Dasysyrphus nigricornis (Verrall)

Locke, Michelle M. & Skevington, Jeffrey H., 2013, Revision of Nearctic <i> Dasysyrphus </ i> Enderlein (Diptera: Syrphidae), Zootaxa 3660 (1), pp. 1-80 : 48-50

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3660.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:95ADD39C-98BE-4879-B070-34A5D86BD67B

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03893F32-FF9C-FF90-FF46-F90BFB8D88A4

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Dasysyrphus nigricornis (Verrall)
status

 

Dasysyrphus nigricornis (Verrall) View in CoL

Figures: 11A–E, 18B, 21A

Synonyms and References:

Scaeva obscura Zetterstedt 1838: 601 View in CoL (original description, name preoccupied)

Bicik & Laska 1996 (lectotype designation and discussion)

Syrphus nigricornis Verrall 1873 View in CoL , 251 (new name given, short description and transfer to Syrphus View in CoL )

Verrall 1901: 353 (discussion)

Becker 1921: 44 (redescription)

Syrphus obscuratus Ringdahl 1928: 19 View in CoL (original description)

Syrphus nigricornis var. obscuraticeps Frey 1950: 10 View in CoL (original description)

Dasysyrphus nigricornis Verrall View in CoL :

Peck 1974: 128 (key and transfer to Dasysyrphus )

Peck 1988: 15 (catalogue)

Barkalov 2007: 283 (key and redescription)

Speight 2011: 70 (discussion)

Diagnosis: Abdominal maculae of tergites 3 & 4 oblique, fairly uniform in thickness with slight constriction in the middle and do not cross abdominal margin ( Figs 11A–C View FIGURE 11 ). Maculae on tergite 2 of male small (<¼ width of tergite), triangular to oval and close to lateral edges ( Fig. 11A View FIGURE 11 ), in female are larger (¼–⅓ width of tergite) and narrowly oval ( Fig. 11B View FIGURE 11 ); usually darker in appearance due to reduced maculae. Wing densely microtrichose ( Fig. 11D View FIGURE 11 ). Gonostylus boot-shaped with projection on posterodorsal surface that projects posterodorsally ( Fig. 11D View FIGURE 11 ). Similar in appearance to D. pauxillus ( Fig. 14A View FIGURE 14 ), pacificus ( Fig. 13A View FIGURE 13 ) and laticaudus ( Fig. 8A View FIGURE 8 ).

Redescription:

Body Length: 5.5–7.7mm; Wing Length: 4.5–7.7mm

Head: Frons dark with light pollenose fascia (in males it runs along ventral edge of where eyes meet, in females it is complete and ⅓–½ the length between the antennae and ocelli ( Fig. 18B View FIGURE 18 )) and dark pile; face light with dark vitta ¼–½ the width of the face, usually not reaching antennal socket, face with dark pile lateral to the eye; gena dark, typically dark pile, but sometimes light; occiput dark, covered in light pollen, pile light; scape and pedicel dark, flagellomere dark.

Thorax: Scutum dark, may appear shiny or metallic, pile varies between all light and dark anteriorly, light posteriorly; scutellum light to dark with darker lateral edges, light pile sometimes with light and dark pile; wings entirely microtrichose ( Fig. 11D View FIGURE 11 ); haltere light; pro- and mesofemora dark to dark ½ basally, ½ light apically, metafemur dark, pro- and mesotibiae all dark to all light, meta tibiae all dark to light ⅓ basally, dark ⅔ apically, tarsi dark.

Abdomen: Maculae on tergite 2 small (<¼ width of tergite), triangular to oval and close to lateral edges in males ( Fig. 11A View FIGURE 11 ), larger (¼–⅓ width of tergite) and narrowly oval in females ( Fig. 11B View FIGURE 11 ), maculae on tergites 3&4 are oblique, fairly uniform in width with slight constriction in the middle, maculae do not reach abdominal margin ( Figs 11A–C View FIGURE 11 ); sternites light with dark fasciae varying in thickness.

Male Genitalia: Surstylus more or less triangular in shape in lateral view, flattened posteriorly, long pile on dorsal, laterodorsal and posterodorsal sides, row of spines on posteromedial edge; cercus oval with long pile over entire surface; gonostylus boot-shaped with projection on posterodorsal surface that projects posterodorsally, pile on dorsal surface; basiphallus elongate, basally bent at 135 degree angle towards anterodorsum, apical end curved ventrally and is partly membranous dorsally, with spines on posterodorsal side; distiphallus elongate, apical end flared out into horn, which is mostly sclerotized but membranous at apex with minute setulae dorsally, basally bent towards dorsum and enlarged ventrally at bend ( Fig. 11D View FIGURE 11 ).

Intraspecific variation: Maculae on tergite two can vary in width. In males maculae are typically <¼ the width of the tergite, but in rare occasions may be up to ⅓ of the width. In females hey are typically ¼–⅓ the width. Maculae on tergite 3 & 4 in the male look similar to those of pauxillus , pacificus and laticaudus , however in the female the maculae tend to be slightly thinner than similar species and sometimes are more narrow on the medial edge.

Etymology: From the Latin niger, meaning black, dark, dusky, and cornus, meaning horn (possibly referring to antennae).

Distribution: Northern Canada (MB, NL, NT, QC, YT), Northern USA (AK) and Greenland ( Fig. 21A View FIGURE 21 ). Palaearctic (likely throughout far north but distribution needs to be verified).

Ecology: Has been collected from late May–July, from elevations of 762–1250m.

Discussion: Dasysyrphus nigricornis is recognized from the Nearctic for the first time. Long buried within pauxillus in this region, specimens from northern Canada and the United States are morphologically and genetically different from pauxillus and the two other species also split off from it here, laticaudus and pacificus . Male genitalia of these Nearctic specimens match the genitalia of the nigricornis paralectotype figured by Bicik & Laska (1996, Fig. A). Part of the reason that this species has not been recognized in this region before is that much confusion has existed over the use of the name in the Palaearctic. When Verrall provided a new name for obscura in 1873, because the name was preoccupied, he used specimens from Scotland for his description. However, obscura was described by Zetterstedt from Scandinavia and is not known to occur in the United Kingdom ( Bicik & Laska 1996; Speight 2011). The material used by Verrall in his redescription is apparently actually pinastri , leading to the obvious confusion. In 1996, Bicik & Laska examined the type series of obscura to help straighten out the nomenclature. Upon their examination of the type series they found three different species, three specimens of nigricornis s.s., two of pauxillus s.l. and one of pinastri . They selected a lectotype to stabilize the name, as well as provided figures of genitalia and characters to differentiate nigricornis from pauxillus s.l. and pinastri .

Despite being morphologically distinct from D. occidualis , D. nigricornis cannot be separated from occidualis by COI DNA.

Type Material: “ S. obscura Juckasj. ” (Zetterstedt label), “ S. obscuraticeps Frey ” (Heese label, 1969), number: “185”, ♂, deposited in the Museum of Zoology , Lund University ( MZLU), Lund, Sweden ( Bicik & Laska 1996). (not examined)

Material Examined:

Canada: Manitoba: CHURCHILL AREA : Warkworth Creek , [58.507672, -93.997769], 10.vi.1952, ♂, CNCD 13766 GoogleMaps , C.D. Bird ( CNC); Burn site N[orth] of Twin lakes, [58.61861111, -93.82888889], 29.vi.2007, 3♂, CNCD 9204–9206 GoogleMaps , J. Skevington ( CNC); Bluff D at Bird Cove , [58.76166667, -93.89833333], 30.vi.2007, CNCD 9274 GoogleMaps , J. Skevington ( CNC) . Newfoundland and Labrador: Pinware River Provincial Park, Division No. 9, [51.634267, -56.708114], 29.vi.1983, ♂, CNCD 13902 GoogleMaps , A. Borkent ( CNC). Cartwright , [53.694772, -57.010406], 29.vi.1955, ♀, CNCD 13903 GoogleMaps , E.E. Sterns ( CNC) . Northwest Territories: Resdelta, Great Slave Lake , [66.051734, - 120.780449], 22.vi.1944, ♀, CNCD 13777 GoogleMaps , J. R. Vockeroth ( CNC). Km 491 Dempster Highway , [67.182795, - 135.791046], 26.vi.1982, ♂, CNCD 13772 GoogleMaps , G. & M. Wood ( CNC). Aklavik , [68.219638, -135.010707], 30.vi.1956, ♀, CNCD 13776 GoogleMaps , E.F. Cashman ( CNC). Reindeer Depot, Mackenzie Delta , [68.668974, -134.071574], 25.vi.1948, ♂, CNCD 13712 GoogleMaps , 27.vi.1948, 2♂, CNCD 13714 , 15384 GoogleMaps , 28.vi.1948, ♂, CNCD 13713 , 6.vii.1948, ♂, CNCD 13715 , J. R. Vockeroth ( CNC). Granet Lake, Franklin , [68.701471, -125.58813], 20.vii.1969, ♀, CNCD 13778 GoogleMaps , G.E. Shewell ( CNC). 21 miles east Tuktoyaktuk , [69.426844, -132.172475], 20–25.vi.1971, 4♂, CNCD 13702–13704 , 13707 GoogleMaps , 2–5.vii.1971, ♂, CNCD 13705 GoogleMaps , ♀, CNCD 13774 GoogleMaps , 8–12.vii.1971, ♀, CNCD 13775 , D.M. Wood ( CNC); 21.vi.1971, ♂, CNCD 13706 , W. R. M. Mason ( CNC). Tuktoyaktuk , [69.438369, -133.01637], 17.vi.1971, 3♂, CNCD 13709–13711 GoogleMaps , D.M. Wood ( CNC) . Quebec: Kuujjuaq ( Fort Chimo ), [58.100076, - 68.406179], 23.vii.1948, ♀, CNCD 13879 , R GoogleMaps . H. MacLeod ( CNC) . Yukon Territory: Swim Lakes , [62.210135, - 132.809978], 975m, 11.vi.1960, ♀, CNCD 13568 GoogleMaps , 15.vi.1960, ♀, CNCD 13733 GoogleMaps , 25.vi.1960, 2♀, CNCD 13734 , 13735 , J.E.H. Martin ( CNC). Sheldon Lake , [62.616763, -131.266603], 1067m, 7.vii.1960, 2♀, CNCD 13737 , 13738 GoogleMaps , E.W. Rockburne ( CNC). La Force Lake , [62.683333, -132.333333], 1006m, 26.vi.1960, ♀, CNCD 13726,7 GoogleMaps . vii.1960, ♀, CNCD 13722 GoogleMaps , 9.vii.1960, ♀, CNCD 13723 , 10.vii.1960, 2♀, CNCD 13724 , 13725 , J.E.H. Martin ( CNC); 25.vi.1960, ♀, CNCD 13732 , 7.vii.1960, ♀, CNCD 13727 , 11.vii.1960, ♀, CNCD 13729 , 13.vii.1960, 2♀, CNCD 13730 , E.W. Rockburne ( CNC). Hunter Creek, Dawson , [63.779, -138.61], 914m, 3.vii.1949, ♂, CNCD 13701 , ♀, CNCD 13740 , P.F. Bruggemann ( CNC). Dawson , [64.050017, -139.41052], 16.vi.1949, ♀, CNCD 13741 GoogleMaps , W.W. Judd ( CNC). North Fork Pass, Ogilvie Mountains , [64.565983, -138.250648], 1250m, 12.vi.1962, ♂, CNCD 13700 , R GoogleMaps . E. Leech ( CNC). North Fork Crossing, Mile 43 Peel Pit Road , [64.565983, -138.250648], 1067m, 4.vii.1962, ♀, CNCD 13736 GoogleMaps , P.J. Skitsko ( CNC). DEMPSTER HIGHWAY: Mile 51, [64.605992, -138.33789], 17–21.vi.1973, ♂, CNCD 13708 GoogleMaps , ♀, CNCD 13739 GoogleMaps , G. &D.M. Wood ( CNC); km 465, [67.046392, -136.209668], 25–26.vi.1982, 2♂, CNCD 5811 , 13720 GoogleMaps , ♂ and ♀ (pinned together), CNCD 13719 GoogleMaps , G. & M. Wood ( CNC); Wright Pass, [67.083297, -136.162751], 9.vii.1985, ♀, JSS 20169, S.G. Cannings ( UBCZ). Richardson Mountains , [68.163651, -136.988868], 762m, 12.vii.1982, ♂ & ♀, CNCD 13721 GoogleMaps , M. Wood ( CNC) .

Greenland: Sondrestrom Air Base; Near Sugar Loaf Mountain , [67.010556, -50.709167], 11.vii.1963, ♂, JSS 23779, T GoogleMaps . J. Curtin ( USNM) . United States of America: Alaska: MATANUSKA- SUSITNA CO.: Matanuska , [61.541945, -149.229674] GoogleMaps , 28.v.1945, ♀, JSS 19518 , 7.vi.1944, ♀, JSS 19519, J.C. Chamberlin ( CNC) ; 7.vi.1944, 2♂, JSS 19520, 19521, J.C. Chamberlin ( USNM). Mount Fairplay, Mile 32 Taylor Highway , [63.679038, - 142.262944], 1097m GoogleMaps , 10.vii.1962, ♀, CNCD 26443 , P.J. Skitsko ( CNC). Nome Area, Mile 17 of Kougarok Road , [64.70611111, -165.2972222] GoogleMaps , 26.vi.2005 28.vi.2005, ♀, CNCD 30896 , J.& R. Skevington ( CNC). Umiat , [69.36666667, -152.1333333], 24.vi.1947, ♂, JSS 19522, K.L. Knight ( USNM) GoogleMaps .

MZLU

Lund University

CNC

Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes

R

Departamento de Geologia, Universidad de Chile

UBCZ

University of British Columbia, Spencer Museum

T

Tavera, Department of Geology and Geophysics

USNM

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Diptera

Family

Syrphidae

Genus

Dasysyrphus

Loc

Dasysyrphus nigricornis (Verrall)

Locke, Michelle M. & Skevington, Jeffrey H. 2013
2013
Loc

Syrphus nigricornis var. obscuraticeps

Frey, R. 1950: 10
1950
Loc

Scaeva obscura

Zetterstedt, J. W. 1838: 601
1838
Darwin Core Archive (for parent article) View in SIBiLS Plain XML RDF