Scatella (Teichomyza) Macquart, 1835

Costa, Daniel N. R., Mathis, Wayne N., Marinoni, Luciane & Sepúlveda, Tatiana A., 2024, Phylogeny and taxonomy of the shore-fly tribe Scatellini (Diptera: Ephydridae: Ephydrinae), Zoologia (e 23100) 41, pp. 1-35 : 23

Scatella (Teichomyza) Macquart, 1835 (1 species)

Fig. 3

Teichomyza Macquart 1835: 534 (as a genus; feminine). Type species: Teichomyza fusca Macquart 1835 , monotypy. – Mathis 1980: 36 [revised status]. – Mathis and Zatwarnicki 1995: 280 [world catalog].

Tichomyza , error for Teichomyza .

Diagnosis. Specimens of Scatella (Teichomyza) are similar to those of Parascatella and Synhoplos but may be distinguished from the other subgenera of Scatella by the following combination of characters: acrostichal setae scattered, not forming a row; three pairs of scutellar setae; and surstylus fused to epandrium but distinguishable as surstyli. Also, useful to diagnose Teichomyza species, are: interfoveal dorsal hump of face high, between antennae; thorax covered by small and scattered setulae; wing mostly hyaline without obvious white spots.

Description. Medium-sized to large shore flies, about 3.50–5.00 mm: dark brown to dark gray species.

Head ( Fig. 3 ): Frontal vitta microtomentose, appearing dull; ocelli arranged as an isosceles triangle; Lateroclinate fronto-orbital setae 2. Antenna short, concolorous with head; arista micropubescent. Face conspicuously protruding, interfoveal dorsal hump of face high, between antennae; facial setae conspicuous, 2–3 lateral facial setae curved laterodorsally, stout; long ventroclinate setae along oral margin. Eye higher than wide; Gena moderately high, bearing a large seta.

Thorax: Mesonotum microtomentose, covered by small and scattered setulae; dorsocentral setae 2 (0+2); 1 pair of long acrostichal setae at transversal suture; acrostichal of setae hair-like, unseriated; postsutural supra-alar seta hair-like or lacking; scutellum with 3 pair of long setae; legs typical (forefemur with a row of long, stout setae anteroventrally in some species), color of tarsi pale brown; tarsal claws conspicuously curved and puvilli present below each claw. Wing lightly infuscate, without white spots.

Abdomen: Tergites gray to brown, microtomentose, dorsal setae long and scattered: Male terminalia: sternites 5 and 6 absent; Epandrium and internal structures typical of Scatella ; ventral projections of epandrium separated; ejaculatory present, L shaped, dorsoventrally flattened. Female terminalia typical of Scatella ; sternite 7 as a rectangular sclerite. Female ventral receptacle tubular shaped, longer than wide.

Distribution. Neotropical (south Andean), Palearctic (especially Mediterranean).

Remarks. This monotypic subgenus includes only Scatella (Teichomyza) fusca , which has a disjunct distribution, occurring in both southern South America and Europe. Mathis (1980) suggested that this species was introduced to Europe through shipping commerce to and from South America. However, just the opposite would now seem more likely, especially as adults were found in urine-soaked fabric that was recovered from Roman times (Brian H. Cogan per. obs.) and well before the Columbus discovery of the New World and any commerce. Scatella (Teichomyza) fusca is better known by the name “urine fly.” Larvae and adults occur in localities and habitats that are soaked in urine, such as outdoor urinals. This species is the only Ephydridae that is associated with cases of myiasis ( James 1947). Laboulbène (1867) provided a detailed study on the natural history of this species.

Figures

Figures 3–9. (3)Scatella (Teichomyza) fusca, head anterior; (4) Scatella (Synsoplos) sturdeeanus, head lateral; (5)Lamproscatella cephalotes, head dorsal; (6–8) Scatella (Scatella) stagnalis, thorax lateral; (7) thorax dorsal; (8) female, abdomen lateral; (9) Haloscatella arichaeta, thorax dorsal. Abbreviations: anepst, anepisternum; ar, arista; d ped s, dorsal pedicel seta; dc s, dorsocentral seta; fr-orb s, fronto-orbital seta; fr vit, frontal vitta; gn s, genal seta; ial s, intra-alar seta; kepst, katepisternum; npl s, notopleural seta; p spal s, posterior supra-alar seta; pprn lb, postpronotal lobe; prepst, proepisternum; presut acr s, presutural acrostichal seta;presut spal s, presutural supra-alar seta;sctl, scutellum; spal s,supra-alar seta;sctl s,scutellar seta.