Amiota sinaloensis, Jones & Grimaldi, 2022

Jones, Lance E. & Grimaldi, David A., 2022, Revision Of The Nearctic Species Of The Genus Amiota Loew (Diptera: Drosophilidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2022 (458), pp. 1-181 : 138-139

Amiota sinaloensis , sp. nov.

Figures 70C–D , 72H–I , 80 , 96C

DIAGNOSIS: Small to medium-sized fly (ThL 1.02–1.18 mm); dark brown, including entire pleura; frons dark, dull, wide; legs yellow; cheek deep, light brown; postpronotal lobe marking faint, subalar spot very faint or absent; arista with few, very short branches; cerci flattened, positioned low, ventral margins in line with ventral level of epandrium; surstylus apically narrow, with ca. 5 prensisetae; subepandrial appendage well developed; outer paraphyses asymmetrical, relatively short, forming L-shaped structure in lateral view, ventrally with 2 basal ostia; inner paraphysis lost.

DESCRIPTION: Small to medium-sized fly (ThL 1.02–1.18 mm), body dark brown, uniformly so, even entire pleura including katepisternum; legs yellow. Frons dark, blackish-brown dorsally, light brown ventrally at lateral corners; relatively narrow (FML/FMW 0.20–0.28). Cheek deep (EL/CW 7.57–7.62), very light brown. Palp yellow. Postpronotal lobe marking faint, subalar spot extremely faint to absent. Arista: Short, plumose; longest branch D2; A.R. 0.28; 2 dorsal branches at base, 2 ventral branches preapically; branch D3 pointed mediad; arista trunk with short to mediumlength microtrichia to apex. Male genitalia: Epandrium dorsally complete, margin discrete from membrane below; row of long ventral setae in lateral view. Cercus wedge shaped, flattened, dorsally narrow, ventrally expanded with flat margin, extending slightly beyond epandrium in lateral view; very large membranous area dorsally. Surstylus with broad base, apical half a narrow lobe; row of setulae on medial and lateral margins; 5 short prensisetae, apices blunt. Subepandrial appendage present, U-shaped, each distal end connected to membranous sheath bearing microtrichia; roughly heart shaped. Outer paraphyses asymmetrical; short, stout, heavily sclerotized; bases broad, narrowed apically; right paraphysis with bifid spine projected posteriorly, plus 2 smaller, simple ventral spines; left one with 3 short spines; 1 long preapical trichoid sensilla on each, plus several smaller ones, ventrally with 2 small ostia near base. Inner paraphysis lost. Aedeagal apodeme flared with a concave depression; basal end with deep V-shaped notch, heavily sclerotized “flange” arising at the base and connecting to the midpoint; bent nearly 90° in lateral. Hypandrium thin at apex, forming distinct, wrinkled wings adjacent to paraphyses. Ejaculatory apodeme large, equal to depth of epandrium; heavily sclerotized. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 3; Am 433, 1415, 1419) FL/ FW 0.69 (0.62–0.73), EL/EW 1.25 (1.23–1.27), EL/CW 7.58 (7.57–7.62), FML/FMW 0.24 (0.20–0.28), PR /RR 0.41 (0.40–0.44), ThL 1.10 (1.02–1.18 mm).

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: male: Portrerillos, Sin. [Sinaloa], 15 mi. W. El Palmito, MEX., [23.578657, -106.216630], 11.VII.1964, J.F. McAlpine, 5000′, Am 1419, [glued directly to pin, dissected]. Deposited in the Canadian National Collection ( CNC). Paratype: Portrerillos, Sin. [Sinaloa], 15 mi. W. El Palmito, MEX., 8.VII.1964, J.F. McAlpine, 5000′, 1♂ (Am 1415*, CNC) .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Mexico: Chiapas: FincaPrusia (33km S. Jaltenango), 1000m, 1985-05-10 through 1985-05-12, leg. A. Freidberg, 1♂ (Am 433*, AMNH) ; 9 mi SW Teopisca Hwy 24, 1969-05-23, leg. B. V. Peterson, 1♂ (Am 1503*, CNC) .

ETYMOLOGY: Derived from Sinaloa State in Mexico, location of the type series.

DISTRIBUTION: Amiota sinaloensis is currently known from Sinaloa and Chiapas states in Mexico.

COMMENTS: It is unknown whether this species is attracted to the eyes and face as in other Amiota .

Figures

FIG. 70. Heads and lateral views, ungrouped species. A–B. A. laevifurca, sp. nov. (Am 1416, holotype). C–D. A. sinaloensis, sp. nov. (Am 1419, holotype).

FIG. 72. Aristae, ungrouped species. A. A. barretti (Johnson). B. A. buccata Wheeler. C. A. didens. D. A. humeralis Loew. E. A. floridiensis. F. A. imperator. G. A. laevifurca. H–I. A. sinaloensis. Not to the same scale.

FIG. 80. Male terminalia, A. sinaloensis. A. Epandrium and cerci. B. Ejaculatory apodeme. C. Lateral view. D. Aedeagal apodeme. E. Ventral view, surstyi, apex of subepandrial appendage, hypandrium, and paraphyses. F. Outer paraphyses, dorsal view. (Am 1419, holotype).

FIG. 96. Distribution maps, Ungrouped species. A. A. imperator. B. A. laevifurca. C. A. sinaloensis.