Myriophora juli (Brues)

Hash, John M. & Brown, Brian V., 2015, Revision of the New World Species of the Millipede-Parasitic Genus Myriophora Brown (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 4035 (1), pp. 1-79 : 29-30

Myriophora juli (Brues)

(Figs 5.1, 11.9, 17.9)

Plastophora juli Brues, 1908: 201 .

Aphiochaeta juli: Brues 1912: 136 (new combination).

Plastophora juli: Borgmeier 1961: 91 (moved back to Plastophora ). Megaselia juli: Disney 1978: 318 (new combination).

Myriophora juli: Brown 1992: 78 (new combination).

Aphiochaeta xantippe Banks 1911: 212 (junior synonym).

Aphiochaeta mucronata Borgmeier 1925: 140 ; Borgmeier 1961: 90 (synonymized, " mucronata " was a junior syn.).

Species recognition and discussion. Myriophora juli is distinguished from other similar species with long, thin elongated oviscapes by the shape of the venter of the oviscape that is deeper and "keel-like" in the anterior portion and abruptly becomes shallower in the posterior half, as the sternite becomes more defined (Fig. 17.9). We have examined specimens collected by Banks and identified as " xantippe ," and there is no doubt that they are M. juli . The geographic distribution of M. juli meets those of M. communis and M. alexandrae in Texas, USA, but these species are clearly morphologically differentiated from one another. The similar thin, elongated oviscape structure is also present in M. inaequalisetarum and M. uruguaiensis , which are known from Colombia and Argentina, respectively. Borgmeier's Plastophora mucronata was poorly defined, differentiating it from P. juli based only on shorter anterior scutellar setae. Though he synonymized P. mucronata with P. juli in Borgmeier (1961), he informally regarded " mucronata " as a variant or subspecies in Borgmeier (1963). The oviscape of a " mucronata " paratype that we examined from Brazil has very similar structure to that of North American M. juli . We see no rational for keeping " mucronata " as a subspecies of M. juli at this point and do not recognize it as so. Admittedly, a geographic range including Brazil and Canada seems enigmatic, but such wide geographic ranges are known from other phorid species. More sampling in Brazil is needed to more critically assess this problem.

The species similar to M. juli described in this revision with long, thin, acuminate oviscapes are well-defined species, but we have seen specimens from geographically intermediate localities in Brazil, Peru, and Colombia that do not fit neatly into these species concepts and exhibit wide morphological variation. They are representatives of likely species complexes that would require in-depth population sampling and molecular sequencing to fully resolve.

Distribution. Brazil, Canada, and United States.

Host. Reared from and collected on various juliform millipedes.

Material examined. Image of Holotype: ♀, USA: Wisconsin: Milwaukee, vii.1908, Dr. S. Graenicher. (Milwaukee Public Museum). Holotype: ♀, " Plastophora xantippe ," USA: Virginia: Falls Church, 8.vii.1911, N. Banks ( MCZC). Paratype: ♀, " Plastophora mucronata ," BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro: Petropolis ( MCZC). CANADA: Manitoba: near Gardenton, 49.12°N, 96.67°W, 4♀, 26.viii.1996, H. D. White, Malaise trap; Ontario: 11km E Griffith, 45.25°N, 77.17°W, 1♀, 23.vii.1989, B. E. Cooper, Malaise trap, Guelph, South Arboretum, 43.54°N, 80.21°W, 2♀, 15–23.v.2006, L. Coote, Malaise trap, 1♀, 20.vi–21.vii.1984, B.V. Brown, FIT in forest, 1♀, 27–30.vii.1984, B.V. Brown, water traps [=pan traps], 1♀, 9–13.vii.1985, B.V. Brown, Malaise trap, wet, shrubby meadow. USA: Indiana: Lieber St. Pk., 1♀, 30.viii.1984, B.V. Brown; New Mexico: 2.4km W Luna, 33.82°N, 108.98°W, 2300m, 1♀, 7–8.vii.1987, B.V. Brown, yellow pan traps; Ohio: O'Neil Woods, Cuyahoga Valley NP, 2♀, 16.viii.2003, Pucci & Muehlheim, attacking Julida millipede (host vouchered in alcohol); Texas: Austin, 30.30°N, 97.78°W, 1♀, 21–28.xi.1989, C. R. Nelson, Malaise trap, 1♀, 28.x.1988, A. Hook, Bastrop State Park, 30.12°N, 97.35°W, 1♀, 11–29.iii.1991, R. Wharton, Malaise trap; West Virginia: Dolly Sods Picnic Area, 38.99°N, 79.23°W, 1♀, 5–7.vi.1988, E.R. Fuller, Malaise trap. Numerous non-databased specimens from Maryland, USA ( USNM).