Amiota texas, sp. nov.

Figures 17E–F, 19F, 25, 84C

DIAGNOSIS: Medium-sized fly (ThL 1.21 mm), dark brown; epandrium dorsally complete, ventral lobes curved inward; cerci large; aedeagal apodeme small, translucent, and poorly developed; outer paraphysis linear, well developed, laterally flattened; large subapical sclerotized spine, perpendicular to paraphysis, distal tip with irregular serrations; inner paraphyses highly asymmetrical, composed of 2 lobes, anterior most lobe with 3 heavily sclerotized spines, posterior lobe with 4 spines.

DESCRIPTION: Medium-sized fly (ThL 1.21 mm), dark brown, legs dark yellow. Frons dark brown, lighter ventrally. Facial marking small, width 0.3× length. Cheek small (EL/CW 34), yellowish. Palp dark brown. Arista: Medium, plumose; longest branch D4; A.R. 0.41; 4 long dorsal, 2 long ventral branches, none pointed mediad/laterad; arista trunk with medium microtrichia along whole length. Male genitalia: Epandrium narrow (especially dorsally), dorsal bridge complete though faint, nearly grading into surrounding membrane, with prominent ventral lobes that turn inward. Cercus large, oval, distinct from surrounding membrane. Surstylus rounded, 14 prensisetae, apices blunt, all of equal size and spacing; short lobe arising behind ventralmost prensiseta (vs. distal to prensisetae); many long, prominent setulae around midregion, forming row underneath prensisetae. Outer paraphysis linear, well developed, laterally flattened, each with a medial unsclerotized spine on distal end, facing posteriorly; large, sclerotized spine arising subapically, perpendicular to paraphysis, distal tip with irregular serrations. Inner paraphyses highly asymmetrical; composed of 2 lobes, anterior most lobe with 3 heavily sclerotized spines, posterior lobe with 4 spines; forming a mass of twisting spines. Aedeagal apodeme small, translucent, poorly developed. Hypandrium U-shaped, simple. Ejaculatory apodeme not studied. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 1, Am 438) FL/FW 0.92, EL/EW 1.30, EL/CW 34, FML/FMW 0.25, PR/RR 0.54, ThL 1.21 mm.

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: male: Davis Mts, Tex., [30.745919, -104.088850], IV-17-54, LD Beamer, Am 438, [specimen glued to paper point, dissected]. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Known only from the holotype.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for Texas (United States), the state of the type locality. Used as a noun in apposition.

DISTRIBUTION: Amiota texas is currently only known from west Texas.

COMMENTS: This species is similar to Amiota wheeleri, also from West Texas. It is likely that this holotype is of a young individual, not fully sclerotized, but given the numerous differences in the paraphyses it is reliably distinct from that species.