Scipopus (Scipopus) lateralis Hennig, 1934

Lindsay, Kate & Marshall, Stephen A., 2023, A revision of Scipopus Enderlein including the subgenera Scipopus s. str., Phaeopterina Frey and Parascipopus subgen. nov. (Diptera, Micropezidae, Taeniapterinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 904, pp. 1-189 : 64-67

Scipopus (Scipopus) lateralis Hennig, 1934

Figs 24–25

Scipopus lateralis Hennig, 1934: 326 .

Scipopus lateralis – Hennig 1937: 48 (listed). — Aczél 1949: 342 (catalog). — Steyskal 1968: 48.16 (catalog).

Differential diagnosis

Scipopus (Scipopus) lateralis resembles other species of Scipopus s. str. that also have an at least partially white first fore tarsomere and a shiny, clearly delineated epicephalon ( S. (S.) brikelos sp. nov., S. (S.) nigripennis , S. (S.) furcifer and S. (S.) chalybeus ), but differs in the straight line of white microtrichosity on the anteroventral part of the anepisternum and the dense lines of pale microtrichosity on the postpronotal lobe and notopleuron ( Fig. 25 ).

Type material examined

Holotype (examined and photographed in Halle, 2002)

ECUADOR • 1 ♀; Cordilleren [The Mountains]; MLUH .

Paratype (examined and photographed in London, 2014)

ECUADOR • 1 ♀; Balzapamba; R. Haensch leg.; BMNH .

Other material examined

ECUADOR • 1 ♀; Rio Palenque , Univ. Miami. Res. stn; 29 Jul. 1978; G.J. Umphrey leg.; debu01088999/ MYCRO553-19 unsuccessfully sequenced for CO1–5′; QCAZ • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Pich. Pr., 47 km S of Sto. Domingo, Rio Palenque Station ; 250 m a.s.l.; 17–25 Feb. 1979; S.A. Marshall leg.; QCAZ (dissected and photographed, Fig. 24B, D ) • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; debu00242010/MYCRO561-19 unsuccessfully sequenced for CO1–5′; DEBU (dissected and photographed, Fig. 24A, C, E–G ) .

Description

LENGTH. 11–12 mm.

HEAD. Palpus dark brown, paler apically, pale brown microtrichose and setulose on entire surface, denser on ventral edge and apex, broad (length 3.6 × height). Clypeus dark brown, width ~2.1 × height, bare medially, white microtrichose in posterolateral corners. Frontal vitta dull, orange, microtrichose. Orbital plate bare, with slight shine anterolaterally. Epicephalon light brown, shiny, white microtrichose, narrow (width <⅔ of upper frontal vitta width at inner verticals), clearly delineated from upper frontal vitta. Paracephalon dark brown, slightly convex on posterolateral portions. All head chaetotaxy well-developed.

THORAX. Scutum black-brown, with median light brown vitta, margins of vitta with silvery blue sheen. Female cervical sclerite slightly convex anteriorly. Postpronotal lobe black-brown, pale microtrichose dorsally, with very few to no setulae on outer margin. Notopleuron black-brown, pale microtrichose ventrally. Pleuron black-brown with the following microtrichosity: entirely white on proepisternum and proepimeron, white on anteroventral ¼ of anepisternum, forming a parallel-sided band, remainder brown, white anterior patch and posterior band on katepisternum which extends onto anterior half of katatergite. Legs dark brown; fore tarsomere 1 white dorsally; hind tarsomere 1 almost entirely white dorsally. Wing uniformly brown infuscate.

ABDOMEN (J+ ♀). T1 with fine, long, white setae.

FEMALE ABDOMEN. Pleuron almost entirely black, pale grey on ventral corners of P1–2 ( Fig. 25 ). T1+2 ~2.0 × length of T3. Oviscape dark brown basally, darker apically, sparse black setulose, white microtrichose on anterior ⅓, ~1.5–2.0 × length of T6. Combined spermathecal ducts long; common duct narrow, ⅔ of entire duct length. Paired spermathecal duct wide, nearly parallel-sided, swollen apically and basomedially. Paired spermathecal stems longer than spermathecae, smooth on basal half, with tubercles on distal half. Paired spermathecae approximately spherical, collapsed in Fig. 24E . Single spermathecal duct arising from base of paired duct, narrow, ½ diameter and ≈ length as paired duct, swollen apically. Single spermatheca elongate, wider distally, nearly teardrop-shaped, with minute tubercles.

MALE ABDOMEN. Ventral pleuron pale grey, P1, entire pleural sac and dorsal half of P3–6 dark brown or black. T1+2 ~2.0× length of T3. Genital fork ~2.5× length of T6, arms converging, touching, inner basal process straight, ~½ the length of arm. Epandrium elongate, length 2.0 × height, wider posteriorly, short setose posteroventrally. Basiphallus small, crescent-shaped. Basal distiphallus short (~2.0× phallic bulb length), broad, ending in phallic bulb. Phallic bulb short and small, length ≈ height, approximately round, with upper chamber with large, rounded posterior projection and lower rounded chamber. Distal distiphallus long and narrow,>2.0 × length of epandrium. Phallapodeme expanded apically (not visible in Fig. 24E ).

Distribution

Ecuador.

Figures

Fig. 24. Scipopus (Scipopus) lateralis Hennig, 1934. A. Head, ♀, anterior view, Ecuador, non-type (DEBU). B. Male genital fork, ventral view, Ecuador, non-type (QCAZ). C. Right lateral view, ♀, Ecuador, paratype (DEBU). D. Male terminalia, lateral view, Ecuador, non-type (QCAZ). E. Female spermathecae and associated structures, Ecuador, non-type (DEBU). F. Head and thorax, ♀, dorsal view, Ecuador, non-type (DEBU). G. Habitus, ♀, Ecuador, non-type (DEBU). H. Thorax, ♀, left lateral view, illustrating white microtrichosity. Abbreviations: a = genital fork arms; b = basiphallus; bc = bursa copulatrix; bdp = basal distiphallus; cd = common duct; ddp = distal distiphallus; e = epandrium; ea = ejaculatory apodeme; h = hypandrium; ibp = inner basal process; p = phallapodeme; pb = phallic bulb; pd = paired spermathecal duct; ps = paired spermatheca; pss = paired spermathecal stems; sd = single spermathecal duct; ss = single spermatheca; vr = ventral receptacle.

Fig. 25. Scipopus (Scipopus) lateralis Hennig, 1934, mating, Santo Domingo, Ecuador. Photo credit: Nataly Lara. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/60961790