Empis (Enoplempis) wilderae, 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 : 109-110

Empis (Enoplempis) wilderae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DBB6A32A-D683-4712-83FB-8632BCFE1416

( Figs 205 , 206 , 208 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “U.S.A.: CALIFORNIA:/ StanislausCo. Frank/ Raines Park [37.420°N 121.372°W], Del Pue-/ rto Cyn. 11-IV-1978 / D.D. Wilder collector”; “ D. Dee Wilder / Collection” [yellow label]; “ HOLOTYPE / Empis (Enoplempis) / wilderae Sinclair ,/ Brooks & Cumming [red label]” ( CAS) . PARATYPES: USA. California: Alameda County: small creek at county line and Mines Rd [37°28′N 121°31′W], 11.iv.1978, DDW (1♂, CAS) . Stanislaus County: same data as holotype (1♂, 1♀, mounted as pair in copula, CAS; 1♂, 1♀, mounted as pair with Cecidomyiidae prey, CAS; 1♂, 7♀, CAS) ; same data as holotype except, 1120 ft, 3.iv.1970, PHA, insect flight trap (3♂, 5♀, CAS) ; Frank Raines Pk, Del Puerto Cyn , 18 mi. W Patterson, 2.iv.1973 (1♂, UCDC) , same data except, 7.iv.1973, J.C. Miller (1♀, UCDC) ; same data except, 10.iv.1971, R.W. Thorp (2♂, UCDC) ; same data except, 13.iv.1985, S.M. Normington (2♂, UCDC) ; Del Puerto Cyn at N Fork Del Puerto Ck [37.4386°N 121.3369°W], 900–1200 ft, 17.iv.1982, M. Hochberg (2♂, EMEC) .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of the E. (En.) manca species group by male hind femur lacking strong anteroventral and posteroventral rows of setae proximal to and opposite to sickle-shaped process, and male hind tibia with distinct anteroventral lobe with tuft of apical setae on basal quarter and oblique row of thickened setae across ventrum at base ( Fig. 205 ), and phallus with tapered apex.

Description. Wing length 5.0– 6.2 mm. Male. Similar to E. (En.) manca , except as follows: thorax dark brown in ground-colour, densely bluish to grey pruinescent. Scutum with pair of narrow, black, or brown vittae between setal rows; outer pair of vittae weak or absent. Pleura dark, with blue or grey pruinescence; postpronotal lobe pale brownish or apex shiny yellow; postalar ridge pale brownish. Proepisternum with dark setae on lower section. Scutum with short, fine uniserial acr; dc well developed, increasing in length posteriorly; 2 long posterior npl, with 1–2 short anterior setae; 1 presut spal; 1 psut spal; 1 pal. Scutellum with 1 pair of long sctl, with 1–2 outer marginal setae, shorter than apical pair.

Legs short, stocky; yellowish brown, slightly darker on apical tarsomeres; coxae with greyish pruinescence. Femora with white ventral pile. Fore femur with short dark setae. Fore tibia with several long anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae, 1–2 posterior setae, slightly longer than width of tibia; anterior face with short appressed setae; apex with long posterior and ventral preapical setae. Mid femur with row of anteroventral and posteroventral setae, shorter than femur width. Mid tibia with 3–4 anteroventral and posteroventral setae, shorter than width of tibia; 3–4 anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae, longer than ventral setae.Hind femur with strongly arched, tapered anteroventral sickle-shaped process; without row of anteroventral setae proximal to sickle-shaped process; broad anteroventral swelling distal to process without setae; without row of strong posteroventral setae opposite sickle-shaped process; subapical posteroventral swelling with comb of appressed setae tapered to point, directed posteriorly; small semi-circular preapical posteroventral ridge with appressed crown of setae posterior to subapical swelling; apex without preapical row of posterior setae; with strong preapical anterior, posterior and anterodorsal setae ( Fig. 205 ). Hind tibia not greatly narrowed and slightly twisted at base; distinct anteroventral lobe with tuft of apical setae on basal quarter; row of strong anteroventral and posteroventral setae proximal to lobe, posteroventral setae longer; rows joined ventrally by oblique row of strong setae; cluster of appressed preapical posteroventral setae opposite semi-circular ridge of setae on femur; 4–5 anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae slightly longer than width of tibia ( Fig. 205 ). Hind tarsomere 1 slightly swollen, with stout ventral setae.

Terminalia ( Fig. 206 ): similar colour to abdomen, hypandrium yellowish brown. Cercus slender, pointed apically; dorsal margin straight; setae slender, shorter than width of cercus; base narrowly fused to epandrial lamella. Subepandrial process extending on either side of phallus. Epandrial lamella narrow, linear, longer than height; posterior margin strongly upturned; bearing long setae ventrally, subequal to width of lamella. Hypandrium short, apical margin rounded, not prolonged laterally; without setae. Phallus with basal half expanded, tapered, gently arched anteriorly; apex emerging beyond cercus; apex narrow, pointed; roughened, spiculate apically; ejaculatory apodeme elongate, more than half-length of epandrium, Y-shaped, with lateral apodemes on lower fourth.

Female. Similar to male, except as follows: frons broader, nearly as wide as ocellar triangle; scutum with vittae brownish, with outer broad vittae clearly visible; hindleg without modified setae and processes; abdomen darker, subshiny; pleural membrane condition unknown.

Geographical distribution and seasonal occurrence ( Fig. 208 ). Empis (En.) wilderae sp. nov. has been collected in April from central California.

Etymology. The species is named after the collector of the holotype, D. Dee Wilder.

Nuptial gift presentation. Among the material examined was a probable mating pair of specimens, mounted on the same pin, which also included an unwrapped prey item ( Cecidomyiidae ). This almost certainly indicates that males of this species present unwrapped prey to females as nuptial gifts.

Figures

FIGURES 201–205. Male habitus and hindleg of the E. (Enoplempis) manca species group. 201, E. (En.) submanca sp. nov., habitus, lateral view; 202, same, hindleg, anterior view; 203, same, hind femur tibia joint, anterior view; 204, same, hind femur tibia joint, posterior view; 205, E. (En.) wilderae sp. nov., hindleg (holotype), anterior and posterior views.

FIGURES 206–207. Male terminalia of the E. (Enoplempis) manca and teres species groups, lateral view. 206, E. (En.) wilderae sp. nov.; 207, E. (En.) scotti sp. nov.

FIGURES 208–209. Known geographical distribution of the E. (Enoplempis) manca and E. (Enoplempis) nodipoplitea species groups. 208, E. (En.) manca Melander, E. (En.) submanca sp. nov. and E. (En.) wilderae sp. nov.; 209, E. (En.) nodipoplitea Steyskal.