Aphestia nigra Bigot, 1878

Camargo, Alexssandro, Vieira, Rodrigo & Rafael, José Albertino, 2024, Taxonomic review of Aphestia Schiner, 1866 (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae) with description of seven new species, Zootaxa 5436 (1), pp. 1-80 : 25-30

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5436.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:42656763-C43A-4762-9678-EBE40136907B
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6B7E87DC-FFC5-FFC8-FF34-439CC770FDDC
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Aphestia nigra Bigot, 1878
status

Treatment

Aphestia nigra Bigot, 1878 View in CoL

( Figs 3F View FIGURE 3 , 13–16 View FIGURE 13 View FIGURE 14 View FIGURE 15 View FIGURE 16 , 40 View FIGURE 40 )

Aphestia nigra Bigot, 1878: 235 View in CoL ; Williston, 1883: 33 (species list); Aldrich, 1905: 268 (catalogue); Hermann, 1912: 123 (revision); Hull, 1962 (1): 383 (synopsis of world fauna); Martin & Papavero, 1970: 50 (catalogue); Artigas, Papavero & Serra, 1991; 57 ( Atomosiini View in CoL catalogue); Papavero & Ibáñez-Bernal, 2001: 121 (species list); Papavero, 2009: 85 (catalogue).

Atomosia nigra ; Osten Sacken, 1887: 185 (species list); Kertész, 1909: 164 (catalogue).

Aphestia mexicana Williston, 1901: 317 View in CoL , pl. 6, fig. 2; Aldrich, 1905: 268 (catalogue); Kertész, 1909: 167 (catalogue); Hull, 1962 (1): 383 (synopsis of world fauna); Martin & Papavero, 1970: 50 (catalogue); Artigas, Papavero & Serra, 1991: 58 (synonymization, Atomosiini View in CoL catalogue); Papavero & Ibáñez-Bernal, 2003: 176 (species list); Papavero, 2009: 85 (catalogue).

Diagnosis. Mystacal macrosetae and setae yellowish white ( Fig. 13C–D View FIGURE 13 ); 1 notopleural, 1 supra-alar, 2 postalar ( Fig. 13G View FIGURE 13 ) and 4 reddish yellow marginal scutellar macrosetae ( Fig. 13G View FIGURE 13 ); fore and mid femora and tibiae mostly yellow ( Fig. 13B View FIGURE 13 ).

Redescription. Lectotype male (present designation) ( Figs 13A–D, G–H View FIGURE 13 , 14 View FIGURE 14 ). Head: black, white pruinose ( Fig. 13C–D View FIGURE 13 ), except face and occiput yellowish white; orbital setae white; mystacal macrosetae and setae yellowish white ( Fig. 13C–D View FIGURE 13 ); ocellar tubercle shining, ocelli yellowish, 2 reddish yellow ocellar setae; vertex white setose; 13 reddish yellow postocular macrosetae; occipital and lower occipital setae white; proboscis black, reddish brown basally, proboscial setae white and labial yellowish white; palpus black, white setose ( Fig. 13C–D View FIGURE 13 ). Antenna: scape black sparsely white pruinose, dorsal setae black and ventral white; pedicel reddish brown with black setae; postpedicel black, basal extremity slightly yellowish, sensorial area brown ( Fig. 13E View FIGURE 13 ).

Thorax ( Fig. 13A–B, G View FIGURE 13 ): black, white pruinose; postpronotal lobe and postalar callus reddish yellow ( Fig. 13G View FIGURE 13 ). Chaetotaxy: mostly yellowish white setose, except punctations golden; katatergite and anatergite yellowish white setose; macrosetae: 1 notopleural, 1 supra-alar, 2 postalar ( Fig. 13G View FIGURE 13 ), 4 marginal scutellar reddish yellow ( Fig. 13G View FIGURE 13 ) and 3 posterior anepisternal yellowish white.

Wings ( Fig. 13H View FIGURE 13 ): translucent; veins yellowish brown; cell r 5 open; halteres yellow.

Legs ( Fig. 13B View FIGURE 13 ): mostly yellow except coxae black, white pruinose, trochanters reddish brown; fore and mid femora darker on distal half; hind femur brown on distal half; hind tibia with distal forth brown; tarsi brown. Chaetotaxy: coxae white and trochanters yellowish white setose; fore femur with 1 anterior, 1 dorsal distal and 2 posterodorsal yellow macrosetae; mid femur with 1 ventral, 1 anterior, 1 dorsal and 2 dorsal distal yellow macrosetae; hind femur with 1 posterior distal yellow and 1–2 dorsal distal black macrosetae; tibiae with reddish yellow macrosetae, mid and hind tibiae with distal black setae; tarsi with dorsal black and ventral reddish yellow macrosetae and setae; brush setae reddish yellow; claws black, reddish yellow basally; empodium and pulvilli reddish yellow.

Abdomen ( Fig. 13A–B View FIGURE 13 ): black, punctate with sparse brownish yellow setae; T1 with 3, T2 with 2, T3–5 with 1 and T6 with 3–4 yellowish lateral marginal macrosetae; sternites brown, white pruinose, yellowish on posterior third and sparsely white setose.

Terminalia ( Fig. 14A–K View FIGURE 14 ): reddish brown, except gonocoxite dark brown; yellowish white setose; oval in dorsal and ventral views ( Fig. 14A–B View FIGURE 14 ); epandrium truncate posteriorly, slightly concave medially, with few setae on posterolateral margins ( Fig. 14A, E View FIGURE 14 ); cercus rectangular, dorsally setose ( Fig. 14A, E View FIGURE 14 ); subepandrial sclerite broad basally and digitiform at posterior half with sparse setae ( Fig. 14A, E View FIGURE 14 ); gonocoxite rounded at base with cuneiform distal apex, setose dorsally and ventrally ( Fig. 14C, G–H View FIGURE 14 ); gonostylus rod-like, short setose apically ( Fig. 14C, G–H View FIGURE 14 ); hypandrium cordiform ( Fig. 14F View FIGURE 14 ); phallus with prongs tapering posteriorly ( Fig. 14I–K View FIGURE 14 ); parameral sheath conic posteriorly and rectangular anteriorly ( Fig. 14I View FIGURE 14 ); parameral apodeme directed posteriorly and ventrally ( Fig. 14I–K View FIGURE 14 ); ejaculatory apodeme deltoid ( Fig. 14J View FIGURE 14 ).

Length. Body: 12.2 mm; wings: 10.3 mm.

Lectotype condition (present designation). Specimen dusty, mounted on paperboard; postpedicel missing ( Fig. 13A–D View FIGURE 13 ); one ocellar seta broken; notopleural and supra-alar macrosetae broken; one marginal scutellar macrosetae broken ( Fig. 13G View FIGURE 13 ); right fore tibia missing ( Fig. 13A View FIGURE 13 ); left wing damaged on basal third ( Fig. 13B View FIGURE 13 ); terminalia dissected.

Female paralectotype (present designation) ( Fig. 13F View FIGURE 13 , 15 View FIGURE 15 ). Similar to male, except postpedicel sensorial area smaller ( Fig. 13F View FIGURE 13 ) and terminalia dark brown, yellowish and whitish setose; T9+T10+cercus with dark band anteriorly, truncate posteriorly and indented medially, sparsely setose dorsally and densely posteriorly ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ); hypoproct conic ( Fig. 15B View FIGURE 15 ); S8 with a V-shaped indentation mid-anteriorly, mid-posterior margin slightly salient, sparsely setose on posterior half ( Fig. 15C View FIGURE 15 ); spermathecae with 4–5 turns, more sclerotized than spermathecal ducts; sperm pump less evident; genital fork slightly protruding laterally ( Fig. 15D View FIGURE 15 ).

Variation. Fore and mid femora brown and tarsi black.

Distribution. Mexico (Veracruz and Guerrero), Guatemala (Izabal) and Costa Rica (Heredia, San José and Puntarenas) ( Fig. 40 View FIGURE 40 ).

Phenology. The largest number of collecting events for this species was observed from May to July (Tab. 1) which coincides with late spring and early summer in the northern hemisphere.

Taxonomic discussion. Aphestia nigra was described based on a series of eight syntypes (Simmons in litt., 2015), from which four specimens (two males and two females) were kindly lent by Zoë Simmons, curator of Diptera Collection at Oxford Museum ( OXF). Bigot (1878) provided a brief description based on male and female specimens without including the number of individuals and the type locality consisting only of “Mexicus”. This species can be differentiated from its congeners by the presence of only two postalar macrosetae ( Fig. 13G View FIGURE 13 ); and the posterior margin of the gonocoxite cuneiform ( Fig. 14C, G–H View FIGURE 14 ) .

Williston (1901) described Aphestia mexicana ( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 , 16 View FIGURE 16 ) based on two female syntypes (one of them teneral), which are, in fact, one male “teneral” ( Fig. 16 View FIGURE 16 ) and one female ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ), collected in Atoyac in Veracruz and Amula in Guerrero. Despite the brief description, the sex, number of specimens and a more accurate type locality were provided. This is the only species described accompanied by an illustration. Hermann (1912) was probably unaware of this species since it was not mentioned in his revision of Aphestia .

Artigas et al. (1991) synonymized Aphestia mexicana Williston, 1901 , with Aphestia nigra Bigot, 1878 , without providing any justification. In this study, the type material of both species was analysed. Through the comparison of specimens and structures of the male terminalia ( Fig. 16G–I View FIGURE 16 ), the synonymy was corroborated.

Material examined. Lectotype (present designation) ( Fig. 13A–D, G–H View FIGURE 13 ). Syntype / 216 in Coll. Bigot. / Coll. Bigot. Abt 1845-93 Press. 1913 by J.E. Collin. / Aphestia nigra Big. 8 specimens to Hermann ii.10. / TYPE DIP: 219 8/8 Aphestia nigra Bigot HOPE DEPT. OXFORD / Lectotype Aphestia nigra Bigot, 1878 present designation (♂ OXF). Paralectotypes (present designation). Syntype / 216 in Coll. Bigot. / Coll. Bigot. Abt 1845-93 Press. 1913 by J.E. Collin. / TYPE DIP: 219 1/8 Aphestia nigra Bigot HOPE DEPT. OXFORD / Paralectotype Aphestia nigra Bigot, 1878 present designation (1♀ OXF); Same data, TYPE DIP: 219 4/8 (1♂ OXF); Same data, TYPE DIP 219 3/8 (1♀ OXF). Syntype ( Fig. 16A–I View FIGURE 16 ). Aphestia mexicana Will. / SYNTYPE Aphestia mexicana Williston det J.E. Chainey 1984 / Atoyac, Vera Cruz. April. H.H.S. / Central America. Pres. by F.D. Godman. O. Salvin 1903- 172 / B.C.A. Dipt. I. Aphestia mexicana Will. / BMNH (E) 1238425 ( Fig. 16B View FIGURE 16 ) (♂ NHM). Additional material. MEX.[ICO]. Veracruz: Fortin de las Flores, vii–7 to 12–[19]74, Elev. 1010m / J.A. Chemsak E. & J. Linsley & J. Powell at lights (1♂ COEF); Fortin de las Flores, 6–vii–[19]81 Malaise trap (1♀ COEF); Cordoba, vii–6.1966 / J.S. Buckett, M. R. & R.C. Gardner Coll / Aphestia mexicana Will. Det. J. Wilcox 1968 (1♀ UCDC); Same data, Aphestia mexicana Will. Det. Det. L.G. Bezark [19]82 (1♀ UCDC); Cordoba, vii–13.1966 / J.S. Buckett, M. R. & R.C. Gardner Coll / Aphestia mexicana Will. Det. J. Wilcox 1968 (1♂ UCDC); Cordoba, vii–20.1966 / J.S. Buckett, M. R. & R.C. Gardner Coll / Aphestia mexicana Will. Det. J. Wilcox 1968 (1♂ UCDC); Cordoba. vii–28.1966 / Aphestia mexicana Will. det. J. Wilcox 1968 / Aphestia nigra Big. Det. E.M. Fisher [19]84 (2♂ COEF); Cordoba, vi–29.1966 / J.S. Buckett, M. R. & R.C. Gardner Coll / Aphestia mexicana Will. Det. J. Wilcox 1968 (1♂ UCDC); 5 Mai / Bilimek Mexico 1871 Orizaba / nigra det. Hermann (1♀ NMW); GUATEMALA. Yzabel[Izabal]: El Sauve[El Sauce?], Col. Duret, 25.ix.[19]55 / Muséum Paris, Coll. Duret 788/93 (1♂ & 1♀ MNHNP); COSTA RICA. Heredia: Pr. La Selva Biol.[ogical] Sta.[tion] 3 km S.[outh] Pto.[Porto] Viejo 10°26’N 84°01’W / 13.vi.1991, H.A. Hespenheide / Aphestia nigra Big det. E.M. Fisher (1♂ COEF); Same data, 6.v.1990, H.A. Hespenheide / Aphestia nigra Big. E.M. Fisher (1♀ COEF); Prov.[incia] San José: S.[an] Isidro [del General] 10.iii.1974, Col. O. O Baudo (1♀ MZUCR); Puntarenas, Las Alturas Field Station, 20 km N San Vito de Hava, 1–5/vii/91 DeVries 1400m. Malaise trap (1♂ AMNH).

OXF	University of Oxford
NHM	University of Nottingham
R	Departamento de Geologia, Universidad de Chile
UCDC	R. M. Bohart Museum of Entomology
NMW	Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien
MNHNP	Museo Nacional de Historia Natural del Paraguay
AMNH	American Museum of Natural History

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Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Class	Insecta
Order	Diptera
Family	Asilidae
Genus	Aphestia