Lasiopogon gabrieli Cole & Wilcox

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 : 59-61

Lasiopogon gabrieli Cole & Wilcox

Lasiopogon gabrieli Cole & Wilcox, 1938: 49 .

Diagnosis. ( Fig. 34 ) A small dark species from southern California and northern Baja California, with mystax black, thoracic tomentum brown to grey with clear dorsocentral stripes, thoracic setae mostly black, macrosetae long and strong, legs black; tergite tomentum in strong bands of brown and grey. Epandrial halves with very strongly curved medial margins, covered in grey tomentum; ovipositor dark brown; acanthophorite spines black.

Redescription. Body length ♂ 5.9–7.5mm; ♀ 7.0– 9.4mm. Head. HW ♂ 1.46–1.85mm; ♀ 1.69–2.16mm. FW ♂ 0.32–0.38mm; ♀ 0.35–0.46mm. VW ♂ 0.58–0.81mm; ♀ 0.66–0.90mm. VW/HW = ♂ 0.39–0.44; ♀ 0.39–0.42. FW/VW = ♂ 0.47–0.55; ♀ 0.51–0.53. VD/VW = ♂ 0.12–0.18; ♀ 0.15–0.16. GH/GL = ♂ 0.32–0.49; ♀ 0.43–0.48. Face and vertex with grey/tan tomentum. Beard and labial setae white; mystax, frontal, and occipital dark brown/ black. Occipital macrosetae moderately long and steadily curved through 90°, those behind the dorsomedial angle of the eye to 0.6mm long and most curved; lateral and ventral macrosetae shorter, straighter. Frontal setae fine and short; orbital setae longer. Antennae. Dark brown/black, base of postpedicel sometimes lighter. Setae dark brown, sometimes a few white setae at the base of scape; no setae on postpedicel. Postpedicel widest medially, dorsal margin straight, ventral margin rounded; stylus long and tapered. WPP/LPP = ♂ 0.34–0.40; ♀ 0.26–0.41. LAS/LPP ♂ 0.69–0.84; ♀ 0.56–0.74. Thorax. Prothorax grey/brown, setae white; postpronotal lobes grey to brownish grey, lateral angle ferruginous, setae white. Scutum tomentum steel to brown-grey, with a faint golden tint. Dorsocentral stripes usually dark brown; acrostichal stripes absent. Macrosetae and setae of the scutum black; notal setae short; anterior dorsocentral macrosetae 4–7 (to 0.9mm), relatively fine; 3–5 posteriors; postalars 2–3, with about 4 shorter setae; supra-alars 1–3 with 1 or 2 shorter setae; presuturals 2–3; posthumerals 0–1. Scutellum rim slightly inflated, leaving a faint semicircular seam impressed inside the rim; tomentum thin grey/brown; apical macrosetae black, abundant (6–8 on each side) and mixed with many other long setae. Pleural tomentum grey, brownish on the lower anepisternum. Katatergite macrosetae black, 6–8, sometimes 1–3 white, with a few weaker setae; katepisternal setae sparse, moderately long, white; anepisternal setae (to 0.6mm) 5–7, mostly black with 1–3 white ventrally, a patch of short black setae on dorsal margin of sclerite; anepimeron with a 2–4 fine white setae. Legs. Base color usually dark brown to black, sometimes reddish at joints of coxa/femur, femur/tibiae, and tarsal bases; tomentum of coxae and rest of legs grey, sparse. No coxal peg. Macrosetae on legs black, except white dorsolateral macrosetae in medial half of femur; finer setae and long ventral setae on femur white. Ventral setae on femur as long as femur width; dorsolateral macrosetae weak, sparse, 5–7 on profemur; stronger on mesofemur (3–5) and metafemur (5–9). Protibia with longest macrosetae 2–3 times longer than tibial width. Claws dark brown over basal 60–70%, apically black. Wings. Veins dark brown; membrane transparent, faint light brown in oblique view. DCI = 0.37–0.45. Halter yellow, with no spot. Abdomen. Base cuticle dark brown/black; subshining brown tomentum over on tergite bases, bands of grey tomentum cover apical 50% of each tergite (tergite 1 completely covered, thin at anterior midline) and extend to tergite base laterally but not along midline except in a few rare specimens. All tergites with white lateral setae, longer on tergites 1–3; long black (2–5) and white (1–5) macrosetae on sides of tergite 1. Sternite tomentum grey, setae white. Male genitalia. Epandrium and hypandrium/gonocoxite complex dark brown/chestnut, covered in thin grey tomentum, with long black setae; setal brush dark brown. Epandrium elongate, in lateral view the width 38% the length, straight along dorsal and ventral margins; apex rounded, with only hint of ventral tooth. In dorsal view, medial margins of epandrium very strongly curved, curvature starts about 30% from base; basal sclerite short but strong. Phallus paramere sheath dorsally 44% the length of phallus; paramere sheath ventrally with a short, very blunt tooth subapically or without ornamentation; dorsal carina extending parallel to aedeagal tube and ending even or just short of gonopore, apex rounded, separated from gonopore by a gap of even width and depth. Ejaculatory apodeme in lateral view gently bent dorsally in basal quarter, with very narrow dorsal carina. Subepandrial sclerite with triangular central unsclerotized area in basal 25% narrowing to parallel-sided gap to midpoint; spines parallelsided, blunt, densely distributed basally and apically, sparse medially.

Female genitalia. Undissected: Setae white, abundant, erect. Tergite 8 dark brown/black, posterior margin slightly reddish; sternite 8 dark brown/black; lateral lobe setae strong, black; hypogynial valves with fine setae concentrated basally and apically; cerci brown/black with pale setae; acanthophorite spines black.

Type Material. HOLOTYPE ♂ (photographs examined) labelled: “[rectangular white label] San Gabriel Wash/ Calif. 2-27-1932 / Chas.H.Martin]”; “[rectangular red label] HOLOTYPE / Lasiopogon / gabrieli/ Cole & Wilcox”; “[rectangular white label] California Academy / of Sciences / Type No. 6433”; “[rectangular white label] ALLOTYPE IS STORED/ IN THE/ GENERAL COLLECTION”. CAS.

PARATYPES (25 specimens examined): U.S.A.: CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles Co., Artesia [33.865 -118.103], 27.iii.1934, M.W. Stone (1♂ CAS) , 10.ii.1935, M.W. Stone (1♀ EMEC, 1♀ USNM, USNMENT1100179 ) ; Azusa [34.156 -117.919], 1.iii.1925, S.W. Bromley (1♂ USNM, USNMENT1100176 ) ; El Monte, San Gabriel River wash [34.066 -118.004], 2.iii.1934, M.W. Stone (1♂ USNM, USNMENT1100178 , 1♀ CAS), 31.xii.1934, J. Wilcox (1♂ CAS) , 25.i.1935, M.W. Stone (1♂ CAS) ; Whittier, San Gabriel River wash [34.004 -118.069], 25.ii.1932, C.H. Martin (1? CAS) , 27.ii.1932, F.R. Cole (2♀ CAS, 2♂ 5♀ EMEC, 1♀ RBCM) C.H. Martin (1♀ CAS [allotype]) ; Riverside Co., La Quinta [33.643 -116.319], 28.iii.1923 (1♀ EMEC) ; Riverside [33.989 -117.393], 27.i.1935, M.W. Stone (1♂ CAS) ; San Bernardino Co., East Highlands [34.102 -117.103], 25.ii.1923 (1♀ EMEC) ; San Diego Co., Alpine [32.839 -116.760], 8.iv.1915, M.C. Van Duzee (1♂ 1♀ OSUC, OSUC 583664 – OSUC 583665 ) .

Other Material Examined (195 specimens). MEXICO: BAJA CALIFORNIA NORTE: Sierra Juarez , 2.2 mi SE El Topo [32.235 -115.956], 25.iii.1970, J.A. Gruwell, P.D. Perkins (18♂ 4♀ FISH, 1♂ 1♀ LACM, LACM ENT 334043 , LACM ENT 334045 , 1♂ 1♀ RBCM, 1♂ TAM) .

U.S.A.: CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles Co., Artesia [33.865 -118.103], 10.ii.1935, M.W. Stone (1♂ EMEC) , 8.ii.1936, M.W. Stone (1♂ CAS) , 17.ii.1937, J. Wilcox (1♂ 2♀ CAS) , M.W. Stone (2♂ 2♀ CAS, 1♀ RBCM) ; Azusa [34.156 -117.919], 1.ii.1937, J. Wilcox (1♂ CAS) , 4.ii.1937, J. Wilcox (1♀ UCRC, UCRC ENT 449954 ) , 9.ii.1937, J. Wilcox (1♂ BEZA) , 12.ii.1937, J. Wilcox (1♂ FISH) , 16.ii.1937, J. Wilcox (3♂ 3♀ CAS, 1♀ CNC, 2♂ 2♀ FISH), M.W. Stone (4♂ CAS, 1♂ 1♀ ESUW, 1♂ 1♀ RBCM), 19.ii.1937, H. MacBurney (3♂ 2♀ CAS) , J. Wilcox (2♂ 5♀ CAS, 1♂ CNC, 1♀ FISH), M.W. Stone (1♀ BEZA, 6♂ 2♀ CAS, 1♂ FISH, 1♂ UCRC, UCRC ENT 449952 ), 21.ii.1937, J. Wilcox (6♂ 7♀ CAS, 1♂ 1♀ FISH, 1♂ LACM, LACM ENT 334044 , 1♂ 3♀ UCRC, UCRC ENT 449922 – UCRC ENT 449923 , UCRC ENT 449953 , UCRC ENT 449955 ), 3.iii.1937, J. Wilcox (1♂ FISH) ; Duarte [34.139 -117.941], 10.ii.1937, J. Wilcox (5♂ 2♀ CAS, 1♀ RBCM) ; Long Beach [33.839 -118.203], 13.ii.1957, J. Wilcox (7♂ 3♀ CAS, 1♂ RBCM) ; San Gabriel Canyon , 16.ii.1930, H. Latta (1♂ EMEC) ; San Gabriel Mountains , 2.iv.1956, R.H. Crandall (1♀ LACM, LACM ENT 334070 ) ; Whittier, San Gabriel River wash [34.004 -118.069], 27.ii.1932, C.H. Martin (1♀ EMEC) , D. Martin (1♂ 1♀ EMEC) ; Orange Co., Anaheim [33.835 -117.863], 5.iii.1937, J. Wilcox (2♂ 1♀ CAS) ; Cypress [33.821 -118.062], 22.ii.1930 (1♀ MCZ) ; Stanton [33.795 -117.978], 20.ii.1952, A.F. Howland (5♂ 2♀ CAS) , J. Wilcox (3♂ 4♀ CAS) ; Riverside Co., Bautista Canyon , T6S R2E S27 [33.693 -116.844], 22.iv.1997, G.P. Kenney (1♀ UCRC, UCRC ENT 449889 ) ; Dripping Springs , 27.iii.1962, J. Wilcox (4♂ 7♀ CAS, 1♂ 1♀ RBCM), 17.iv.1962, J. Wilcox (2♂ CAS) ; Prado, Santa Ana Canyon [33.883 -117.647], 20.ii.1937, J. Wilcox (1♂ CAS) ; Riverside [33.989 -117.393], 17.iii.1935, A.L. Melander (1♂ USNM, USNMENT1100177 ) ; San Jacinto River, Hwy 74, 2 mi E of NF boundary, cattails/sand in wash, 33.72741 -116.80946, 10.iii.2014, T.A. McKnight (2♀ RBCM, 2♂ 1♀ [2 EtOH] UMMZ) ; San Jacinto River, Hwy 74, 2 mi E of NF boundary, sagebrush slopes, 33.72265 -116.80581, 10.iii.2014, T.A. McKnight (1♂ 1♀ TAM, 1♂ [1 EtOH] UMMZ) ; San Bernardino Co., 9 mi SE Hesperia, Hwy 173 [34.313 -117.275], 21.iv.1981, E.M. Fisher (1♂ FISH) ; Colton [34.064 -117.306], F.A. Eddy (1♂ 1♀, [1 pr in cop] MCZ) ; Crafton [34.075 -117.095], 28.ii.1946, C.H. Martin (1♀ FSCA) ; Redlands [34.085 -117.166], 1913, F.R. Cole (1♀ MCZ) ; Rialto [34.109 -117.334], 7.iii.1942, J. Wilcox (1♂ CAS) ; San Diego Co., Kitchen Creek, Laguna [33.883 -117.647], 24.iii.1979, D.K. Faulkner (1♀ SDMC) ; Pala, San Luis Rey River wash jct Bompas Wash , 33.36298 -117.06455, 6.iii.2013, T.A. McKnight (1♂ 1♀ [1 pr in cop] RBCM, 1♂ 1♀ TAM, 2♂ 1♀ [2 EtOH] UMMZ) ; Rancho Santa Fe [33.013 -117.189], 31.iii.1959, E.I. Schlinger (1♀ UCRC, UCRC ENT 449956 ) ; San Luis Rey [33.239 -117.335], 13.iv.1937, J. Wilcox (2♂ 1♀ CAS) ; San Luis Rey River , 5 km SE of Pauma Valley city, 33.26048 -116.94488, 6.iii.2013, T.A. McKnight (1♂ RBCM, 1♂ 1♀ [2 EtOH] UMMZ) .

Etymology. No explanation given in the original description, but evidently refers to the type locality on the San Gabriel River, despite Wilcox’s improper use of the singular masculine genitive (-i) instead of a locational adjectival suffix (-ensis).

Distribution ( Fig. 40 ) Nearctic; USA, southern California and northern Baja California Norte. Type locality: U.S.A., California, San Gabriel River wash near Whittier.

Phylogenetic Relationships. Member of the bivittatus section, likely related to L. apoecus and L. condylophorus based on genitalia morphology. Not closely related to L. opaculus Loew 1874 , despite note in Cole & Wilcox (1938).

Natural History. Habitat: rivers and streams at low to middle elevations. Usually perches on small stones, sticks, pieces of bark, or low lying cattails above the wash bed; occasionally on bare sand ( Fig. 29 ). Known flight dates range from 31 December to 22 April. One female with Tipulidae (Diptera) prey.

Figures

FIGURE 34. 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. (34) L. apoecus sp. nov., L. condylophorus sp. nov., L. gabrieli, L. wilcoxi sp. nov., L. zonatus.

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).