rochefort & Wheeler

Sabrina Rochefort & Terry A. Wheeler, 2015, Diversity of Piophilidae (Diptera) in northern Canada and description of a new Holarctic species of Parapiophila McAlpine, Zootaxa 3925, pp. 229-240 : 233-235

Parapiophila kugluktuk Rochefort & Wheeler , sp. n. ( Figs 2–8).

Holotype ♂. CANADA. Nunavut: Kugluktuk (67.78463°, -115.2797°), Repl.1 mesic, Malaise, 4–10.viii.2010, NBP field party (LEM). Paratypes. CANADA. Alberta: Kananaskis Field Stn (51°01'49"N, 115°02'01"W), Malaise, 13–23.ix.1998, M.A.P. Whittaker (1 ♂, LEM); same except Malaise in aspens, 3–10.ix.1998, S. Bouchard (1 ♂, LEM); same except (51°01'27"N, 115°01'26"W), Malaise in bog, 19–25.ix.1998, M.A.P. Whittaker (1 ♂, 1 ♀, LEM); Kananaskis, For. Exp. Sta. Seebe, 24.vii.1968, 30.vii.1968, H.J. Teskey (5 ♀, CNC); Seebe, Pinus contorta var. latifolia , 4.ix.1968, C. Comandra (1 ♀ CNC); Banff, Sulfur Mt. 7200', 28.vii.1967, J.R. Vockeroth (1 ♂, CNC). British Columbia: Lisadele L., 4000', 58°41', 133°04', 6.viii.1960, W.W. Moss (1 ♀, CNC); King Salmon L., 1750' (58°43', 132°54'), 4.viii.1960, R. Pilfrey (1 ♂, CNC); Atlin, 2200', 29.vii.1955, B.A. Gibbard (1 ♀, CNC); Summit L. Mi 392 Alaska Hwy, 4200', 27.vii.1959, 19–21.viii.1959, E. E. MacDougall (3 ♂, 6 ♀, CNC); same except 31.vii.1959, 19–21.viii.1959, R.E. Leech (1 ♂, 3 ♀, 1?, CNC); same except 4500', 2–4.vii.1959, 17–19.vii.1959 (1 ♂, 3 ♀, CNC); same except 28.vii.1959, E.E. MacDougall (3 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC); same except 17–19.vii.1959 (1 ♀, CNC); same except 4700', 15.vii.1959, R.E. Leech (1 ♂, CNC); same except 5000', 6.vii.1959 (1♂, CNC); same except E.E. MacDougall (2 ♂, CNC). Manitoba: Churchill, 3.ix.1948, L.A. Miller (1 ♂, CNC); Churchill (58.73235°, -93.79028°), Repl. 2, mesic, Malaise 1–5.vii.2010, NBP field party (2 ♂, 1 ♀, LEM); same except pan traps, 4–8.vii.2010 (1 ♂, LEM); Mile 500 Hudson Bay Railway, 3.viii.1952, J.G. Chillcott (1 ♀, CNC). Newfoundland and Labrador: Labrador, Hebron, 3.viii.1954, 11.viii.1954, J. F. McAlpine (10 ♂, 7 ♀, CNC); same except on Salix , 5.viii.1954 (4 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC); Hebron, 15.vii.1954, 29.vii.1954, 12.viii.1954, 16.viii.1954, E.E. Sterns (6 ♂, 6 ♀, CNC); Nutak, 23.viii.1954, 24.viii.1954, J.F. McAlpine (11 ♀, CNC); same except 24.viii.1954, E.E. Sterns (1 ♀, CNC); Tessiujak Bay, Nagvak Fjord, 15.viii.1954, J.F. McAlpine (1 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC); same except E.E. Sterns (1 ♂, CNC). Northwest Territories: Horton River (69°21'N, 126°49.8'W), white pan traps in tundra, 3–4.vii.2000, B. Brown (1 ♀, LEM); Horton River Camp 7 (68°23.4'N, 123°37.8'W), dung baited Malaise trap, 23–24.vii.2000, D. Currie, B. Brown (1 ♀, LEM), same except camp 2, (67°41.2'N, 122°39'W), Malaise, 18–19.vii.2000 (1 ♂, 1 ♀, LEM); Horton River Camp 16, (69°21'N, 126°49.8'W), Malaise in spruce grove, 3–4.viii.2000, B. Brown (1 ♂, 2 ♀, LEM); Reindeer Depot, Mackenzie Delta, 2.viii.1948, W.J. Brown (1 ♀, CNC); Boyd L., outlet (61°39'N, 103°40'W), 13.vii.1966, J.G. Chillcott (1 ♀, CNC); Exmouth L., (65°02'N, 115°54'W), 22.viii.1966, G.E. Shewell, M.T.S. Gravity Survey Camp (1 ♀, CNC); 21 m.e. Tuktoyaktuk, 17–21.vii.1971, D.M. Wood (2 ♂, CNC). Nunavut: Kugluktuk, (67.77639°, -115.30882°), Repl. 3, wet, Malaise, 7–12.vii.2010, 26.vii-2.viii.2010, NBP field party (1 ♂, 3 ♀, LEM); same except (67.78508°,-115.27573°), Repl.1, wet, 13–19.vii.2010, 4–10.viii.2010 (3 ♀, LEM); same except (67.78463°, -115.27979°), mesic, 13–19.vii.2010 (1 ♀, LEM); same except pan traps, 29.vii–4.viii.2010 (1 ♀, LEM); same except (67.83391°, -115.21410°), Repl. 2, wet, Malaise 19–26.vii.2010 (2 ♀, LEM); same except (67.83538°, -115.20987°), mesic (1 ♀, LEM); same except (67.77436°, -115.30732°), Repl. 3, 26.vii–02.viii.2010, 4–10.viii.2010 (3 ♂, 16 ♀, 1?, LEM); Bathurst Inl., Bay Chimo Harb., 16.viii.1966, G.E. Shewell, M.T.S Gravity Survey Camp (1 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC). Quebec: Payne Bay, 1.viii.1958, 2.viii.1958, W.R.M. Mason (2 ♂, CNC); same except 11.vii.1958, E.E. MacDougall (1 ♂, CNC); Gt. Whale R, 29.viii.1949, J. R. Vockeroth (1 ♂, CNC); Fort Chimo, 2.vii.1954, J.F. McAlpine (1 ♀, CNC). Yukon Territory: Dempster Hwy nr North Fork Pass, 1325m, (64.58353°, -138.26843°), Repl. 3, mesic, Malaise, 27.vi–1.vii.2011, NBP field party (1 ♂, LEM); same except 1180m, (64.59736°, -138.31009°), Repl. 2, wet, 24–27.vi.2011 (1 ♂, LEM); Dempster Hwy km 155, 1520m, 13–15.vii.1981, Lafontaine, G. & M. Wood (1 ♀, CNC); Dempster Hwy km 140.5, 900m, 1.viii.1980, Wood & Lafontaine (1 ♀, CNC); same except km 416, 750m, 22–28.vi.1980 (1 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC); Dempster Hwy Mi 87, 27–30.vi.1973, G. & D.M. Wood (2 ♂, CNC); same except 4–8.viii.1973 (1 ♂, CNC); Whitehorse, 20.viii.1959, R. Madge (1 ♂, CNC); same except 5.vii.1948, Mason & Hughes (1 ♂, CNC); Herschel I., 24–25.vii.1971, W.R.M. Mason (1 ♀, CNC); 14mi. E. Dawson, 1300', 3.viii.1962, P.J. Skitsko (1 ♀, CNC); Ogilvie Mts., Mt. Klotz, on snowfield, (65°24'N, 140°06'W), 6–8.vii.1985, V. Behan-Pelletier (1 ♂, CNC). UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Alaska: Umiat, 5.vii.1959, 6.vii.1959, 14.vii.1959, 20.vii.1959, 24.vii.1959, R. Madge (2 ♂, 4 ♀, CNC); same except 3.vii.1959, 16.vii.1959, J.E.H. Martin (2 ♀, CNC); Isabel Pass, Mi. 206 Richardson Hwy. 2900', 18.vii.1962, P.J. Skitsko (2 ♀, CNC), Mile 249 Richardson Hwy, 4.vii.1951, W.R.M. Mason (1 ♂, CNC); Unalakleet, 19.vi.1961, B.S. Heming (1 ♂, CNC); Mt. Fairplay, Mi. 32, Taylor Hwy, 3600', on Betula , 10.vii.1962, P.J. Skitsko (1 ♂, CNC); Rte 3, Mi. 270, 11 Mi. S. Anderson, Mal. FIT, Alder-Poplar-Spruce, 22.vi–11.viii.1984, S. & J. Peck (1 ♂, CNC); same except 13.vi–11.viii.1984 (1 ♀, CNC); Rte 3, Mi 106, 36km. N. Willow, Trapper Creek, Picea-Betula forest, 23.vi–19.vii.1984, S. & J. Peck (1 ♀, CNC); Deering, 6.viii.1969. J. Matthews (1 ♀, CNC); same except 13.viii.1969 (1 ♀, CNC). SWEDEN. Lapland, Abisko Ntl. Pk., 1km SE Lapp Museum, 420m (68°20'48"N 18°47'50"E), sweeping vegetation, 8.viii.2001, J. Savage (3 ♂, LEM); same except E shore of Vuolep Njakajaure, (68°21'N 18°47'E), 6.viii.2001 (1 ♂, 2 ♀, LEM); same except W shore of Lake Torneträsk, 340m (68°21.32'N 18°48.31'E), 4.vii.2001 (1 ♂, LEM); same except W bank Abiskojakka delta (68°21.56'N 18°47.04'E), 3.viii.2001 (1 ♀, LEM); Lapland, Abisko, 4.viii.1951, 7.viii.1951, 12.viii.1951, 19.viii.1951, J.R. Vockeroth (4 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC) ( Fig. 2).

Etymology. The species name is a noun in apposition based on Kugluktuk, Nunavut, the type locality.

Diagnosis. Parapiophila kugluktuk differs from other species of the genus by the mostly yellow legs, large amount of yellow on the head and (usually) some yellow on abdominal syntergite 1+2. The male genitalia are also distinctive.

Description. Body length 2.7–3.7 mm; wing length 2.8–3.7 mm. Body entirely metallic black with yellow on head, legs and small portions of abdomen and thorax (variable) ( Figs 3–6); setae and hairs black. Head: Head as long as high; eyes round, vertical height of eye about three times genal height; cheek, face, palpus and antenna yellow, third antennal segment shaded black, frons yellow except for fronto-orbital plate, ocellar triangle and occiput metallic black; some specimens with yellowish fronto-orbital plate; short hairs sometimes present on fronto-orbital plate, ocellar triangle, occiput, gena and frons; 2 fronto-orbitals (upper no more than twice as long as lower), 1 ocellar, 1 postocellar, 1 inner and 1 outer vertical setae; postocellar setae 1.3 times length of vertical setae; ocellar setae as long as vertical setae; inner and outer vertical setae of equal length. Thorax: Metallic black except meron and metapleuron dull black; postpronotum and surrounding area yellow in Palaearctic specimens ( Fig. 3), black or light brown in Nearctic specimens ( Figs 4–6); scutum with 1 postpronotal, 2 notopleurals, 1 postalar, 1 intra-alar and 1 postsutural dorsocentral setae; more than 10 rows of acrostichal setulae; weak setae on lower margin of proepisternum; katepisternum with 2–4 weak setae on upper margin; scutellum bare, with 2 pairs of marginal setae. Legs: Coxae yellow; femora and tibiae entirely yellow except for brown shading on fore femur in some specimens ( Figs 5–6); fore tarsus black; mid and hind tarsi yellow except for black tarsal segments 4 and 5; segments 2 and 3 sometimes shaded black. Wing: Hyaline with yellowish/brown veins; halter and calypter white. Abdomen: Abdomen entirely metallic black, syntergite 1+2 sometimes yellow.

Male genitalia: Epandrium with strong bristles on posteroventral margin; surstylus longer than high, with straight ventral margin and ventral patch of setae; pregonite with rounded lateral lobe and triangular medial lobe; postgonite 3–4 times longer than wide with rounded ventral tip; basiphallus triangular; distiphallus long, bare, with folded end; cerci small, oval ( Figs 7–8).

Comments. Parapiophila kugluktuk keys to Parapiophila vulgaris (couplet 12) in McAlpine’s (1977) key. Parapiophila kugluktuk differs from P. vulgaris in that the mid and hind femora and tibiae are yellow, and the fore tarsus, and sometimes fore femur, are black. Males of P. kugluktuk lack two teeth on the posterior margin of sternite 6 that are present in P. vulgaris ( Fig. 9). Parapiophila pseudovulgaris Ozerov also keys to this couplet and is similar to Parapiophila kugluktuk . These two species differ in that P. kugluktuk usually has syntergite 1+2 yellow. The distiphallus of P. pseudovulgaris is larger in diameter than that of P. kugluktuk and is hairy ( Fig. 10). These three species should be identified with caution because of intraspecific colour variation within species. Some Parapiophila vulgaris specimens may have pale legs and may be mistaken for P. kugluktuk or P. pseudovulgaris . In addition, some P. kugluktuk specimens have syntergite 1+2 dark, in which case, they look similar to the two other species. Dissection of male genitalia is recommended to reliably identify the three species ( Figs 7–11). Females of P. vulgaris with dark legs can be distinguished from female P. kugluktuk and P. pseudovulgaris , which never have mostly black legs. Otherwise, females of the three species should be identified with caution.