Urytalpa nigrita ( Johannsen, 1910 ) Kjaerandsen, Jostein, Martinsson, Svante, Hedmark, Kjell & Evenhuis, Neal L., 2009

Kjaerandsen, Jostein, Martinsson, Svante, Hedmark, Kjell & Evenhuis, Neal L., 2009, On the genus Urytalpa Edwards (Diptera: Keroplatidae) in the Nordic and Nearctic regions, with fixation of a new type species and a key to world males, Zootaxa 2160 (1), pp. 29-50 : 42-43

Urytalpa nigrita ( Johannsen, 1910) , comb. n.

( Figs 9A–D )

Platyura nigrita Johannsen, 1910:256 , fig. 92 Pyrtaula nigrita ; Evenhuis 2006:104

Type material examined: Holotype male: UNITED STATES: Washington, Friday Harbor [48.53°N 123.02°W], June ( USNM, Leg. J.M. Aldrich). The holotype is in fair condition but lacks the tip of the abdomen, which was dissected for the illustration of the terminalia; but apparently the terminalia were not reassociated with the holotype after illustration was completed.

Additional material examined: CANADA: Yukon Territory, Herschel Island , 69°34'39"N, 139°05'17"W, 18–24 Jul 1971 ( MNHN, Leg. W.R.M. Mason) — 1 male .

Additional specimen examined of Urytalpa rhapsodica Chandler, 1995 for comparison: ITALY: Eau Rousse (Valsavaranche), 1600 m a.s.l., 4 Sep 1978 ( MNHN, Leg. L. Matile) — 1 male .

Classification. During the study of the Nordic species we also studied the collections of Urytalpa determined by the late Loic Matile at MNHN, which included a specimen from Canada labelled " Urytalpa nigrita ( Johannsen, 1910) [L. Matile det. 1980]". Based on a preliminary investigation of the type material in USNM, this species was recently transferred from Platyura to Pyrtaula Edwards by mistake ( Evenhuis 2006). Upon a second and more thorough examination of the holotype by N.L. Evenhuis in April 2008, it was found to clearly fit the characters of Urytalpa . It lacks the original key character given to separate Pyrtaula from Urytalpa (metepisternum with patch of short decumbent hair; Edwards 1929). Moreover, its terminalia are very similar to another specimen in the collections at MNHN, from Italy and left undetermined by Matile, which we have determined as Urytalpa rhapsodica . The specimens of U. nigrita and U. rhapsodica only differ in minute details of their terminalia, but enough to be considered separate species. The male terminalia of U. nigrita are illustrated here for comparison ( Figs 9A–D ) since the original illustration provided by Johannsen (1910) is insufficient to separate the two. The aedeagal apparatus has a wide, dilated and abruptly truncated apex in Urytalpa rhapsodica ( Chandler 1995, fig. 1) while the apex is less dilated and truncated, and forms four small projections in U. nigrita ( Fig. 9A ). These two species form a group with yet another type of terminalia within genus Urytalpa . The gonocoxites are wide subrectangular without projections but fused by a broad sclerotized medial bridge, somewhat broader in U. rhapsodica than in U. nigrita . The gonostylus is large and exposed, longer than sternite IX and distinctly bifurcated in lateral view. The aedeagal apparatus is stout but less than twice as long as segment IX.

The transfer here of Platyura nigrita to Urytalpa marks the first record of Urytalpa in the Nearctic. The discovery of a second specimen of this species (in MNHN) from The Yukon in Canada extends the distribution significantly northward. It could be assumed that more specimens will be found in between the two localities in the northwestern portion of the North American continent.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Male terminalia of Urytalpa nigrita (Johannsen, 1910) comb. n. — A. Segment IX, hypandrial lobe and internal aedeagal apparatus in ventral view (pre-terminal segments not illustrated). — B. Tergite IX, proctiger and cerci in dorsal view. — C. Segment IX and beyond in lateral view. — D. Gonostylus in lateral view, enlarged.