Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) lacrymans Villeneuve, 1912

Whitmore, Daniel, 2011, New taxonomic and nomenclatural data on Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), with description of six new species, Zootaxa 2778, pp. 1-57 : 38-39

Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) lacrymans Villeneuve, 1912

Sarcophaga lacrymans Villeneuve, 1912c: 49 .

Sarcophaga thalhammeri Böttcher, 1913b: 253 , syn. nov.

Sarcophaga zhelochovtzevi Rohdendorf, 1925: 58 , syn. nov. Heteronychia (Heteronychia) cepelaki Povolný & Slamečková, 1970: 331 , syn. nov. Heteronychia (Heteronychia) markevitshi Verves, 1975: 665 . Heteronychia histriops Lehrer, 2008b: 15 , syn. nov.

Type material examined. Sarcophaga lacrymans : Lectotype 3, herewith designated to fix unambiguously the identity of the nominal species and thus promote nomenclatural stability: ( Syrie) [handwritten] // Sarcophaga / lacrymans / Type Villen. [handwritten] // [red label] LECTOTYPE / Sarcophaga / lacrymans Vill. 3 / des. D. Whitmore 2007 ( IRSNB). Paralectotypes: two females without any labels, pinned next to the lectotype ( IRSNB) [not examined closely, but in all probability conspecific with the lectotype].

Remarks. Villeneuve (1912c: 50) described Sarcophaga lacrymans on one male and two females from “Oasis de Damas” ( Syria). The complete type series was found in IRSNB in drawer 6 of the Villeneuve collection with the label “ TYPE / S. lacrymans / Villen.” pinned to the floor of the drawer between the male and the two female syntypes. The male, which I select as the lectotype, is in good condition except for being somewhat shrivelled and lacking its fore, left leg. The terminalia of the lectotype were found included in a drop of dry glue on a piece of card pinned together with the source specimen; they were removed from the glue (which was dissolved in water) for a closer examination and placed in glycerine in a microvial on the same pin, between the second and third labels.

Sarcophaga thalhammeri : Lectotype 3, herewith designated to fix unambiguously the identity of the nominal species and thus promote nomenclatural stability: Kalocsa [ Hungary] / 28.V.92 [= 1892] // mihi / ignota // S. Thalham - / meri / Typ 3 Böttcher // G. Böttcher ( SMF) [lectotype double-mounted, in good condition but with left wing truncated; terminalia extended (by G. Böttcher)]. Paralectotypes: 1 3: Kalocsa, 28.V.92 ( SMF); 2 3: Kalocsa, Thalhammer leg ( SMF).

Remarks. Sarcophaga thalhammeri was described on four males from Hungary ( Böttcher 1913b: 254), without the designation of a holotype. The four males found in SMF under the heading label “ thalhammeri Böttcher ” (pinned to the floor of the box) correspond to the complete type series. The lectotype was selected for its overall better condition.

Heteronychia (Heteronychia) cepelaki : four type specimens: 4 3: Slovakia, Čierny Váh, 17.VI.1966, Čepelák leg. ( MMBC) [two with abdomen and terminalia glued to a slip of card beneath the source specimen, one lacking its terminalia].

Remarks. Povolný and Slamečková (1970) described Heteronychia cepelaki on the holotype 3 and 5 male paratypes from Čierny Váh (northern Slovakia), all collected on 17.VI.1966 and all stated to be deposited at “Zool. Institut der VŠP, Nitra” ( Slovakia). I consider the above four males as type specimens, presumably paratypes, which means that at least part of the type series was kept by Povolný at MMBC. The holotype is probably located in the above-mentioned institution in Nitra; however, because of Povolný and Slamečková’s habit of not labelling their type specimens as “ holotype ” or “ paratype ” (see also remarks under “ Pierretia nigricauda ”), the possibility that one of the above specimens is the holotype cannot be completely discarded.

Additional material examined. Austria: Styria: VII.1950, O. Ringdahl leg., 1 3 ( MMBC); Krampen, 3.VIII.1896, Wachtl leg., 1 3 ( MMBC); Mariazell, 12.VI.1896, Wachtl leg., 1 3 ( MMBC). Turkey: Afyon-Sultandaġi, 7.IX.1999, C. Balci leg., 1 3 ( ZMUC). Ukraine: Berdyansk, 22.V.1966, M. Zerova leg., 1 3 ( MMBC, as “ Heteronychia zhelochovtzevi det. Verves”); Crimea, Alushta, Kastel, 9–16.IX.1958, B. Rohdendorf leg., 9 3 ( MMBC, ZIN, all as “ zhelochovtzevi det. Rohdendorf”); same locality, 31.VIII.1958, B. Rohdendorf leg., 1 3 ( ZIN).

Remarks. The direct examination of the above name-bearing types allowed me to certify that Sarcophaga lacrymans and S. thalhammeri are conspecific, as already suggested by Villeneuve (1929), whose synonymy was overlooked by subsequent authors. Although I probably did not examine the holotype of Heteronychia cepelaki (see remarks concerning the type material of this species), and even though I only examined part of the type series, I also synonymize this species with S. lacrymans based on the assumption that its whole type series is conspecific.

Sarcophaga zhelochovtzevi was described by Rohdendorf (1925) on two male syntypes from the localities of Poltavskaya and Troitzkaya ( Russia, Northern Caucasus, Krasnodar Region), both located at ZMUM (although this was not originally stated by Rohdendorf). I did not examine these syntypes, the slides containing the terminalia of which appear to be lost (A. Ozerov, pers. comm. 2008); however, I consider the original illustrations ( Rohdendorf 1925: 59, figs 10–11) and the several examined specimens identified by Rohdendorf as “ zhelochovtzevi ” as sufficient evidence supporting the above-proposed synonymy. Similarly, I consider the original illustrations and differential diagnosis provided by Lehrer (2008b: 15–16, fig. 1) for Heteronychia histriops , described on a single specimen deposited at MGAB, as sufficient evidence to justify its present synonymization with S. (H.) lacrymans . Verves (1984, 1986) considered Heteronychia markevitshi as a synonym of H. cepelaki , although he later listed it as valid ( Verves 1998).

Sarcophaga (H.) lacrymans is a small, dark, slender species, possibly closely related to S. (H.) rondaniana ( Rohdendorf, 1937) , from which it differs mainly in details of the juxta. It is known from Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Romania, Russia (South European Territory), Slovakia, Syria, Turkey and Ukraine.