Megophthalmidia misericordia, Kerr, Peter H., 2014

Kerr, Peter H., 2014, The Megophthalmidia (Diptera, Mycetophilidae) of North America including eight new species, ZooKeys 386, pp. 29-83 : 45-49

Megophthalmidia misericordia sp. n. Figs 41-50

Type material.

Holotype: ♂, "USA: CA: Sonoma Co., Annadel SP, 0.9mi from park lot, Richardson trail, 38°26.11'N, 122°36.67'W 220masl 6m MT, 3-26.iv.2007 P. Kerr & S. Blank 07LOT029" / "HOLOTYPE 12J963, Megophthalmidia misericordia ♂, Kerr, 2014" [red label]. Deposited in CSCA, specimen glued directly to the pin, complete specimen (Fig. 41). See Fig. 103 for image of type locality.

Paratypes (all bearing blue paratype labels): ♂, "USA: CA: Sonoma Co., Annadel SP, 0.9mi from park lot, ravine near Warren Richardson trail, 38°26.11'N, 122°36.67'W, 220masl, 6m MT, 26. iv– 17.v.2007 P. Kerr & S. Blank 07LOT049" [CSCA; specimen # 07Y264 (dissected)]; 9 ♂♂, "USA: CA: Sonoma Co., Annadel SP, 0.9mi from park lot, Richardson trail, 38°26.11'N, 122°36.67'W 220masl, 6m MT#3, 17. v– 7.vi.2007 P. Kerr & S. Blank 07LOT196" [1 ♂ LACM; 8 ♂♂ CSCA including specimen numbers 12J984, 12J985 (Figs 42-50); four in alcohol, including # 12J958, # 12K739].

Diagnosis.

Megophthalmidia misericordia sp. n. may be confused with Nearctic congeners that also have a brown thorax and short and broad (stout) apical epandrial processes. Among these, it is most similar to Megophthalmidia ignea and Megophthalmidia perignea but may be distinguished from these species by having setose apical epandrial processes (not bare; Fig. 43) and narrow, elongate bifurcations of the aedeagal fork (Fig. 49). The narrow, elongate bifurcations of the aedeagal fork in Megophthalmidia misericordia are similar to those found in Megophthalmidia browni , but Megophthalmidia misericordia is distinguished by having stout apical epandrial processes (not elongate). Megophthalmidia radiata also has stout apical epandrial processes, but these are much broader at their base than in Megophthalmidia misericordia .

Description.

Male. Body length: 2.0-2.3, 2.1 [2.2] mm (n=6). Wing length: 2.0-2.2, 2.1 [2.1] mm (n=6).

Coloration (Fig. 41). Head dark brown; antennal scape dark brown, pedicel and flagellomeres brown; face dark brown, clypeus and labrum brown to dark brown; palps and labellum cream-colored to pale yellow (palpomeres 1 and 2 usually slightly darker than others, palpomere 2 with light patch where sensilla present). Thorax brown to dark brown throughout; scutum setae brown. Coxae lighter in color than thorax, brown; femora light brown to brown, becoming gradually darker dorsoapically; tibiae light brown to brown (hind tibia darkest), hind tibial comb dark brown, tarsi light brown to brown. Wing hyaline without markings, wing veins brown; haltere stem and knob white to cream-colored. Abdominal segments concolorous brown to dark brown. Terminalia brown.

Head. Ocelli slightly raised, median ocellus in line with anterior margin of lateral ocelli, median ocellus approx. 0.3 –0.5× size of lateral ocelli; lateral ocellus located approx. 2 × diameter of ocellus from eye margin, separated from median ocellus by approx. 2 –2.2× its own diameter. Eyes with microsetae, which are approximately as long as width of facet. Frons microtrichose, without setae, flattened. Antennal length 0.7-0.8, 0.8 [0.7] mm (n=6). Face clearly longer than wide, setose; clypeus and labrum microtrichose, without setae. Palpus with four palpomeres; palpomere 1 barrel-shaped, without setae; other palpomeres with brown setae; palpomere 2 bearing small pocket of sensilla; palpomere 1 length longer than or subequal in length to palpomere 2; palpomere 3 length subequal to or slightly shorter than combined length of palpomeres 1 and 2; palpomere 4 length 0.8 –1× combined lengths of palpomeres 1-3.

Thorax. Dorsum with evenly-distributed, short, appressed setae, bearing longer setae only along lateral and posterior margins. Antepronotum, proepisternum, and laterotergite bearing setae; remaining lateral thoracic sclerites bare. Costal wing vein extends beyond R5, approx. two-thirds distance between R5 and M1; R1 approximately the same length as r-m; cubital fork proximad of r-m base (as in Megophthalmidia occidentalis , Fig. 52); R1, M1, M2, CuA1, and CuA2 with setae on upper surface (lacking setae on M1 + M2). Wing veins A1 and CuP absent.

Male genitalia (Figs 42-50). Epandrium dorsal surface flat or nearly so, without setae medially, posterior margin narrowly emarginate at center (Fig. 44). Posterior processes of epandrium relatively wide, approx. 2.5 × longer than wide, separated at base by approx. 0.5 × width of process, length of setae at base of epandrial processes less than 0.5 × width of process; apex of posterior process angled to dull point (Figs 43). Gonocoxites as in Figs 45-47. Aedeagal fork bifurcated into elongated tines of similar width; shorter tine broadly-curving upward and back, longer tine s-shaped (Figs 48-50).

Female unknown.

Etymology.

The species epithet “misericordia” is a noun in apposition, derived from the Latin word for pity/mercy. The species is known only from Annadel State Park, one of 70 California state parks that were scheduled to close in 2012 by California Governor Jerry Brown. Local support has kept this park in operation, but its economic foundation remains uncertain.