Paraleucopis nigra Wheeler & Sinclair, 2019

Wheeler, Terry A. & Sinclair, Bradley J., 2019, Systematics of Paraleucopis Malloch with proposal of Paraleucopidae, a new family of acalyptrate Diptera, Zootaxa 4668 (3), pp. 301-328 : 319-320

Paraleucopis nigra Wheeler & Sinclair , sp. nov.

( Figs 14 , 45 , 50 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:211F2F9A-E552-4FD7-9E8B-8322EAEA63D7

Type material. HOLOTYPE Ƌ, labelled: “ 8mi. N.E. Portal,/ Cochise Co., Ariz./ May 9, 1966, M. Statham ”; “HO- LOTYPE/ Paraleucopis / nigra/ Wheeler & Sinclair [red label]” ( AMNH) . PARATYPES: MEXICO: Chihuahua, Majalca Road, 30 mi NW Chihuahua, 5000 ft, ex. nest of Dipotomys sp., 17.iv.1961, Howden & Martin (3 ♀, CNC) . USA. Arizona: Cochise Co., Douglas , 29.v.1973, ex. Larrea tridentata, P.D. Hurd, E.G. & J.M. Linsley, A.E. & M.M. Michelbacher (1 ♀, USNM) ; Cochise Co. SW Research Station , 31°53′N 109°12′W, 7–14.v.2010, S.A. Mar- shall (1 Ƌ, DEBU) ; Pima Co., Organ Pipe Cactus Nat. Mon. , 17.iv.1969, W.J. Hanson (1 ♀, LACM) .

Recognition. This species is characterized by fronto-orbital setae weak; antenna dark; Face mostly shiny, with thin pruinescence restricted to antennal foveae; parafacial shiny; fore coxa and all femora dark; hind femur without anteroventral preapical setae; surstylus digitiform, strongly tapered to rounded apex.

Description. Frons dark to somewhat reddish-brown above antennae; gena dark. Face mostly shiny, with thin pruinescence restricted to antennal foveae; parafacial shiny. Fronto-orbital setae weak. Antenna entirely dark ( Fig. 14 ); antennal bases separated by more than length of pedicel. Clypeus shiny.

Katepisternum with several stout ventral setae, anterior to mid coxa; short setulae on anterior half. Scutum shiny with sparse setulae. Coxae and femora dark, with apex of femora pale; mid and hind tibiae darkened in middle, pale basally and apically; fore tibia mostly pale; tarsomeres on all legs pale; mid tibia with dark ventroapical seta, more than one-quarter length of tarsomere 1.

Male postabdomen ( Fig. 45 ): epandrium rounded, evenly sclerotized, setose. Hypandrium broad, with pair of long anterior setae; with rounded postgonite apically. Surstylus digitiform, strongly tapered to rounded apex; apex arch posteromedially; setae confined mostly to posterior margin. Distiphallus tapered to narrow apex. Cercus elongate, longer than dorsal length of epandrium; apex narrow; ventral margin sclerotized.

Female postabdomen: undissected.

Distribution. This species is known from the southern border of Arizona and Chihuahua of Mexico ( Fig. 50 ).

Etymology. This species is named from the Latin nigra (black, dark, dusky), in reference to the darkened antennae.

Figures

FIGURES 11–14. Heads of Paraleucopis spp. 11, P. auripes sp. nov., lateral view; 12, P. boharti sp. nov., lateral view; 13, P. boydensis, anterior view; 14, P. nigra sp. nov., anterior view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 45–48. Male terminalia and male postabdomen of Paraleucopis spp. 45, P. nigra sp. nov., male terminalia, lateral view; 46, P. paraboydensis sp. nov., postabdomen, ventral view; 47, P. paraboydensis sp. nov., male terminalia, lateral view; 48, P. paraboydensis sp. nov., male terminalia, ventral view. Abbreviations: st—sternite; sur—surstylus; tg—tergite. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 49–50. Distribution of Paraleucopis. 49, P. mexicana; 50, P. nigra sp. nov.