Amiota tibialis, 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 : 95-98

Amiota tibialis , sp. nov.

Figures 47C–D , 48B , 50 , 90C

DIAGNOSIS: Large fly (ThL 1.63–1.79 mm), black; cheek very deep; middle tibia with comb of ~12 setae; hind tibia with comb of ~8 setae; male genitalia distinctive, heavily sclerotized and complex: aedeagal apodeme deeply lobed with lateral pockets; subepandrial sclerite with large, curved appendage having 2 distal valves, each valve bearing a serrated distal edge with a proximal large spine; similar to Amiota byersi but significantly differing in the subepandrial appendage.

DESCRIPTION: Large fly (ThL 1.63–1.79 mm), black, legs yellowish. Frons dark, slightly lighter ventrally, pollinose. Cheek deep (EL/CW 0.07– 0.09mm), whitish-gray. Middle tibia with comb composed of ~12 setae (length of longest setae ~0.7× width of tibia). Hind tibia with comb composed of ~8 setae (length of longest setae ~0.7× width of tibia). Tergites 1 and 2 lightly colored. Arista: Short, plumose; longest branch D3; A.R. 0.30; 5 long dorsal, 3 shorter ventral branches, none pointed medially/laterally; arista trunk with short microtrichia, bare on apical half. Male genitalia: Epandrium dorsally incomplete in middle. Cercus distinct from surrounding membrane, each crescentic. Surstylus with lateral thumblike projection, 9 prensisetae, apices blunt, comblike, becoming slightly smaller medially. Subepandrial sclerite complex, forming a semicircle, each half with ostium and 4 anteriorly facing lobes; an elaborate heavily sclerotized appendage present, heavily sclerotized, arching ventrally and the apex directed posteriorly; apex with pair of serrated valves, in lateral view with 2 prominent spines, flanked above and below with smaller serrations; each subepandrial appendage in ventral view flanked by a faintly striated membranous sac. Outer paraphysis long and acuminate, no visible sensilla, oriented posteroventrally, bent ~ 90° at base. Inner paraphysis slightly sinuous and pointed anterolaterally. Aedeagal apodeme very distinctive, length and width nearly equal, scalloped, deeply lobed and bent in lateral; prominent lateral lobes forming scoop, constricted on all 4 sides and concave in dorsal view; no obvious flanges. Hypandrium thick, heavily sclerotized; lateral arms thick coming to a very wide gonopod, nearly triangular; apex a strong mucronate point ventral to aedeagal apodeme. Ejaculatory apodeme long, length slightly shorter than depth of epandrium; bent near middle of shaft, heavily sclerotized. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 5; Am 7, 470, 482, 489, 556) FL/FW 0.65 (0.55–0.72), EL/EW 1.46 (1.37–1.54), EL/ CW 10.30 (8.77–11.71), FML/FMW 0.39 (0.35– 0.43), PR /RR 0.54 (0.50–0.72), ThL 1.73 (1.63– 1.79 mm).

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: male: UTAH, Cache Co, Logan Cyn [canyon], Turner CG [campground], [41.883204, -111.572736], 10–20 Jun 85, W.J. Hanson, Am 470, [reglued directly pin, dissected]. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History ( AMNH) . Paratypes: UTAH, Cache Co, Logan Cyn [canyon], Turner CG [campground], 5–17 Jul 85, W.J. Hanson, 3♂ ( Am 472, 481, 482*, LACM) ; 20–27 Jun 85, W.J. Hanson, 1♀ (Am 483) ; 27 Jun –5 July 85, W.J. Hanson, 3♂ ( Am 475, 478, 489*, LACM) .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Canada: Ontario: Low Bush, Lake Abitibi , 1925-08-08, leg. N.K. Bigelow, 3♂ (Am 1352*, 1353, 1354*, CNC) ; Petawawa Reservation , 1935-06-26, leg. D. Gray, 1♂ (Am 556*, DEBU) . Saskatchewan: Mankota , 1952- 01-30, [collector unknown], Prob ex. Tort. In apple fungus ( Daldinia grandis ), 1♂ and 1♀ (Am 1350, 1351*, CNC) . USA: Utah: Cache Co., W. Hodges Canyon, 1978-08-15 through 1978-08-21, leg. Knowlton and W.J. Hanson, 1♂ (Am 495*, LACM) ; 1985-07-18 through 1985-07-23, leg. W.J. Hanson, 2♂ (Am 485*, 486, LACM) ; 1985-07-23 through 1985-08-03, leg. W.J. Hanson, 1♂ (Am 488, LACM) ; 1985-08-16 through 1985-08-30, leg. W.J. Hanson, 1♂ (Am 473, LACM) ; 12 mi W Long Junction, Dixie N. For. Ut., 1953-08-18, leg. W.B. Heed, 1♂ and 1♀ (Am 1*, 6*, AMNH) ; 1953-08, leg. W.B. Heed and F.A. Cowan, 2356.4, 1♂ (Am 7*, AMNH) .

ETYMOLOGY: From tibia, Latin for “leg,” in reference to the tibial comb on the hind leg.

DISTRIBUTION: Amiota tibialis is known from Utah, specifically the Wasatch and Uinta Montane Forests which stretch from north to south in the state, as well as eastern and central Canada.

COMMENTS: Of note are the two specimens from Saskatchewan (CNC) found to be associated with apple fungus, Daldinia grandis Child. Amiota alboguttata (Wahlberg) has been reared from Daldinia concentrica (Bolton) Ces. and De Not. in the United Kingdom ( Buxton, 1960; Hingley, 1971).

Figures

FIG. 47. Heads and lateral views, A. subtusradiata species group. A–B. A. byersi, sp. nov. (Am 295, paratype, lateral image flipped). C–D. A. tibialis, sp. nov. (Am 495).

FIG. 48. Aristae, A. subtusradiata species group. A. A. byersi. B. A. tibialis, sp. nov. Not to the same scale.

FIG. 50. Male terminalia, A. tibialis. A. Ventral view. B. Lateral view, with ejaculatory apodeme. C. Subepandrial sclerite. D. Surstylus. E. Subepandrial appendage, apex lateral view. F. Aedeagal apodeme. (Am 470, holotype).

FIG. 90. Distribution maps, A. rufescens species group. A. A. tessae. A. subtusradiata species group. B. A. byersi. C. A. tibialis.