Leptomorphus fasciculatus Edwards

Borkent, Christopher J. & Wheeler, Terry A., 2012, Systematics and Phylogeny of Leptomorphus Curtis (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) 3549, Zootaxa 3549, pp. 1-117 : 30-31

12. Leptomorphus fasciculatus Edwards

( Figures 14, 53, 80, 101, 142, 150, 155)

Leptomorphus fasciculatus Edwards, 1933b: 305 .

Leptomorphus (Leptomorphus) fasciculatus: Matile, 1977: 144 .

References: Edwards 1940: 452–453 (compared to L. neivai ); Matile 1977: 144 (subgeneric placement); Papavero 1978: 50 (catalogue).

DIAGNOSIS: The only extant species of Leptomorphus with the following combination of characters: scutum and scutellum evenly covered with fine trichia; male foretibia with a dense row (comb) of short anteroventral bristles; palp segment 5 with thick covering of fine, white, setulae; gonocoxite with a thin gonocoxal lobe almost equal in length to tergite 9, originating mediobasally and bearing several, long, apical setae, male genitalia unique ( Fig. 101).

This species is distinguished from other Neotropical species missing R 4 by the dark brown scutellum, completely yellow fore- and mid legs, and yellow or white metepisternum ( Fig. 14). It is also the only species with a basally placed, medial gonocoxal lobe, which is nearly as long as the genitalia ( Fig. 101).

DESCRIPTION: Male. ( Fig. 14) Head: brown spot medially from ocelli to antennal base, remainder yellow, somewhat dorsoventrally compressed in anterior view. Antenna dark brown; scape yellow, with brown setae in short row on apicodorsal margin and thick patch covering apicoventral process, remainder bare, anterobasal patch of setulae present; pedicel yellow, with 1–2 large bristles, few setae on apicodorsal margin, patch of fine setae apicoventrally; flagellomere 1 with tapered base yellow remainder dark brown; flagellomere 6 1.3X as long as broad. Clypeus yellow, slightly laterally compressed oval; bristles on clypeus yellow, 4–6 strong bristles on ventral margin directed ventrally, remaining setae directed medioventrally, clypeus 2X as long as face. Face yellow; shape a slightly wider than tall triangle, bare. Frons brown; bare, frontal furrow running 1/2 distance from dorsal margin towards ventral margin, frontal cleft more than 1X diameter of median ocellus anterior of median ocellus. Palpus yellow; segment 1 hidden behind eye, segments increasing in length, segment 5 2X length and 1.5X width of segment 4 with even width from base to apex and covered in fine white setulae, segment 3 without distinct lateral patch of fine setae. Labellum yellow. Eye with very few, short inter-ommatidial setulae scattered on surface. Occiput yellow with appressed, anteriorly directed setae. Ocelli in a straight line, space between ocelli less than diameter of laterals, lateral ocelli 2.5X their own diameter from eye margin, ocellar triangle dark brown. Thorax: Length 1.73 ± 0.3 mm (1.52–2.01 mm, n = 10). Dark brown with yellow lateral spots. Scutum dark brown/black with blue-green specks, pair of yellow anterolateral spots, one specimen with lateral margins brown and remainder yellow; surface of scutum covered with trichia ( Fig. 80); acrostichal setae absent; single dorsocentral seta present anteriorly; two thirds row of lateral setae present; patch of setae on scutum at wing base present. Scutellum dark brown with covering of fine trichia; bristles absent. Prescutum anterior half yellow, posterior half brown. Mediotergite dark brown with 6 bristles on posterolateral corners, and covering of appressed trichia. Laterotergite brown, with covering of appressed trichia; anterior margin of laterotergite abutting katepisternum. Anepimeron brown with posterodorsal corner yellow. Anepisternum brown. Katepisternum brown with posterodorsal corner yellow. Antepronotum and proepisternum brown. Margin of anterior and posterior spiracles yellow with yellow trichia. Metepisternum yellow. Anapleural suture with anterior portion slightly curved dorsally. Halter stem yellow, knob light to dark brown. Legs: principally yellow; hind coxa with brown spot along length of anterior surface; extreme anteroapical corner yellow on forefemur, on other femora dark brown. Midfemur without apical spine-like process. Tibia with covering of brown macrotrichia, foretibia with comb of short setae along length of anteroventral surface, tibial spurs brown, foretibial spur length 2X apical thickness of foretibia, midtibia with strong, dorsal, bare patch of even thickness for 2/3 of its length, placed basally, shortest midtibial spur 0.8X length of longest, longest midtibial spur 4X apical thickness of midtibia, shortest hind tibial spur subequal to length of longest, longest hind tibial spur 4X apical thickness of hind tibia. Foreleg first tarsomere 1.6X length of foretibia. Wing ( Fig. 53): Length 6.6 ± 0.9 mm (5.8–7.5 mm, n = 10). Hyaline; apical macula dark brown, running from anterior to posterior wing margin, beginning halfway along R 5 but not reaching wing tip; medial macula extending from R 1 to posterior wing margin (fainter on posterior third). Macrotrichia in all cells, though absent from posterobasal margin of cell a and very sparse in basal cells. Setae on basal posterior margin of wing (along base of cell a) alternating long, short. Calypter with a few short setae. Vein sc-r present, apical end joining R within its own length before or after origin of Rs. R 4 absent. R 5 slightly concave for entire length. M 1 reaching apex before R 5, apices of M veins thinning towards wing margin. M 4 -CuA fork arising before origin of r-m. A 2 absent. Abdomen: Tergites 1 dark brown, T2–5 yellow, T6–7 brown sometimes with yellow lateral spots, in one specimen completely yellow. Tergite 8 smaller than all other abdominal sclerites, without bristles. Genitalia ( Fig. 101): light brown. Sternite 9 sclerotized, thin, anteriorly tapered sclerite 2/3 the length of gonocoxite, not reaching gonocoxal margin. Tergite 9 as wide as long, tapering to apex which bears two short apicolateral points on each side and medial shallow V-shaped indentation. Gonocoxite placed basally on T9, with gonoocoxal lobe as long as gonocoxite, arising mediobasally and armed with 4 long laterally pointing apical bristles, bearing gonostylus at apex. Gonostylus with two lobes, dorsal lobe short and broad with a number of setae (placed behind ventral lobe in figure), ventral lobe 1/3 the width of dorsal, 2.5X length, gonocoxite III associated with dorsal margin of gonostylus but not fused to it. Aedeagus 1/2 length of T9, tapering to middle and then slightly bulbous apically, apodemes 1/6 total length. Parameres a simple thin taper, apodemes ~1/2 length of parameres.

Female. As for male, except as follows. Thorax: Length 1.78 mm (1.68–1.89 mm, n = 2). Wing: Length 6.4 mm (6.1–6.7 mm, n = 2). Legs: Foretibia without comb of short setae on anteroventral surface. Abdomen: Cercus yellow.

Immatures. Unknown.

BIOLOGY: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil (Sao Paulo, Mato Grosso, Rio de Janeiro) ( Fig. 142), 55–700 masl.

DISCUSSION: As discussed below in the phylogeny section, the placement of Leptomorphus species in subgenera ( Matile 1977) is not supported by our phylogenetic results. This species is therefore removed from the subgenus Leptomorphus and placed solely in the genus Leptomorphus . This species is the most widely distributed of the Neotropical species and does show some variation in the amount of brown on the abdomen, though the genitalia are identical across the range.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype: adult male, pinned with genitalia in plastic vial on pin, labelled “[green label] Bolivia — Mapiri / 15.III.[19]03/ Sarampioni 700m; Leptomorphus / fasciculatus Edw. / F.W. Edwards / det. TYPE. 1933.; Staatl. Museum für/ Tierkunde Dresden/ Coll. W. SCHNUSE, 1911; HOLOTYPE ♂ / Leptomorphus fasciculatus /Edwards / Det. C.J. Borkent, 2012” [ MTD].

Paratypes: PERU, Pichia , Pto Yessup, xii.[19]03 (2♂, MTD and BMNH) .

Other material: BRAZIL, MT , Maracaju, vi.1937, Serviço Febre Amarela. (1♂, 1, MZUSP); RJ, Nova Iguaçu, Reserva Biologica do Tinguá , 5–8.iii.2002, S. T . P. Amarante. (1♂, MZUSP); SP, R . Parana, Porto Cabral , 1–25.vi.1944, Trav. Fo., Carrera, E. Dente. (1♂, MZUSP) ; ECUADOR, Orellana, 1km S Onkone Gare Camp , 22.vi.1996, T . L. Erwin. (1♂, LEM); 5.ii.1996. (1♂, LEM); Tiputini Biodiversity Stn. , 24.x.1998, T . L. Erwin. (1♂, LEM) ; PANAMA, Cabima, 23.v.1911, A. Busck. (2♀, USNM); Chilibre, 1.i.1940, G. Fairchild. (1♂, MCZ); Canal Zone , Barro Colorado Isle. , 26.vii.1982, R . B. & L.S. Kimsey. (2♂, CNC); Barro Colorado Isle., Dodge. (1♀, USNM) ; PERU, Pichis River, Puerto de Yessup, 1903. (1♂, BMNH) .