Scatophila hirsuta Sturtevant and Wheeler

Zatwarnicki, Tadeusz & Mathis, Wayne N., 2024, Revision of the Nearctic Species of the Shore-Fly Genus Scatophila Becker (Diptera: Ephydridae), Zootaxa 5487 (1), pp. 1-100 : 83-86

22. Scatophila hirsuta Sturtevant and Wheeler

Figs. 183 , 193 , 195–202

Scatophila hirsuta Sturtevant and Wheeler 1954: 193 .— Wirth 1965: 758 [ Nearctic catalog].— Zatwarnicki 1987: 292 [checklist].— Zatwarnicki and Mathis 1994: 365 [phylogeny, quadriguttata group].— Mathis and Zatwarnicki 1995: 283 [world catalog].

Diagnosis.—This species is distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: Body mostly dark brown, but varied; moderately small shore flies, body length 2.00– 2.20 mm.

Head ( Figs. 195–198 ): Mesofrons, including ocellar triangle and orbits rusty brown, microtomentose, appearing dull. Face of ♂ flat to concave medially, sides of concavity with cluster of setulae; female face convex. Gena relatively short, gena-to-eye ratio 0.19–0.21.

Thorax ( Figs. 193 , 202 ): Mesonotum ( Fig. 202 ) dark brown but with some gray mottling; scutum dark brown. Wing ( Fig. 193 ) with pale spots; costal vein ratio 0.25–0.29; M 1 vein ratio 0.69–0.72; knob of halter blackish yellow to yellow. Legs dark; femora and tibiae black; male midfemur lacking row of spine-like setulae along posteroventral margin; tarsi large black, basitarsomere of hind leg slightly paler.

Abdomen ( Figs. 199–201 ): Tergites black with light investment of brownish microtomentum. Male terminalia ( Figs. 199–201 ): Epandrium in posterior view ( Fig. 199 ) generally oval except for nearly truncate ventral margin, overall width about 0.80 height, lateral margins shallowly curved, dorsal margin very shallowly arched, width of ventral margin slightly more than 1.25 height of cercal opening, ventral margin symmetrically, shallowly sinuous with medial rounded bump; epandrial setae about equal in length, sparser laterally, more abundant and slightly shorter along ventral margin; height of cercal opening about 0.40 epandrial height; cerci in posterior view ( Fig. 199 ) lunate; aedeagus in lateral view ( Fig. 201 ) moderately rounded basally, height of base slightly higher than 1/3 aedeagal length, posterior margin mostly truncate but with a short pointed process at posterodorsal angle, dorsal margin moderately excavated on basal portion, cavity slight longer than width of opening, posterior margin of cavity bifid, inner lobe shorter than external lobe, in ventral view ( Fig. 200 ) ovate except for truncate posterior margin, lateral margins shallowly curved; ventral aedeagal process sinuous; phallapodeme in lateral view ( Fig. 201 ) elongate, narrow, parallel sided, distinctly elbowed, dorsal and ventral processes about equal in length, dorsal process thinner than ventral process, in ventral view ( Fig. 200 ) with T-shaped crossbar, lateral processes of crossbar slightly tapered to rounded point, medial process nearly parallel sided, posterior apex flared, widely bifurcate; postgonite in lateral view ( Fig. 201 ) generally V-shaped, dorsal arm or extension irregularly rectangular, more robust than ventral arm, with posterodorsal corner produced, bifurcate, posteriorly narrowed, slightly tapered, forming a thumb-like process that bears a nipple-like point, apical process bearing setulae, ventral arm narrowed, slightly tapered, elongate, in ventral view ( Fig. 200 ) with posterior processes generally narrow, bar-like, parallel sided; neohypandrium in lateral view ( Fig. 201 ) elongated, narrow, conspicuously sinuous.

Type Material.—The holotype male of Scatophila hirsuta Sturtevant and Wheeler is labeled “Rustler Park[,] Ariz[ona]. 6-11-51 [11 Jun 1951][handwritten]/M.R. Wheeler/ HOLOTYPE Scatophila hirsuta Stvt & Whlr [pink]/6686 TYPE [dark pink; number handwritten].” The holotype is double mounted (glued to a paper point), is in good condition, and is deposited in the ANSP (6686).

Other Specimens Examined.— UNITED STATES. ARIZONA. Cochise: Chiricahua Mountains, Rustler Park (31°54.2'N, 109°16.8'W), 11 Jun 1951 , A. H. Sturtevant (1♂; USNM); Chiricahua Mountains (31°54.2'N, 109°16.8'W; 2591 m); 13 Jun 1952 , A. H. Sturtevant (1♂. Gila : Clover Springs (34°27'N, 111°22'W), 23 Jun 1951, A. H. Sturtevant (1♂, 2♀; USNM).

Type Locality.— United States. Arizona. Cochise: Chiricahua Mountains, Rustler Park (31°54.2'N, 109°16.8'W) .

Distribution ( Fig. 183 ).— Nearctic : United States (Arizona).

Remarks.— Sturtevant and Wheeler (1954: 194) noted that specimens of this species were collected along small streams that traversed rather flat, cleared areas in this southeastern corner of Arizona. Thus far, specimens of the type series are the only ones available for our study. This species is placed in the quadriguttata group.

Figures

FIGURE 183. Distribution map of Scatophila cribrata (Stenhammar) (circles), and S. hirsuta Sturtevant & Wheeler in Nearctic Region (squares).

FIGURES 191–193. Head, thorax, and wing of Scatophila. 191. Scatophila disjuncta Cresson, head and thorax, dorsal view. 192–193. Wing, dorsal view. 192. S. disjuncta Cresson. 193. S. hirsuta Sturtevant & Wheeler. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 195–198. Head of Scatophila hirsuta Sturtevant & Wheeler. 195. Male, latero-oblique view 196. Male, lateral view. 197. Female, latero-oblique view. 198. Female, lateral view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 199–201. Male terminalia of Scatophila hirsuta Sturtevant & Wheeler. 199. Epandrium and cerci, posterior view. 200. Internal male terminalia (gonite, phallapodeme, aedeagus, neohypandrium), ventral view. 201. Same, lateral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 202–204. Head, thorax, and wing of Scatophila. 202. S. hirsuta Sturtevant & Wheeler, head and thorax, dorsal view. 203. S. mystacina sp. nov. male, wing, dorsal view. 204 S. picta Sturtevant & Wheeler, wing, dorsal view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.