Amiota didens, Jones & Grimaldi, 2022

Jones, Lance E. & Grimaldi, David A., 2022, Revision Of The Nearctic Species Of The Genus Amiota Loew (Diptera: Drosophilidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2022 (458), pp. 1-181 : 131-132

Amiota didens , sp. nov.

Figures 68E–F , 72C , 75 , 95A

DIAGNOSIS: Small to medium-sized fly (ThL 0.99–1.44 mm), dark brown, legs yellow; frons dark with frontal half slightly silvery; arista with sparse, short plumosity; subepandrial sclerite appendage with broad, roughly cordate apex; outer paraphysis short, laterally flattened, with preapical dorsal hook, large proximal-dorsal spine near base that is twice the length of apical hook; inner paraphysis lost.

DESCRIPTION: Small to medium-sized fly (ThL 0.99–1.44 mm), dark brown, legs yellow. Frons slightly silvery, dark. Cheek whitish gray posteriorly. Palp yellow. Arista: Short, plumose; longest branches D2, D3; A.R. 0.35; 5 dorsal branches (apical 2 very short), 2–3 very short ventral branches; none pointed mediad/laterad; arista trunk with medium-length microtrichia, bare on apical third. Epandrium with middorsal margin evanescent, grading into surrounding membrane below. Cercus small, crescentic, margins distinct, flattened in lateral view. Surstylus roughly square, the middle region with scattered setulae; 9–10 prensisetae, apices blunt, closely spaced, comblike. Subepandrial sclerite with short subepandrial appendage that is drop-shaped in full ventral view; pair of microtrichose, membranous lobes flanking subepandrial appendage, apparently attached to genital complex. Outer paraphysis symmetrical, short, heavily sclerotized, laterally flattened, with preapical dorsal hook; several sensilla in small cluster on lateral side; large proximal-dorsal spine, twice the length of apical hook. Inner paraphysis lost. Aedeagal apodeme bent at 45° angle. Hypandrium faint, incomplete or very faintly sclerotized in middle; with large, bulging gonopod in middle of posterior margin. Ejaculatory apodeme 0.6× length of epandrium. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 3; Am 444, 1418, 1429) FL/FW 0.63 (0.60–0.64), EL/EW 3.11 (1.26–6.62), EL/CW 14.42 (13–17), FML/FMW 0.28 (0.25–0.30), PR /RR 0.56 (0.50–0.62), ThL 1.18 (0.99–1.44 mm).

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: male: MEXICO, Morelos: #7, 14 mi. N. Cuernavaca, [19.188745, -99.228691], 7300′, 29 July 1963, leg. George W. Byers, Am 444, [glued to paper point, dissected]. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History ( AMNH).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Mexico: Sinaloa: Portrerillos , 15 mi. W El Palmito, 5000′, 1964-07-08, leg. J.F. McAlpine, 1♂ (Am 1429*, CNC) ; 1964-07- 011, leg. J.F. McAlpine, biting man, 1♂ (Am 1418*, CNC) .

ETYMOLOGY: Formed from di, Greek for “two,” and dens, Latin for “tooth or prong,” in reference to the lateral view of the outer paraphysis of the male genitalia.

DISTRIBUTION: Amiota didens is known only from the states of Morelos and Sinaloa in Mexico.

COMMENTS: This species exhibits the characteristic behavior of attraction to the eyes and face common to many Amiota .

Figures

FIG. 68. Heads and lateral views, ungrouped species. A–B. A. barretti (Johnson) (Am 1490). C–D. A. buccata Wheeler (Am 14, paratype). E–F. A. didens, sp. nov. (Am 444, holotype, lateral image flipped).

FIG. 72. Aristae, ungrouped species. A. A. barretti (Johnson). B. A. buccata Wheeler. C. A. didens. D. A. humeralis Loew. E. A. floridiensis. F. A. imperator. G. A. laevifurca. H–I. A. sinaloensis. Not to the same scale.

FIG. 75. Male terminalia, A. didens. A. Epandrium and cerci. B. Lateral view. C. Subepandrial sclerite and surstylus, ventral view. D. Ejaculatory apodeme. E. Posterior view. F. Outer paraphysis, lateral view. (Am 444, holotype).

FIG. 95. Distribution maps, Ungrouped species. A. A. didens. B. A. floridiensis. C. A. humeralis Loew.