Lucilia mexicana Macquart, 1844

Whitworth, Terry, 2014, A revision of the Neotropical species of Lucilia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Zootaxa 3810 (1), pp. 1-76 : 33-34

10. Lucilia mexicana Macquart, 1844

Figs. 47, 48 , 71, 72 , 99–101 , 127 , 139 , 151 , 161 , Tables 1, 2.

Lucilia mexicana Macquart, 1844: 300 . Holotype male (MNHN, not examined). Type locality: Mexico.

Lucilia mexicana: Aubertin 1933: 422 ; Whitworth 2006: 721; Kosmann et al. 2013: 77.

Phaenicia mexicana: Hall 1948: 243 ; Mello 1961: 268; James 1970: 11; Mariluis et al. 1994: 29.

Lucilia unicolor Townsend, 1908: 121 . Holotype: female (USNM, not examined). Type locality: United States, New Mexico, Mesilla.

Lucilia unicolor: Shannon 1926: 133 .

Lucilia infuscata Townsend, 1908: 123 . Holotype: male (USNM, not examined). Type locality: United States, New Mexico, Organ Mountains .

Diagnosis. Known from the US (primarily the Southwest), Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. It superficially resembles L. eximia , but strong, black setae behind and below the postocular row (as in Fig. 4 ) in L. mexicana vs. pale and weak setae in L. eximia (as in Fig. 3 ) separates them. It also has a dark face and gena, while L. eximia tends to have an orange face and gena. The male genitalia of the former have distinctive inverted Y-shaped cerci when viewed from the rear ( Fig. 47 ), while cerci are nearly parallel in the latter ( Fig. 42 ). The distributions of the two species overlap throughout the range of L. mexicana . This species also resembles L. ochricornis , but the former is known only from Mexico and Central America, while the latter is only known from South America.

Description. Male. Frons is wide, 0.055 (0.05–0.06/8) of head width at narrowest. Fronto-orbital plate bright silvery from above, darker from below, frontal setae ascend from antennal bases to vertex; fronto-orbital plates broad and nearly touch midway; gena and genal groove dark silvery with dark setae; postgena also dark silvery, anterior one-third to one-half with dark setae, the remainder with pale setae; frontal vitta brown to dark orange, nearly obliterated by broad fronto-orbitals midway; pedicel grey, apical edge orange, first flagellomere grey, about equal in width to parafacial. Ocellar triangle medium size, anterior ocellus about twice the diameter of posterior ocelli, usually with a shining black preocellar area, a small pair of stout ocellar setae, the remaining setae short and weaker. Supravibrissal setae ascend about one-third of way up facial ridge. Intrapostocular area with bright silvery microtomentum; usually two rows of stout black setae below and behind strong postocular row, the remaining setae on the occiput are pale and weak. The thorax and abdomen of most species are bright green, rarely coppery or bluish. The upper and lower thoracic spiracles dark brown to black; legs brown; proepisternal depression with dark setae; tegula black, basicosta dark brown; subcostal sclerite dark orange with pubescence. Upper calypter and rim pale, lower calypter light tan, rim usually pale. Anterior edge of presutural area of thorax with white microtomentum, the remainder of the thorax polished. Abdomen with T1–4 and anterior third to half of T5 with whitish microtomentum. The surstylus is long, slender, curved forward, and parallel-sided. It also has distinctive upside down Y-shaped cerci visible in the posterior view, and the tip of the cercus with a distinct hook ( Figs. 47, 48 ). Phallus, hypandrium, pre- and postgonite, ejaculatory sclerite, and sternites as in 71, 72, 99–101, 127 respectively.

Female. Characters similar to male except frons width averages 0.28 (0.26–0.30/6) of head width. Both upper and lower calypters pale. T1–4 with whitish microtomentum, anterior edge of T5 with microtomentum or all polished. The ovipositor and spermathecae as in Figs. 139 , 151 .

Specimens examined. (32 males, 81 females). Guatemala: (6 males, 18 females) Chimaltenango Dept. 1 male, Chimaltenango, Oct. 6, 1979, E. Aguilar ( USDC) . Guatemala Dept. 2 males, 1 female, Guatemala City, May 30, 1990, J. Monzon ( UVGC) ; 1 female, same data except San Lazro, March, 1997, M. Monzon ; 2 females, same data except July 17, 1986, P. Mayorga ; 1 female, same data except May 27, 1986, G. Robles ; 1 female, same data except June 15, 1986, Juan Perez ; 1 female, same data, May 10, 1996, E. Kepfer ; 1 female, same data except April 20, 2010, J. Moran ( WSUP) ; 1 female, Guatemala City, Zona 5, April 23, 1996, J. Rodas ( WSUP) ; 1 male, Guatemala City, Zona 15, Feb. 12, 2000, C.A. Samayoa ( UVGC) ; 1 female, Guatemala City, Zona 15, May 5, 2002, K. Morales ( UVGC) ; 1 female, Guatemala City , Aug. 31, 1979, E. Aquilar ( UCDC) ; 1 female, Guatemala City , July 16, 1989, K.S. Bloem ( UCDC) ; 1 female, Guatemala City , April 19, 2001, Lis Lima ( WSUP) ; 1 female, Mixco, las Hojarascas , Feb. 2, 2002, S. Melgar ( WSUP) ; 1 male, San Jose, Pinula , April 1, 1992, L.F. Cocores ( WSUP) ; 1 female, Guatemala Sta., Catarina Pinula, Piedra Parada , Aug. 24, 2009, J.C. Schuster ( WSUP) ; 1 male, Casa Jack , April 18–25, 2009, Jack Schuster ( WSUP) ; 1 female, Villa Nueva, Fca. Paraiso , Feb. 12, 1991, Clara I. ( WSUP) . 1 male, Catarina Pinula, Fca. Munbal , May 3, 2001, Omar Rgalaado ( WSUP) ; 1 female, same data except March, 2010, A.F. Barillas ( WSUP) . Verapaz Dept. 1 female, Union Barrios , May 2, 2004, A. Estrada ( WSUP) . Honduras: 3 females, S. Macos Chol., July 29, 1958, Neff and Matthews ( CNC) . Mexico (26 males, 54 females): State of Baja California. 1 male, Sur las Barracas, 30km E Santiago , Oct. 15, 1982. Paul DeBach ( EMEC) ; State of Chiapas. 1 male, Cristoba de las Casas , May 24, 1969 ; 1 male, San Cristobal, San Felipe , June 30, 1991, 7200 ft. ( TAMU) ; 1 male, Yerba Buena, Hyw. 195, June 10, 1969, B.V. Peterson ( CNC) . State of Chihuahua. 1 male, Cuiteco , Sept. 1, 1969, T.A. Sears, R.C. Gordon, C.S. Glaser ( LACM) . State of Coahuila. 4 males, 2 females, Saltillo, July 12, 2010, C. Nunez-Vazquez ( TW) ; 3 males, 5 females, Torreon, 2007, Teresa Perezgasga ( TW) . State of Durango. 1 male, Durango , June 22, 1964, L.A. Kelton ( CNC) ; 1 male, 1.8 mi. W Durango , July 31, 1964, J. Powell ( EMEC) . State of Jalisco. 1 male, Autlan , Aug. 22, 1970, Malaise trap, J.S. Wasbuauer ( EMEC) ; 1 male, Teocaltiche , Aug. 22, 1970, B. Villegas ( UCDC) ; 1 male, 6 mi N Chapala , Sept. 7, 1980, J.B. Karren ( LACM) . State of Michoacan. 6 males, Catija , Aug. 23, 1970, B. Villegas ( UCDC) ; State of Morelos. 1 female, Cuernavaca , Nov. 10–12, 1987, F.D. Parker ( LACM) . State of Neuvo Leon. 1 male, San Juanito , Sept. 22, 1976, 7200 ft., J.A. Chemsak, M. Michelbacher ( EMEC) . State of Oxaca. 1 female, Monte Alban , June 28, 1973, Howard Weems ( FSCA) . State of Puebla. 1 female, 2 mi NW Tehuacan, April 25, 1953, B.C. Bechtel, E.I. Schillinger ( EMEC) . State of Zacatecas. 2 males, 4 females, Nochistlan, Aug. 23, 1970, E. Villegas ( EMEC) ; 2 females, same data except Aug. 23, 1970, 6400 ft. ; 38 females, same data except Aug. 26, 1979 . United States, New Mexico, 5 females [BNNR062–66], Grant.CO, Cherry Creek , Aug. 15, 2007, T.L. Whitworth ( TW) .

Distribution. Southwestern US, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

Discussion. Hall (1948, p. 204) used the condition of setae below and behind the postocular row in his key to separate L. mexicana from other Lucilia . However, he described the additional dark setae in this species as a second row of postocular setae. The single postocular row of setae is actually much stronger than the setae below and behind it. I do not consider these as extra rows of postoculars; rather they are stout, dark setae below and behind the postocular row. Hall’s key indicated only L. mexicana had this character, while L. purpurascens and L. coeruleiviridis lacked it. In my studies, I found both L. purpurascens and L. coeruleiviridis actually share this character with L. mexicana .

Five specimens were barcoded; they formed a group along with L. coeruleiviridis though morphologically they are easily distinguished from each other ( Fig. 161 ). DeBry et al. (2013) also noted that DNA analysis did not distinguish these two species. Two specimens of L. eximia from East Baton Rouge, LA also grouped with these specimens, though upon re-examination they proved to be typical for L. eximia . Oddly, none of the many other L. eximia barcoded grouped near this species. As mentioned under the discussion of L. eximia , barcodes did a poor job of distinguishing this species.

Figures

FIGURE 161. A neighbor joining tree of specimens and species of Neotropical Lucilia using CO1 DNA barcode, made with K2P distance and generated in BOLD.

FIGURES 47–50. Left lateral and posterior views of male genitalia of Lucilia spp. 47, 48. L. mexicana. 49, 50. L. nitida.

FIGURES 63–72. Phallus of male Lucilia in left lateral and dorsal views. 63, 64. L. albofusca. 65, 66. L. eximia. 67, 68. L. ibis. 69, 70. L. japuhybensis. 71, 72. L. mexicana.

FIGURES 99–110. Hypandrium, pre- and postgonites, and ejaculatory sclerite of male Lucilia. 99–101. L. mexicana. 102–104. L. nitida. 105–107. L. ochricornis. 108–110. L. pulverulenta.

FIGURES 123–134. Male Lucilia abdominal sternites ST1–5. 123. L. albofusca. 124. L. eximia. 125. L. ibis. 126. L. japuhybensis. 127. L. mexicana 128. L. nitida (ST1 is missing).129. L. ochricornis. 130. L. pulverulenta. 131. L. purpurascens. 132. L. rognesi. 133. L. vulgata. 134. L. woodi.

FIGURES 139–142. Ovipositors of Lucilia. 139. L. mexicana. 140. L. nitida. 141. L. ochricornis. 142. L. pulverulenta.

FIGURES 147–158. Spermathecae of Lucilia. 147. L. albofusca. 148. L. eximia. 149. L. ibis. 150. L. japuhybensis. 151. L mexicana. 152. L. nitida. 153. L. ochricornis. 154. L. pulverulenta. 155. L. purpurascens. 156. L. rognesi. 157. L. vulgata. 158. L. woodi.

FIGURES 1–6. 1–2. Left lateral view of gena=g and postgena=pg showing color of setae on gena. 1. L. cluvia, setae pale. 2. L. eximia, setae dark. Left lateral view of head showing condition of setae below and behind postocular row on occiput (white arrow). 3. L. albofusca female, setae pale and weak. 4. L. ochricornis female, setae stout and dark. Left lateral view of eye facet size, see white arrows 5. L. ochricornis male, anterior and posterior facets very small. 6. L. purpurascens male, anterior facets twice the diameter of posterior facets.

FIGURES 39–42. Left lateral and posterior views of male genitalia of Lucilia spp. 39, 40. L. albofusca. 41, 42. L. eximia.