Procanace Hendel

Mathis, Wayne N. & Marinoni, Luciane, 2012, A conspectus on the Canacidae (Diptera) of Brazil, ZooKeys 162, pp. 59-92 : 73

Genus Procanace Hendel (30 species worldwide; 1 from Brazil)

Procanace Hendel 1913: 93. Type species: Procanace grisescens Hendel, by original designation. Mathis 1988: 329-333 [first record of genus from Western Hemisphere]. Munari and Mathis 2010: 25-27 [world catalog].

Diagnosis.

General coloration whitish gray, olivaceous, to blackish brown. Head: Interfrontal setae absent, but with a few setulae inserted anteriorly; fronto-orbital setae 3; ocelli arranged to form equilateral or isosceles triangle, if isosceles, the greater distance is between posterior ocelli. Arista pubescent over entire length. Two large dorsoclinate genal setae; anteroclinate genal seta moderately well developed. Palpus not bearing long setae. Epistomal margin, in lateral view, more or less horizontal. Thorax: Acrostichal setae, especially a prescutellar pair of large setae, usually lacking (setulae present in species of the williamsi group); scutellar disc lacking setae (1-2 pairs of scutellar disc setulae occur in Procanace nakazatoi Miyagi of the williamsi group); 2 pairs of marginal scutellar setae, apical pair not dorsoclinate; anterior and posterior notopleural setae present, length of both subequal; anepisternum with scattered setulae. Katepisternal seta usually present (lacking in species of the grisescens group). Hindtibia lacking spine-like setae apically. Abdomen: Male genitalia as follows: Epandrium in posterior view wider than high; cerci reduced, poorly sclerotized; surstylus with an anterior and posterior lobe, the latter larger, sometimes markedly so and shape unique to species.

Discussion.

Mathis (1988) first reported the occurrence of Procanace in the New World from specimens collected along the tidal shores of the Potomac River in Virginia. This species is now known from coastal habitats on Bermuda and from Virginia south through the West Indies to Brazil. Whether this species is adventive to the New World is unknown but likely.

The only species known from the New World is Procanace dianneae , which is in the cressoni group of Procanace ( Mathis 1988). The cressoni group is diagnosed by the following combination of external characters: Head: Postocellar setae present, subequal to length of ocellar seta; clypeus low, width at least 4X height; palpus yellowish. Thorax: Acrostichal setulae lacking; proepisternal seta(e) present; katepisternal seta present.