Lasiopogon condylophorus 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 : 51-53

Lasiopogon condylophorus McKnight sp. nov.

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Diagnosis. ( Fig. 34 ) A medium-sized dark species from subalpine meadows of the Sierra Nevada; with mystax black, thoracic setae dark brown/black (including prothorax), scutal macrosetae and surrounding setae abundant and long; ventral setae on femur and on metacoxae dark brown; thoracic tomentum grey to brown with distinct dorsocentral stripes; tergites basally subshining brown, apical 40–60% covered in straight bands of grey tomentum. Epandrial halves moderately curved over medial margins; phallus dorsal carina comes to a spherically swollen apex parallel to gonopore; gonostylus elongate and extends medially beyond medial flange. Ovipositor dark brown, acanthophorite spines black.

Description. Body length ♂ 8.3–8.9mm; ♀ 9.4mm. Head. HW ♂ 1.82–1.97mm; ♀ 2.08mm. FW ♂ 0.45– 0.50mm; ♀ 0.52mm. VW ♂ 0.84–0.91mm; ♀ 0.94mm. VW/HW = ♂ 0.44–0.47; ♀ 0.45. FW/VW = ♂ 0.52–0.59; ♀ 0.55. VD/VW = ♂ 0.09–0.10; ♀ 0.10. GH/GL = ♂ 0.57–0.65; ♀ 0.66. Face with silvery grey tomentum, vertex brownish-grey. Ventral setae (on beard, labium, palps) white; mystax and all dorsal setae black, dense. Occipital macrosetae relatively fine (to 0.6mm), strongly bent anteriorly; frontal setae reach end of pedicel, orbital and ocellar setae reach basal quarter of postpedicel. Antennae. Black, with thin grey tomentum. Setae black, abundant, no setae on postpedicel. Postpedicel relatively short, dorsal and lateral margins straight; stylus of average length. WPP/LPP = ♂ 0.29–0.31; ♀ 0.32. LAS/LPP ♂ 0.52–0.66; ♀ 0.51. Thorax. Prothorax grey, with brown and white setae; postpronotal lobes grey, the lateral angle dark brown, setae black. Scutum tomentum grey to greyish brown; dorsocentral stripes dark brown; acrostichal stripes absent or faintly brown. All macrosetae and setae of scutum black; fine notal setae long, dorsocentral macrosetae accompanied by many long setae; anterior dorsocentrals (to 1.0mm) 5–7, posteriors 4–5; postalars 3–4, with several shorter setae; supra-alars 2–3, with several shorter setae; presuturals 2–3; posthumerals 1. Scutellar tomentum thin brown; rim slightly inflated, leaving a semi-circular line impressed inside the dorsal edge; apical macrosetae black, long, 8–12 on each side, with several other long setae; setae on uppermost edge of rim half as long as macrosetae, point straight up. Pleural tomentum pale brown. Katatergite macrosetae black, 6–9, with a few fine short brown and white setae; katepisternal setae of moderate length, white; anepisternal setae all black (to 0.7mm), 6–8 strong setae with several shorter setae along dorsal margin and in posteroventral corner; anepimeron with 1 fine white seta. Legs. Base color dark brown/black except reddish at femur-tibia joint; covered in thin grey tomentum except at femur joints. No coxal peg. Coxae with white setae except brown setae ventrally on metacoxa. Macrosetae and setae of legs all black. All femorae copiously covered in fine setae; longest ventral setae equal to femur width; apicolateral macrosetae do not stand out, profemur with 8+ macrosetae; mesofemur 5–7; metafemur 10–13. Protibia with ventral macrosetae 3 times longer than tibial width, dense patch of short yellow-brown setae along inside apical half of protibia. Claws chestnut over basal 60%, black apically.

Wings. Veins brown; membrane hyaline but pale brown when viewed obliquely. DCI = 0.36–0.43. Halter knob cream, without spot, stem brown. Abdomen. Tergite cuticle dark brown/black; thin brown tomentum on tergite bases, grey tomentum in straight bands that cover apical 40–60% of each tergite (tergite 1 completely covered in grey except mid-dorsally) but do not extend anteriorly along the midline. Tergite 1 with 4–7 lateral black macrosetae, 0–2 white. Lateral setae on tergites 1–3 or 4 white, as long as halter, on tergites 4 or 5–7 brown, as long as scape + pedicel; dorsal setulae short, brown. Sternite tomentum grey, setae white on sternites 1–5, brown on sternites 6–7. Male genitalia. Epandrium cuticle dark brown, reddish brown on hypandrium/gonocoxite complex, covered in thin grey/brown tomentum; setae long and black, setal brush dark brown. Epandrium elongate, in lateral view the width 47% the length, widest in basal third, slightly sinuate along ventral margin, gently curved to straight along dorsal margin, apex rounded with ventral subapical tooth. In dorsal view, medial margins of epandrium slightly to moderately curved, curvature starts about 45% from base, basal sclerite prominent. Phallus paramere sheath dorsally 40% the length of phallus; paramere sheath with long buttress-like ventral flange along basal half; dorsal carina extending parallel to gonopore, with spherical apex. Ejaculatory apodeme in lateral view moderately bent dorsally in basal quarter, dorsal carina narrow basally, moderately broad medially. Subepandrial sclerite with triangular central unsclerotized area in basal 54%; spines parallel-sided, blunt, densely and evenly distributed.

Female genitalia. Undissected: Cuticle dark brown except reddish at base of hypogynial valves. All setae dark brown/black except short white setae on cerci; wispy but long setae on tergite and sternite 8; lateral lobes with long black macrosetae; acanthophorite spines black.

Type Material. SYNTYPES (here designated) ♂ and ♀ on same pin labelled: “[rectangular white label] CAL. TulareCo./ Seq. Natl. Pk, 2mi / SSW Little 5 Lakes / 14-VII-1964 ”; “[rectangular white label] Arthur A. Lee / Collector”; “[rectangular white label] Pr. in copulo“; “[rectangular white and pink label] CAS”; “[rectangular white label] FISH ”. Our type label “[red and black bordered label] SYNTYPE / Lasiopogon condylophorus / des. T.A. McKnight 2017” has been added. Deposited at USNM .

PARATYPES (2 specimens designated): U.S.A.: CALIFORNIA: Tulare Co., Sequoia National Park, 2 mi SSW Little 5 Lakes [36.483 -118.578], 14.vii.1964, A.A. Lee (1♂ FISH) ; Sequoia National Park, 9 Lakes Basin [36.563 -118.535], 16.vii.1964, A.A. Lee (1♂ RBCM) .

Etymology. From the Greek κόνδυλος, kondylos, meaning condyle, and –phorus, the combining form of ‘bearer of’; noun in apposition; referring to the uniquely swollen rounded knob at the apex of the phallus dorsal carina.

Distribution ( Fig. 40 ) Nearctic; high southern Sierra Nevada in California. Type locality: U.S.A., California, Tulare Co., Sequoia National Park, 2 mi SSW Little 5 Lakes.

Phylogenetic Relationships. No samples were found with viable DNA; however, based on genitalia morphology this species is surely a member of the bivittatus section and is likely related to L. apoecus and L. gabrieli , especially the former.

Natural History. Habitat: unknown, based on the habitat from the labels likely rocky ground around high montane lakes and streams. Dates collected: 14 to 16 July.

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.