Lasiopogon anaphlecter McKnight, 2020

Mcknight, Tristan A. & Cannings, Robert A., 2020, Molecular phylogeny of the genus Lasiopogon (Diptera: Asilidae) and a taxonomic revision of the bivittatus section, Zootaxa 4835 (1), pp. 1-115 : 35-37

Lasiopogon anaphlecter McKnight sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2A489B0E-6092-4424-A950-2AA6BB1B2DC7

Diagnosis. ( Fig. 32 ) A medium-sized brown species from the Sierra Nevada in California; most setae black, including mystax, antennal setae, and scutal macrosetae; dorsocentral and acrostichal stripes brown; metafemur with short appressed dorsal setae black apically; tergites in male with brown tomentum in basal bands and grey tomentum covering apical 30–50% of each tergite; females with brown tomentum divided by grey along midline. Epandrial halves in dorsal view moderately concave medially, with long black setae; phallus dorsal carina long, slender, and curving far past gonopore; ventral margin of paramere sheath with buttress-like flange. Ovipositor dark brown, reddish at base of hypogynial valves, acanthophorite spines black.

Description. Body length ♂ 9.4–11.8mm; ♀ 10.9–12.5mm. Head. HW ♂ 2.02–2.54mm; ♀ 2.40–2.53mm. FW ♂ 0.40–0.49mm; ♀ 0.50–0.54mm. VW ♂ 0.87–1.00mm; ♀ 0.94–1.01mm. VW/HW = ♂ 0.39–0.44; ♀ 0.39–0.42. FW/VW = ♂ 0.46–0.53; ♀ 0.50–0.56. VD/VW = ♂ 0.10–0.17; ♀ 0.13–0.14. GH/GL = ♂ 0.44–0.52; ♀ 0.35–0.52. Face grey, vertex brown-grey. Ventral setae (on beard, labium, palps) white; mystax and all dorsal setae black. Frontal and orbital setae long (reach midpoint of postpedicel), dense; ocellar setae indistinct among other setae; occipital setae to 0.7mm, relatively straight. Antennae. Black, with thin grey tomentum. Setae black (rarely 1–2 white setae ventrally on scape), abundant; 0–1 black setae on postpedicel. Postpedicel short, widest at midpoint with ventral margin curved; stylus long. WPP/LPP = ♂ 0.31–0.37; ♀ 0.29–0.40. LAS/LPP = ♂ 0.54–0.74; ♀ 0.66–0.80. Thorax. Prothorax grey, with white setae; postpronotal lobes grey, the lateral angle yellow-brown, setae variable from white to black. Scutum tomentum grey to chocolate brown except patches of grey lateral of dorsocentral stripes near suture and along posterior margin; dorsocentral stripes rich satiny dark brown, acrostichal stripes fainter but still distinct. Setae and macrosetae of scutum black; anterior dorsocentral macrosetae fine (to 1.0mm), 3–8, with several finer setae, posteriors 3–4, prominent; postalars 2–3, with several finer setae; supra-alars 1–3, with several finer setae; presuturals 2–3; posthumerals 1–2. Scutellar tomentum grey to greyish brown; rim inflated, leaving a semicircular line impressed inside the dorsal edge; apical macrosetae black, abundant (8–12 on each side), with shorter setae; short vertical setae on uppermost edge of rim black, about half as long as main macrosetae. Pleural tomentum grey. Katatergite setae black, long, 8–10, with a few shorter white setae; katepisternal setae white, curved; anepisternal setae 5–9, black (to 0.8mm), with several very short black setae along dorsal margin and a few fine white setae in posteroventral corner; anepimeron with 2 short white setae. Legs. Cuticle black, with thin yellow/grey tomentum except bare at femur joints. No coxal peg; coxae with white setae. Fine setae on femur and tibia yellowish white, black on tarsi and dorsal side of protibia; macrosetae black. Ventral setae on femur as long as or slightly longer than femur width; dorsolateral macrosetae on profemur 6–10, fine and relatively indistinct amidst long setae; on meso- and metafemur short and robust, respectively 4–9 and 11–15. Ventral setae just longer than width of femur. Dense patch of short pale yellow macrosetae along inside of protibia. Claws chestnut over basal half, black apically.

Wings. Veins brown; membrane hyaline but brown when viewed obliquely. DCI = 0.33–0.43. Halter knob cream, without spot, stem brown. Abdomen. Male. Tergite cuticle dark brown/ black. Brown tomentum on tergite bases; bands of grey tomentum cover apical 30–50% of each tergite and extend along lateral margins (tergite 1 fully covered in grey); grey apical tomentum rarely extends to anterior margin along midline to divide brown tomentum into two lateral spots. Tergite 1 with 3–5 black and 2–3 yellow-white lateral macrosetae; lateral setae white, on tergites 1–3 as long as halter, on tergites 4–7 as long as scape + pedicel; dorsal setulae black, short. Sternite tomentum grey, setae white. Female. As in male, except brown tomentum along midline greyish, leaving two indistinct lateral spots; lateral setae on tergites 4–7 black, usually no longer than scape. Male genitalia. Epandrium and hypandrium/gonocoxite complex cuticle dark brown/black, with yellow-grey tomentum except polished medially on hypandrium; long black erect setae on epandrium and hypandrium. Epandrium elongate, in lateral view the width about 40% the length, widest in basal third; apex rounded with ventral tooth. In dorsal view, medial margins of epandrium moderately curved, curvature starts about 35% from base, tapering to apex; basal sclerite prominent. Phallus paramere sheath dorsally 45% the length of phallus; paramere sheath with long buttress-like ventral flange along basal half; dorsal carina very long, slender, and curving far past gonopore. Ejaculatory apodeme in lateral view moderately bent dorsally in basal quarter, slightly recurved at apex, dorsal carina broadly filling the gap. Subepandrial sclerite with triangular central unsclerotized area in basal 25% narrowing to parallel-sided gap in central portion; spines parallelsided, blunt, densely arranged apically and medially.

Female genitalia. Undissected: Cuticle of tergite 8 polished dark brown/ black; sternite 8 dark brown or reddish brown, especially near base of hypogynial valves, which are short and wide. Short fine erect setae abundant, white everywhere except occasionally on hypogynial valves; cerci with white setae, lateral lobes with black macrosetae; acanthophorite spines black.

Type Material. HOLOTYPE ♂ labelled: “[rectangular white label] Fish Camp , Calif./ Mariposa Co. / V-10- 1942 ”; “[rectangular white label] E. G. Linsley / Collector”; “[white and pink label] UCB”; “[rectangular white label] FISH ”. Our holotype label “ HOLOTYPE / Lasiopogon ♂ / anaphlecter McKnight / des. T.A. McKnight 2017 [red, black-bordered label]” has been attached to this specimen. Deposited at USNM.

PARATYPES (69 specimens designated): U.S.A.: CALIFORNIA: Madera Co., Willow Creek, pools by Angle Falls parking lot, 1 mi N of Bass Lake, 37.33519 -119.57029, 22.v.2016, T.A. McKnight (1♀ RBCM, 1♂ [1 EtOH] UMMZ) ; Mariposa Co., Big Creek , 22.v.1985, M. Elliott, J. Welch (1♂ RBCM) ; Fish Camp [37.478 -119.637], 10.v.1942, E.G. Linsley (1♂ 1♀ FISH) , S.H. Benedict (1♀ CAS) , 21.v.1942, A.J. Walz (1♀ FISH) , E.G. Linsley (2♂ FISH) , 29.v.1942 (1♂ FISH) , E.G. Linsley (6♂ 2♀ FISH) ; Mariposa [37.497 -119.956], 23.v.1956, R.P. Allen (1♂ FISH) ; Summerdale campground, Big Creek , 37.48948 -119.63408, 11–15.vi.1973, D.K. & D.C. Young (1♂ BEZA) , 28.vi.1973, P.H. Arnaud, Jr. (2♀ FISH) , 22.v.2016, T.A. McKnight (2♂ 1♀ [1 pr in cop] RBCM, 2♂ 3♀ [2 pr in cop] TAM, 3♂ 1♀ [1 pr in cop, 2 EtOH] UMMZ) ; Tuolumne Co., Basin Creek campground [37.994 -120.182], 31.v.1963, P.H. Arnaud, Jr. (2♂ FISH) , 2.vi.1963, P.H. Arnaud, Jr. (1♂ 2♀ FISH) ; Big Trees State Park, Beaver Creek, S Grove [38.245 -120.267], 8/ 12.vii.1991, E.M. Fisher (1♂ 1♀ FISH) ; Carlon, S Fork Tuolumne River , 37.81243 -119.85957, 25.v.1969, P.H. Arnaud, Jr. (1♀ FISH) , 20.v.2016, T.A. McKnight (1♂ 1♀ [1 pr in cop] RBCM, 4♂ 2♀ [2 pr in cop] TAM, 4♂ 1♀ [1 pr in cop, 3 EtOH] UMMZ) ; Fraser Flat campground, South Fork Stanislaus River , 23.v.2016, T.A. McKnight (2♂ 1♀ [1 pr in cop] RBCM, 1♂ TAM, 2♂ [1 EtOH] UMMZ) ; Middle Fork campground, Middle Fork Tuolumne River , 4 km S Mather [37.857 -119.864], 24.v.1969, P.H. Arnaud, Jr. (1♂ 1♀ FISH) ; Strawberry [38.195 -120.015], 23.vi.1951, P.D. Ashlock (1♀ FISH) , 18.v.1953, J.G. Rozen (1♂ 4♀ FISH) .

Etymology. From the agent noun based upon the Greek verb αναφλέγω, anaphlego, meaning to kindle; used as a noun in apposition with reference to the peculiarly curved shape of the phallus dorsal carina which resembles an automobile spark plug.

Distribution ( Fig. 38 ) Nearctic; USA, California, Sierra Nevada. Type locality: U.S.A.: California: Mariposa Co., Fish Camp.

Phylogenetic Relationships. Member of the bivittatus section, drabicolum group.

Natural History. Habitat: banks of mountain rivers. Found perching on bare sand, boulders, and fallen logs <1–10 m from the water ( Figs. 24–25 ). Dates collected: May 10 to July 12 (most in May). Two males and one female with prey: Peltoperlidae c.f. Yoraperla Ricker (Plecoptera) , Fanniidae c.f. Fannia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera) , and Muscidae c.f. Phaoniinae (Diptera) .

Figures

FIGURE 32. Matrix key of Lasiopogon morphology for species revised in this publication, indicating details of tergite tomentum, major setation, and dissected male genitalia. Taxa are grouped on pages with closely related and visually similar species. L. drabicolum, L. esau sp. nov. (32) L. anaphlecter sp. nov.

FIGURES 37–40. Distribution maps of georeferenced records for Lasiopogon species revised in this publication, part 1 of 2. Each map corresponds to one page of the morphology tabular key.

FIGURES 22–29. Representative habitats of inland rock-perching Lasiopogon species collected for this revision. (22) Nevada: Washoe Co., Mogul, Truckee River @ Mayberry Crossing Park, 13-14.v.2012 (L. sierra sp. nov.). (23) California: Shasta Co., Little Cow Creek, Hwy 299 turnoff 4.2 km SW jct Oak Run Road, 14.v.2012 (L. sierra sp. nov.). (24) California: Mariposa Co., Summerdale campground, Big Creek, 22.v.2016 (L. anaphlecter sp. nov.). (25) California: Madera Co., Willow Creek, pools by Angle Falls parking lot, 1 mi N of Bass Lake, 22.v.2016 (L. anaphlecter sp. nov.). (26) California: Los Angeles Co., Big Tujunga River, 4 km NE of Sunland, 7.iii.2014 (L. nelsoni sp. nov.). (27) California: Los Angeles Co., Rock Creek Wash jct Valyermo Rd, 4 mi SE of Pearblossom, 8.iii.2014 (L. nelsoni sp. nov.). (28) California: Solano Co., Winters, Putah Creek @ jct Winters Rd and Putah Creek Rd, 12.v.2012 (L. californicus). (29) California: San Diego Co., San Luis Rey River, 5 km SE of Pauma Valley city, 6.iii.2013 (L. gabrieli).