Paraclius latipes (Aldrich, 1901)

Soares, Matheus M. M., Capellari, Renato S. & Ale-Rocha, Rosaly, 2023, New or little-known Neotropical Dolichopodidae (Diptera) (II): genus Hercostomus Loew excluded from the Neotropics, Zootaxa 5254 (2), pp. 181-208 : 190-191

The latipes -group of Paraclius

Diagnosis (males). The group is here proposed to accommodate the species with the following combination of characters: fore tarsomeres from apical 1/2–2/3 of It 1 with conspicuous pile of short whitish setae ( Fig. 8F , 11F ); arista-like stylus dorsal, arising at basal 1/2 of postpedicel ( Figs 8D , 10B , 11C ); femur III with 1 strong anterodorsal and 1 long anteroventral preapical setae; cell dm ending at middle of wing; vein M 1 gradually angled towards R 4+5 ( Figs 6A , 7E , 8H , 11G ); hypopygium: cercus remarkably short and branched, dorsal branch shorter than ventral one ( Figs 9E , 12D ). In addition to the preceding features, it remains to be investigated if the phallus presents a narrowing which clearly delimits two regions (with distal segment serrate) ( Figs 9C , 12D ), hypandrium asymmetrical (with one wide ventral projection near/or at apex) ( Figs 9D , 12E ) and the postgonite bifurcated at apex ( Figs 9G , 12C ) are exclusive features of P. latipes and P. norrbomi sp. nov. or part of the ground-plan of the entire group.

Included species. Paraclius aberrans Robinson , P. latipes (Aldrich) , P. norrbomi sp. nov. and P. panamensis (Van Duzee) comb. nov.

Remarks. After gathering information from descriptions, photos of types and identified material of nearly all New World described species of Paraclius , it became clear that Hercostomus panamensis was part of a small clade, sharing distinctive characters with P. aberrans Robinson and P. latipes (Aldrich) , notably the fore tarsus with short pile of setae (that also occurs elsewhere in other dolichopodine genera, like Pelastoneurus ) and the shape of the male cercus unlike any other species known to us. Additional characters of the hypandrium, phallus and postgonites are also peculiar in the species for which material was available for dissection and likely synapomorphic for the entire group. Although it is not the main focus of the present paper, we decided to describe a new species of this group from Costa Rica and to redescribe P. latipes based on additional material in order to better illustrate the distinctive morphology of the latipes -group.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Paraclius aberrans Robinson, male holotype (NMNH). A–C. Habitus in lateral, anterior and dorsal views, respectively; D. Labels. Images B and C originally lacked scale bars. Photographs by Alyssa Seemann, NMNH.

FIGURE 7. Paraclius latipes (Aldrich), male syntype (NMNH). A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Head, anterior view; C. Labels; D. Tarsus I, posterior view; E. Left wing. Images B, D and E originally lacked scale bars. Photographs by Alyssa Seemann, NMNH.

FIGURE 8. Paraclius latipes (Aldrich), identified male specimen from Costa Rica. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Abdomen and hypopygium, lateral view; C. Head, anterior view; D. Left antenna, inner view; E–G. Tarsus I in dorsal, anterior and ventral views, respectively (arrow pointing to ventral whitish pile on tarsus I); H. Left wing.

FIGURE 9. Paraclius latipes (Aldrich), hypopygium, identified male specimen from Costa Rica. A, B. Hypopygium, not dissected and dissected, respectively, left lateral view; C. Internal appendages, right lateral view; D. Hypandrium, right lateral view; E. Right cercus, outer view; F. Right ventral and dorsal lobes of surstylus, inner view; G. Postgonite, ventral view. Abbreviations: apv lb = apicoventral epandrial lobe; bs sp = basal sclerite of sperm pump; cerc = cercus; d sur = dorsal lobe of surstylus; ej apod = ejaculatory apodeme; epand = epandrium; hypd = hypandrium; hypd pr = hypandrial process; pgt = postgonite; ph = phallus; sp = sperm pump; v sur = ventral lobe of surstylus.

FIGURE 10. Paraclius panamensis (Van Duzee) comb. nov., male holotype (AMNH). A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Head and thorax, lateral view; C. Labels; D. Head, anterior view; E. Abdomen and hypopygium, lateral view. Images originally lacked scale bars. Photographs by Courtney Richenbacher, AMNH.

FIGURE 11. Paraclius norrbomi sp. nov., male holotype (CNC) (before dissection). A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Head, anterior view; C. Head, lateral view; D. Abdomen and hypopygium, lateral view; E, F. Tarsus I, ventral and anterior views, respectively; G. Left wing.

FIGURE 12. Paraclius norrbomi sp. nov., male holotype(CNC).A, B. Hypopygium, not macerated and macerated, respectively, left lateral view; C. Internal appendages, right lateral view; D. left cercus, outer view; E. Hypandrium, right lateral view; F. Right ventral lobe of surstylus, inner view; G. Right dorsal lobe of surstylus, inner view. Abbreviations: apv lb = apicoventral epandrial lobe; bs sp = basal sclerite of sperm pump; cerc = cercus; d sur = dorsal lobe of surstylus; ej apod = ejaculatory apodeme; epand = epandrium; hypd = hypandrium; hypd pr = hypandrial process; pgt = postgonite; ph = phallus; prct = proctiger; sp = sperm pump; v sur = ventral lobe of surstylus.