Nephrocerus corpulentus, Skevington, Jeffrey H., 2005

Skevington, Jeffrey H., 2005, Revision of Nearctic Nephrocerus Zetterstedt (Diptera: Pipunculidae), Zootaxa 977, pp. 1-36 : 19-23

Nephrocerus corpulentus sp. nov. ( Figs 2 B, 4C, 7A–D, 8)

Type Material Examined: Holotype ♂: United States, Pennsylvania, Berks Co., 5 km S Pine Grove, [40°33' N, 76°27' W], 375 m, 16.vi.1997, JSS#11887, D.M. Wood ( CNC). Allotype Ψ: United States, Minnesota, Becker Co., 6 mi [les] SW Detroit Lakes, [46°49' N, 95°51' W], Malaise trap in hardwood forest, 6.vi.1981, JSS#13884, Mike Moher ( CSCA). Paratypes: United States: Minnesota: Becker Co., 6 mi [les] SW Detroit Lakes, [46°49' N, 95°51' W], Malaise trap in hardwood forest, 9. vi.1981, 1 Ψ, JSS#13479, 6–8. vi.1981, 1 Ψ, JSS#13483, [3 legs removed for DNA extraction], 4. vi.1981, 1 Ψ, JSS#13484, 5. vi.1981, 1 ♂, JSS#13486, 1Ψ, JSS#13488, 1. vi.1981, 2 ΨΨ, JSS#13489, 13494, 6. vi.1981, 2 ΨΨ, JSS#13495­6, Mike Moher ( CAS); Houston Co., Winnebago Cr[eek] Vy., 3–4 m [iles] NE Eitzen, [43°31' N, 91°16' W], 2. vi.1951, 1 ♂, JSS#11513 ( UMSP); Missouri: Boone Co., 5 mi [les] E Ashland, Ashland W[ildlife] A[rea], [38°45' N, 92°12' W], Malaise trap, forest, 9–19. v.1992, 1 ♂, JSS#13359 [3 legs removed for DNA extraction], 1Ψ, JSS#13360, 20–28. v.1992, 1 ♂, JSS#13363, 1Ψ, JSS#13364, 28.v.–4. vi.1992, 1 Ψ, JSS#13365, 20–28. v.1992, 2 ♂♂, JSS#13366 [3 legs, tergites 2 and 3 removed for DNA extraction], JSS#13368 [head missing, possibly this is the head on specimen JSS#13356; 1 abdominal segment removed for DNA extraction], 28.v.–4. vi.1992, 2 ♂♂, JSS#13371, 13377, R.S. Gagne ( UMRM); New Hampshire: Carr[oll] Co., The Bowl, 2.5 mi[les] NW Wonalancet, [43°56' N, 71°24' W], Malaise trap, 5–8. vi.1984, 1 Ψ, JSS#11813, D.S. Chandler ( DENH). New York: [Tompkins Co.], Dryden, [42°29' N, 76°18' W], 1. vi.1957, 1 ♂, JSS#11470 [epandrium damaged, hypandrium broken in half, ejaculatory apodeme missing], G. Steyskal ( USNM); North Carolina: Gr[eat] Sm[oky] M[oun]t[ains] N[ational] P[ark], Rainbow Falls, 700 m, Malaise trap, dry forest, 28. v.1999, 1 Ψ, JSS#12588 [3 legs removed for DNA extraction], L. Quate ( CNC).

Other Material Examined: Canada: Ontario: Dundas, [43°16' N, 79°58' W], 4. vi.1961, 1 Ψ, JSS#11429, C. Farivar ( DEBU); Lambton Co[unty], Port Franks, Karner Blue Sanctuary, [43°13' N, 81°54' W], Malaise trap, 8–10. vi.1996, 1 Ψ, JSS#11404 [all legs removed for DNA extraction], J. Skevington ( DEBU); Quebec: Rigaud, [45º29' N, 74º18' W], 5. vi.1941, 1 Ψ, JSS#19429, J. Ouellet, Collection of W.F. Rapp, Jr. ( INHS); Masham Twp., Gatineau Co., 30. v.1971, 1 Ψ, JSS#9909, D.M. Wood ( CNC); United States: Maine: Coos Co., 1 mi [le] NE East Inlet Dam, [45°11' N, 71°09' W], Malaise trap, 27.v.– 11. vi.1986, 1 Ψ, JSS#11837, D.S. Chandler ( DENH); Missouri: Boone Co., 5 mi [les] E Ashland, Ashland Wildlife A[rea], [38°45' N, 92°12' W], Malaise trap, forest/meadow, 20–28.v.1992, [sex unknown, head and abdomen missing], JSS#13361, 5–15. vi.1992, 1 Ψ, JSS#13356 [abdomen mostly consumed by dermestids; 2 heads on point (1 female and 1 male clearly not belonging to this specimen); male head likely belongs to either JSS#13361 or 13368 (the sex of the former is unknown and the latter is the only definite male Nephrocerus from this collection missing a head); all legs removed for DNA extraction], R.S. Gagne ( UMRM); New Hampshire: [Coos Co.], M[oun]t Wash[ingto]n, [44°16' N, 71°18' W], 1Ψ, JSS#13391, [head glued to point], Collection of Mrs. A.T. Slosson, 26226 ( AMNH); Bretton Woods, [44°15' N, 71°26' W], Malaise trap, 26. vi.1926, 1 Ψ, JSS#11788, S.A. Shaw, 2236 ( DENH); Carr[oll] Co., 2 mi [les] NW Wonalancet, [43°56' N, 71°24' W], Malaise trap, 8–14. vi.1984, 2 ΨΨ, JSS#11792, 11807, D.S. Chandler, ( DENH); Carr[oll] Co., The Bowl, 2.5 mi[les] NW Wonalancet, [43°56' N, 71°24' W], Malaise trap, 5–14. vi.1985, 1 Ψ, JSS#11847, D.S. Chandler ( DENH).

Etymology: From the Latin corpulentus for ‘fleshy’ or ‘fat’; in reference to the distinctive, wide epandrium in this species.

Description: Male: Body length 7.2–10.1 mm. Head: Holoptic, eyes joined for slightly more than length of ocellar triangle, H:O 1.20–1.86:1. Arista black with yellow base. 1st flagellomere yellow. Pedicel yellow with 22–26 bristles along distal margin. Scape yellow with 9–13 dorsal bristles. Labellum and palps yellow. Occiput silver­pubescent with multiple rows of white hairs. Thorax: Proepisternum with a fan of 8–10 bristles. Postpronotal lobe yellow with 4–6 yellow hairs on posterior edge. Scutum black dorsally, yellow laterally, with sharply defined boundaries between the colours (cf. Fig. 1 C); with dorsocentral and intra­alar rows of short hairs, dorsocentrals increasing in size posteriorly and terminating in 1–2 strong setae. Notopleuron with 2 setae, the posterior 1 longer and darker, and numerous smaller hairs. 1 posterior supra­alar setae. Postalar callus with 1–2 setae and 6–7 other moderately strong bristles. Scutellum yellow; with 1–2 pairs of strong posterior setae and numerous small black bristles over entire surface. Pleuron mostly yellow, black on proepisternum, basal four fifths of katepisternum and meron, on anepisternum and usually on anterior anepimeron, on small sclerite below wing base and on subscutellum. Halter yellow. Legs: entirely yellow, long and slender; hairs and sockets on coxae, trochanters and femora all yellow; tibiae and tarsi with yellow hairs but with black sockets. Fore and mid­tibiae slender and slightly arched dorsoventrally; hind tibia narrow on basal third, broader towards tip, laterally arched in apical half (in dorsal view); apex with long, stiff yellow bristles restricted to outer edge of tibia, these bristles over twice length of adjacent bristles ( Fig. 2 B). Trochanters with 3–6 dorsomedial bristles and cluster of 2–3 stout, black ventral bristles. Wings: Length: 7.2–9.0 mm; fourth costal section about 2–3 times as long as third, C4:C3 2.2–3.6:1; R­M situated between basal one­third to nearly middle of discal medial cell (dm), S3:S2 2.3–3.1:1. Cell r1 bare on all but apical corner; Sc bare on proximal half; cell bm mostly bare, microtrichose along distal edge only. Tegula with 9–14 black bristles. Abdomen: Tergite 1 brown to black with yellow anterolateral area and often with yellow posterior and posterolateral edges. Tergites 2–6 sometimes entirely dark brown to black , often narrowly yellow along posterior and posterolateral edges. Sternites 1–5 brown to black . Tergite 1 with 6–8 large yellowish bristles. Tergite 7 and syntergosternite 8 brown. All hairs yellow. Genitalia: Epandrium and terminalia brown, phallus brown to black . Epandrium one and a half to two times as wide as long, WE:LE 1.6–2.0:1. Surstyli asymmetrical; with upper lobes both projecting, upper lobe of right surstylus longest and deflected ventrally at about 45 degrees, narrow throughout most of length ( Fig. 7 B); middle lobe of right surstylus broad, straight­sided, sharply pointed, with a similar structure on left surstylus ( Fig. 7 C). Distiphallus with numerous, robust spines on first loop ( Fig. 7 A, B, D). Female: As male except: Ovipositor long, sharply upcurved, 1.13–1.27 mm ( Fig. 4 C). OL:PL 1.23–1.36:1; BL:OL 6.15– 6.93:1; B:PL 0.29–0.44:1.

Distribution: Known from 36 specimens from NE North America, from Minnesota to Maine south to Missouri and the mountains of North Carolina (Fig. 8).

Distribution of Nephrocerus corpulentus .

Comments: This species has been recorded from hardwood forest and oak savanna. The flight period for this species is from May 14th to June 26th with most records between the last week of May and the first week of June. Nephrocerus corpulentus is very similar to Nephrocerus slossonae . Females have distinctly longer ovipositors and both sexes have distinctive long, distal bristles on the outer edge of the tibia. The epandrium is very wide on N. corpulentus and the surstyli differ subtly from N. slossonae .

The wing of N. corpulentus tends to have more reduced microtrichia than other members of the slossonae group, but three specimens of N. slossonae have a pattern of microtrichia indistinguishable from N. corpulentus (JSS#943, 11405 and 11465). A cluster of 2– 3 ventral bristles on hind trochanter is diagnostic for N. corpulentus but is not used in the key as it is difficult to use without comparative material.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Photographs of Nephrocerus species. Abbreviation: prepst = proepisternum. Scale bars = 1.0 mm. A. Nephrocerus acanthostylus, holotype, JSS # 15348, ♂, dorsal of head, thorax and base of abdomen. B. Nephrocerus slossonae, JSS # 11834, ♂, dorsal of head, thorax and base of abdomen. C. Nephrocerus acanthostylus, JSS # 13450, Ψ, left lateral. D. Nephrocerus slossonae, JSS # 11836, ♂, left lateral of head and thorax. E. ♂, Nephrocerus slossonae, JSS # 11490, left lateral of head and thorax.

FIGURE 2. Posterior view of distal region of right hind tibia, Nephrocerus species. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. A. Nephrocerus acanthostylus JSS # 13490. B. Nephrocerus corpulentus JSS # 11470. C. Nephrocerus slossonae JSS # 11827.

FIGURE 4. Left lateral of ovipositors of female Nephrocerus species. Abbreviations: B = length of ovipositor base; cerc = cercus; OL = ovipositor length; PL = piercer length; spt = spermatheca, S = sternite; T = tergite. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. A. Nephrocerus acanthostylus, JSS # 13477. B. Nephrocerus atrapilus, JSS # 13397. C. Nephrocerus corpulentus, JSS # 13365. D. Nephrocerus daeckei, JSS # 11407. E. Nephrocerus slossonae, JSS # 11795.

FIGURE 7. Male Nephrocerus corpulentus terminalia, ejaculatory apodeme and sperm pump removed; all from JSS # 11513. Arrows indicate key features. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. A. left lateral. B. right lateral. C. dorsal. D. ventral.