Diplonevra setigera (Malloch)

Corona, Emily M. & Brown, Brian V., 2005, The Central American species of Diplonevra Lioy (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 1050, pp. 21-38 : 32-35

Diplonevra setigera (Malloch)

Figs. 5–11 , 18 , 24 .

Dohrniphora setigera Malloch, 1914: 24 .

Diplonevra setigera: Borgmeier, 1961: 110 .

Dohrniphora gaudialis Cockerell, 1915: 351 –352. NEW SYNONYMY. Dohrniphora impressa Borgmeier, 1923: 334 –336, fig. 3. NEW SYNONYMY.

Holotype. ɗ, COSTA RICA: Cartago, 3.i.1910, P. P. Calvert, sweeping over mud [ ANSP holotype #6036] ( ANSP; examined).

Recognition. This species differs from other Central American Diplonevra by the hind tibia bare of anterior setae, the small process at the base of the posterior face of the hind femur that bears 2–3 setae, and the setation of the trochanter.

The Brazilian species D. impressa Borgmeier was separated from D. setigera in Borgmeier’s (1969) key because of supposed differences in the origin of wing vein M1. In D. impressa , M1 is supposed to arise level with the fork of the radial veins, whereas in D. setigera it is stated to arise proximal to this fork; in reality, the vein arises at the same location in the holotype of D. setigera and in specimens of D. impressa from Brazil we examined. Because of the great similarity of the base of the hind femur (shown in Figs. 10–11 ), we therefore consider D. impressa a junior synonym of D. setigera .

The North American species D. gaudialis (Cockerell) is separated in Borgmeier’s key by a short (less than 0.5 wing length – D. gaudialis ) versus long (0.5 or more wing length – D. setigera ) costa. This character is known to vary widely within species, however, and comparison of the structure of the hind femur ( Fig. 9 ) shows that these two species are also the same, and that D. gaudialis is a synonym of D. setigera .

Description. Male. Body length 1.85–3.3 mm. Frons dark reddish­brown to dark brown, punctate. Mean frontal width 0.50 head width. Flagellomere 1 brown, spherical. Arista brown. Palpus yellow­brown; apex with large, pointed setae that range in length from 0.055–0.15 mm, and many small, fine setulae along margin laterally. Proboscis yellow and elongate, narrow. Scutum dark reddish­brown to brown; scutellum brown, with anterior scutellar seta two­thirds length and one­half thickness of posterior seta. Pleuron shiny, tomentose, light brown to dark brown; some with dorsum of meron light brown to dark brown. Fore­ and midlegs yellow. Posterior face of hind trochanter with dorsomedial and lateral dense, extremely fine setae; ventrally with 2 (rarely 3) long, thick setae ( Fig. 9 ). Ventrobasal region of posterior face of hind femur with process containing 2–3 extremely short, thick setae ( Figs. 5–11 ). Apical half of hind femur with darkening on both anterior and posterior faces; basal half yellow. Hind tibiae yellow to brown. Wing clear to evenly brown (sometimes just wing tip darkened), vein R2+3 present, fork large ( Fig. 18 ). Costal length 0.48–0.53 wing length [need to redo]. Costal setae 0.07–0.12 mm. Mean costal sector ratio 4.0:1.0:1.0; range 3.5–4.3:1.0–1.1:1.0. Base of radial sector with 1 small seta. Halter light brown. Abdominal tergites black­brown to light brown. Venter of abdomen brown to dark gray. Epandrium yellow­brown to dark brown. Left side of epandrium glossy with posterior margin setose consisting of 1 long and several short setae. Right side of epandrium ( Fig. 24 ) mostly tomentose except glossy dorsally with posteroventral margin setose consisting of several fine setae and 1 longer (0.5–0.8 length of epandrium), most posteroventral seta. Hypandrium yellow­brown to dark brown. Left side of hypandrium mostly tomentose except glossy posteriorly. Right side of hypandrium tomentose. Cercus yellow, setose. Stalk of cercus yellow to (rarely) yellowish­brown, setose except dorsally and basal one­forth.

North American female specimens (as D. gaudialis ) are described by Borgmeier (1963).

Variation. This species, as we recognize it, is varied in a number of characters. The most important character is the setation of the small process at the base of the posterior face of the hind femur in males. Some specimens have 2 setae ( Figs. 5–6 , 9–11 ), some (including the holotype) have 3 (Figs. Figs. 7–8 ), and some have 2 on one leg, and 3 on the other. Specimens formerly considered to be D. impressa have 2 ( Figs. 10–11 ), as do those formerly considered D. gaudialis ( Fig. 9 ).

The wing color is highly varied, from clear in USA specimens, to darkened at the tip in some Central American specimens, to completely darkened brown in color (other Central American specimens).

Geographical distribution. Southwestern USA to Brazil.

Natural history. One specimen has a label that says “dead gopher” according to Borgmeier (1963); presumably the specimen was collected on a dead rodent, but there is no information on which collection the specimen came from, and we have not seen it.

Central American material examined. COSTA RICA: Alajuela: Penas Blancas Valley, 10.32°N, 84.76°W, 2ɗ, 12.i–2. ii.1987, 1 ɗ, 5.iii.1988, E. Cruz, Malaise trap, 700 m ( LACM), 5 km W. San Ramon, 10.06°N, 84.05°W, 6ɗ, i.1997, 1 ɗ, iv.1997, 1 ɗ, vii.1997, O. Castro, Malaise trap, 1200 m ( LACM), Res. Biol. San Ramon, 10.22°N, 84.62°W, 3ɗ, iv–v.1995, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 900 m ( LACM); Cartago: 4 km NE Cañon, Genesis II, 9.71°N, 83.91°W, 1ɗ, iv.1995, 1 ɗ, v.1995, 1 ɗ, vi.1995, 2 ɗ, vii.1995, 2 ɗ, viii.1995, 3 ɗ, iv.1996, 4 ɗ, vii.1996, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 2350 m ( LACM), La Cangreja, 9.8°N, 83.97°W, 1ɗ, vii.1991, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 1950 m ( LACM), PN Tapanti, 9.76°N, 83.77°W, 2ɗ, ii.1995, G. Mora, Malaise trap, #4506, 1150 m ( INBC), Tapanti, 9.76°N, 83.78°W, 1ɗ, 17–20.vii.2000, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, Z. Falin, FIT ( LACM); Guanacaste: Volcan Cacao, Cerro Pedregal, 6ɗ, ii–iv.1989, I Gauld, D. Janzen, Malaise trap, 1000 m ( LACM); Heredia: Vara Blanca, 10.15°N, 84.15°W, 1ɗ, i–ii.1990, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 2100 m ( LACM); Puntarenas: Monteverde Biological Station, 10.32°N, 84.80°W, 4ɗ, 28.v–1. vi.1988, 1 ɗ, 1–5.vi.1988, B. V. Brown, Malaise trap, 1700 m ( LACM), 1ɗ, 7–12.vi.1989, E. Fuller, Malaise trap ( LACM), 2ɗ, 25–28.v.1998, B. Brown, V. Berezovskiy, Malaise trap #1, 1500 m ( LACM), Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, 10.33°N, 84.79°W, 1ɗ, 7–10.iv.1999, J. Rifkind, Malaise trap, 1520 m ( LACM), Las Alturas, 8.95°N, 82.83°W, 1ɗ, x.1991, 1 ɗ, iii.1992, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 1500 m ( LACM), 2ɗ, 9. vi.1998, 1 ɗ, 11.vi.1998, B. Brown, V. Berezovskiy, 2ɗ, Malaise trap #1, on windows ( LACM), Las Cruces, 8.8°N, 82.97°W, 1ɗ, 5.vi.1988, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 1200 m ( LACM); San José: Braulio Carrillo NP, 9.5 km E. Tunel, 10.12°N, 83.97°W, 5ɗ, iv.1989, 1 ɗ, x–xii.1989, 2 ɗ, i–iii.1990, 4 ɗ, iv–v.1990, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 1000 m ( LACM), Estación Biol. Cuerici, 9.55°N, 83.67°W, 19ɗ, i.2000, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 2600 m ( LACM), San Antonio de Escazu, 9.9°N, 84.15°W, 1ɗ, v–vi.1998, 1 ɗ, i.1999, W. Eberhard, Malaise trap, 1500 m, 1300 m ( LACM), 6 km N. San Gerardo, 9.95°N, 84.05°W, 2ɗ, vi.1992, 2 ɗ, viii.1993, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 2800 m ( LACM), Zurquí de Moravia, 10.05°N, 84.02°W, 3ɗ, i.1989, 2 ɗ, iii.1989, 1 ɗ, v.1989, 1 ɗ, ix–x.1990, 2 ɗ, iii.1991, 4 ɗ, vi.1992, 2 ɗ, iv–v.1993, 9 ɗ, 1–15. vi.1993, 1 ɗ, ix–x.1993, 1 ɗ, 2–8. iii.1995, 1 ɗ, 7–9. iii.1995, 3 ɗ, iv.1995, 4 ɗ, v.1995, 4 ɗ, vi.1995, 3 ɗ, viii.1995, 1 ɗ, x.1995, 7 ɗ, i.1996, 4 ɗ, vi.1996, 3 ɗ, ix.1996, P. Hanson, Malaise trap, 1600 m ( INBC, LACM, MUCR). EL SALVADOR: La Libertad: Finca La Giralda, 13.66°N, 89.68°W, 2ɗ, 14–17.x.2000, J. Donahue, Malaise trap, 1180 m ( LACM). GUATEMALA: Chimaltenango: Yepocapa, 14.50°N, 90.96°W, 1ɗ, 4.vi.1947, H. T. Dalmat, 1403 m ( USNM); Zacapa: San Lorenzo, 14.53°N, 89.68°W, 1ɗ, 4.iv.1987, M. Sharkey, Malaise trap, 2200 m ( LACM). HONDURAS: Francisco Morazan: Cerro Uyuca, San Antonio de Oriente, 14.03°N, 87.07°W, 2ɗ, 13.i.1995, R. Cordero, FIT, 1800 m ( LACM). MEXICO: Chiapas: San Cristobal, 16.75°N, 92.67°W, 2ɗ, 17.vi.1969, W. Mason, Malaise trap, 2000 m ( CNCI, LACM); Veracruz: Jalapa, 2ɗ, 1–6.viii.1961, R. & K. Dreisbach ( MCZC, USNM). PANAMA: Chiriqui: Volcan, 1ɗ, vii.1981, N. L. H. Krauss ( LACM); Darien: Cana Pirre Trail, 7.72°N, 77.7°W, 2ɗ, 7–9.vi.1996, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, FIT, 1200 m ( LACM); Veraguas: 8 km W. Santa Fe, Cerro Tute, 8.50°N, 81.11°W, 1ɗ, 24 vii–8 viii.1999, J. Woolley, Malaise trap, 1000 m ( LACM).

North American material examined. Numerous specimens from USA: Arizona, California, Texas.

South American material examined. BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro: Petropolis, 3ɗ, x.1922, Ronchi ( LACM, MCZC).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Diplonevra spp. Basal region of posterior face of hind tibia and trochanter (scanning electron micrographs). Fig. 1. D. ereba new species. Fig. 2. D. gnoma new species. Fig. 3. D. goliatha new species. Fig. 4. D. hypermeka new species. Figs. 5 – 6. D. setigera (Malloch), Zurquí de Moravia, Costa Rica. Abbreviations: dms – dorsomedial setulae of trochanter; ls – lateral setulae of trochanter.

FIGURES 7 – 12. Diplonevra spp. Basal region of posterior face of hind tibia and trochanter (scanning electron micrographs). Figs. 7 – 8. D. setigera (Malloch), second specimen from Zurquí de Moravia, Costa Rica. Fig. 9. D. setigera (Malloch), Placerita Canyon, California, USA. Figs. 10 – 11. D. setigera (Malloch), Petropolis, Brazil. Fig. 12. D. truncatiseta new species.

FIGURES 14 – 19. Diplonevra spp. Left wings.

FIGURES 20 – 25. Diplonevra spp. Male terminalia, right lateral.