Polytrichophora arnaudorum, Mathis, Wayne N. & Zatwarnicki, Tadeusz, 2012

Mathis, Wayne N. & Zatwarnicki, Tadeusz, 2012, A revision of the new world species of Polytrichophora Cresson and Facitrichophora, new genus (Diptera, Ephydridae), ZooKeys 231, pp. 1-116 : 27-28

Polytrichophora arnaudorum sp. n. Figs 3842

Diagnosis.

This species is distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: Small to moderately small shore flies, body length 1.90-2.40 mm.

Head: Frons largely dull, moderately microtomentose, 2-toned, posterior 2/3 mostly grayish to whitish tan, anterior 1/3 (from level of fronto-orbital setae anteriad) yellow to yellowish gray. Antenna mostly yellow to yellowish orange, basodorsal area of basal flagellomere with some blackish coloration; arista with 5 dorsal rays. Face at narrowest point about equal to combined length of pedicel and basal flagellomere; face densely microtomentose, microtomentum with faint shiny to pearly luster, mostly tannish white; parafacial and gena becoming more whitish than face; parafacial becoming much wider ventrally with slight to considerable ventral dilation; parafacial 2-3 times wider ventrally than dorsally; gena moderately high, height about equal to combined length of pedicel and basal flagellomere; gena-to-eye ratio 0.21-0.24.

Thorax: Mesonotum mostly dull to faintly subshiny, densely microtomentose, mostly tan to brown, becoming gray laterally and anteriorly; pleural area mostly gray. Anterior margin of wing lacking spine-like setae; costal vein ratio 0.58-0.72; M vein ratio 0.48-0.54. Forefemur lacking a row of 9-10 short, stout setulae along apical half of anteroventral surface; forefemur with a row of 4-5, of mostly elongate, well-developed, evenly spaced posteroventral setae, each equal to width of femur; tibiae mostly gray, only apices yellowish; basal tarsomeres yellow, apical 1-2 becoming darker, mostly brown.

Abdomen: Male terminalia (Figs 38-41): Epandrium connected dorsally above cerci (Fig. 38), evenly setulose, in posterior view (Fig. 38) with dorsal 2/3 oval, ventral 1/3 distinctly narrowed, elongate, each extended ventral process robustly developed throughout length, lateral margins shallowly concave, tapered just before apex to acute point (Figs 38-39), ventral third of epandrium in lateral view (Fig. 39) shallowly curved anteriorly, ventral extension robustly developed, expanded gradually forming narrowly spatulate process, apex rounded; cerci large, prominent in lateral view; aedeagus complex (Figs 40-41) with distinct, narrow basiphallus and contorted, curved, more membranous distiphallus, apex of distiphallus lacking narrow projection; phallapodeme in lateral view (Fig. 41) rod-like, narrowly clavate, narrowed basally, very slightly sinuous, keel very shallowly developed, evident only toward end extended to hypandrium, in ventral view (Fig. 40) nearly straight except for curved apex; gonite in lateral view (Fig. 41) elongate, very narrow, conspicuously curved, in ventral view (Fig. 40) asymmetrically developed with extended flanges differing in shape on right and left sides; hypandrium in lateral view (Fig. 42) relatively short, in ventral view (Fig. 40) broadly H-shaped with posterior arms stubby, much shorter than anterior arms.

Type material.

The holotype male is labeled "San Felipe[,] Baja Cal.Mex[,] 19 Feb 1954[,] P.H.Arnaud/USNM ENT 00285968 [plastic bar code label]/HOLOTYPE ♂ Polytrichophora arnaudorum Mathis & Zatwarnicki, CAS [red]." The holotype is double mounted (glued to a paper triangle), is in excellent condition (apical portion of left arista missing), and is deposited in CAS. Twenty-three paratypes (6♂, 14♀; CAS, USNM) bear the same label data as the holotype. A male and female paratype (CAS) bear the same locality data as the holotype but with the date of 5 Mar 1963.

Type locality.

Mexico. Baja California. San Felipe (31°01.5'N, 114°50.4'W).

Distribution

(Fig. 42). Nearctic: Mexico (Baja California).

Etymology.

The species epithet, arnaudorum, is a plural genitive patronym to recognize and honor Paul H. Arnaud, Jr. and his wife, Madeline (nee Milliet), who contributed greatly to our careers in entomology and specifically to the study of Diptera . Paul was the collector of the type series.

Remarks.

This species is similar and probably closely related to Polytrichophora conciliata , Polytrichophora adarca , and Polytrichophora sinuosa but is distinguished from these species and other congeners in having a long anterior process of the aedeagus (basiphallus) (Figs 40-41).