Review of the Nearctic genus Wilcoxia James (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae) with descriptions of three new species Author Pollock, Darren A. Author Reichert, Lisa A. text Zootaxa 2019 2019-11-12 4695 5 401 437 journal article 24897 10.11646/zootaxa.4695.5.1 34f39440-da4f-4f5e-b9bf-258a7445ce73 1175-5326 3542536 A6844BF7-1B08-40D8-AB38-37F1E93B434C 8. Wilcoxia martinorum Wilcox ( Figs 15–16 , 25 , 36–37 , 57 , 66 ) Wilcoxia martinorum Wilcox 1972: 43 . Type locality: “ California , Riverside Co., White Water”; Wood 1981: 560 , Fig. 32 [anterior view of head]; Poole & Gentili 1996: 64 . Types. Holotype , male ( CAS ), labeled: “White Water, Cal. XI-25 1947 // J. Wilcox Coll. // [blue label] HOLOTYPE Wilcoxia martinorum J. Wilcox // California Academy of Sciences Type No. 11714 // ALLOTYPE IS STORED IN THE GENERAL COLLECTION”. The holotype was not examined (images studied at: http://researcharchive. calacademy.org/research/entomology/typesDB/default.asp). The allotype was examined. Derivation of specific epithet . Named after Charles and Dorothy Martin, who found individuals of this species “literally swarming on the hillside rocks near the entrance to White Water Canyon” ( Wilcox 1972: 44 ). Diagnosis . This species may be separated from the other three members of the martinorum group by the following characters: outer lateral surface of all femora more or less uniformly pollinose; tergite 1 with bare patch wider anteriorly than posteriorly; tergite 2 with medial bare patch isolated from lateral bare areas; wings hyaline; halter knob yellow, not contrasting yellow stem. Description . Male ( Fig. 15 ). TL 5.5–7.8 mm ; wing 4.8–6.5 mm . FIGURES 13–16. Figs 13–14. Male ( 13 ) and female ( 14 ) paratypes of W . forbesi , n. sp. Both specimens from Doña Ana Co., NM. Figs 15–16 . Male ( 15 ) and female ( 16 ) paratype of W . martinorum Wilcox. Both specimens from Riverside Co., CA. Head ( Fig. 25 ) black, covered in pale grey tomentum, usually tinted brown on ocellar tubercle and frons, face (in profile) barely projecting beyond eye; hairs and setae of head white, usually with a slight amber cast; lower occipital hairs long, dense, “wispy”; ocellar tubercle with about 8 long setae and several long hairs (> length of scape + pedicel), white to amber in color; mystax ( Fig. 25 ) moderately dense, consisting of long setae (ca. length of antenna) and slightly shorter hairs, occupying almost entire face; setae and hairs white, bases perpendicular to plane of face; no distinct hairs on face separate from mystax; palpi and proboscis dark brown to black with white hairs; antennomeres brown to black, pollinose, scape and pedicel with very thin pollinosity medially; scape and pedicel with several long ventral setae (pedicel with one long, stout seta) and hairs and several short hairs dorsally; ratio of antennomere lengths (scape: pedicel: postpedicel: style + spine) = 6: 6: 18: 11. FIGURES 17–25. Laterofrontal view of head of Wilcoxia spp. 17 . W . cinerea , male. 18 . W . monae , male. 19 . W . painteri , male. 20 . W . pollinosa , male. 21 . W . apache , n. sp. , male. 22 . W . flavipennis , n. sp. , male. 23 . W . forbesi , n. sp. , male. 24 . W . forbesi , n. sp. , female. 25 . W . martinorum , male. Thorax black, covered in pale grey tomentum; scutum with divided median stripe, light to dark brown pollinose; acrostichal setae present, 5–6 per row; scutum surface uniform, without distinct non-pollinose or differently colored spots; scutum with sparse pile of long white hairs (length of postpedicel), densest presuturally but longer postsuturally; most specimens with 2 notopleural setae, 1 supraalar seta and 1 postalar seta; stoutest thoracic setae with amber cast; scutellum uniformly pale grey pollinose; 5–6 white to pale yellow marginal setae, longest setae greater in length than scutellum, perpendicular to plane of scutellum, subparallel to each other; very few short marginal hairs present; disc of scutellum with few shorter, partially appressed hairs; pleura pale grey pollinose; katatergite with about 20 long, fine white setae, tips “crinkly” (e.g., Fig. 43 ); wings hyaline; costa complete around entire wing margin; microtrichiae very sparse, scattered, in distal 1/3 of wing; halter with base brown and yellow, stem and knob yellow; legs ( Figs 15–16 ) uniformly brown to black, hair and setae white to slightly yellow; all femora pollinose, at least dorsally, front and middle femora with anteroproximal half non-pollinose; hind femur uniformly pollinose dorsally, but anteriorly confined to distal 1/3; femora dorsally with relatively dense, white appressed hairs (<femur width) and a few longer (about width of femur) erect white setae; ventrally with many longer, suberect white hairs (longest> femur width); tibiae with dense, short (<tibia width) appressed white hairs, ventrally with a few longer, more erect hairs, especially on front tibia; mesotibial spine light brown; protibiae without sigmoidal spine. FIGURES 26–29. Abdomens of Wilcoxia spp. ( cinerea group), dorsal. 26 . W . cinerea , male; 27 . W . monae , male; 28 . W . painteri , female; 29 . W . pollinosa , male. Abdomen ( Figs 15 , 36 ) black; tergites 2–7 with “checkerboard” pattern of pale grey pollinosity and bare patches; tergites 1–7 densely pale grey pollinose, hairs white; tergites 1–7 with dorsocentral bare patch, on 2–7 extending from posterior margin to about midlength; tergite 1 with bare patch widest anteriorly; tergites 2–6 with anterolateral bare patch; sternites pale grey pollinose, with sparse, long fine white hairs, longest on anterior sternites. Male genitalia ( Fig. 57 ). Apex of dorsal gonocoxite process deeply bifid, both lobes subequal in length, with carina on outer lobe; dorsal process extending past apex of ventral gonocoxite process; medial gonocoxite processes thin, acute, distinctly curved towards phallus; gonostylus relatively wide, angulate, apex truncate; phallus with indistinct, subapical denticle on lateral margins; lateral margins evenly narrowed to apex. Female ( Fig. 16 ). TL 6.0–10.0 mm; wing 5.2–8.8 mm ; with characters similar to male except for the following: frons and ocellar tubercle with brown tomentum; median stripe of scutum and much of dorsal pollinosity brown; tergites 7–8 thinly pollinose to bare ( Fig. 37 ). Natural history . Specimens of W . martinorum were said by Wilcox (1972: 44) to be “literally swarming on the hillside rocks near the entrance to White Water Canyon”. This behavior is shared (though perhaps not “swarming”) with individuals of W . apache and W . forbesi , which we have collected also only on rocks or stony/rocky substrate. Four paratypes (CAS) of W . martinorum have associated prey items pointed on the same pins. Bulk index of the prey items ranged from 1.3–7.3; ratio of bulk index of predator:prey ranged from 2.6 (largest prey item) to 11.4 (smallest prey item) (average = 7.7). Prey items comprise HYMENOPTERA ( Encyrtidae : Bothriothorax cf. californicus ) and DIPTERA (2 Phoridae ( Megaselia sp.) and 1 Anthomyiidae ). The latter specimens were called “borborids” [= Sphaeroceridae ] by Wilcox (1972) , but in fact they are Phoridae , genus Megaselia (Steve Gaimari and Brian Brown, pers. comms.). Wilcox (1972) mentioned a small winged termite (Isoptera) as a prey item also; this specimen was not seen. Specimens were collected from 10.x–2.ii. FIGURES 30–37. Abdomens of Wilcoxia spp. ( martinorum group), dorsal. 30 . W . apache , n. sp. , male; 31 . W . apache , n. sp. , female; 32 . W . flavipennis n. sp. , male; 33 . W . flavipennis , n. sp. , female. 34 . W . forbesi , n. sp. , male. 35 . W . forbesi , n. sp. , female. 36 . W . martinorum , male. 37 . W . martinorum , female. FIGURES 38–40. Fig. 38 . Wing of male W . forbesi , n. sp. showing abbreviated costa (not present to wing base). Fig. 39 . Apex of wing of male W . pollinosa , showing dense microtrichial field on wing membrane. Fig. 40. Detail of wing of male W . forbesi n. sp. showing lack of conspicuous microtrichiae on wing membrane. Non-primary type material examined . UNITED STATES OF AMERICA . Arizona . Yuma Co. Telegraph Pass [ 32.667783 , -114.315430 ], Gila Mts ., 6.i.1986 , D. Lightfoot , ( NMSU , 1♂ ) . California . Riverside Co. White Water [ 33.926128 , -116.635048 ] , 23.xii.1947 , J. Wilcox , Paratype , ( CAS , 44♂ , 24♀ ; CNC , 2♂ , 1♀ ; NMSU , 1♀ ; BME , 1♀ [UC BME P 0003966 ]); same locality , 25.xi.1947 , J. Wilcox , Paratype , ( CAS , 20♂ , 23♀ ; NMSU , 1♂ ; CNC , 1♂ ); same locality , 28.xi.1947 , J. Wilcox , Paratype , ( CAS , 6♂ , 4♀ ; CNC , 1♀ ); same locality , 3.xii.1947 , J. Wilcox , Paratype , ( CAS , 3♂ , 3♀ ) ; same locality , 10.xii.1962 , J. Wilcox , Paratype , ( CAS , 1♂ ) ; same locality , 27.xii.1947 , J. Wilcox , Paratype , ( CAS , 2♂ , 2♀ ) ; same locality , 16.xii.1964 , J. Wilcox , Paratype , ( CAS , 1♂ , 1♀ ) ; same locality , 6.i.1948 , A.F. Howland , Paratype , ( CAS , 1♀ ) ; same locality , 13.xi.1966 , E. Fisher , Paratype , ( EMFC , 8♂ , 5♀ ; USNM [ USNMENT 01457176 ], 1♂ ); same locality , 16.xii.1962 , E. Fisher , Paratype , ( EMFC , 4♀ ; WBEM , 1♂ ; USNM [ USNMENT 01457177 ], 1♀ ); same locality, 1500 ft. , 29.xi.1978 , E.M. Fisher , ( EMFC , 8♂ , 5♀ ) ; 3 mi. N. Whitewater [ 33.969801 , -116.634963 ], 1600 ft. , 13.xi.1979 , E.M. Fisher , ( EMFC , 1♂ , 1♀ ) ; Palm Springs [ 33.831958 , -116.546514 ], P.H. Arnaud, Paratype , 7.i.54 , ( CAS , 10♂ , 10♀ ) ; same locality and collector, Paratypes , 8.i.1954 , ( CAS , 4♂ , 3♀ ) ; 2.i.1954 , ( CAS , 7♂ , 7♀ ) ; 3.i.1954 , ( CAS , 14♂ , 10♀ ) ; 1.i.1954 , ( CAS , 2♂ , 2♀ ) ; 5.i.1954 , ( CAS , 1♀ ) , 6.i.1954 , ( CAS , 3♂ , 1♀ ) , 10.i.1954 , ( CAS , 1♀ ) , 11.i.1954 , ( CAS , 1♂ ) , 21.i.1953 , ( CAS , 2♂ , 1♀ ) , 29.xii.1953 , ( CAS , 11♂ , 8♀ ; EMFC , 2♂ , 1♀ ) , 30.xii.1953 , ( CAS , 8♂ , 10♀ ; EMFC , 1♀ ) , 31.xii.1953 , ( CAS , 4♂ , 3♀ ) ; same locality , 21.i.1953 , J. Wilcox , Paratype , ( CAS , 5♂ ) ; Palm Springs, Chino Canyon [ 33.863946 , -116.571141 ], P.H. Arnaud, coll. on rock, Paratype , 22.xii.1950 , ( CAS , 6♂ , 3♀ ) , 24.xii.1950 , ( CAS , 1♀ ) , 25.xii.1950 , ( CAS , 2♂ , 4♀ ) , 26.xii.1950 , ( CAS , 1♂ , 2♀ ) , 27.xii.1950 , ( CAS , 2♀ ) ; same locality , 23.xii.1950 , P.H. Arnaud , coll. nr. rock wall, ( CAS , 2♂ , 4♀ ) ; 1 mi. W. Palm Springs [ 33.828159 , -116.563264 ], 12.i.1977 , E.M. Fisher , ( EMFC , 3♂ ) ; Palm Desert, 10.x.1964 , E. Fisher , ( EMFC , 2♂ ) ; P.L. Boyd Des. Res. Center 3.5 mi. S. Palm Desert, marker #57, Mal- aise trap, 18-22.xi.1969 , S. Frommer & R. Worley , ( UCRC , 1♀ [ UCRC ENT 21094]; 3.5 mi. S. Palm Desert (P.L. Boyd Des. Res. Center ) [ 33.633179 , -116.399856 ], Malaise trap , 25-27.x.1978 , ( UCRC , 1♂ [ UCRC ENT 152970 ]) , 8-12.i.1979 , ( UCRC , 1♂ [ UCRC ENT 76690]); Deep Cyn. Des. Res. Center Sec. 17, R6E, T6S, 116°22’36”W , 33°38’19”N [ 33.638911 , -116.376667 ], 10 year Malaise trap study, J.D. Pinto & S.I. Frommer , 21-24.xi.1979 , ( UCRC , 1♂ [ UCRC ENT 153339 ]) , 24-26.xi.1979 , ( UCRC , 1♂ [ UCRC ENT 153399 ]) , 26-28.xi.1979 , ( UCRC , 1♂ [ UCRC ENT 153530 ]) , 28-31.xii.1979 , ( UCRC , 1♂ [ UCRC ENT 153569 ], 1♀ [ UCRC ENT 153571 ]) , 1-4.ii.1980 , ( UCRC , 1♂ [ UCRC ENT 153328 ]); 8 mi. N. Jct. Horsethief Cr. & Deep Cr. , Sec. 6; T7S, R6E [ 33.590700 , - 116.401865 ], elev. 2960 ft. , 27.x-3.xi.1973 , A.B. Tabet , Malaise , ( UCRC , 1♂ [ UCRC ENT 152594 ]); Palm Desert , Philip L. Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center, 33°38’52.3N , 116°22’36.0W [ 33.647861 , -116.376667 ], 940 ft. , 27.i-2.ii.2007 , P.H. & M.M. Arnaud , malaise trap , ( USNM , 6♂ [USNMENT 01457183, 01457184, 01457185, 01457187, 01457188, 01457189], 1♀ [ USNM 01457186 ]); Palm Desert , Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Cen- ter, 33°38’53.2”N , 116°22’38.5”W [ 33.648111 , -116.377361 ], ca 250m , 20-26.ii.2006 , P.H. & M.M. Arnaud , malaise trap , ( USNM , 2♂ [USNMENT 01457190, 01457191]); Palm Desert , Philip L. Boyd Deep Canyon Research Center [ 33.647927 , -116.376534 ] , 15.ii.1995 , P.H. & M.M. Arnaud , ( USNM , 1♂ [USNMENT 01457182]); Mag- nesia Falls Cyn. [ 33.719804 , -116.420504 , est.] , 15.xi.1978 , E.M. Fisher , ( EMFC , 2♀ ) . San Bernardino Co. Vidal [ 34.118958 , -114.510178 ], 12.x.1987 , ( UCRC , 1♀ [ UCRC ENT 80350]). San Diego Co. 5 mi. S. Oasis [ 33.395074 , -116.098033 ] , 13.xi.1947 , J. Wilcox , Paratype , ( CAS , 1♂ , 1♀ ) ; same locality, Paratype , 17.xi.1947 , ( CAS , 5♂ , 7♀ ) ; 10 mi. S. Oasis [ 33.315356 , -116.095741 ], 10.xii.1962 , J. Wilcox , Paratype , ( CAS , 3♀ ) . Distribution ( Fig. 66 ). When the paratypes of W . martinorum that now are designated as W . flavipennis , n. sp. were removed from the original type series, the distribution of W . martinorum became much narrower than when described by Wilcox (1972) . Most specimens of W . martinorum form a fairly tight cluster in several southern California counties (esp. Riverside). Elevations of collecting localities range from 433 to 3772 feet .