Sepedon fuscipennis, Loew, 1859

Elberg, Kaupo, Rozkošný, Rudolf & Knutson, Lloyd, 2009, A review of of the Holarctic Sepedon fuscipennis and S. spinipes groups with description of a new species (Diptera: Sciomyzidae), Zootaxa 2288, pp. 51-60 : 55-56

S. fuscipennis Loew, 1859

( Figs 9, 13, 17 )

S. fuscipennis nobilis Orth, 1986

Diagnosis. A yellowish-brown species with a short, drop-like orbital spot; deeply concave face in lateral view; pedicel index about 4.5; hypandrium not produced basally in lateral view ( Fig. 9 ); aedeagus: midprojection absent; distiphallus about as long as epiphallus ( Fig. 13 ); and epiphallus bilobate below apex ( Fig. 17 ).

Remarks. Orth (1986) stated that S. fuscipennis consists actually of two subspecies, the nominate form and S. fuscipennis nobilis as well as intermediate specimens. Differences concern the orbital spot and the male genitalia, especially the size and shape of the aedeagus. He also tried to delimit the distribution of both subspecies in North America and found that intermediate specimens occur in a narrow band between them at approximately 41° latitude from the east coast to 105° longitude in Kansas. But four years later Manguin (1990) tested genetic data of all three populations and came to the conclusion that because the degree of similarity is high (0.92–0.99) all populations belong to the same species showing a geographic cline in several character states rather than a well-defined subspecies. However, she did not formally synonymize the subspecies.

Distribution. This is the most widely distributed Sepedon in North America known from Alaska and northern Canada to southern Texas and Florida (map: Orth 1986).

Material examined. UNITED STATES: New Jersey, Clementon Co., 1.v.1904, 1 3; Washington, D. C., 28.vii.1906, 1 Ƥ, W.L. McAtee; Michigan, Washtenaw Co., Little Portage Lake, 7.x. 1937, 1 3, I. J. Cantrall; Oregon, Yamhill Co., 5 miles S of Dayton, Holdrige Creek, 11.vii.1970, 1 3, T. W. Fisher & R.E. Orth; Washington, Thurston Co., 15 miles N of Centralia, 19.vi.1969, 1 Ƥ, R. E. Orth (all USNM)..

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 19. Nearctic species of Sepedon fuscipennis group, details of male terminalia. 8, 12, 16. S. floridensis. 9, 13, 17. S. fuscipennis. 10, 14, 18. S. gracilicornis. 11, 15, 19. S. tenuicornis. 8 – 11. Hypandrium in lateral view. 12 – 15. Aedeagus in lateral view. 16 – 19. Epiphallus in caudal view. Scale: 0.3 mm.