Schildia martini, Dikow & Bayless, 2009

Dikow, Torsten & Bayless, Keith M., 2009, Taxonomic revision of the genus Schildia Aldrich, 1923 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae) with the description of new extant and extinct species, Insect Systematics & Evolution 40, pp. 253-289 : 278-280

† Schildia martini sp.n. ( Figs 9–10 , 37 ) (extinct species)

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the long metathoracic empodia, which are about 1/2 as long as the median claw, the wide face, and the antennal style which is composed of two elements. This species is extinct and has only been recovered in Dominican amber.

Etymology. Named after Charles H. Martin in recognition of his contribution to the knowledge of New World Leptogastrinae .

Description. Head: Face wide, wider than adjacent ommatidium; mystax 2 setae; vertex wide, wider than face at clypeal–facial margin; distance between ocellar triangle and median eye margin more than adjacent ommatidium; occiput pruinose; postocular setae brown, short; proboscis light brown; Antennae: scape and pedicel light brown, setae dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel light brown, about 1.5 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; stylus 1/2 as long as postpedicel, composed of 2 elements, proximal element longer than apical ‘seta-like’ sensory element.

Th orax: Brown; scutum brown, predominantly apruinose; presutural dc setae: 1 short, 1 intermediate, 1 long (one paratype with two intermediate setae close together on one side), postsutural dc setae: a few anteriorly oriented setae, few acr setae, 1 npl and 1 spa seta; scutellum brown, pruinose, few short apical scutellar setae; Legs: light yellow to brown; coxae and trochanters light brown; pro and mes femora light brown, without lighter transverse bands (one paratype with slightly darker transverse median band), met femur light yellow proximally, brown distally, clubbed in distal 1/3, yellow transverse band at proximal margin of club, scattered yellow setae on pro and mes femora, met femur with distinct rows of brown macrosetae; pro and mes tibiae light yellow to light brown, met tibia predominantly brown with median light brown transverse band, all tibiae with yellow to light brown erect macrosetae in rows, pro and mes tibiae with 2 long apical macrosetae, met tibia with 1 disto-median and 2 apical macrosetae, met tibia with 5 lateral macrosetae spaced along tibia; tarsus light brown, proximal tarsomere always longer than 2 following tarsomeres combined, short and long macrosetae on all tarsomeres; pro and mes empodia 1/3 and met empodium about or more than 1/2 as long as median claw; median claw 3/4 of lateral claw; Wings: length = 3.6–4.4 mm; microtrichia scattered in all cells, trichoid spicules short, symmetrical dorsally and ventrally, 15–20 on M1 between r-m and diversion of M1 and M2; cell d large, terminating in M2 and M3, r-m situated proximal to separation of M 3 and CuA 1; R 1 reaching C proximal to R 5 joining C, R 2+3 straight proximally and smoothly arching posteriad distally; halter brown throughout, length = 0.6–0.7 mm.

Abdomen: Brown; T2 length = 1.0– 1.3 mm, T2–3 with short, erect, evenly spaced macrosetae, remaining T with irregularly spaced and longer macrosetae; Male terminalia: ♂ unknown; Female genitalia: not dissected.

Type material. The ♀ holotype is labeled “ Luzzi Collection / HOLOTYPE Schildia martini sp.n. det. T. Dikow & K. Bayless 2007 (red label)” ( AMNH). The specimen is in very good condition (left wing broken proximal to divergence of M2 from M 2+3, T4–T8 partially obscured by fracture in amber). A paratype of undeterminable gender is labeled “AMBER: Dominican Republic, Specific locality unknown. Purchased from Francisco Valeriano July, 1989 AMNH no. DR-V-7 Inclusions: anterior half of leptogastrine Asilidae ( AMNH number and ‘anterior half of leptogastrine Asilidae’ handwritten) / Leptogaster sp. 2 (handwritten) / PARATYPE Schildia martini sp.n. det. T. Dikow & K. Bayless 2007 (yellow label)” ( AMNH). The specimen is in good condition (abdomen missing posterior to T2, right wing missing posterior to humeral vein and left wing obscured by fracture) . A ♀ paratype is labeled “AMBER: Oligo-Miocene Dominican Republic AMNH no. DR-14-1462 Locality. (number handwritten) / ASILIDAE : Leptogastrinae ** ♂ Chironomidae , small moth / PARATYPE Schildia martini sp.n. det. T. Dikow & K. Bayless 2007 (yellow label)” ( AMNH). The specimen is in good condition although a few fractures obscure the view. A ♀ paratype is labeled “3523 / PARATYPE Schildia martini sp.n. det. T. Dikow & K. Bayless 2007 (yellow label).” The specimen is in very good condition (metathoracic tarsi broken, but present in amber) and is deposited in the private collection of Ettore Morone (Torino, Italy) .

Distribution. Hispaniola Island ( Fig. 37 ). Biodiversity hotspot/high-biodiversity wilderness area: Caribbean Islands/–.

Remarks. The holotype specimen is closely associated with a large mite (Acari) ( Fig. 9 ), however, it remains unknown whether this is coincidence or a prey item.

Figures

Figs 9–12. Photographs of extinct and extant species of Schildia. (9) †Schildia martini sp.n. (holotype, AMNH Luzzi); (10) †Schildia martini sp.n. (paratype, AMNH DR-V-7); (11) Schildia adina sp.n. preserved in Malagasy copal (Coll. Stuke). (12) Schildia fragilis (USNM, Peru).Scale bars = 1 mm.This figure is published in colour in the online edition that can be accessed via http://www.brill.nl/ise

Fig. 37. Map of the Neotropical region with biodiversity hotspots and wilderness areas, shaded in grey, showing distribution of Schildia guatemalae (triangle), S. jamaicensis (square), †S. martini sp.n. (star) and S. microthorax (circle). Open symbols, type localities.