Efferia bullata, Scarbrough & Perez-Gelabert, 2009

Aubrey G. Scarbrough & Daniel E. Perez-Gelabert, 2009, Review of the West Indian species of Efferia Coquillett (Diptera: Asilidae) with 13 new species and checklist: Part II. Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Lesser Antilles including Tobago and Trinidad, Zootaxa 1994, pp. 1-66 : 13-15

Efferia bullata sp. nov.

Figs. 9–14 , Table 1

Male. Brown, mostly brown or brownish-yellow tomentose. Measurements, body 10.2–11.9 mm; wing 7.9–9.3 mm. Head: Yellowish-gray tomentose, setae mostly white. Mystax with sparse black bristles medially, mixed with abundant white setae; face at antennae about 2/3 as wide as one eye. Palpi mostly or entirely white setose, sparse black setae often apically. Antennae and frons mostly and ocellar tubercle entirely black setose; scape often sparsely whitish setose ventrally; 4–5 stout black postocular bristles dorsally, thinner bristles black or creamy white.

Thorax: Pronotum yellowish-gray tomentose, bristles and setae yellowish. Scutum with median stripe and 2 lateral spots brown tomentose, brownish-yellow laterally, yellowish-gray posteriorly; vestiture mostly black, sparse white setae anteriorly and above wing base; anterior scutal setae about as long as scape; 5 thick lateral bristles, 7–8 dorsocentral bristles much thinner. Scutellum yellowish-gray tomentose, setae white, black, or mixed, longer than scape and pedicel combined; 4–5 marginal bristles, all black or 2 creamy white, usually 2–3 stout, others thin. Pleura yellowish tomentose anteriorly, gray posteriorly; setae and bristles mostly pale, sparse black setae anteriorly.

Wing: Yellowish or slightly brownish, costal cell pale brownish-yellow, anterior margin not dilated. Vein r-m at apical 1/3 of cell d. Base of cell r4 just beyond d cell; R4 recurrent vein 1/4–1/3 as long as diameter of cell base.

Leg: Femora black, mostly white setose; sparse black setae apically; bristles mostly black; creamy white bristles sometimes anteriorly or basally. Tibiae mostly yellow, apex black or brown, stout bristles mostly black, long setae pale; metathoracic tibiae normal, not swollen or pronated apically. Tarsi usually blackish-red or brownish-red, apical segments darkest; bristles black.

Abdomen: Brown, narrow lateral margins of basal tergites yellowish; segments mostly white tomentose and white setose; tergites 3–4 and basal 1/2–2/3 of 5 brown tomentose with brown setae dorsally; segments 6–7, apical 1/3–1/2 white. Setae especially long, erect on basal 3 segments, sparse on 4, much shorter on 5–8 except long on apical margin of 7–8.

Terminalia ( Figs. 9–12 ): Blackish dorsally, brown or brownish-yellow basally; 2/3–3/4 wider apically than basally in anterior view; setae mostly black, yellowish dorsally. Epandrium twice as long as wide, strongly inflated apically, 2/3 wider apically in lateral view than basally; 3 tooth-like processes dorsally, median process hooked. Gonostylus only slightly sclerotized, wide and flat, apex somewhat truncate. Aedeagus wide with flanges just below tubes, apex hood-like, tubes slightly recurved apically; aedeagal apodeme minute. Gonocoxa with pointed apex slightly concave anteriorly; setae short, sparse, light brown, pale, or mixed.

Female. Measurements, body 8.7–10.7 mm; wing 6.1–8.1 mm. Head: Frons and antennae sometimes entirely black setose. Wing: R4 recurrent vein about 2/3 diameter of r4 basally. Abdomen: Wide sides of tergites 1–7 and sternites 1–7 entirely whitish tomentose; setae mostly white, those on sternites 1–4 long, erect, much shorter on 5–7. Tergites 1–7 mostly brownish-yellow or brown tomentose, setae mostly brown, latter sparse on basal 2–3 tergites, more abundant, widely distributed on 4–7; segment 7 entirely tomentose. Terminalia ( Figs. 13–14 ): Length 2.1–3.7 mm, 5.7–7.9 times longer than diameter at middle medially. Cercus about 1/3 as long as tergite 7 dorsally. Spermathecae oval, apex rounded.

Types. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Pedernales Prov., PN Jaragua / trail to Carlitos ca. km S. of / Highway 44, 106 meters, / 17o48.932’N, 71o28.271’W / 8.vii.2004 N.E. Woodley (holotype ♂, NMNH). Paratypes: Barahona [Prov.], 2 km W Puerto / Alejandro near Bahia / de Neiba. Sea level. / 18-19N, 71-

04W 38W [18o19’N, 71o04’W] ~ 17 October 1991 / R. Davidson, C. Young / S. Thompson, J. Rawlins / Semiarid thornscrub / near stony beach ~ Carnegie Museum / Specimen Number / CMNH 307, 218(1 ♀, CMNH); RD-079 Isla Beata [ Island], trail / to Cueva del Tubo, PNJ, / 17º36.844’N 71º31.379’W, / 3.xii.2002, D. Perez, B. Hierro, / R. Bastardo (day/night) (1 ♂, MHND); RD-215 – 2 km on trail to / Carlitos, Parque Nacional / Jaragua, Pedernales Prov., / 124 m, 18o06.591’N 71o37.234’W, 7.iv.2004, D. Perez, / B. Hierro, R. Bastardo (d) (10 ♂, 4 ♀, NMNH; 10 ♂, 5 ♀, MHND); RD-216 – 10 km on trail to / Carlitos, Parque Nacional / Jaragua, Pedernales Prov., / 172 m, 17o47.892’N 71o28. / 965’W, 7–8.iv.2004, D. / Perez, B. Hierro, R. Bastardo (1 ♂, 1♀, NMNH); RD-168 – 0.5 km on way to / Fondo Paradi & Tres Charcos / Parque Nacional Jaragua, Pe- / dernales Prov., / 17o48. 822’N / 71o26.551’W, 92 m, 30.vii.2003 / D. Perez, R. Bastardo, B. Hierro (1 ♂, 1 ♀, NMNH; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, MHND); Pedernales Prov., 13 km Rd. / Cabo Rojo, Aceitillar, 18o0 1. / 866’N, 71o38.806’W, 123 m, / 16.viii.2006, D. Perez, R. / Bastardo (night) (1 ♀, NMNH); Pedernales Prov., 0.7 km N / Cruze Aguas Negras – Mencia, / 18o06.956’N, 71o43.388’W, 326 m, / 17.viii.2006, D. Perez, R. Bartardo (1 ♀, NMNH); RD-265 ~Km 15 road Cabo / Rojo – Aceitillar, Perdernales / prov., 10.viii.2004, D. Perez (3 ♀, NMNH); Pedernales [Prov.], 26 km N Cabo / Rojo, 18-06N, 71-38W [18o06’N, 71o38’W] 730 m / 13.vii.1990 J. Rawlins, / C. Young, S. Thompson (1 ♂, CMNH); Pedernales [Prov.]. 14.5 km / N Cabo Rojo. / 18-03W, 71-39W [18o03’N, 71o39’W]. 165m ~ 13–19 July 1990 / L. Masner, J. Rawlins / C. Young, Arid thorn- / scrub, intercept trap ~ Carnegie Museum / specimen number CMNH 303,878 (1 ♀, CMNH); same data except number 305,779 (1 ♀, CMNH); same data except number 307,256 (1 ♀, CMNH); same data except number 306,059 (1♂, CMNH).

Distribution. Dominican Republic: Barahona, Isla Beata and Pedernales provinces. Active at sea level to 730 m during April, July, August, October, and December.

Etymology. Latin bullata refers to the enlarged terminalia of the species.

Remarks. Efferia bullata is distinguished by its size [8.7–10.7 mm], brownish tomentum and mostly white setae of the head, scutellum, and abdomen, anterior scutal setae are about as long as the scape, scutellar setae as long or longer than the scape and pedicel combined, and combined characters of the terminalia ( Figs. 9–14 ). The male is further distinguished by the extremely short R4 recurrent vein, absence of a costal dilation, segments 6–7 entirely white tomentose, the strongly inflated terminalia which is about twice as wide apically as basally, epandrium twice as long as wide, and gonocoxa with sparse, short, mostly brown, setae. The female is further distinguished by the entirely tomentose segment 7 and short terminalia [2.1–3.7 mm].

Figures

FIGURES 9–14. Efferia bullata sp.nov. Male terminalia, lateral view: 9. Intact, left side; 10. Gonostylus; 11. Phallus; and 12. Aedeagus with tubes and phallic flange. Female terminalia, lateral view: 13. Ovipositor; 14. Lateral spermatheca. Abbreviations: cercus=cer; membranous=men; tergites 8, 9=tg8, tg9.