Scatophila ordinaria Sturtevant and Wheeler

Zatwarnicki, Tadeusz & Mathis, Wayne N., 2024, Revision of the Nearctic Species of the Shore-Fly Genus Scatophila Becker (Diptera: Ephydridae), Zootaxa 5487 (1), pp. 1-100 : 42-45

9. Scatophila ordinaria Sturtevant and Wheeler

Figs. 72–75 , 77–81

Scatophila ordinaria Sturtevant and Wheeler 1954: 195 .— Wirth 1965: 758 [ Nearctic catalog].— Zatwarnicki 1987: 293 [checklist].— Zatwarnicki and Mathis 1994: 362 [phylogeny, contaminata group].— Mathis and Zatwarnicki 1995: 285 [world catalog.

Diagnosis.—This species is distinguished from congeners, especially S. adamsi , by the following combination of characters: Body with tan to brown and usually with some lighter markings, scutellar disc with partially to mostly dark but often with basal and sometimes with apical areas gray; small shore flies, body length 1.20–1.55 mm.

Head ( Figs. 72–73 ): Lateroclinate fronto-orbital seta inserted far forward, 2–3X as far from medial vertical seta as latter from the lateral vertical seta. Face covered by metallic microtomentum; ventral margin of male face nearly flat, not distinctly emarginate; facial setae and setulae small, none prominent, generally oriented ventrally; lower facial seta not oriented laterally or slightly curved dorsally. Genal height less than height of basal flagellomere. Gena relatively short; gena-to-eye ratio 0.16–0.75.

Thorax ( Figs. 74–75 ): Mesonotum ( Fig. 74 ) mostly brown with some grayish coloration anteriorly; acrostichal setae of uniform and small in size, arranged in 2 regular rows; dorsocentral setae 2, anterior seta sutural or just postsutural. Wing ( Fig. 75 ) moderately dark with evident pattern or pale spots; cell r 1 lacking white spots; large, quadrate white spot of cell r 3 lacking a dark center; costal vein ratio 0.26–0.28; M 1 vein ratio 0.61–0.65; knob of halter yellow. Midfemur of ♂ lacking row of spine-like setae; tarsi blackish brown to black.

Abdomen ( Figs. 77–80 ): Tergites brown to black, rather heavily microtomentose, rarely subshiny.Male terminalia ( Figs. 77–80 ): Epandrium generally squatly oval in posterior view ( Fig. 77 ) except for broadly and moderately deep emarginate ventral margin, width almost equal to height, lateral margins shallowly curved with short projection at ventral 1/4, width of ventral margin subequal to width of cercal opening; dorsal margin of epandrium in posterior view ( Fig. 77 ) evenly rounded; length of epandrial setulae variable, those along ventral margin shorter, sparse along lateral margins; width of cercal opening almost twice height, height of cercal opening slightly less than 1/3 epandrial height; cerci in posterior view ( Fig. 77 ) ovate; epandrium in lateral view ( Fig. 78 ) as stepwise rectangle; aedeagus in lateral view ( Fig. 80 ) broadly rounded basally, irregularly rectangular, dorsal margin deeply excavated, cavity twice as deep as opening, posterior margin broadly truncate, in ventral view ( Fig. 79 ) narrowly ovate, widest sub-basally, posterior margin truncate; ventral aedeagal process shallowly C-shaped; phallapodeme in lateral view ( Fig. 80 ) very elongate, narrow, curved, keel barely evident, dorsal length about half ventral length, in ventral view ( Fig. 79 ) T-shaped, basal crossbar about equal to medial process, crossbar extensions slightly tapered, especially apically; postgonite in lateral view ( Fig. 80 ) irregularly and widely V-shaped, dorsal arm subrectangular, wider basally and anterior margin emarginate, ventral extension elongate, rod-like, parallel-sided projection, posterior apex tapered, thumb-like projection; posterodorsal corner distinctly produced, apex shallowly and narrowly bifurcate, bearing setulae on dorsal surface, in ventral view ( Fig. 79 ) with posterior extensions narrow, thumb-like; neohypandrium in lateral view ( Fig. 80 ) narrow, parallel-sided, irregularly and deeply sinuous.

Type Material.—The holotype male of Scatophila ordinaria is labeled “Austin, Tex[as]. Ap[ril] 16 1953 [month and day handwritten]/M.R. Wheeler/ HOLOTYPE Scatophila ordinaria Stvt & Whlr [pink]/6681 TYPE [dark pink; number handwritten]. The holotype is double mounted (glued to a paper point), is in good condition, and is deposited in the ANSP (6681).

Other Specimens Examined.— UNITED STATES. ALASKA. Matanuska-Susitna: Willow Creek (61°46.1'N, 150°04.2'W; 50 m), 26 Jul–17 Aug 2011, 2012 , D. and W. N. Mathis (7♂; USNM) .

ARIZONA. Cochise: Fairbank (31°43.4'N, 110°11.3'W), 13 Jun 1951, A. H. Sturtevant (1♂; USNM). Pima : Organ Pipe National Monument, Alamo Canyon (32°04.3'N, 112°43.7'W), 24 Apr 1947, A. L. Melander (1♀; USNM). Yuma : Fort Yuma (32°43.9'N, 114°37'W), 6 Apr, H. G. Hubbard (1♂; USNM).

CALIFORNIA. Imperial: Palo Verde (33°26'N, 114°44'W), 8 Apr 1949, W. W. Wirth (1♂; USNM). Kern: Kern River (35°27.7'N, 118°46.3'W), 4 Jan 1950, A. H. Sturtevant (1♀; USNM). Lake: Clearlake (38°57.5'N, 121°37.6'W), 18 Jun 1935, A. L. Melander (1♀; USNM). Los Angeles: Baldwin Park (34°05.1'N, 117°57.6'W), 20 Aug 1945, J. C. Elmore (1♀; USNM); Lano (34°29.6'N, 117°04'W), Mojave Desert, 13 Mar 1935, A. L. Melander (1♀; USNM); Pasadena (34°09.4'N, 118°07.9'W), 24 Mar–3 Apr 1950, A. H. Sturtevant (6♂, 1♀; USNM); Rosemead (34°04'N, 118°05'W) 18–22 Mar 1950, A. H. Sturtevant (1♂, 1♀; USNM). Madera : Madera (36°57.7'N, 120°03.6'W), 15 May 1950, A. H. Sturtevant (1♀; USNM). Orange: San Juan Capistrano Hot Spring (33°30.1'N, 117°39.7'W), 28 Mar 1935, A. L. Melander (1♂; USNM). Riverside: Cathedral Canyon (33°46.8'N, 116°28.1'W), 3 Apr 1945, A. L. Melander (2♂; USNM); Riverside (33°57.2'N, 117°23.8'W), 15 Oct 1934, A. L. Melander (1♀; USNM); Whitewater Canyon (33°56.1'N, 116°41.2'W), 6 Apr 1949, W. W. Wirth (1♂; USNM). San Bernardino: Vidal (34°07.1'N, 114°30.6'W), 4 Apr 1948, W. W. Wirth (3♂, 4♀; USNM). San Diego: Palm Springs (33°55.2'N, 116°13.1'W), 16 Feb 1935, A. L. Melander (1♂; USNM). Tulare: Woodlake (36°24.6'N, 119°05.6'W), 16 May 1950, A. H. Sturtevant (1♂; USNM).

IDAHO. Nez Perce: Lewiston (46°41'N, 117°02'W), 31 May 1924, A. L. Melander (1♀; USNM) .

LOUISIANA. East Baton Rouge: Baton Rouge (30°28.3'N, 91°08.8'W), 26 Apr 1947, W. W. Wirth (1♂; USNM) .

MICHIGAN. Wayne: Detroit (42°19.9'N, 83°02.7'W), 24 Sep 1939, G. C. Steyskal (1♂; USNM) .

NEW MEXICO. Catron: Glenwood (33°18.8'N, 108°53.1'W; Malaise trap), 1 Jun 1972, W. W. Wirth (1♂; USNM); Whitewater Canyon (33°27.2'N, 107°30.3'W), 1 Jun 1972, W. W. Wirth (1♂; USNM) .

SOUTH CAROLINA. Charleston: Charleston (32°47.1'N, 79°56.5'W), Aug 1975, D. L. Kline (1♂, 3♀; USNM) .

TEXAS. Brewster: Big Bend National Park (29°13'N, 103°22.1'W; camp area), 4 Apr 1969, J. J. Tenorio (1♂; USNM). Galveston : Galveston (29°18.1'N, 94°47.7'W), 6 Apr 1953, M. R . Wheeler (1♂; USNM). Kerr: Kerrville (30°02.8'N, 99°08.4'W), Jul 1954, L. J. Bottimer (1♂; USNM). Travis : Austin (30°16'N, 97°44.6'W), 18 Aug–22 Oct 1950, 1951, M. R . Wheeler (2♂, 3♀; USNM); Lake Austin (30°16'N, 97°44.6'W), 31 Mar 1953, M. R . Wheeler (11♂, 10♀ USNM). Bastrop: Bastrop (30°06.6'N, 97°18.9'W), 30 Sep 1952, A. H. Sturtevant (1♂; USNM) .

UTAH. Kane: Kanab (37°02.8'N, 112°31.6'W), 19 Apr 1935, A. L. Melander (1♀; USNM) ; Right Hand Collett Canyon (south of; 37°8.1'N, 111°32'W; stock pond), 15 May 2001, D. and W. N. Mathis (2♂; USNM) ; White House Spring (71 km E Kanab; 37°04.8'N, 111°53.4'W; 1250 m) 19 May 2001, D. and W. N. Mathis (5♂, 5♀; USNM) . San Juan: Blanding, Recapture Reservoir (37°39.9'N, 109°26.5'W; 1840 m), 23 Jul 2013, D. and W. N. Mathis (2♂; USNM) ; Dry Wash Reservoir (19 km N Blanding: 37°46.5'N, 109°32.4'W; 2355 m), 19 Aug 2013, D. and W. N. Mathis (5♂, 7♀; USNM) ; Johnson Creek meadow (22 km N Blanding: 37°47.5'N, 109°30.5'W; 2384 m), 23 Jul–25 Aug 2013, 2014. D. and W. N. Mathis (14♂, 10♀; USNM)

VIRGINIA. Fairfax: Great Falls (Patowmack Canal; 39°00.1'N, 77°15.2'W), 5 Jul 2007, D. and W. N. Mathis (1♀; USNM) ; Turkey Run (mouth; 38°57.9'N, 77°09.4'W), 22 May 2007, D. and W. N. Mathis (3♀; USNM) . King George : Dahlgren Wayside (38°21.6'N, 77°00.9'W; Potomac River), 19 May 2006, W. N. Mathis (1♂, 1♀; USNM) . Stafford : Aquia Harbour, Lions Park (38°27'N, 77°23.3'W), 1 Jun–16 Nov 2005, 2006, 2007, D. and W. N. Mathis (13♂, 12♀; USNM) ; Aquia Landing (38°23.2'N, 77°19'W), 14 Apr 2006, D. and W. N. Mathis (1♀; USNM) .

WASHINGTON. Snohomish: Verlot (48°05.4'N, 121°46.6'W), 3 Aug 1951, A. H. Sturtevant (1♀; USNM) .

Type Locality.— United States. Texas. Travis: Austin (30°16'N, 97°44.6'W) .

Distribution ( Fig. 81 ).— Nearctic : United States (Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington).

Remarks.—This species is placed in the contaminata group.

Figures

FIGURE 81. Distribution map of Scatophila ordinaria Sturtevant & Wheeler.

FIGURES 72–76. Head, thorax and wing of Scatophila. 72–73. Head of S. ordinaria Sturtevant & Wheeler. 72. Latero-oblique view. 73. Lateral view. 74. S. ordinaria Sturtevant & Wheeler, head and thorax, dorsal view. 75–76. Wing, dorsal view. 75. S. ordinaria Sturtevant & Wheeler. 76. S. viridella Sturtevant & Wheeler. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 77–80. Male terminalia of Scatophila ordinaria Sturtevant & Wheeler. 77. Epandrium and cerci, posterior view. 78. Same, lateral view. 79. Internal male terminalia (gonite, phallapodeme, aedeagus, neohypandrium), ventral view. 80. Same, lateral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.