Wilcoxia flavipennis Pollock & Reichert, 2019

Pollock, Darren A. & Reichert, Lisa A., 2019, Review of the Nearctic genus Wilcoxia James (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae) with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 4695 (5), pp. 401-437 : 416-418

6. Wilcoxia flavipennis Pollock & Reichert , n. sp.

( Figs 11–12 , 22 , 32–33 , 55 , 64 )

Holotype (here designated), male, labeled: “ARIZ. Organ Pipe Cac. N.M Hdqtrs. 2 mi. N. // E.M Fisher coll. XI.11.66 // [yellow label] PARATYPE Wilcoxia martinorum J. Wilcox // JOSEPH WILCOX COLLECTION—1981 Gift to California Academy of Sciences // [red label] HOLOTYPE ♂ Wilcoxia flavipennis Pollock & Reichert ”, in CAS . Allotype, female, labeled: “ARIZ. Organ Pipe Cac. N.M Hdqtrs. 2 mi. N. // R.J. Hamton Collr. XI.11.66 // [yellow label] PARATYPE Wilcoxia martinorum J. Wilcox // JOSEPH WILCOX COLLECTION—1981 Gift to California Academy of Sciences // [red label] ALLOTYPE ♀ Wilcoxia flavipennis Pollock & Reichert ”, in CAS .

Paratypes, from the following localities: MEXICO. Sonora. 13 mi. SW. Sonoyta [31.730423, -113.00623], 12.xi.1966, E.M. Fisher , Paratype of Wilcoxia martinorum Wilcox , ( EMFC, 3♂, 2♀) . UNITED STATES OF AMER- ICA. Arizona. Maricopa Co. 21 mi. N. Ajo [32.675354, -112.861713], 11.xi.1966, R.J. Hampton , Paratype of W. martinorum Wilcox , ( EMFC, 1♂). Pima Co. Organ Pipe Cactus Nat’l Mon., 2 mi N HQ [31.984149, -112.800852], 11.xi.1966 , Paratype of W. martinorum Wilcox , ( CAS, 1♂, 2♀; EMFC, 5♂, 3♀; WBEM, 1♀; USNM, 1♀ [USN- MENT 01457178]); Organ Pipe Cac. N.M., 1.6 mi. E. Quitobaquito [31.944664, -113.020327], 28.x.1961, E.L. Sleeper , Paratype of W. martinorum Wilcox , ( CAS, 1♀). Yuma Co. Brenda [33.679231, -113.943844], 28.x.1967, S.A. Gorodenski and M.A. Cazier , Paratype of W. martinorum Wilcox , ( ASUC, 8♂, 12♀). California. Imperial Co. Algodones Dunes, Niland-Glamis Road, 7.4km nw. Glamis, 33°02.2’N 115°08’W [33.036667, -115.133333] , 22.ix-15.xi.2008, E. Dreyfus, malaise in dry wash, ( CSCA, 4♂, 3♀); Chocolate Mts. , 8 mi. E. Glamis [32.995315, -114.934035] , 5.i.1986, D. Lightfoot, ( NMSU, 1♀). Inyo Co. Death Valley Nat’l. Monument, 1.5 mi SW. Wildrose Atation [sic] [36.265747, -117.188281], ca. 3100 feet , 6.xi.1968, P.H. Arnaud, Jr., collected at flowers Chrysothamnus paniculatus (Gray) Hall , ( CAS, 1♂). Los Angeles Co. Encino [34.15917, -118.50028] , 24.xi.1979, R. Eichinger, in flight, ( ASUC, 1♂). Riverside Co. JTNM [Joshua Tree National Park], Pl [ea]s[a]nt. V[a]ll[e]y, Fried Liver W [a]sh [33.924774, -115.843242] , 22.x.1967, E.L. Sleeper, Paratype of W. martinorum Wilcox ( CAS, 3♂, 2♀); same locality , 29.x.1965, E.L. Sleeper, blacklite, ( CAS, 2♀; EMFC, 1♂, 1♀); Irish Wash [33.636449, -115.388581] , 25.x.1963, ( EMFC, 1♀). San Diego Co. nr. Borrego Springs , 33°15’18”N, 116°22’52”W [33.255, -116.381111] , 12.xii.2007, O. Lonsdale, Barcode of Life DNA voucher specimen, SmpleID CCDB-31122-C05, BOLD Proc. ID: ASIL0219-17, ( USNM, 1♀ [USNMENT 01443109]). Nevada. Nye Co. Rhyolite [36.892281, -116.829222] , 2.x.1935, A.J. Basinger, Paratype of Wilcoxia martinorum Wilcox , ( CAS, 1♂) .

Derivation of specific epithet: The name “ flavipennis ” (“ flavus ”, yellow and “ penna ”, wing) is based on the slightly yellow cast to the wings of this species.

Diagnosis. This species may be separated from the other three members of the martinorum group by the following characters: pollinosity of mid and hind femora confined to distal 1/4 or less; tergite 1 with bare patch wider posteriorly than anteriorly; tergite 2 with medial bare patch contiguous with lateral bare areas ( Figs 32–33 ); wing with slightly amber cast; halter knob yellow, not contrasting yellow stem (knob in some specimens with very slight pink tinge).

Description. Male ( Fig. 11 ). TL 6.0– 8.5 mm; wing 5.1–6.9 mm.

Head ( Fig. 22 ) black, covered in pale grey tomentum, with brown tint on frons and ocellar tubercle; face (in profile) projecting slightly beyond eye; hairs and setae of head white, typically with slight amber tint; lower occipital hairs relatively long, moderately dense; ocellar tubercle with about 8 setae and a few hairs (> length of scape + pedicel), white to light brown in color; mystax ( Fig. 22 ) moderately dense, consisting of long setae (ca. length of antenna) and slightly shorter hairs, occupying almost entire face; setae and hairs white, bases perpendicular to plane of face; no distinct hairs on face separate from mystax; palpi and proboscis black with white hairs; antennomeres brown, pollinose, scape bare, or very thinly pollinose; scape and pedicel with several relatively long ventral setae (pedicel with one long, stout seta) and hairs, and several short hairs dorsally; ratio of antennomere lengths (scape: pedicel: postpedicel: style + spine) = 6: 6: 19: 9.

Thorax black, covered in pale grey tomentum, tinted brown on some specimens; scutum with divided median stripe, light to dark brown pollinose; acrostichal setae present, 6–7 per row; scutum surface uniform, without distinct non-pollinose or differently colored spots; scutum with moderately sparse pile of long, white hairs (length of postpedicel), densest presuturally but longer poststurally; 2 notopleural, 1 supraalar, and 1 postalar setae; stoutest thoracic setae with amber cast; scutellum uniformly pale grey pollinose; 6 amber marginal setae, longest setae greater in length than scutellum, perpendicular to plane of scutellum, subparallel to each other; very few short marginal hairs present; disc of scutellum with few shorter, partially appressed hairs; pleura pale grey pollinose; katatergite with about 20 long, fine white setae, tips “crinkly” (e.g., Fig. 43 ); wings hyaline with slight yellow cast; costa complete, visible around wing margin to base; microtrichiae sparse, conspicuous only in distal 1/3 of wing; halter with base brown and yellow, stem and knob yellow, knob with slight pink tinge in some specimens; legs ( Figs 11–12 ) uniformly black, except femur-tibia joint yellow; hairs and setae white to slightly yellowish; femora pollinose dorsally, decreasing in extent from anterior to posterior femur, hind femur pollinose at distal end only; femora dorsally with relatively dense, white appressed hairs (<femur width) and a few longer (about width of femur) erect white setae; ventrally with many longer, suberect white hairs (longest> femur width); tibiae with dense, short (<tibia width) appressed white hairs, ventrally with a few longer, more erect hairs, especially on front tibia; mesotibial spine yellow; protibiae without sigmoidal spine.

Abdomen ( Figs 11 , 32 ) black; tergites 2–7 with “checkerboard” pattern of pale grey pollinosity and bare patches; tergites 1–7 with median bare patches, on 2–6 extending anteriorly to, or beyond midlength, hairs white; tergite 1 with bare patch wider posteriorly, extending to anterior margin; tergites 2–6 with anterolateral bare patches; sternites pale grey pollinose with moderately long, fine, white hairs, slightly longer on anterior sternites.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 55 ). Apex of dorsal gonocoxite process deeply bifid, both lobes subequal in length, with carina on outer lobe; dorsal process extending past apex of ventral gonocoxite process; medial gonocoxite processes thin, acute, distinctly curved towards phallus; gonostylus relatively wide, angulate, apex truncate; phallus with indistinct, subapical denticle on lateral margins; lateral margins evenly narrowed to apex.

Female ( Fig. 12 ). TL 7.0– 9.1 mm; wing 5.6–8.9 mm; with characters similar to male except for the following: thoracic pollinosity with slight amber tint in some specimens; tergites 7–8 bare, non-pollinose; tergite 6 with very thin anterior band of tomentum ( Fig. 33 ).

Notes. Most of the known specimens of W. flavipennis were originally paratypes of W. martinorum Wilcox. No mention was made by Wilcox (1972) of any variation within the type series of W. martinorum , i.e. some specimens whose wings had a slight yellow cast and slightly different patterns of pollinosity on abdominal tergites and legs.

Natural history. Nothing can be gleaned from specimen labels; however, given the fact that Wilcox (1972) had specimens of W. flavipennis , n. sp. mixed in with his very long paratype series of W. martinorum , and that W. martinorum were seen “swarming” over rocky substrate, we suspect that individuals of W. flavipennis will also be found on rocks/rocky substrate. This is a characteristic of all four species in the martinorum group.

Distribution ( Fig. 64 ). The geographic range of this species is restricted to southern Nevada (one specimen only), southern California and southern Arizona. The only known Mexican specimens of Wilcoxia are several of W. flavipennis , from Sonora.

Figures

FIGURES 9–12. Figs 9–10. Male (9) and female (10) paratypes of W. apache, n. sp. Male from Curry Co., NM; female from Chaves Co., NM. Figs. 11–12. Male (11) and female (12) paratypes of W. flavipennis, n. sp. Both specimens from Sonora, Mexico.

FIGURES 17–25. Laterofrontal view of head of Wilcoxia spp. 17. W. cinerea, male. 18. W. monae, male. 19. W. painteri, male. 20. W. pollinosa, male. 21. W. apache, n. sp., male. 22. W. flavipennis, n. sp., male. 23. W. forbesi, n. sp., male. 24. W. forbesi, n. sp., female. 25. W. martinorum, male.

FIGURES 30–37. Abdomens of Wilcoxia spp. (martinorum group), dorsal. 30. W. apache, n. sp., male; 31. W. apache, n. sp., female; 32. W. flavipennis n. sp., male; 33. W. flavipennis, n. sp., female. 34. W. forbesi, n. sp., male. 35. W. forbesi, n. sp., female. 36. W. martinorum, male. 37. W. martinorum, female.

FIGURES 47–58. Male genitalia (47–57) and ovipositor (58) of Wilcoxia spp. 47. W. cinerea, ventral view (epandrium removed). 48. W. monae, ventral view (epandrium removed). 49–50. W. painteri, ventral and right lateral view. 51–52. W. pollinosa, ventral (epandrium removed) and slightly oblique view. 53–54. W. apache, n. sp., ventral and dorsal oblique view. 55. W. flavipennis, n. sp., ventral view. 56. W. forbesi, n. sp., dorsal view (epandrium removed). 57. W. martinorum, ventral view (epandrium removed). 58. W. apache, n. sp., terminal abdominal segments and ovipositor. dp = dorsal gonocoxite process; dpc = dorsal gonocoxite process carina; gc = gonocoxite; gs = gonostylus; lep = lateral ejaculatory process; mp = medial gonocoxite process; pd = phallus denticle; ph = phallus; vp = ventral gonocoxite process.

FIGURES 63–64. Known distributions of W. apache, n. sp. (63) and W. flavipennis, n. sp. (64) (maps created at www.gpsvisualizer.com).

FIGURES 41–46. Figs 41–42. Detail of posterior scutum and scutellum. 41. W. apache, n. sp. showing uniformly pollinose scutellum and many marginal setae as well as the linear, non-pollinose patches on scutum. 42. W. monae, showing posteriorly non-pollinose scutellum and relatively few marginal setae. Figs 43–44. Katatergite setation. 43. W. apache, n. sp. male, with “crinkly” setae. 44. W. cinerea, female, with “non-crinkly” setae. Fig. 45–46. Apical tibial spurs. 45. W. painteri, female, sigmoidal apicoventral spur on front tibia. 46. W. apache, n. sp., male, stout spur at apex of middle tibia.