Leptomorphus femoratus Edwards

Borkent, Christopher J. & Wheeler, Terry A., 2012, Systematics and Phylogeny of Leptomorphus Curtis (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) 3549, Zootaxa 3549, pp. 1-117 : 31-33

13. Leptomorphus femoratus Edwards

( Figures 15, 54, 102, 143, 150, 155)

Leptomorphus femoratus Edwards, 1933b: 306 .

Leptomorphus (Leptomorphus) femoratus: 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; male genitalia with apex of tergite 9 not extending past cerci, tergite 9 posteriorly with some scalloping on apicolateral corner and with 3 rounded medial processes, with central shorter than laterals, gonocoxite with gonocoxal lobe ( Fig. 102)

This species is distinguished from other Neotropical species missing R 4 by the dark brown scutellum, fore- and mid legs at least partially brown and an at least partially yellow metepisternum ( Fig. 15).

DESCRIPTION: Male. ( Fig. 15) 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 large bristle, several setae on apicodorsal margin, patch of fine setae apicoventrally; flagellomere 1 with tapered base yellow remainder dark brown; flagellomere 6 1.1X 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 1/4 distance from dorsal margin towards ventral margin, frontal cleft just anterior of median ocellus. Palpus; 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 2.05 mm (1.56–2.54 mm, n = 2). Dark brown with yellow lateral spots. Scutum dark brown/black with blue-green specks, pair of yellow anterolateral spots; surface of scutum covered with trichia; acrostichal setae absent; single dorsocentral seta present anteriorly; two thirds row of lateral setae present; patch of setae on scutum at wing base small. Scutellum dark brown with covering of fine trichia; bristles absent. Prescutum anterior half yellow, posterior half brown. Mediotergite dark brown with 4–6 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 light brown dorsal line remainder yellow. Anapleural suture with anterior portion slightly curved dorsally. Halter with basal 1/3 of stem ivory, apical portion and knob dark brown. Legs: principally yellow; trochanters brown; midfemur with basal 1/3 dark brown, hind femur with basal 1/5 and apical 2/5 dark brown; extreme anteroapical corner dark brown on all femora; tibia light brown; fore- and midtarsi 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 faint, dorsal, bare patch of even thickness for 2/3 of its length, placed basally, shortest midtibial spur 0.85X length of longest, longest midtibial spur 5X apical thickness of midtibia, shortest hind tibial spur subequal to length of longest, longest hind tibial spur 3.5X apical thickness of hind tibia. Foreleg first tarsomere 1.7X length of foretibia. Wing ( Fig. 54): Length 6.3 mm (6.0– 6.6 mm, n = 2). Hyaline; apical macula dark brown but fading towards apex and posterior margin, running from anterior to posterior wing margin, beginning halfway along R 5; 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 prior to 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 principally dark brown, T3–5 with yellow anterior band. Tergite 8 smaller than all other abdominal sclerites, without bristles. Genitalia ( Fig. 102): light brown. Sternite 9 sclerotized, thin, posteriorly tapered sclerite, almost as long as aedeagus, not reaching gonocoxal margin. Tergite 9 as wide as long, tapering towards apex which flattens and bears some scalloping on the apicolateral corner and with 3 rounded medial processes, with central shorter than laterals. Gonocoxite placed centrally on T9, dorsal gonocoxal lobe scalloped, and bearing setae apically, medial margin not reaching median line, bearing gonostylus halfway along medial margin. Gonostylus with two lobes, dorsal lobe short point, ventral lobe same width as dorsal but 3–4X length and bearing several setae on medial margin, gonocoxite III associated with dorsal margin of gonostylus but not fused to it. Aedeagus 2/5 length of T9, tapering to middle and then slightly bulbous apically woth small points apicolaterally, apodemes 1/4 total length. Parameres a simple taper, apodemes 2/4 length of parameres.

Female. As for male, except as follows. Thorax: Length 1.56 mm. Wing: Length 6.8 mm. Legs: Foretibia without comb of short setae on anteroventral surface. Abdomen: Cercus yellow.

Immatures. Unknown.

BIOLOGY: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: Peru and Bolivia ( Fig. 143), 650–1230 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 .

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype: adult male, pinned with genitalia in plastic vial on pin, labelled “[green label] Bolivia — Mapiri / 13.3.[19]03/ Sarampioni 700; Leptomorphus / femoratus Edw. / F.W. Edwards / det. TYPE. 1933.; Staatl. Museum für/ Tierkunde Dresden / Coll. W. SCHNUSE, 1911; HOLOTYPE ♂ / Leptomorphus femoratus /Edwards / Det. C.J. Borkent, 2012” [ MTD]

Other material: PERU, Monson Valley, Tingo Maria, 11.xii.1954, E.I Schlinger, E.S. Ross. (1♂, MZUSP); Huanuco, Rio Monzan , 13.x.1960, J. Schunke. (1♀, SEMC) .