Medetera dominicensis Robinson, 1975

Runyon, Justin B., 2020, The Dolichopodidae (Diptera) of Montserrat, West Indies, ZooKeys 966, pp. 57-151 : 57

Medetera dominicensis Robinson

Medetera dominicensis Robinson, 1975: 26.

Material examined.

Dominica: Holotype ♂, Springfield Estate, 9 March 1964, H. Robinson (USNM). Montserrat: 9 ♂, 4 ♀, Cassava Ghaut, Beattie House, 14-21 January 2002, Malaise trap, A. Krakower; 5 ♂, 3 ♀, same as previous, 21 January-05 February 2002; 3 ♂, same as previous 5-15 February 2002; 8 ♂, same as previous, 4-23 March 2002; 4 ♂, 5 ♀, same as previous, 23 March-8 April 2002; 8 ♂, 1 ♀, same as previous, 18 March-4 April 2002; 12 ♂, 1 ♀, same as previous, 8-17 April 2002; 5 ♂, 1 ♀, same as previous, 17 April-1 May 2002; 4 ♂, same as previous, 17-30 May 2002; 4 ♂, 9 ♀, same as previous, 14-30 June 2002, M.A. Ivie; 1 ♂, same as previous, 30 June-4 July 2002; 5 ♂, Cassava Ghaut, 16°45.749'N, 62°12.473'W, canopy fogging at dawn, 5 December 2002, J. Boatswain & L. Martin; 1 ♂, same as previous, 4 February 2003, L. Martin & J. Boatswain; 19 ♂, 7 ♀, Underwood Ghaut, canopy fogging at dawn, 23 May 2002, K. Marske & J. Boatswain; 3 ♂, 2 ♀, Gun Hill, 18-30 May 2002, Malaise trap, K.A. Marske; 4 ♂, 1 ♀, same as previous, 2-19 June 2002; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Woodlands, Riverside House, 5-7 January 2002, Malaise trap, Ivie, Marske & Puliafico; 1 ♂, same as previous, Malaise trap in lawn, 17-28 July 2005; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Fogarty, 21 June 2002, canopy fogging at dawn, K.A. Marske & Forestry staff; 1 ♂, same as previous, 6 December 2002, J. Daley & L. Aymer; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, rental house in Old Town, 16°44.795'N, 62°13.711'W, 19 June 2017, J.B. Runyon; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Hope Ghaut, 280 m, 16°45.101'N, 62°12.760'W, 20 June 2017, J.B. Runyon; 3 ♂, 1 ♀, Hope Ghaut, 300 m, 16°45.108'N, 62°12.695'W, 20 June 2017, J.B. Runyon; 5 ♂, Fogarty Ghaut, 16°46.41'N, 62°12.44'W, 21 June 2017, J.B. Runyon; 1 ♂, Woodlands Beach, 16°45.75'N, 62°13.42'W, 22 June 2017, J.B. Runyon; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Runaway Ghaut, 175 m, 16°45.43'N, 62°12.89'W, 23 June 2017, J.B. Runyon; 2 ♂, Jack Boy Hill (top), 480 m, 16°45.797'N, 62°10.886'W, 25 June 2017, J.B. Runyon; 2 ♂, Fairy Walk River, 260 m, 16°45.162'N, 62°10.854'W, 26 June 2017, J.B. Runyon; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, ghaut above Montserrat Volcano Observatory, 330 m, 16°45.130'N, 62°12.487'W, 27 June 2017, J.B. Runyon (MTEC, USNM).

Distribution.

Dominica, Montserrat.

Remarks.

Adults of M. dominicensis were common in fogging samples and Malaise traps, and in 2017 were commonly seen on and collected from trunks of a wide variety tree species. Numerous males taken by fogging and in Malaise traps, presumably teneral, have the hypopygium yellowish rather than brown. Bickel (1985) indicated that M. dominicensis is closely related and could be conspecific with M. nova Van Duzee from eastern North America. Comparison of male specimens of M. nova (Pennsylvania, Virginia) with specimens of M. dominicensis reveals substantial and consistent differences in the form of the cercus and surstylus, notably the presence of branched hairs on the surstylus of M. dominicensis .