Asymphyloptera tama, Ramos-Pastrana & Córdoba-Suarez & Sinclair, 2023

Ramos-Pastrana, Yardany, Córdoba-Suarez, Eric & Sinclair, Bradley J., 2023, Two new species of Asymphyloptera Collin (Diptera: Empididae: Clinocerinae) from Colombia, with an updated key to males of New World species, Zootaxa 5374 (3), pp. 437-444 : 440-443

Asymphyloptera tama sp. nov.

( Figs 8–14 , 15–16 )

Diagnosis. Postpedicel with white setae, medial setae shorter than lateral and dorsal setae; 3 dorsocentral setae, anterior dorsocentral setae offset; phallus slightly arched medially, apex pointed, hook-shaped, with membrane expanded posteriorly.

Description. Holotype male. Head ( Fig. 8 ). Dark brown. Postpedicel ovoid with white setae scattered, medial setae shorter than lateral and dorsal setae; slender apical extension arising subapically ( Fig. 9 ). Ocellar setae stout, shorter than length of postpedicel extension. Labrum equal in length to clypeus; palpus brown, subequal in length to labrum, tapered to slender apex ( Fig. 8 ).

Pleura dark brown ( Fig. 8 ). Chaetotaxy stout; 1 postpronotal seta short, very slender; 2 notopleural setae, lower seta shorter and more slender; 3 dorsocentral setae, anterior dorsocentral seta offset; 2 apical scutellar setae, subequal in length to dorsocentral setae, lacking lateral scutellar setae ( Fig. 10 ). Legs ( Fig. 8 ). Coxae, trochanters and base of femora yellowish, remaining segments brown; all femora with anteroventral and posteroventral rows of pale and slender setae, length about ½ width of femur; hind femur with fewer and shorter setae; all tibiae with row of setae ventrally, setae on fore tibia stronger and shorter. Wing length 1.7 mm ( Fig. 11 ); crossvein h distinct; base of wing with slender setulae along posterior margin. Halter brown.

Male terminalia ( Figs 12–13 ). Cercus with anterior lobe slightly produced; posterior lobe long, slender. Hypandrium prolonged as broad, paired postgonites; apical margin of postgonite acute, not extended anteriorly. Epandrium narrow, with elongate setae on apical half. Surstylus shorter than cercus, slender, arched, tapered to pointed apex; extending beyond phallus. Phallus slightly arched medially, apex pointed, hook-shaped, with membrane expanded posteriorly. Ejaculatory apodeme narrow, not expanded.

FEMALE. Similar to male. Terminalia not dissected ( Fig. 14 ).

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♁: COLOMBIA, Huila, Garzón, Vda.[Vereda] Las Mercedes, Parque Natural Regional Cerro Páramo Miraflores, 02º08′06″N / 75º30′04″W, 2074 m [eters], 24. Nov [XI]–8. Dic [XII].2022, Y. Ramos-Pastrana Leg. (1 ♁ LEUA-59560) (photographed specimen) / Captura con trampa Malaise en bh-MB [Bosque húmedo montano bajo] (Vegetación secundaria) ,. PARATYPES: same data as Holotype (1 ♁ LEUA-59561); (1 ♁ LEUA-59562); (1 ♁ LEUA-59563); (1 ♁ LEUA-59564); (1 ♁ LEUA-59565); (1 ♁ LEUA-59566); (1 ♁ LEUA-59567); (1 ♀ LEUA-59568) (photographed specimen); (1 ♀ LEUA-59569); (1 ♀ LEUA-59570); (1 ♀ LEUA-59571); (1 ♀ LEUA-59572); (1 ♀ LEUA-59573); (1 ♀ LEUA-59574); (1 ♀ LEUA-59575); (1 ♀ LEUA-59576); (1 ♀ LEUA-59577); (1 ♀ LEUA-59578); (1 ♀ LEUA-59579); (1 ♀ LEUA-59580); (1 ♀ LEUA-59581); (1 ♀ LEUA-59582); (1 ♀ LEUA-59583); (1 ♀ LEUA-59584); (1 ♀ LEUA-59585); (1 ♀ LEUA-59586); (1 ♀ LEUA-59587); (1 ♀ LEUA-59588); (1 ♀ LEUA-59589); (1 ♀ LEUA-59590) .

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the indigenous people “Tama” that inhabit the type locality and is a noun in apposition.

Geographical distribution. Colombia (Huila, Garzón) ( Fig. 15 ).

Habitat. See under A. miraflorensis sp. nov.

Taxonomic notes. Asymphyloptera tama sp. nov. runs to A. cajanuma in couplet 5 of the key presented by Sinclair (2015). It differs from A. cajanuma by having a sclerotized pointed hook-shaped apex of the phallus ( Figs 12–13 ) [versus sclerotized portion of apex of phallus slender with apex truncated in A. cajanuma ( Sinclair 2015, fig. 8)]. Additionally, based on male specimen and due to the shape of the cercus, epandrium and surstylus A. tama sp. nov. is also related to A. dominica ( Sinclair 2015, fig. 13). It differs by the slightly arched phallus, with apex of phallus lacking jagged margin ( Figs 12–13 ) [versus phallus strongly arched posteriorly, apex of phallus with jagged lateral margin in A. dominica ( Sinclair 2015, fig. 13)].

Key to males of New World species of Asymphyloptera [adapted from Sinclair (2015)]

(male unknown for A. discrepans )

1 Hypandrium strongly produced posteriorly, with expanded, flattened ejaculatory apodeme [see Sinclair (2015, fig. 9)].................................................................................... A. chilensis Sinclair, 2015

– Hypandrium rounded, not strongly produced posteriorly, with slender, rod-like ejaculatory apodeme [see Sinclair (2015, figs 8, 11, 13–16)].......................................................................................... 2

2 Surstylus digitiform, with rounded tip; phallus with apex arched anteriorly [see Sinclair (2015, fig. 11)].............................................................................................. A. chiricahua Sinclair, 2015

- Surstylus slender and tapered toward narrow apex; phallus either gradually arched posteriorly or apex sharply bent anteriorly [see Sinclair (2015, figs 8, 13–16)]....................................................................... 3

3 Phallus straight, not arched; apex of phallus distinctly bent anteriorly [see Sinclair (2015, figs 14, 16)]................. 4

– Phallus slightly to strongly arched posteriorly; apex arched posteriorly or expanded laterally [see Sinclair (2015, figs 8, 13, 15)]............................................................................................... 5

4 Apex of phallus strongly bent anteriorly; apex of postgonite sharply pointed [see Sinclair (2015, fig. 16)].............................................................................................. A. mexicana Sinclair, 2015

- Apex of phallus expanded anteriorly; apex of postgonite rounded to slightly pointed [see Sinclair (2015, fig. 14)]......................................................................................... A. havasu Sinclair, 2015

5 Phallus slightly arched................................................................................. 6

- Phallus strongly arched posteriorly....................................................................... 7

6 Sclerotized apex of phallus slender with apex truncated [see Sinclair (2015, fig. 8)].......... A. cajanuma Sinclair, 2015

- Sclerotized apex of phallus pointed, hook-shaped ( Figs 12–13 ).................................... A. tama sp. nov.

7 Apex of phallus with jagged lateral margin [see Sinclair (2015, fig. 13)]..................... A. dominica Sinclair, 2015

- Apex of phallus lacking jagged margin [ Figs 5–6 , and see Sinclair (2015, fig. 15)]................................. 8

8 Cercus with anterior lobe slightly produced and posterior lobe long, slender and apex rounded [see Sinclair (2015, fig. 15)]; phallus with apex posterodorsally-directed [see Sinclair (2015, fig. 15)]......................... A. lutea Sinclair, 2015

- Cercus with anterior lobe not produced and narrow posterior lobe ( Figs 5–6 ); phallus with apex ventrally-directed........................................................................................ A. miraflorensis sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 8–14. Asymphyloptera tama Ramos-Pastrana, Córdoba-Suarez & Sinclair sp. nov. (LEUA–59560). Male. 8, Habitus, left lateral view; 9, Antenna; 10, Thorax, dorsal view; 11, Wing; 12, Terminalia, lateral view; 13, Terminalia illustration, lateral view; 14, Female, habitus, left lateral view (LEUA–59568).

FIGURES 15–16. 15, Geographical distribution for all species of Asymphyloptera of the New World; 16, Malaise trap stretched across small stream in habitat of Asymphyloptera miraflorensis Ramos-Pastrana, Córdoba-Suarez & Sinclair sp. nov. and A. tama Ramos-Pastrana, Córdoba-Suarez & Sinclair sp. nov.

FIGURES 1–7. Asymphyloptera miraflorensis Ramos-Pastrana, Córdoba-Suarez & Sinclair sp. nov. (LEUA–59591). Male. 1, Habitus, left lateral view; 2, Antenna; 3, Thorax, dorsal view; 4, Wing; 5, Terminalia, lateral view; 6, Terminalia illustration, lateral view; 7, Female, habitus, left lateral view (LEUA–59595).