Dexosarcophaga transita Townsend, 1917

Mello-Patiu, Cátia Antunes De, 2002, Revision of some Dexosarcophaga species described by R. Dodge (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Zootaxa 122, pp. 1-16 : 4-7

Dexosarcophaga transita Townsend, 1917 ( Figs. 9­27 )

Dexosarcophaga transita Townsend, 1917: 221 . Type locality: Brazil, Mato Grosso, Chapada; male holotype, AMNH. Ref.­ Lopes, 1969: 42 (cat.); 1974b: 287 (HT examined).

Sarcophaga scelesta Hall, 1931: 285 . Type locality: USA, Texas. Ref.­ Lopes, 1941: 381 (synonymy established); 1946: 126 (cit.).

Tetradiscalis steinbachi (nom. nud.) Enderlein, 1928: 22. Type locality: Bolivia, Sara. Ref.­ Lopes, 1968: 342 (HT examined, synonymy established).

Sarcophaga excitans Curran & Walley, 1934: 486 . Type locality: Guiana, Kartabo.

Sarcophaga aduncta Hall, 1933: 275 . Type locality: Panama.

Dexosarcophaga halli Dodge, 1968: 429 . Type locality: Panama, Barro Colorado Is. Ref.­ Lopes, 1974c: 518 (HT examined, synonymy established).

Dexosarcophaga quecetuba Dodge,1966: 681 . Type locality: Brazil, São Paulo; male holotype, USNM. NOV. SYN.

Male – Total length = 7­10 mm.

Head – Fronto­orbital and parafacial plates gray with slightly golden microtomentum, with a row of black setulae along eye margin; frontal vitta black, reddish anteriorly; frons 0.2 X head width; frontal row of 10­12 bristles; 1 reclinate fronto­orbital bristle, proclinate absent; outer vertical bristle not differentiated from the postocular setae; gena and postgena gray with black setae; antenna dark brown, first flagellomere with gray microtomentum, twice as long as pedicel, arista long plumose from basal 1/2 to 2/3; palpus black.

Thorax – Gray. Proepimeron and prosternum bare. Chaetotaxy: acrostichals 0­3 (weakly differentiated) + 1, dorsocentrals 3 + 4­5 (two posteriormost longer), intra­alars 2 + 2, supra­alars 2 + 3, postpronotals 3, postalars 2, notopleurals 4, scutellum with 2 marginal bristles intercalated by 2 bristly setae, apical 1, discals 1, meropleurals 7­10, katepisternals 3 (in a line). Wing hyaline, R1 bare, R4+5 setulose in basal 2/3 to crossvein r­m, costal spine not differentiated, third costal sector without ventral setulae. Legs black, mid femur apically with posteroventral ctenidium (5­7 spines), mid tibia with 1 median bristle in ventral face and 2 median ones in postero­dorsal margin, hind tibia with 1 median antero­ventral bristle.

Abdomen – Black with the usual pattern of silvery gray microtomentum; T1+2–3 without median marginal bristles, T4 with a moderately sized pair; T5 with a complete row of marginal bristles; ST2–4 exposed and with long black hair­like setae, longer and denser in ST2; ST5 V­shaped, posterior arms slender, with bristles in posterior region ( Fig. 14 ).

Terminalia – Syntergosternite 7+8, epandrium and cercus black; syntergosternite 7+8 with 3 pairs of strong bristles in the row of marginals; epandrium with scattered dorsal bristles ( Fig. 9 ); cercus moderately curved in profile ( Figs. 9, 10 ); surstylus clavate with elongated apical setae ( Fig. 9 ); gonopod distinctly curved (Figs. 11,12) and paramere slightly curved with a strong bristle on anterior margin ( Figs. 11, 13 ); phallus and juxta similar to those of D. itaqua ( Figs. 11, 15, 18 , 21, 23 ); lateral stylus long, with simple base and dentate apex ( Figs. 15, 16, 19 ); median stylus represented by a small double rugose lobe between the apices of the lateral styli ( Figs. 15, 16, 19 ); vesica well sclerotized, bearing a pair of membranous and longitudinal brims, bifurcated at apical portion with slightly enlarged extremities ( Figs.17, 20 , 22, 24 ).

Female – Total length = 6­8 mm.

Like the male in most characters, except for: frons broader, 0.3 X head width; 2 well developed proclinate fronto­orbital bristles; outer vertical bristle differentiated from the postocular setae; T6 entire with narrow hind region and a series of marginal bristles; spiracle 6 situated in membrane and 7 within the sclerite; T8 divided in two broad and exposed plates, without setae; epiproct divided into two small, setose plates (some additional setae may be present in the membrane near the plates); ST6 slightly broader than ST5 and ST7; ST6 and ST7 with bristles in posterior region; ST8 broad and rounded, joined to ST7, with a sclerotized and setose obtriangular area; vaginal plate membranous ( Figs. 25, 26 ); spermathecae pyriform, finely striated ( Fig. 27 ).

Material examined – Brazil. Mato Grosso: Chapada dos Guimarães, 3 males and 4 females, VII.1983, col. in Malaise trap [ MNRJ /Polonoroeste Expedition] ( MNRJ); Sinop, BR163 Road, km 500­600, 1 male and 1 female, X.1975, Alvarenga & Roppa ( MNRJ); Goiás: Goiânia, 1 male, VIII.1943, Freitas & Nobre ( MNRJ); Campinas, 1 female, XII.1935, Borgmeier & Lopes ( MNRJ); Distrito Federal: Brasília, 1 male, 2.I.1972, V. Strawiarski ( MNRJ); Minas Gerais: Cambuquira, 1 male and 9 females, 8.XI.1969, H. Ebert ( MNRJ); Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro, Grajaú, 1 male, 2.XII.1937, Lopes ( MNRJ); Itatiaia, 1 male, 10­12.X.1950, Travassos, Albuquerque & Pearson ( MNRJ); São Paulo: Itaquaquecetuba, 1 male ( D. quecetuba holotype), VI.1918, Townsend ( USNM); Santa Catarina: Nova Teutônia, 1 female, III.1971, F. Plaumann ( MNRJ).

Distribution – NEARTIC – USA (Texas). NEOTROPICAL – Panama, Costa Rica, Guyana, Brazil (Ceará, Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Santa Catarina).

Remarks – A detailed analysis of the holotype of D. quecetuba gave reasons to consider the nominal species as a junior synonym of D. transita . Dexosarcophaga quecetuba is very similar to D. itaqua and D. lopesi in having a similar ventral concavity in the distiphallus and it can be distinguished especially by the presence of membranous longitudinal brims on the ventral face of the vesica. The material show considerable individual variation in the position and extension of these brims ( Figs. 17, 20 , 22, 24 ) and this is probably the reason for the several synonymous names.

Figures

FIGURES 9 ­ 20. – Figs. 9 ­ 17: Dexosarcophaga transita Townsend, male (Chapada dos Guimarães); 9. syntergosternite 7 + 8, epandrium and cercus, lateral view; 10. apex of cercus, lateral view; 11. phallus and associated structures, lateral view; 12. gonopod; 13. paramere; 14. sternite 5; 15. apex of phallus, lateral view; 16. apex of phallus without vesica, ventral view; 17. vesica, ventral view. Figs. 18 ­ 20: D. transita Townsend (male holotype of D. quecetuba Dodge); 18. phallus and associated structures, lateral view; 19. apex of phallus without vesica, ventral view; 20. vesica, ventral view (bp = basiphallus; dp = distiphallus; go = gonopod; ju = juxta; ls = lateral stylus; ms = median stylus; pa = paramere; ve = vesica).

FIGURES 21 ­ 27. – Figs. 21 ­ 22: Dexosarcophaga transita Townsend, male (Rio de Janeiro); 21. apex of phallus, lateral view; 22. vesica, ventral view. Figs. 23 ­ 24: D. transita Townsend, male (Campinas); 23. apex of phallus, lateral view; 24. vesica, ventral view. Figs. 25 ­ 27: D. transita Townsend, female (Chapada dos Guimarães); 25. terminalia and abdominal sternites, ventral view; 26. terminalia, ventral view; 27. spermatheca (ce = cercus; ep = epiproct; hy = hypoproct; sp = spiracle; St = sternite; T = tergite).