Atoniomyia mikii (Williston)

Scarbrough, Aubrey G. & Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E., 2006, A review of the asilid (Diptera) fauna from Hispaniola with six genera new to the island, fifteen new species, and checklist, Zootaxa 1381, pp. 1-91 : 36-38

Atoniomyia mikii (Williston)

( Table 1, Figs. 28–32)

Atomosia mikii, Williston 1886: 290 . Type locality: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, type: ♀?. Atonia mikii (Williston), 1889: 257 .

Atoniomyia mikii (Williston) . Hull, 1962: 61; Martin & Papavero, 1970: 554.

Redescription, male. Black, silvery-white tomentose, white setose, robust body. Measurements, body 7.0–8.0 mm; wing 6.1–7.2 mm. Head: Silvery-white tomentose white setose. Face gradually produced, ventral 1/2 well exposed beyond eye; entirely or largely white setose, abundant ventrally, 2 narrow stripes dorsally. Palpus brownishyellow. Proboscis black. Antenna black, brownish-yellow tomentose, black setose; flagellum ( Fig. 28) flat and widest on apical 1/2, constricted about apical 1/3 ventrally, with long apical style, about 1/3 as long as flagellum, and short microsegment; scape slightly shorter than pedicel, latter 2 combined about 2/3 as long as flagellum. Ocellar tubercle with 2 long black setae, about as long as antenna. Occiput usually grayish tomentose, eye margin denser; setae and bristles pale, sparse, setae most abundant ventrally, dorsal postocellar bristles sometimes black.

Thorax: Black, silvery-gray tomentose, bristles and setae mostly white. Scutum and scutellum black with minute punctuations, atomentose, shining black with recumbent white setae, setae about as long as pedicel; dorsocentral setae black, longest 3/4 as long as scape and pedicel combined; sparse, erect, black setae laterally; lateral bristles black. Apical margin of scutellum with numerous, long, whitish or yellowish setae, about as long as flagellum. Anatergite with narrow vertical stripe of black, spine-like bristles, and short bristly setae. Pleura mostly dense silvery-white tomentose with white vestiture; anespisternum partly atomentose, shining black, extending ventrally on to katepisternum as narrow line. Halter creamy white, base dull brown.

Wing: Hyaline, mostly brown-yellow microtrichose, basal cells somewhat sparse. Cell r 4 with base beyond apex of cell d, wide apically with R 4 above and R 5 well below wing apex. Crossvein r-m just before middle of cell d. Apex of cell m 3 well beyond cell d.

Legs: Black, white setose, with mostly whitish bristles; coxae silvery-white tomentose. Tibiae with narrow bases reddish, sparse black bristles laterally, and abundant flat or erect white setae ventrally; middle tibia narrow, somewhat capitate apically, with 2–3 unusually long bristles, about 2/3 as long as tibia; gradually wider from base to apex, apex about twice as wide as base. Tarsi with basal 4 tarsomeres largely pale, yellow on fore and middle tarsi, yellowish-brown or red on hind tarsus, each slightly brownish apically, apical tarsomere entirely blackish; setae largely black dorsally, yellowish fore tarsus, black and yellowish on middle tarsus, entirely black on hind tarsus; bristles black, sparse yellow on fore and middle tarsi, outer bristles about 1/2 as long as tarsi.

Abdomen: Black, sides parallel, twice as long as scutum and scutellum combined; tergites coarsely punctate, abundant short, brown setae medially, much longer whitish setae laterally and apically on tergites 6 and 7; tergites 1–5 laterally with sparse, stout, yellowish, spine-like bristles. Sternites brownish with scattered, short, pale yellow to whitish setae.

Terminalia ( Figs. 29–32): Black, white setose. Gonocoxa narrow. Aedeagus yellow, wider laterally than long in dorsal view; trifid distiphallus slightly curved horizontally; ejaculatory apodeme wide on apical 1/2. Hypandrium rectangular.

Female: Measurements, body 8.0– 9.2 mm, wing 7.0– 8.3 mm. Tomentum and setae yellowish-gray or yellow. Head: Dorsal 1/2 of face, entire frons, vertex and occiput medially yellowish-gray to golden yellow tomentose; sparse brown setae present on dorsal 1/2 of face, frons sometimes reddish yellow. Flagellum without obvious constriction. Legs: Middle tibia slender, apex not strongly swollen. Tarsi paler than in male, setae largely yellowish.

New records. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Azua [province], 8 km NE Padre / Las Casas, Rio Las / Cuevas ~18-24 N, 70- 53 W. [18 o 24'N, 70 o 53'W] 580 m / 7 August 1990 / J.Rawlings, S.Thompson (10 ♂, 18 ♀, CMNH); Bara / hona [province], 6 km NW Paraiso, Rio / Nizao 18 o 02'N 71 o 12'W, 170 m / 25–26.vii.1990, C.Young, J.E.Rawlins, S.A.Thompson, (1 ♂, 2 ♀, CMNH) .

Distribution. Captured between 170 and 580 m in elevation during July and August in Azua, Barahona, and Santo Domingo provinces, Dominican Republic.

Remarks. Atoniomyia mikii is distinguished by the shape of the flagellum and length of the style ( Fig. 28), anepisternum partly atomentose, the unusually long bristles on the tibiae and tarsi, and long setae laterally and brown setae medially on most tergites. The male is further recognized by the combined characters of the terminalia ( Figs. 29–32) and the black setose, apically enlarged middle tibiae. Williston described A. mikii from specimens captured in Santo Domingo province. Azua and Barahona provinces are added to its distribution. This is the first report of the species since the original publication in the late 1800's.