Drosophila (Sophophora) cuauhtemoci Felix and Dozhansky, 1976

Grimaldi, David A., 2024, The Drosophila (Sophophora) obscura species group in the Americas (Diptera: Drosophilidae): review, revisions, and three new species, American Museum Novitates 2024 (4015), pp. 1-44 : 33

Drosophila (Sophophora) cuauhtemoci Felix and Dozhansky

Figures 2E , 3D , 8A , 10A ; 13A, B ; 16A

Drosophila (Sophophora) cuauhtemoci Felix and Dobzhansky , in Felix et al., 1976: 167.

DIAGNOSIS: A very distinctive species from Mexico: ♂ with apical two-thirds of midtibia swollen, having two opposing, parallel combs of long setae (their lengths greater than the width of the tibia), one comb on the dorsal margin of the tibia and another on the ventral margin. Male protarsus with 4 (sometimes 5) teeth on ta1, 3 teeth on ta2. Acrostichals in 6 rows. Oviscapt broad in lateral view; spermatheca without apical indentation ( Felix et al., 1976, mentioned that the spermatheca is “darker and less convex than in D. pseudoobscura ,” but it is actually more convex).

TYPES: Holotype, ♂, from original description: Mexico: 10 km N Cuernavaca along Highway 95 (between Cuernavaca and Mexico City), July 29, 1974, in mixed pine and oak forest. In UCDBM, originally reported to be in the CAS ( Felix et al., 1976). The original description also mentions paratypes collected in the same locality but in 1975, as well as in Lago Patzcuara, Michoacan and Parque Nacional El Chico, near Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico. Felix et al. (1976) reported that paratypes were also deposited in the AMNH, but which were never here. All paratypes are in the UCDBM.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: 2♂, 1♀: Mex [ico] Morelos, Cuernavaca , VII 29 1974, Th. Dobzhansky / PARATYPE Drosophila cuauhtemoci Felix & Dobzhansky ( ASG 38 ♂, ASG 39♀). In UCDBM .

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from south central Mexico.

COMMENTS: It would be interesting to eventually observe how the male uses the midleg brushes, probably in courtship.

Figures

FIG. 2. Heads and thoraces (lateral view) of representative New World species of the obscura group (A–D), and a male midleg of D. cuauhtemoci (E). A. D. chibcha holotype, n. sp. (ASG 05); B. D. maya holotype. C. D. narragansett paralectotype male. D. D. seminole holotype. E. D. cuauhtemoci, male midleg (lateral view), paratype.

FIG. 3. Frontal view of heads of representative species in the D. pseudoobscura subgroup. A. D. lowei, male paratype (A19.2); B. D. maya, male holotype (44.12A). C. D. pseudoobscura, male. D. cuauhtemoci, male paratype (face and antennae only) (ASG 39).

FIG. 8. Oviscapts and spermathecae (lateral views) of species in the pseudoobscura subgroup, with a detail for D. persimilis. A. D. cuauhtemoci (ASG 39); B. D. lowei (ASG 26); C. D. maya (ASG 19); D. D. persimilis (ASG 37); E. D. pseudoobscura (ASG 34); F. D. zapoteca (ASG 21).

FIG. 10. Protarsal male sex combs of species in the D. pseudoobscura subgroup. A. D. cuauhtemoci; B. D. lowei (ASG 40); C. D. maya (ASG 41); D. D. persimilis (ASG 36); E. D. pseudoobscura (ASG 35); F. D. zapoteca (ASG 01). All to the same scale.

FIG. 13. Epandria and associated structures in representative species of the pseudoobscura subgroup. A. D. cuauhtemoci (ASG 38); B. Detail of A; C. D. persimilis (ASG 36); D. Detail of C; E. D. zapoteca, n. sp. (ASG 20).

FIG. 16. Hypandrium, aedeagus and other appendages of representative species of the pseudoobscura subgroup. A. D. cuauhtemoci (ASG 38); B. D. maya (ASG 02: Guatemala), with details of pregonite lobes; C. D. persimilis (ASG 36); D. D. zapoteca, n. sp. (ASG 20: holotype)