Amiota cervites, 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 : 50-51

Amiota cervites , sp. nov.

Figures 29A–B , 30A–B , 31 , 86A

DIAGNOSIS: Large fly (ThL 1.39–1.48 mm), dark brown, nearly black; thorax and abdomen glossy; frons blackish brown on rest of frons, ventral third shiny, silvery; spines of outer paraphyses forming a cross-shaped structure (in posterior view), the most ventral portion consisting of an anterior, posterior, and lateral spine; dorsal spine with a lateral spine as well as a bifurcated posterior spine; inner paraphysis small and cuplike.

DESCRIPTION: Large fly (ThL 1.39–1.48 mm), dark brown, nearly black; legs dark yellow. Thorax and abdomen glossy. Frons shiny, with silvery band along ptilinal margin on ventral third. Cheek whitish to light brown. Palp brown. Tergite 1 lightly colored. Arista: Short to medium, plumose, most branches decumbent; longest branch D1–D2; A.R. 0.31; 3 dorsal, 0 ventral branches; branches D1–3 pointed mediad; arista trunk with long microtrichia grading shorter toward apex. Male genitalia: Epandrium dorsally separated, margins in this area discrete from membrane; row of long setae along posterolateral margin. Cercus oval shaped, long though not pendulous, ventral margin extending approximately to lower level of epandrium; most margins discrete from surrounding membrane (except for dorsal most portion); setae long. Surstylus curved, lateral convex; cluster of setulae along preapical-ventral margin; 15 prensisetae, apices blunt, closely arranged, comblike. Subepandrial sclerite large, subepandrial appendage arising from a thin stalk, expanding into a large scoop-shaped structure, as wide as long; moderately sclerotized. Outer paraphyses complex, virtually symmetrical (except for 2 dorsal spines): entire complex approximately cross shaped; ventralmost portion with anterior, posterior, and lateral spines; anterior portion with spine oriented toward the opposite direction of the lateral appendage; anteroventral spine with two sensilla near midpoint, on tiny tubercles; dorsal portion of outer paraphysis with pair of longer lateral spines and pair of bifurcated posterior spines; paraphysial complex heavily sclerotized, except bases of pair of posterolateral spines (which are membranous). Inner paraphysis small, heavily sclerotized, simple and cuplike with anterior rim; lying lateral to outer paraphysis. Aedeagal apodeme long, width 0.60× length, moderately sclerotized; curved 90° in lateral view. Hypandrium approximately following contours of cross-shaped outer paraphyses in ventral view, forming 3 lobes; the most anterior lobe thinner than the lateral lobes, with a small, rounded projection at the apex; in lateral view hypandrium gently S-shaped, without lobe on posterior margin. Ejaculatory apodeme half the length of the epandrium. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 5; Am 1267, 1447, 1526, 1530, 1532) FL/FW 0.75 (0.72–0.79), EL/EW 1.23 (1.17– 1.29), EL/CW 13.29 (11.6–17.25), FML/FMW 0.26 (0.24–0.28), PR /RR 0.55 (0.45–0.58), ThL 1.43 (1.39–1.48 mm).

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: male: 14 mi SW. El Salto, Dgo. [Durango] MEX., [23.786449, -105.597725], 8000′, June “26” 1964, J.F. McAlpine, attracted to man, Am 1526, [glued directly to pin, dissected]. Deposited in the Canadian National Collection ( CNC). Paratypes: 14 mi. SW El Salto, Dgo. [Durango] MEX., 8000′, June “26” 1964, J.F. McAlpine, attracted to man, 6♂ (Am 1447*, 1484*, 1495*, 1512*, 1524*, 1532*, CNC).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Mexico: Durango: 10 mi W. El Salto , 9000′, 1964-06-08, leg. J.F. McAlpine, attracted to man, 1♂ (Am 1267, CNC) ; 1964-06-12, leg. J.F. McAlpine, 2♂ (Am 1530*, 1555*, CNC) ; 14 mi. SW El Salto , 8000′, 1964-06-09, leg. J.F. McAlpine, attracted to man, 3♂ (Am 1498*, 1523*, 1528*, CNC) .

ETYMOLOGY: Formed from cervus, Latin for “deer.” Meaning “deerlike,” in reference to the posterior view of the male genitalia, which resemble a deer skull.

DISTRIBUTION: Amiota cervites is currently only known from the state of Durango in Mexico.

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

Figures

FIG. 29. Heads and lateral views, A. cervites species group. A–B. A. cervites, sp. nov. (Am 1526, holotype). C–D. A. elsaltoensis, sp. nov. (Am 1455, holotype). E–F. A. multiplex, sp. nov. (Am 1552, holotype).

FIG. 30. Aristae, A. cervites species group. A–B. A. cervites. C–D. A. elsaltoensis. E–F. A. multiplex. Not the same scale.

FIG. 31. Male terminalia, A. cervites. A. Epandrium and cerci. B. Ejaculatory apodeme. C. Lateral view. D. Ventral view. E. Paraphyses, lateral view. F. Surstylus. (Am 1526, holotype)

FIG. 86. Distribution maps, A. cervites species group. A. A. cervites. B. A. elsaltoensis. C. A. multiplex.