Phylloicus mexicanus (Banks)

Figs. 2, 3, 70, 71

Phylloicus mexicanus (Banks, 1900:257) [Type locality: Mexico, Morelos, Cuernavaca; MCZ; male (Bank’s description implies type is female, but specimen with type label is a male); in Heteroplectron]. — Flint 1967:17 [as synonym of aeneus]. — Wiggins 1996:224 [larva, as aeneus].

The type of H. mexicana is a male from Cuernavaca, Mexico. The terminalia are very similar to those of P. aeneus and P. nigripennis males. No abdominal coremata are present, and thus it is not conspecific with P. aeneus . The wings are very dark and uniformly colored. The head and thorax are black, except for an orange diamond dorsally on the head. The specimen is very large (forewing length 12.4 mm, compared to 5.9 mm for the P. nigripennis male). Other specimens of this form are from Arizona and the Sonoran Desert regions of Mexico. They are consistently much larger than specimens of P. nigripennis, and have the black wings and thorax, and the orange diamond on the head, of the type specimen. The abdomens of these specimens are orange. Because of its very different size and body coloration, I am recognizing P. mexicanus and removing it from synonymy.

Adult. Forewing length 12.4­16.2 mm, n = 122.

Head black, except for orange diamond dorsomesally (Fig. 2, 3). Maxillary palps black. Antenna of male twice forewing length; female antenna 11/2 times forewing length; black, with narrow patches of pale sensilla on anteromesal surface of each flagellomere. Prothorax orange; dorsal pterothorax black; ventrolateral thorax dark brown. Legs dark brown. Metathoracic leg of male without posterior fringe. Tibial spur formula 2,4,3. Forewing apical third folded obliquely toward midline; dark brown, or black; without colored markings. Hind wing basal brush present in female, short and light brown.

Male. Preterminalic abdominal terga with anteromesal notch. Corematic structures absent, terga III­V unmodified, without membranous lobes or sclerotized processes. Sternum VII without anteromesal process. Sternum VIII similar to anterior sterna, sternum IX not elongate. Tergum IX with short mesal ridge extending from anterior notch; posterior margin with irregular mesal projection (Fig. 70B); lateral ridge absent; dorsal pleural setae approximately 6, ventral pleural setae approximately 3 (Fig. 70A); sternum IX with paired mesolateral ridges; sternum IX (Fig. 70C). Preanal appendage approximately length of tergum X, of uniform diameter throughout length, setae long, but not filamentous or longer than appendage (Fig. 70A, B). Tergum X sagittate basally; basodorsal process short and digitate; basolateral processes of varying length and often asymmetrical; apex, in lateral view, acute, in dorsal view, notched, notch deep and round (Fig. 70A, B). Harpago slightly tapered; peglike setae few, apical (Fig. 70A, C). Phallic endotheca with paired basolateral lobes, basolateral lobes large and round; phallotremal sclerites average size, longest dimension less than diameter of phallobase; dorsal sclerite two­armed, in lateral view Ushaped (Fig. 70D, E).

Female. Abdominal tergum I black. Preterminal abdominal terga with anteromesal notch. Sternum VII without anteromesal process. Tergum VIII with dense posterolateral brush of setae (Figure 71B); sternum VIII cleft posteromesally to anterior ridge; sternum VIII (Fig. 71C). Tergum IX without mesal ridge (Fig. 71B). Sternum IX anterior and posterior lobes darkly sclerotized and striate, with patch of lightly sclerotized cuticle laterally (Fig. 71A). Tergum X appendage longer than mesal lobe, base marked by faint suture line, apex triangular; mesal lobe lightly sclerotized; digitate lateral processes length approximately equal diameter (Fig. 71B). Sternum X without setae in membrane (Fig. 71A). Vaginal apparatus anterior and posterior sclerites equal in length; anterior sclerite truncate anteriorly, posterolateral projections acute; posterior sclerite ovoid; posterior end of spermatheca a sclerotized cone (Fig. 71A).

Material examined. MEXICO: 3048 m, 1871, Bilimek — 1 adult (NMW) ; Chihuahua: Arroyo Banderas at forks, 25.vi.1987, Baumann, Sargent, Kondratieff, & Wells — 3 males, 4 females (NMNH) ; Arroyo de los Salmon, 23.vi.1987, Baumann — 1 female (NMNH) ; Arroyo Pajarito, Hwy. 16, 28.vi.1987, Kondratieff & Baumann — 1 male (NMNH) ; Arroyo Toro, Toro Basin, 1720 m, 23.vi.1987, Kondratieff & Baumann — 1 male (NMNH) ; 24.vi.1987, Baumann, Sargent, Kondratieff, & Wells — 1 male, 1 female (NMNH); headwater spring, 1720 m, 23.vi.1987, Kondratieff & Baumann — 2 females (NMNH); Fork of Arroyo Banderas, near junction Rio Chuhuichupa, 25.vi.1987, Kondratieff & Baumann — 8 females (NMNH) ; Riito, Hwy 16, 10 mi E of Yepachic, 28.vi.1987, Kondratieff & Baumann — 9 males, 1 female (UMSP) ; small stream, cascada de Basaseachic, 28.vi.1987, Kondratieff & Baumann — 1 male, 1 female (NMNH) ; spring at Rancho Salmon, 23.vi.1987, Baumann, Sargent, Kondratieff, & Wells — 1 female (NMNH) ; Durango: 10 mi. W El Salto, 10.vi.1964, McAlpine — 1 female (CNC) ; 14 mi. SW El Salto, 2438 m, 26.vi.1964, Mason — 1 female (CNC) ; 30.vi.1964, Mason — 1 female (CNC); Mórelos: Cuernavaca, Banks — holotype male (MCZ) ; Sonora: small stream near Yecora, 20.viii.1986, Kondratieff — 1 female (NMNH) ; 25.viii.1986, Kondratieff — 1 male (NMNH); UNITED STATES: Arizona: 1 male, 2 females (CAS); 12 mi. S Sonoita, Hidden Springs Canyon, 23.vii.1966, Sternitzky — 1 female (CNC) ; Palmerlee, vii. — 1 female (MCZ) ; Apache County, East Fork Black River, Three Forks Crossing, F. R. 249, 33°51'18”N, 109°18'53"W, 2530 m, 18.vi.1999, Houghton — 14 males, 2 females (UMSP) ; Cochise County, Chiricahua Mountains, Cave Creek Canyon, 16.vi.1958, MacNeill — 4 females (CAS) ; Chiricahua Mountains, Cave Creek, 16.vi.1958, MacNeill — 3 males (CAS) ; Chiricahua Mountains, Rucker Canyon, 8.vi.1968, Menke & Flint — 2 adults (NMNH) ; Huachuca Mountains — 1 male (MCZ) ; 24­30.vi. — 1 male (CAS); Huachuca Mountains, Ash Canyon, 26.viii.1966, Sternitzky — 2 males (CNC) ; Huachuca Mountains, Ramsey Canyon, 15 mi. S Sierra Vista, 1829 m, 7.viii.1967, Sternitzky — 1 female (CNC) ; 9.viii.1967, Sternitzky — 1 male (CNC); 2.x.1967, Sternitzky — 2 males, 2 females (CNC); Huachuca Mountains, Sierra Vista, 15.viii.­1.ix.1965, Sternitzky — 2 males, 1 female (CNC) ; 1­20.x.1965, Sternitzky — 3 males, 1 female (CNC); Southwestern Res. Sta., 5 mi W Portal, 1646 m, 7.ix.1965, Roth — 1 male, 2 females (CAS) ; 6.ix.1966, Arnaud — 1 male (CAS); 15.ix.1966, Arnaud — 1 male, 4 females (CAS); 17.ix.1966, Arnaud — 1 male (CAS); 21.ix.1966, Arnaud — 1 male (CAS); 23.ix.1966, Arnaud — 1 female (CAS); 3.x.1966, Arnaud — 1 male (CAS); SW Res. Sta., 31°57'00”N, 109°50'00"W, 11.vii.1963, Spangler — 2 adults (NMNH); Upper Cave Creek, 1829­2286 m, 14.vi.1984, Roth — 1 male (CAS) ; Cochise, Chiricahua Mountains, Southwestern Research Station, 31°52'57”N, 109°12'12"W, 1646 m, 28.x.1963, Roth — 1 male (CAS) ; Coconino, Oak Creek Canyon, 1829 m, vii., Snow — 1 male, 1 female (MCZ) ; 11.vii.1939, L & M Milne — 3 males (MCZ); 19.vi.1949, Denning — 2 males, 2 females (CAS); Oak Creek Canyon, Todd's Lodge, 12.vi.1941, Grace & Sperry — 1 male (MCZ) ; 17.vi.1941, Grace & Sperry — 1 male (MCZ); Pima County, Redington, 32°25'39”N, 110°29'33"W, 2880 m — 1 female (MCZ) ; Pima / Santa Cruz Counties, Santa Rita Mts., Madera Canyon, 12­13.vi.1968, Menke & Flint — 2 adults (NMNH) ; Santa Cruz / Pima Counties, Rillito, Santa Rita Mountains, 12.vi.1933, Beamer — 1 female (CAS) ; White Mt. Res., E of McNary, 8.vii.1940, Gertsch & Hook — 1 male (UMSP) .

Distribution. Mexico, USA (Arizona).