Empis (Enoplempis) culcitella, Sinclair & Brooks & Cumming, 2025

Sinclair, Bradley J., Brooks, Scott E. & Cumming, Jeffrey M., 2025, Revision of the western Nearctic species of Empis subgenus Enoplempis (Diptera: Empididae), Zootaxa 5615 (1), pp. 1-200 : 151-154

Empis (Enoplempis) culcitella sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6F2F1F59-CA7B-43AC-BCE1-0465D4D5A451

( Figs 299–303 , 305 , 329 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “USA: OR: Benton Co., Rock / Crk. At end of Woods Crk. Rd. / N 44°31′51.9″ W 123°32′39.5″/ 546m, 6.vii.2014, swp forest,/ J.M. Cumming ”; “ CNC/ 1078384 ”; “ HOLOTYPE / Empis (Enoplempis) / culcitella Sinclair ,/ Brooks & Cumming [red label]” ( USNM) . PARATYPES: USA. California: Humboldt County: Laribee Valley [40°24′N 123°55′W], 2.vi.1935, B.P. Bliven (1♂, CAS); ca 17 mi. SE Orick, Schoolhouse Peak , 2480 ft, 41°9’28”N 123°53’31”W, 2. VI .2009, J.M. Cumming (1♂, 2♀, CNC); same data except, nr Orick, Bald Hills Rd nr Schoolhouse Peak , BJS (1♂, CNC). Mendocino County: Big Dann Ck [39.8594°N 123.6789°W], 30.v.1955, E.I. Schlinger (1♂, UCDC); Empire Camp Rest Area S of Cummings on Hwy 101 [39.8279°N 123.5946°W], 18.v.1978, DDW (1♂, CAS); UC Hopland Fld. Sta. [39°00ʹN 123°05ʹW], 1.v.1969, MT dry ice, WJT (1♂, WFBM); Hopland Field Sta. [39°00ʹN 123°05ʹW], Headquarters Lk. , 900–1600 ft, 27.iv.1975, J. Benson (1♂, EMEC); same data except, 15.v.1977, R . Greenberg (1♂, EMEC); No. Cal. Coast Range Pres. , 5 mi. N Branscomb [39°42′N 123°39′W], 26.v.1976, JAP (10♂, 14♀, EMEC); same data except, E. Rogers (13♂, 11♀, EMEC); same data except, 24–25.v.1976, R . Wharton (3♂, 1♀, EMEC); NCCRP , 3 mi. N Branscomb , 1400 ft, 21–23.v.1982 (1♂, EMEC); same data except, 5–6.v.1989, MT , S. O’Keefe (5♂, 2♀, EMEC); 1 mi. SE Piercy [39°58′N 123°47′W], 20–21.v.1976, JAP (1♂, EMEC); 1 mi. N Piercy , 20–22.v.1976, blacklight, R . Wharton (1♂, 1♀, EMEC). Solano County: Green Valley [38°15′N 122°9′W], 7.iv.1973, R . M. Bohart (1♂, UCDC). Tulare County: Ash Mt. HQ [36°29′N 118°49′W], 1700 ft, 28.iv.1979, at light, M. Buegler (1♀, EMEC). Yolo County : Putah Cn. [38.5167°N 122.0837°W], 12.iii.1951, E.I. Schlinger (1♂, UCDC). Yuba County : Sierra Foothill Field Sta. 5 mi. N Smartville [39.2514°N 121.3137°W], 1300–1500 ft, 4.v.1980, J. T . Doyen (1♂, EMEC). Oregon :

Benton County: Same data as holotype except, swp forest & creek margin, J.M. Cumming (1♀, CNC); same data except, SEB (2♂, 2♀, CNC); same data except, SJF (3♂, 3♀, CNC); Marys Peak, Lower Parker Ck at jct. Marys Peak Rd , 44.498793°N 123.569727°W, 5.viii.2016, SJF (1♂, CNC); 6.4 mi. up Woods Ck Rd from jct. Hwy 20 [44°32′N 123°31′W], MT across old road, fir/alder/maple, 24.vi–14.vii.2014, SJF (3♂, 1♀, CNC). Marion County: Hwy 214, Silver Falls SP E of Salem [44.8653°N 122.6259°W], 13–14.viii.1989, Stop 256, PHA (1♂, CAS). Washington: Grays Harbor County : Humptulips [47°13′N 123°58′W], Rest Area on Hwy 101, 20.vii.1978, DDW (1♂, CAS). Lewis County : 23 mi. W Chehalis, Rainbow Falls SP [46.6341°N 123.2340°W], 300 ft, 13–14.vii.1977, sweeping, WJT (3♂, WSU). Pacific County : Pluvius [46.5490°N 123.4094°W], 16.vii.1922, ALM (2♂, USNM). Pierce County : Sumner [47°12′N 122°14′W], vii.1929, F.J. Spruijt (1♂, CUIC) .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of the subgenus by the male with narrowly dichoptic eyes, wing with basal costal seta, modified pregenital segments ( Figs 302, 303 ) with cushion-like lobes of tergite 7 appressed against tergite 6, hind femur with anteroventral row of strong setae proximal to preapical region ( Fig. 300 ), posterior preapical seta on hind femur with expanded tip ( Fig. 301 ), and phallus with elongate slit-like opening ( Fig. 305 ).

Description. Wing length 5.8–7.0 mm. Male. Head dark in ground-colour, with greyish pruinescence ( Fig. 299 ). Eyes narrowly separated on frons; frons narrower than width of anterior ocellus; short setulae along inner margin of eye. Face without setae; short, slightly divergent towards mouthparts, with oral margin dark and shiny. Ocellar triangle elevated, with thin greyish pruinescence, with pair of parallel ocellar setae, longer than occipital setae and several pairs of short setulae. Occiput bearing single row of setae, stronger than postocular setae; postocular setae shorter than occipital row; postocellar region without setae. Antenna dark brown; scape 2× longer than pedicel, with short, black setae; pedicel with ring of apical setae; postpedicel long, slightly tapered, 5× longer than basal width; stylus length 1.5× basal width of postpedicel. Palpus pale yellowish brown, with dark setulae. Proboscis yellowish brown, length less than 2× head height; labellum with short, dark setae.

Thorax dark brown in ground-colour, densely grey pruinescent ( Fig. 299 ), with 2 pairs of brown vittae; median narrower pair between acr and dc rows, ending at prescutellar depression; faint broader outer vittae extending to postalar ridge; postpronotal lobe, lower margin of notopleuron, postalar ridge and outer margin of scutellum yellowish. Pleura often yellowish with lower portions of katepisternum and meron and anepisternum dark; often Californian specimens with dark thorax, without yellow highlights. Proepisternum with several pairs of short pale setae on lower section; upper proepisternum in front of spiracle without setae. Prosternum bare. Antepronotum with 2 pairs of lateral setae. Postpronotum with 1 long seta and several short setae. Scutum with sparse uniserial row of acr; dc uniserial, longer and stronger than acr, increasing in size posteriorly; 2 posterior npl, with 1–2 slender anterior npl; 1 presut spal; 1 psut spal; 1 pal. Scutellum with pair of long apical sctl, with pair of outer, shorter marginal setae; disc bare. Laterotergite with 3–5 long setae. Anterior and posterior spiracles pale.

Legs stocky, yellow, with apical tarsomeres darker; coxae without blue pruinescence ( Fig. 299 ). Hind trochanter with numerous dark setulae. Femora with white ventral pile; very short on fore femur. Fore femur with anteroventral and posteroventral row of short setulae. Fore tibia with 1–2 erect anterodorsal setae, longer than width of tibia; posterior face with erect slender setae, stronger distally; anterior face with short appressed setae; apex with circlet of preapical setae. Fore tarsomere 1 expanded, slightly broader than apex of tibia, with erect dorsal, anterior and posterior setae, with row of anteroventral setae; tarsomeres 2–5 with biserial row of spine-like ventral setae; tarsomeres 1–4 with apicolateral pair of spine-like setae, longer than width of segment. Mid femur with anteroventral and posteroventral row of setae, longer at base. Mid tibia with 1–2 pairs of erect anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae not longer than width of tibia; 4–5 anteroventral and posteroventral setae not longer than width of tibia; apex with circlet of preapical setae. Mid tarsus slender, with tarsomeres 1–5 with biserial row of spine-like ventral setae; tarsomeres 1–4 with apicolateral pair of spine-like setae, longer than width of segment. Hind femur with row of slender anteroventral setae until preapical region; preapex with row of thickened anteroventral setae proximal to ventral process; ventral process, shorter than apical width of femur with posteroventrally arched thickened apical and preapical setae, longer than process; base of process with posteroventral swelling bearing 4 arched thickened setae and 1 long outer posteroventral setae, longer than width of femur; transverse row of 3 hooked thickened setae just distal to ventral process; preapical anterodorsal seta distinct; row of strong posterior preapical setae slender, with elongate, expanded tip seta ( Figs 300, 301 ). Hind tibia with base not greatly narrowed; base with slender, anteroventral digitiform process with forked apex, inner fork with strong curved seta as long as process; base of anteroventral process with oblique row of thickened setae with curved tips, increasing in length distally; posteroventral digitiform process with crown of appressed thickened setae, with 3–4 thickened posterior setae with curved tips and 2 thickened anterior setae arched over surface of process; 4–5 erect anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae, about as long as width of tibia; 2–4 strong anteroapical setae; posteroapical comb with seta ( Figs 300, 301 ). Hind tarsus with tarsomere 1 slightly swollen, with 1–2 erect dorsal setae; tarsomeres similar to mid tarsus.

Wing lightly infuscate with dark veins; all veins well sclerotized; veins complete (except Sc), reaching wing margin. Basal costal seta present. R 5 and M 1 divergent near wing margin; R 5 ending near wing tip; radial fork acute. Halter pale, yellowish ( Fig. 299 ).

Abdomen paler than thorax, tergites brown to yellowish, with yellow posterior margins ( Fig. 299 ). Pregenital segments modified ( Figs 302, 303 ): tergite 6 more heavily sclerotized than preceding sclerites, posterior margin with pair of membranous swellings; tergite 7 with pair of pigmented, cushion-like lobes on anterior margin, appressed against expanded posterior margin of tergite 6; sclerites of segment 8 narrowly fused anterolaterally. Terminalia ( Fig. 305 ): brown to yellow; cerci with darker dorsal margin; phallus yellowish. Cercus long and linear, tapered to narrow apex, shorter than epandrium; dorsal margin sculptured; setae shorter than width of cercus, with strong, inner subapical setae. Subepandrial process with truncate apex and narrow extension; extending to either side of phallus. Epandrial lamella linear, posterior margin rounded and expanded dorsally; fused with cercus anteriorly; apical setae short, longer setae along ventral margin, shorter than width of epandrium. Hypandrium short, apical margin truncate, without setae. Phallus expanded on lower third; tapered and arched to expanded apex; apical fourth with elongate slit; base of slit with ring of spicules; apex emerging beyond cerci; ejaculatory apodeme very small, one quarter length of epandrium, T-shaped, with lateral apodemes near lower margin.

Female. Similar to male, except as follows: frons broader, nearly as wide as ocellar triangle; hindleg without modified setae and processes. Abdominal pleural membrane not expanded; tergites 7 and 8 with pruinescence; sternite 8 slightly projected.

Geographical distribution and seasonal occurrence ( Fig. 329 ). Empis (En.) culcitella sp. nov. is known from Washington, Oregon and California. Adults have been collected from March to August.

Etymology. Named from the Latin for small cushion, in reference to the unique cushion-like lobes found on male tergite 7 in this species.

Nuptial gift presentation. Form unknown.

Remarks. The cushion-like lobes on the male tergite 7 are very unusual and similar features are unknown among other species of Empis . Their function remains unknown, but possibly they are used during mating.

Figures

FIGURES 299–304. Male habitus, postabdomen and hindleg of the E. (Enoplempis) unplaced species. 299, E. (En.) culcitella sp. nov., habitus, lateral view; 300, same, hind femur tibia joint, anterior view; 301, same, hind femur tibia joint, posterior view; 302, same, postabdomen, lateral view; 303, same, postabdomen, dorsal view; 304, E. (En.) delnortensis sp. nov., habitus (holotype), lateral view.

FIGURES 305–306. Male terminalia of the E. (Enoplempis) unplaced species, lateral view. 305, E. (En.) culcitella sp. nov.; 306, E. (En.) delnortensis sp. nov.

FIGURES 329–330. Known geographical distribution of the E. (Enoplempis) unplaced species. 329, E. (En.) culcitella sp. nov., E. (En.) genista sp. nov. and E. (En.) manning sp. nov.; 330, E. (En.) holoptica sp. nov. and E. (En.) missoula sp. nov.