Amiota hyalou, 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 : 22-23

Amiota hyalou , sp. nov.

Figures 4C–D , 5B , 7, 8, 81B

DIAGNOSIS: Small to medium-sized fly (ThL 0.92–1.31 mm), dark brown to black; genital complex lightly sclerotized, except inner paraphysis, which is serrate at apex and along one margin; hypandrium narrow in middle; aedeagal apodeme small, roughly square, distal end faint; similar to Amiota hsui Máca , but male genital complex of A. hyalou smaller, translucent, and aedeagal apodeme without anterolateral projections on either side.

DESCRIPTION: Small to medium-sized fly (ThL 0.92–1.31 mm), dark brown to black (fading to rusty red or light brown in older specimens), legs yellow. Setation on body varying black to golden. Frons black, fading to brown above ptilinal suture. Cheek variable, wide for body size (EL/CW 12.50–19.33), milky posteriorly. Palp yellow. Tergite 1 lightly colored. Arista: Medium plumose; longest branch D3; A.R. 0.42; 4 dorsal, 3 shorter ventral branches, none pointed mediad/laterad; arista trunk with short microtrichia along much of length. Male genitalia small, translucent, lightly sclerotized: Epandrium not split medially, ventral lobe with a point. Cercus grading into membrane and dorsal bridge of epandrium; cercus long, exposed, not recessed into epandrium. Surstylus bowl or socket shaped with reticulating margin dorsally; 7 prensisetae, apices blunt; ca. 10 setulae, scattered, long. Subepandrial sclerite simple, slightly upturned posteriorly with short apex between surstyli. Outer paraphysis laterally flattened, bent nearly 90° near middle, lightly sclerotized; several clustered sensilla in lateral view near middle portion; distal end rounded with a prominent preapical claw present, small tooth proximal to preapical claw. Inner paraphysis heavily sclerotized, at 90° angle from attachment to outer paraphysis, serrated on distal end and dorsal margin. Aedeagal apodeme square shaped, nearly equal in length and width; distal end small, slightly concave, reduced to margin, flared slightly wider than width of base. Hypandrium simple, anterior margin narrow in middle, tapering to rounded distal edge anteriorly; lateral arms with posteriorly directed gonopod. Ejaculatory apodeme not studied. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 5; Am 62, 452, 455, 526, 648): FL/FW 0.87 (0.75–0.95), EL/EW 1.42 (1.34–1.66), EL/CW 15.92 (12.50–19.33), FML/ FMW 0.27 (0.25–0.29), PR /RR 0.57 (0.50–0.70), ThL 1.17 (0.92–1.31 mm).

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: male: 12 mi. N. Silver City, N.M. [New Mexico], [33.019248, -108.263582], MR Wheeler, Aug 1950, “2051,” Am 54, [specimen glued to paper point, dissected]. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History ( AMNH). Paratype: 12 mi. N. Silver City, N.M., MR Wheeler, Aug 1950, “2051,” Am 62, 1♂ (Am 62*, AMNH ).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Canada: Ontario: Marmora , 1952-06-07, leg. J. R. Vockeroth, 1♂ (Am 1434*, CNC) . USA: Arizona: Chiricahua Mts , 1950-07-21, leg. P.P. Cook, 1♂ (Am 441*, SEMC) ; Cochise Co., Vicinity of SWRS, 31.882018, -109.206636, leg. L.E. Jones and J.L. Hughes, 2019- 07-19, swept around head, 1♂ (Am 715*, AMNH) ; Oak Creek Canyon, 1941-07-09, leg. R. H. Beamer, 4♂ (Am 452-455*, SEMC) ; Tonto Creek Camp, 1951-06, leg. M. R. Wheeler and W.B. Heed, 2168.3, 1♂ (Am 72*, AMNH) . California: Los Angeles Co., Angeles Nat. For. , 34.389176, -117.716479, 2017-06- 05 through 2017-06-17, leg. L.E. Jones, swept around head, 1♂ (Am 526*, AMNH) . Illinois: Hardin Co., Shawnee Nat. For. , 37.594631, -88.382478, 2018-08- 08, leg. L.E. Jones and J.L. Hughes, swept around head, 1♂ (Am 648*, AMNH) .

ETYMOLOGY: From hyalos, Greek for “glass,” in reference to the translucent, fragile, nonsclerotized nature of the male genitalia.

DISTRIBUTION: This species is widespread, a band stretching from southwestern New Mexico, through central Arizona, and into southern California. Single specimens have also been identified from southern Illinois and Ontario.

COMMENTS: Amiota hyalou , as treated here, may be a species complex (fig. 8), though a lack of large series makes this difficult to assess. The various specimens differ in respect to the broadness of the distal end of the aedeagal apodeme as well as the size and positioning of the apical hook on the outer paraphysis. It is likely that the single specimen from Illinois represents a new species, but more collections and sequence data would make this easier to judge. Western populations of A. hyalou as well as the individual from Illinois exhibit the characteristic behavior of attraction to the eyes and face common to many Amiota .

Figures

FIG. 4. Heads and lateral views, A. hsui species group. A–B. A. hsui Máca (Am 381). C–D. A. hyalou, sp. nov. (Am 62, paratype, lateral image flipped).

FIG. 5. Aristae, A. hsui species group. A. A. hsui Máca. B. A. hyalou. Not to same scale.