Amiota brayi, 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 : 41-43

Amiota brayi , sp. nov.

Figures 16C–D , 19B , 21 , 83B

DIAGNOSIS: Small fly (ThL 1.05–1.17 mm), dark brown; cheek very narrow (EL/CW 20.30–31); frons narrow (FL/FW 0.80–0.91), nearly black; male genitalia complex, relatively small; cercus long, pendulous; outer paraphysis virtually symmetrical, broad and laterally flattened (no large, perpendicular spine present), preapical dorsal claw long, strongly curved, and sclerotized, extending slightly beyond tip of outer paraphysis; inner paraphyses composed of 2 lobes, asymmetrical, with 5 sclerotized, curved, interdigitate spines; posterior lobe with 3 spines, pointed right; anterior lobe with 2 spines, pointing left.

DESCRIPTION: Small fly (ThL 1.05–1.17 mm), dark brown, legs light yellow. Cheek very narrow (EL/CW 20.30–31), yellow to brown. Katepisternum lighter than remaining pleuron. Frons narrow (FL/FW 0.80–0.91), black, rather shiny. Facial marking small, width 0.3× length. Palp yellow. Arista: Very long, plumose; longest branch D2; A.R. 0.51; 5 long dorsal, 2 long ventral branches, none pointed mediad/laterad; arista trunk with medium microtrichia along most of length. Male genitalia: Epandrium dorsally complete, fused at midline and grading into membrane surrounding cercus. Cercus long, pendulous, dorsally grading into surrounding membrane (other margins discrete); cerci occupy most of space surrounded by epandrium. Surstylus roughly oval shaped, middle region with scattered setulae along prensisetae margin, finer setulae near proximal end; 7 prensisetae, apices blunt, smaller medially; prominent fingerlike process adjacent to most lateral prensiseta, originating anteriorly to prensisetae, covered in setulae. Subepandrial sclerite a narrow, transverse strip; subepandrial appendage absent. Outer paraphysis symmetrical, long, slender, laterally flattened (no large, perpendicular spine present); distal end rounded, with several scattered sensilla; preapical dorsal claw heavily sclerotized, long and curved (extended nearly to tip of paraphysis). Inner paraphyses composed of 2 lobes; asymmetrical, grading into outer paraphysis, with 5 sclerotized, curved, interdigitate spines; posterior lobe with 3 spines; anterior lobe with 2 spines, pointing left. Aedeagal apodeme wide, nearly as wide as long; distal end widely flared, distal lobes forming angled joints with midsection, deep concave depression on distal end; strong flanges running along lateral margins to base. Hypandrium simple, U-shaped, thickness consistent. Ejaculatory apodeme small, length 0.5× that of the epandrium. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 5; Am 185, 322, 400, 646, 1226) FL/FW 0.86 (0.80–0.91), EL/EW 1.31 (1.22–1.146), EL/CW 28.36 (20.30–31), FML/ FMW 0.33 (0.30–0.41), PR /RR 0.53 (0.45–0.60), ThL 1.12 (1.05–1.17 mm).

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: male: ARKAN-SAS: Logan Co. Magazine Mtn., [35.167210, -93.644199], 2750 ft., D. Grimaldi, VII/6/92, Am 322, [glued to paper point, dissected]. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History ( AMNH). Paratypes: ARKANSAS: Logan Co. Magazine Mtn., 2750 ft., D. Grimaldi, VII/6/92, 2♂ (Am 344*, 362*, AMNH).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: USA: Illinois: Hardin Co., Shawnee Nat. For., 37.594631, -88.382478, 2018-08-08, Leg. J.L. Hughes and L.E. Jones, swept around head, 1♂ (Am 645*, 646*, AMNH). Missouri: Perryville, 1956-07, [collector unknown], 3♂ (Am 184*, 185*, 187*, AMNH). North Carolina: Highlands, Wilson’s Gap, 3100′ 1957-05-25, leg. J. R. Vockeroth, “ Paratype,” [never published], 1♂ (Am 1376, CNC). Tennessee: Great Smoky Mtns. Nat. Park, Husky Gap Trail, 35 40 N, 83 32 “W, 2001-05-30 through 2001-06-04, leg. J. Skevington and J.M. Cumming, Malaise Trail, 1♂ (Am 1226, CNC). Virginia: Prince William Co., 0.5 km NE Thorofare Gap, vic. Haymarket, 1966-06-25, leg. P.H. Arnaud Jr., 1♂ (Am 400*, CAS).

ETYMOLOGY: Named for James R. Bray, Jr. (1968–), bryologist extraordinaire and professor of biology at Blackburn College in Carlinville, IL. In appreciation for serving as mentor of the first author while he was an undergraduate at Blackburn, and for introducing him to taxonomy and botany. James Bray and A. brayi are both native to the Ozarks.

DISTRIBUTION: Amiota brayi inhabits a small band stretching from the Ozarks to the MidAtlantic, although by far most collections have been centered in the Ozarks and adjacent southern Illinois.

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

Figures

FIG. 16. Heads and lateral views, A. mariae species group. A–B. A. antitormentum, sp. nov. (Am 55, holotype, lateral image flipped). C–D. A. brayi, sp. nov. (Am 322, holotype). E–F. A. cruciatum, sp. nov. (Am 83, lateral image flipped). Lack of white spots is likely an effect due to preservation.

FIG. 19. Aristae, A. mariae species group. A. A. antitormentum. B. A. brayi. C. A. cruciatum. D. A. incurva. E, G. A. mariae Máca. F. A. texas. H. A. tormentum. I. A. wheeleri. J–K. A. zaliskoi. Not to same scale.

FIG. 21. Male terminalia, A. brayi. A. Posterior view of entire complex. B. Lateral view. C. Surstylus D. Subepandrial sclerite, paraphyses, and hypandrium, dorsal view. E. Aedeagal apodeme. (Am 322, holotype).

FIG. 83. Distribution maps, A. mariae species group. A. A. antitormentum. B. A. brayi. C. A. cruciatum.