Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) helleni Frey

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 : 43-46

Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) helleni Frey

( Figs 27–29 )

Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) helleni Frey, 1922: 39 . Type-locality: Russia, Murmanskaya Province, “Kola-Halbinsel (Ponoj) [= Ponoy, 67°04′34″N 41°07′34″E (by lectotype designation)]”. Other references: Chvála & Wagner, 1989: 300 (catalogue); Shamshev, 2001: 325 [key]; Yang et al., 2007: 171 (catalogue); Shamshev, 2016: 64 (checklist).

Rhamphomyia helleni: Melander, 1928: 194 (catalogue).

Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) fuscula helleni: Frey, 1955a: 480 (revision).

Notes on synonymy. Frey (1922) described this species in his keys to Rhamphomyia , based on an unknown number of male and female syntypes ( Frey 1955a). Frey (1955a) classified R. helleni as a subspecies of R. fuscula . He apparently considered R. helleni as a northern and eastern form of R. fuscula differing in shape and thickness of the phallus and slightly shorter body size and wing length.

Type material examined. LECTOTYPE (here designated in order to fix identity of the species) ♂ ( Fig. 27A ), labelled ( Fig. 27B ): “ Ponoj [= Ponoy, Russia: Murmanskaya Province]”; “ R. Frey”; “5037”; “Spec. typ/ Hel”; “ LECTOTYPE / Rhamphomyia helleni / Frey/ des. Sinclair & Saigusa 2018 [red label]” ( MZH). PARALECTO- TYPES: Same data as lectotype (1 ♂, MZH); Ponoj, W. Hellén (1 ♀, MZH).

Additional material examined. CANADA. Labrador: Hebron, 15.vii.1954, J.F. McAlpine (1 ♀, CNC); Nutak , 26.vii.1954, E.E. Sterns (1 ♀, CNC) . Northwest Territories: Salmita Mines, 64°05′N, 111°15′W, 4.vii.1953, J.G. Chillcott (3 ♂, 11 ♀, CNC); - 21 mi E Tuktoyaktuk , 20.vi.–12.vii.1971, D.M. Wood (4 ♂, CNC) . Nunavut: Lake Harbour, Baffin Is., 5–9.viii.1935, W.J. Brown (2 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC); Frobisher Bay , 10–15.viii.1959, W. R. Richards (2 ♂, 4 ♀, CNC); Frobisher Bay , 6–31.vii.1948, F.G. DiLanio (4 ♂, 12 ♀, CNC); Frobisher Bay , 10–11.viii.1959, W. R. N. Mason (2 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC); Frobisher Bay , 10.viii.1959, J.A. Downes (2 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC); Iqaluit, 63.76144° -68.57352°, Repl.1 wet, MT, 17–21.vii.2010, NBP field party (5 ♂, LEM); Iqaluit, 63.75122° -68.45927°, Repl.3 wet, MT, 21–25.vii.2010, NBP field party (2 ♂, LEM); Kugluktuk, 67.83538°, -115.20987°, 3–7.vii.2010, mesic, MT, Repl. 2, NBP field party (20 ♂, LEM) . Quebec: Fort Chimo, 22–25.vii., L.M. Turner (2 ♂, 2 ♀, USNM); Fort Chimo, 7.vii.1954, E.E. Sterns (1 ♂, CNC); Indian House, 7-10.vii.1954, W. R. Richards (2 ♂, 3 ♀, CNC); Payne Bay , 24.vi.–19.viii.1958, E.E. MacDougall (140 ♂, 134 ♀, CNC); same, 17.vii.–2.viii.1958, W. R. N. Mason (38 ♂, 16 ♀, CNC); same, 8.vii.1954, H. Huckel (3 ♂, 13 ♀, CNC); same, 8–26.vii.1954, R. McCondochie (6 ♂, 6 ♀, CNC); Port Harrison , 5–27.vii.1949, D.P. Whillans (25 ♂, 16 ♀, CNC); Sugluk, 11–28.vii.1954, H. Huckel (2 ♂, 1♀, CNC) . Yukon: Dempster Hwy nr North Fork Pass, 64.59736°, -138.31009°, wet, MT, Repl. 2, 24–27.vi.2011, NBP Field Party (13 ♂, LEM); Dempster Hwy, km 155, 11–15.vii.1981, 1520 m, D. Lafontaine, G.&M. Wood (3 ♂, CNC); Dempster Hwy, km 461, Richardson Mts , 28.vi.1987, S.A. Marshall (2 ♂, UGIC); Dempster Hwy, km 465, 23.vi.–7.vii. 1980, 800 m, D. Lafontaine, G.&M. Wood (2 ♀, CNC); Richardson Mts , 66°26.5′N 135°48′W, 3000 ft, 8.vii.1982, M. Wood (2 ♂, CNC); Richardson Mts , 66°25′N 135°58′W, 3000 ft, 7.vii.1982, M. Wood (1 ♀, CNC); saddle, 68°01′N 136°42′W, 900 m, 1.vii.1987, J. Troubridge (2 ♂, CNC) . USA. Alaska: Matanuska, Rotary trap, 5.vi. 1944, J.C. Chamberlin (1 ♂, 3 ♀, USNM); Nome area, mi 55 Kougarok Rd , 65°05′23″N 164°40′20″W, MT, 21–26.vi.2005, J. & R. Skevington (3 ♂, CNC); Umiat, 6–13.vii.1959, J.E.H. Martin (2 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC). Russia . Republic of Karelia: Kolatselkä [= Kolatselga], 13.vi.1943, L. Tiensuu (1 ♂, MZH) .

Diagnosis. This dark-legged and dark setose species is distinguished from other species of Pararhamphomyia by brownish vittae on scutum beneath dorsocentral setae, one pair of scutellar setae, phallus thickened, arched beyond epandrium and recurved into the cerci, bifurcate subepandrial lobes and apex of phallus with teeth-like projections. Female hindlegs and often midlegs with posteroventral row of pennate setae.

Redescription. Wing length 3.8–5.3 mm. Male. Head dark, with silvery-blue pruinescence. Holoptic, eye with ommatidia of larger size on upper half, smaller size on lower half. Frons represented by very small triangular space below ocellar tubercle and larger subtriangular space above antennae, bare; face parallel-sided towards mouthparts; bare, with oral margin dark and shiny. Ocellar triangle subshiny, with 2 pairs of dark, parallel ocellar setae; anterior pair 3X length of posterior pair; postocellar setae subequal to posterior ocellar setae. Occiput bearing row of black, slender, long postocular setae on upper half; otherwise with black, shorter and stouter setae; postgenal setae often spine-like. Antenna with scape and pedicel light brown, stylus dark; scape slightly longer than pedicel; pedicel bulbous; postpedicel about 2X basal width; stylus half as long as postpedicel. Palpus brown with dark setulae. Clypeus pruinescent; labrum largely dark brown and glossy, slightly longer than eye height; labellum with dark setae.

Thorax dark, with silver grey pruinescence; faint brownish vittae beneath acr and dc rows; pleura entirely grey pruinescent, sometimes with paler, orange-brown highlights; region between posterior spiracle and halter base orange-brown. Proepisternum with several long, dark setae on lower section; upper proepisternum in front of spiracle bare; prosternum bare.Antepronotum with row of dark setae. Postpronotum with 1 pprn and 3–4 short setae. Scutum with biserial short acr, slightly shorter than dc; dc biserial, longer and uniserial posteriorly, anterior 1–2 setae offset laterally; 3–5 long, stout, dark npl and several shorter dark setae anteriorly; 1–2 presut spal (= posthumeral) and several short setulae; 3–5 prealar setae; 1 psut spal, longer than dc; 1 pal, shorter than prescutellar dc; 1 long and 1–2 short pairs of sctl. Laterotergite with cluster of long, dark setae. Anterior and posterior spiracles brown with dark ring.

Legs dark brown, subshiny; extreme base of tibiae yellowish. Coxae concolourous with pleura, with dark setae. Fore femur with anteroventral row of fine setae, longer than posteroventral row of fine setae. Mid femur with anteroventral row of setae, stouter and shorter than posteroventral row of setae. Hind femur with whitish ventral pile; 1 anteroventral and 1 posteroventral row of very short, dark setae, longer preapically and basally; long dorsal setae on basal half ( Fig. 28C ). Fore tibia with circlet of stout preapical setae. Mid tibia with 4–7 stout anterodorsal setae; anteroventral and posteroventral rows of stout setae, stronger apically. Hind tibia with rows of anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae, longer than tibial width; anteroventral row of setae, longest at mid-length ( Fig. 28C ); 1 seta in posteroapical comb. Hind tarsomere 1 with some erect anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae; tarsomere 1 of all legs with circlet of strong preapical setae and stout anteroventral and posteroventral setae.

Wing lightly infuscate; basal costal seta present; all veins complete (except Sc), well sclerotized except CuA+CuP reduced and faint. Pterostigma present; basal costal seta present. Anal lobe well-developed; axillary incision right angle. Halter bright yellowish.

Abdomen darker than thorax, with finer pruinescence; clothed in long dark setae. Sternite 8 more strongly sclerotized than sternite 7; posterior margin bearing many longer, stout setae, some nearly as long as sternite 8; lateral margin of sternite 8 produced into notch on tergite 8 and weakly fused. Tergite 8 two-thirds length of sternite 8; posterolateral setae nearly subequal in length of sternal setae.

Terminalia ( Figs 28A, B ) dark, silvery pollinose; phallus lustrous and dark brown. Epandrium subrectangular, prolonged posteriorly; dorsal margin bearing subapical row of dark, stout setae, variable in number. Cercus subrectangular, densely pollinose, with “fuzzy” appearance; short, not reaching half epandrium length. Subepandrial lobe bifurcate, mitten-shaped; outer lobe upright, inner lobe directed inwards, broader than outer. Hypandrium short, slim, rectangular, hugging base of phallus. Phallus slightly swollen beyond sharp basal bend; somewhat sinuous medially, extending well beyond epandrium and arched to left side; apex with “flower-like” appearance with short upturned lobes; dentate margin observed on projections under high magnification. Ejaculatory apodeme slim, small; lateral wings shorter than vertical wing.

Female. Similar to male, except wings more darkly infuscate; hind femur with posteroventral row of pennate setae ( Fig. 28D ), occasionally present posterodorsally; mid femur usually with posteroventral pennate setae subapically.

Distribution. This species, known from Finland and across Russia ( Shamshev 2016), is widely distributed across low arctic areas of North America ( Fig. 31 ).

Remarks. Rhamphomyia helleni is very similar to R. fuscula Zetterstedt and further study is required to verify that they represent distinctly separate species. Rhamphomyia helleni is assigned to the R. fuscula group (Saigusa unpubl. data), which includes R. obscura (Zetterstedt) and R. phemius Walker. Rhamphomyia helleni keys to the R. caesia species group in Barták & Kubík (2009). The R. fuscula group is defined here by pale halteres, rarely dark and rather thickened male legs. The cerci of the male terminalia are small, with subepandrial lobes bifurcate and larger than the cerci; the epandrium is usually short, often with thick setae dorsally towards the tip; and the phallus is moderately thick.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) helleni Frey. A. lectotype, lateral view; B. type labels.

FIGURE 28. Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) helleni Frey. A. Male terminalia, lateral view; B. Male terminalia, phallus, lateral view; C. Male hindleg, anterior view; D. Female hindlegs, posterior views.

FIGURE 29. Known distribution of Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) helleni Frey in North America.

FIGURE 31. Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) hilariformis Frey. A. Male foreleg; B. Male hindlegs; C. Male terminalia, dorsal view; D, E. Male terminalia, lateral view.