Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) petervajdai Sinclair, Vajda, Saigusa & Shamshev, 2019

Sinclair, Bradley J., Vajda, Élodie A., Saigusa, Toyohei, Shamshev, Igor V. & Wheeler, Terry A., 2019, Rhamphomyia Meigen of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland and Iceland (Diptera: Empididae), Zootaxa 4670 (1), pp. 1-94 : 62-65

Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) petervajdai Sinclair, Vajda, Saigusa & Shamshev sp. nov.

( Figs 42 , 43 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B4BD1AD8-A74D-4CCC-9E6A-931FD80FFEAA

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “Y. T.[Yukon Territory, Canada] British Mts./ 69°12′N 140°03′W / 23.VI.1984 480m / G. & M. Wood &/ D. Lafontaine”; “ HOLOTYPE / Rhamphomyia / (Pararhamphomyia)/ petervajdai Sinclair, Vajda ,/ Saigusa & Shamshev [red label]” ( CNC). PARATYPES: CANADA. Northwest Territories: Masik River, Banks Is., 4–16.vii.1968, W. R.M. Mason (18 ♂, 5 ♀, CNC; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ZIN); Masik River, Banks Is., 16.vii.1968, G.E. Shewell (1 ♂, CNC); Mackenzie Delta, Hooper Is., 28.vi.1971, D.M. Wood (2 ♂, CNC); - 21 mi E Tuktoyaktuk, 2–25.vii.1971, D.M. Wood (18 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC); - 30 mi E Tuktoyaktuk, 18.vi.1971, D.M. Wood (3 ♂, CNC); Tuktoyaktuk, 17.vi.1971, D.M. Wood (3 ♂, CNC). Nunavut: Coppermine, 19–24.vii.1951, S.D. Hicks (2 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC); Kugluktuk, 67.78182°, -115.37699°, 3.vii.2011, mesic, sweep, Repl.1, NBP field party (7 ♂, LEM); same data except, 29.vi.2011 (1 ♂, LEM); same data except, 30.vi.2011 (2 ♂, LEM); same data except, MT, 22–26.vi.2011 (1 ♂, LEM), same data except, 22–26.vi.2011, CCDB-21421-F02 (1 ♀, barcode associated, LEM); Kugluktuk, 67.78463°, -115.27979°, 13–19.vii.2010, mesic, MT, Repl.1, NBP field party (5 ♂, LEM); same data except 25–29.vi.2010 (53 ♂, LEM); Kugluktuk, 67.78508°, -115.27573°, 13–19.vii.2010, wet, MT, Repl.1, NBP field party (5 ♂, LEM); same data except, 25–29.vi.2010 (2 ♂, LEM); Kugluktuk, 67.83565°, -115.20968°, 30.vi.2011, mesic, sweep, Repl.2, NBP field party (1 ♂, LEM); Kugluktuk, 67.83538°, -115.20987°, 3–7.vii.2010, mesic, MT, Repl.2, NBP field party (9 ♂, LEM); same data except, 19–26.vii.2010 (11 ♂, LEM); Kugluktuk, 67.83391°, -115.21410°, 19–26.vii.2010, wet, MT, Repl.2, NBP field party (4 ♂, LEM); Kugluktuk, 67.83427°, -115.20895°, 29.vi.–2.vii.2011, wet, MT, Repl.3, NBP field party (6 ♂, LEM); Kugluktuk, 67.83427°, -115.21136°, 29.vi.–2.vii.2011, mesic, MT, Repl.3, NBP field party (15 ♂, LEM); same data except, CCBD-21421-C02 (1 ♂, bar- coded, LEM); same data except, 3.vii.2011, sweep (3 ♂, LEM); same data except, 29.vi.2011, sweep (1 ♂, LEM); same data except, 30.vii.2011, sweep (1 ♂, LEM); Kugluktuk, 67.77436°, -115.30732°, 7–12.vii.2010, mesic, MT, Repl.3, NBP field party (24 ♂, LEM); Kugluktuk, 67.77639°, -115.30882°, 7–12.vii.2010, wet, MT, Repl.3, NBP field party (1 ♂, LEM). Yukon: British Mts, 69°13′N 140°05′W, 320 m, 21–25.vi.1984, G. & M. Wood, D. Lafon- taine (6 ♂, CNC); Dempster Hwy, mi 51, 17–27.vi.1973, G. & D.M. Wood (9 ♂, CNC); Dempster Hwy, km 155, 18–20.vi. 1980, 950 m, D.M. Wood & D. Lafontaine (7 ♂, CNC); Dempster Hwy, km 373, 11.vi.1987, J. Trou- bridge (1 ♂, CNC); Dempster Hwy, nr. North Fork Pass, 64.59736°, -138.31009°, 1180 m, 24–27.vi.2011, wet, MT, Repl.2, NBP field party (7 ♂, LEM); same data except, CCDB-21421-F03, CCDB-21421-F04 (2 ♀, barcode as- sociated, LEM); same data except, sweep, 24.vi.2011 (2 ♂, LEM); Dempster Hwy, nr. North Fork Pass, 64.59918°, -138.30611°, 1216 m, 24–27.vi.2011, mesic, MT, Repl.2, NBP field party (8 ♂, LEM); Richardson Mts, 66°23′N 136°10′W, 3500 ft, 7.vii.1982, D.M. Wood (1 ♂, CNC). USA. Alaska: Nome, Anvil Mt, 19.vi.1994, T. Saigusa (1 ♂, KUMF); 15 mi N Nome, Tayler Hwy, Seward Penin., 20.vi.1994, T. Saigusa (1 ♂, KUMF); Umiat, 19.vi.1947, L.A. Jachowski (1 ♂, USNM).

Diagnosis. This pale setose species is distinguished from other species of Pararhamphomyia by the brown shiny legs, the distinctly modified male midlegs, with femur strongly curved upwards and anteriorly; tibia curved inwards, with 3–5 dark, stout mid posterodorsal setae, longer than 2X tibial width. The mid tarsomere 1 is strongly swollen in the middle covered with numerous long setae, always shorter than 2X tarsal width.

Description. Wing length 3.8–4.6 mm. Male. Head dark with grey pruinescence on face, frons, occiput and postgena. Holoptic, eye with ommatidia larger on upper half, smaller on lower half. Frons represented by very small triangular space below ocellar tubercle and larger subtriangular space above antennae, bare; face bare, slightly divergent towards mouthparts, with oral margin dark and shiny. Ocellar triangle dark, subshiny, with 2 anterior dark setae, 2 pairs of posterior setae finer and shorter than anterior setae; 2 pairs of finer, shorter postocellar setae. Occiput bearing row of fine, long, black postocular setae on upper section; remaining occipital setae similar to postocular setae; postgena bearing dark, long hair-like setae. Antenna black; scape nearly 2X length of pedicel; pedicel bulbous, broader than scape; postpedicel nearly 3X longer than basal width; stylus no longer than pedicel length. Palpus dark brown, with long, dark hair-like setulae. Clypeus pruinescent; labrum lustrous and dark reddish-brown, longer than eye height. Labellum grey with many dark, short, fine setulae.

Thorax dark, with grey pruinescence. Scutum with 2 mostly inconspicuous brownish vittae between acr and dc rows. Pleura largely dark grey-blue, often with brownish tinges on sclerites. Proepisternum with several long, dark setae on lower section; upper proepisternum in front of spiracle with 1–3 setae; prosternum bare. Antepronotum with row of short, stiff, dark setae. Postpronotum with 1–2 pprn and numerous long, dark setae. Scutum with biserial fine, dark acr subequal in length to dc; dc biserial, increasing in length posteriorly, several anterior setae offset laterally; numerous intra-alar setae, shorter than dc; 1 presut spal (= posthumeral) and several shorter setae; 2–3 npl with several shorter setae and finer setae anteriorly; 2–3 short prealar setae; 2–3 psut spal and several shorter setae; 1 pal and 2–3 shorter setae; 2–5 pairs of sctl. Laterotergite with long, dark setae. Anterior and posterior spiracles brown.

Legs entirely dark brown; subshiny with faint pruinescence. Coxae with simple long, dark setae. Femora with white ventral pile; fore femur with 1 anteroventral and 1 posteroventral row of long, fine setae, longer than width of femur. Mid femur curved upwards and anteriorly ( Figs 42A, B ), with long anteroventral setae on basal half and row of stout posteroventral setae on apical half, latter at least 1.5X longer than femur width. Hind femur with anteroventral row of long setae, stouter and longer on apical half; posterior face clothed in long, fine setae ( Fig. 42B ). Fore tibia with long, fine posteroventral setae; row of long, fine anterodorsal setae; row of long, fine posterodorsal setae. Mid tibia curved with 3–5 stout, curved posterodorsal setae, 2X tibial width; anterodorsal row of setae increasing in length and stoutness apically; 2–3 rows of stout anteroventral setae on basal half, apical half with single row of stout anteroventral setae; row of stout posteroventral setae along entire length; 2 stout preapical anterior setae. Hind tibia somewhat clavate, evenly expanded toward apex, with long, fine posteroventral pile; rows of anterodorsal and pos terodorsal setae longer than width of tibia; row of anteroventral setae subequal to tibial width; cluster of 5–6 stout anterodorsal preapical setae ( Fig. 42B ); 1 very long seta in posteroapical comb. Mid tarsomere 1 swollen in middle with several rows of stout, dark dorsal and anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae; tarsomeres 2–4 slightly broadened with long, erect stiff setae ( Fig. 42A ). Fore and hind tarsomeres with preapical circlet of dark, stout moderately long setae; fore tarsus with fine white ventral pile.

Wing clear, somewhat whitish; basal costal seta present; all veins complete (except Sc and CuA+CuP fading towards wing margin). Anal lobe well-developed; axillary excision right angled. Pterostigma present, darkened yellow colouring, although faint. Halter dark with base of stalk yellowish brown.

Abdomen dark grey pruinescence with pale posterior margins; covered with long dark setae, similar to scutal setae. Sternite 8 enlarged, bearing many long, stout setae posteriorly, longer than length of sternite. Tergite 8 slightly shorter than sternite laterally, narrowed in half medially, with numerous setae posteriorly, half length of sternal setae.

Terminalia ( Fig. 42C, D ) largely pruinescent. Epandrium subtriangular, basally decreasing in width posteriorly and curving upwards; apex nearly rectangular bearing mat of short subapical setae and longer apical setae; ventral margin bearing many dark, stout, long setae decreasing in length apically. Cercus divided into anterior and posterior lobes by deep medial constriction; anterior lobe “tear-drop”-shaped, densely pruinose, bearing many short, fine, dark setae, smaller than posterior lobe; posterior lobe expanded apically, bearing numerous fine, short setae, especially medially. Hypandrium slim, short, thinly sclerotized, partially membranous. Phallus filamentous, hair-like, not forming loops exposed beyond epandrium; base of phallus tear-drop-shaped; curving back into cerci. Ejaculatory apodeme as large as anterior cercus lobe, oval-shaped, with lateral wings subequal to vertical wing.

Female. Similar to male, except wings infuscate; midleg not modified and pennate leg setae absent.

Distribution. This low arctic species is known from northwestern North America ( Fig. 43 ).

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honour of the second author’s grandfather, Peter Vajda.

Remarks. Rhamphomyia petervajdai sp. nov. is assigned to the R. pusilla group, which includes the Holarctic species R. pusilla Zetterstedt , several Palaearctic species and at least five additional undescribed species in North America. The R. pusilla group is defined here by darkened halteres, modified male midlegs with tibia and tarsomere 1 often thickened with dense setae and male terminalia with cerci consisting of a more or less oval basal lobe and spatulate apical lobe, the epandrium bears dense, strong setae towards the apex and the phallus is long and very fine, with thickened base.

Figures

FIGURE 42. Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) petervajdai sp. nov. A. Male midleg, posterior view; B. Male midleg (dorsal view) and hindleg, lateral view; C, D. Male terminalia, lateral view.

FIGURE 43. Known distribution of Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) petervajdai sp. nov. in North America.