Heteromeringia nitida JOHNSON , 1913

Lonsdale, Owen & Marshall, Stephen A., 2007, Revision of the New World Heteromeringia (Diptera: Clusiidae: Clusiodinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 57 (1), pp. 37-80 : 50-52

Heteromeringia nitida JOHNSON, 1913

( Figs 1 , 22-24, 29, Map 1 )

Heteromeringia nitidanitidanitida Z OHNSON, 1913: 99 . MALLOCH, 1918: 8. MELANDERELANDER & ARGO, 1924: 31.

Description ( Fig. 1 )

Male

Body length 3.0- 4.3 mm. Bristles black. Two dorsocentral bristles, sometimes with small bristle in front of anterior dorsocentral. Ocellar bristle occasionally smaller than postvertical. Genal bristles small and hair-like. Three fronto-orbital bristles. Arista short pubescent. Male with small white disc anterior and ventral to anepisternal bristle. Thorax dark brown. Fore coxa white and pilose on anterior surface, and mid and hind coxae yellow, sometimes with brownish basal infuscation (most prominent in specimens collected in and south of Virginia). Legs yellow except as follows: fore tibia, tarsi and distal half of fore femur dark brown; tip of hind femur usually dark brown (yellow in holotype); hind tibia usually with brown basal and apical bands (often faded). Frons dark brown with anterior and anterolateral margins orange-yellow; anterior margin of first flagellomere dark brown; face dirty orange, at least on dorsal half; back of head, occiput, gena (except above genal bristles), clypeus and mentum dark brown (sometimes gena dirty yellow to brownish); remainder of head yellow, with base of palpus occasionally brownish; upper 3/5 of gena silvery tomentose (tomentose band tapering past anterior half of eye); anterior half of frons pilose, usually including entire lateral margin. Abdomen dark brown. Wing darkly clouded on distal half along R 2+32+3 and costa, and lightly clouded around R 4+54+5 distally. M 1+2 ratio 5.0-7.5.

Male from Mexico more darkly coloured: fore femur entirely dark brown; mid femur dark brown on basal half; hind femur dark brown excluding base; mid tibia with basal half brown; hind tibia with basal 1/3 dark brown; mid and hind coxae brown; palpus brown on basal half.

Male terminalia (Figs 22-24)

Sclerites of annulus wide and weakly sclerotized. Epandrial height, length and width subequal. Surstylus acutely triangular, 7/10 height of epandrium, with posterior margin slightly sinuate and with several distal small rounded bristles. Cerci 2/3 height of surstylus, subquadrate and shallowly emarginate. Hypandrium + pregonite globular with three stout bristles and several small setulae; suture on distal 1/3. Phallapodeme well-developed and 1/5 longer than hypandrium + pregonite. Distiphallus with one rib extending into long, thin process. Male from Mexico with ejaculatory apodeme very large (distal “fan” approximately three times wider than average).

Female

Externally as described for male except palpus black with tip yellow and frons usually shiny; frons sometimes with minute pilose patch on anterior margin, but rarely as described for male.

Female terminalia ( Fig. 29 )

Spermatheca 1/5 longer than wide at widest point, strongly telescoped, densely covered with narrow, transverse wrinkles, circular in cross-section, and distally truncated with shallow inverted cone. Spermathecal ducts thin, several times length of spermatheca, and sometimes united along most of length. Ventral receptacle small, recurved, sac-like, narrow basally, and with long subterminal flagellum that is loosely coiled distally.

Distribution

Canada (southern ON), Mexico, United States (AL, AZ, DC, FL, GA, IL, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, NM, NY, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WV) ( Map 1 ).

Holotype: UNITED STATES. NJ: L. Branch, 12.vi.1902 (1 , MCZC).

Additional material examined: CANADA. ON: Essex Co., Point Pelee National Park, wooded area by W beach, Malaise/pan traps, 21.viii-10.ix.1999, O. Lonsdale (1 , DEBU). MEXICO. 10mi E El Salto, Dgo., 9000', 21.vi.1964, J.F. McAlpine (1 , CNCI). UNITED STATES. AL: Bon Secour NWR, 5-7.v.1994, mushroom trap in Oak, S.A. Marshall (1  1 , DEBU), AZ: Montgomery Co., 20mi W Glenwood, T 45 R 27W, 15.vi-28.vii.1994, H.W. Robinson (1  1 , DEBU), CT: Putnam Pk., 24.vii.1939, A.L. Melander (1 , USNM), East R., Hopk, 31.v.1917, Rehred, Par. Macremphytus , Cornus stolonifera, C.R. Ely (1 , USNM), DC: Rock Creek Park, 26.v.1957, P.H. Arnaud Jr. (1 , CASC), Reheboth, 18.vii.1976, W.W. Wirth, Malaise trap (1 , USNM), FL: Alachua Co., Gainesville, W.W. Wirth, 27.iv.1970 (1 , USNM), 27.iv.1970 (1 , USNM), Withlacoochee St. Forest, Croom Reserve, 13.iv.1989, S.A. Marshall (3 , DEBU), Royal Palm Park, 28.iv.1930, A.L. Melander (1 , USNM), Sebring, Highlands Hamm. St. Pk., 15.iv.1970, W.W. Wirth, Malaise (1 , USNM), GA: Athens, 28-31.v.1969, R.&J. Matthews, Malaise (1 , EMUS), Liberty Co., St. Catherenes Isl., 24-28.iv.1972, Thompson & Picchi (2 , USNM), IL: Mason Co. Sandridge State Park, 12.vi.1978, M.E. Irwin (1 , EMUS), MD: Montgomery Co., Colesville, W.W. Wirth, 4.vii.1976 (1  1 , USNM), 11.vii.1974 (1  1 , USNM), 14.vi.1977 (2  , USNM), 4.ix.1977, Malaise trap (2   1 , USNM), 14.vi.1975, Malaise trap (1 , USNM), 3.viii.1975, Malaise trap (1 , USNM), 7.viii.1975, Malaise trap (1 , USNM), Bethseda, G. Steyskal, 17.v.1969 (1 , USNM), 16.vii.1967 (1 , USNM), Prince George Co., Rt. 4 nr. Patuxent Riv., 30.viii.1979, A. Freidberg (1 , TAUI), MI: Wayne Co., Grosse Ile., G. Steyskal, 18.vi.1952 (2 , USNM), 13.viii.1956 (1 , USNM), NC: Raleigh, 3.viii.1982, J. Jaenike (1 , USNM), Cumberland Co., Fort Bragg, J.D. Birchim, 3-6.iv.1967 (1 , CASC), 23-25.viii.1967 (1 , DEBU), Raleigh, C.B.S. Brimley, 21.v.1924 (1 , NCSU), Wake Co., 7 air mi SW of Raleigh off rd., C.S. Parron, Malaise trap 21.x.1985 (1 , NCSU), 29.vii.1985 (1 , NCSU), NH: White Mtns., Dolly Copp, 13.viii.1931, A.L. Melander (1 , USNM), NJ: Orange, 5.vi.1932, C.H. Curran (2 , USNM), NY: Bear Mtn., 30.v.1941, A.L. Melander (1 , USNM), Ulster Co., Cherrytown, 4mi NNW Kerhonkson, 15-30.vi.1971, P.B. Wygodzinsky (1 , USNM), Flushing, 6.ix.1933 (1 , USNM), Sta. Study Insects, Tuxedo, 26.vi.1928 (1 , USNM), NY City, Cortlnd Pk., 6.vii.1926, A.L. Melander (1 , USNM), SC: Barnwell St. Pk., mushroom traps in Oak forest, 10-18.iv.1989, S.A. Marshall ( USNM), Beaufort Co., Hilton Head Isl., forest preserve, ex. sweep over trail, 3.ix.1981, P.H. Adler (1 , USNM), Georgetown Co. Hobcaw Barony, Belle Baruch Marine Field Lab, on slime mold on oak log, 26.iv-8.v.2004, S.A. Marshall (3  3  , DEBU) [in alcohol], TN: Great Smoky Mtns. N.P., Cades Cove, 13.vi.1946, G. Steyskal (1 , USNM), TX: Brazos Co., College Stn., 17.iv.1987, Wharton (1 , TAMU), College Stn., ex. Malaise trap, R. Wharton & M. Hrncir, 9-23.iv.1982 (1 , TAMU), 2-5.iv.1982 (1 , TAMU), 21- 25.iv.1981 (1 , TAMU), Anderson Co. Salmon, 7.ix.1974, H. R. Burke, ex, Malaise (1 , TAMU), 18.viii- 6.ix.1974, H. R. Burke, ex. Malaise (1 , TAMU), Bastrop Co. College Stn., Lick Crk. Park, 16-31.v.1988, R. Wharton (1 , TAMU), College Stn., Lick Creek Park, Wharton & Praetorius, 2-16.v.1988 (1  1 , TAMU), 9-23.iv.1988 (1 , TAMU), Montgomery Co., Jones St. Forest, 8mi S Conroe, 13-19.iv.1987, Wharton, Wang & Praetorius (3 , TAMU), 16-23.viii.1987, Wharton, Steck & Carrol (1 , TAMU), 28.vi-13.vii.1987, Wharton, Steck & Carrol (4  2  , TAMU), Nacogdoches, iv.1958, M. R. Wheeler (2 , USNM), VA: Great Falls, 21.vii.1962, G. Steyskal (1 , USNM), Fairfax Co., 2mi N Centreville, 11.vi.1972, G.F.&S. Hevel (1 , USNM), Fairfax Co., West Springfield, Pohick Creek, 5.vi.1999, 38°46'N, 77°16'W, 550ft, C.F. Kassebeer (1 , MHNC), WV: Kanawha Co., So. Charleston, 28.viii.1981, P.H. Adler, in copula, on fallen Oak (1  A , USNM) [single pin].

Comments

Heteromeringia nitida is a relatively common species in the eastern United States, ranging from the coast to Illinois and eastern Texas; several outlying specimens have been collected in New Mexico and Mexico. The range of this species extends northward almost to Maine, and we have found a single specimen at the southern tip of Ontario in Point Pelee National Park. The other primarily nearctic species, H. nigripes , has a more southwestern distribution in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, with occasional specimens collected south into Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica and Brazil, and east into New Jersey and Virginia.

MCAC LPINE (1960) noted that the mid fronto-orbital bristles of Heteromeringia pulla MCAC LPINE, 1960 (and possibly H. spinulosaspinulosa M CALPINE C, 1960 ) were reclinate, but slightly incurved. Among New World species, we have found this state only in H. nitida , which also has a barely inclinate anterior fronto-orbital.

Figures

Map 1: Distributions of Heteromeringia nitidanitida JOHNSON (dot) and Heteromeringia nigripesnigripes MELANDER & ARGO (circle). South American localities of H. nigripes not shown.

Fig. 1: Agonistic interaction between Heteromeringia nitidaZZ OHNSON males (South Carolina).

Figs 28-30: Female internal genitalia (spermathecae and ventral receptacle). 28 Heteromeringia fumipennis MELANDER & ARGO; 29 H. nitida JOHNSON; 30 H. nigripesnigripes MELANDERELANDER & ARGO.