Calliphora Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830

Rognes, Terry Whitworth With An Appendix By Knut & Whitworth, Terry, 2012, Identification of Neotropical blow flies of the genus Calliphora Robineau- Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae) with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 3209, pp. 1-27 : 3-5

Genus Calliphora Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830

Calliphora Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830: 433 . Type species: Musca vomitoria Linnaeus, 1758 by original designation, one of a total of 17 species, including peruviana RD.

Dear (1985) has provided a key to the Neotropical subfamilies of Calliphoridae . The subfamily Calliphorinae is represented in the Neotropical Region by a single genus, Calliphora . The genus can be distinguished from other Neotropical calliphorid genera by its bare stem vein, lower calypter setose above, bare suprasquamal ridge, thorax dull grey with whitish microtomentum, and abdomen subshining metallic blue with more or less whitish microtomentum.

Other characters in common for species of the genus include a robust orange palpus with stout black setae; parafacial black to brown, lower half sometimes reddish to orange; parafacial with one or two changeable spots in both sexes, females also with a changeable spot midway on fronto-orbital plate when viewed from above; gena usually brown or black, anterior half may be more or less orange in C. irazuana , while it is usually bright orange in C. vicina ; genal groove black in C. nigribasis and C. triseta , usually reddish in the other four species; pedicel and first flagellomere size variable, brown to reddish-brown; single row of strong postocular setae present, usually some additional irregular rows below; occiput with silky gold or silvery setae. Thorax with typical chaetotaxy; normally two postsutural intra-alars, but three postsutural intra-alars in C. triseta ; sometimes a tiny seta in front of the two usual setae in C. irazuana ; setation of humeral callus normally 3+1, in C. maestrica 2+1; lateral scutellar setae 4+4 except in C. maestrica 3+3; katepisternal setal formula normally 2+1, in C. maestrica 1+1; proepisternal depression dark silvery with brown to black setae; anterior spiracle brown to orange-brown, posterior spiracle usually darker brown. Base of wing infuscated along costa to apex of costal cell, angling back to anterior edge of basal medial and posterior cubital cells, intensity and extent of area with color somewhat variable ( Fig. 7 ), except hyaline in C. vicina ; upper calypter, rim and fringe more or less dark brown; rim and fringe of lower calypter normally brown to reddish brown in two species, C. irazuana and C. nigribasis ( Fig. 4 ), rim and fringe are usually white or pale in the remaining four species, including C. lopesi , C. maestrica , C. triseta , and C. vicina ( Fig. 3 ); bend in vein M closer to wing margin than to dm-cu crossvein (as in Whitworth 2006, fig. 42) except equidistant in C. maestrica ; basicosta and tegula dark brown to black, except basicosta yellow to orange and tegula black in C. maestrica and C. vicina .

Male. Frons narrow, 0.03–0.12 of head width (except for a frons/head ratio of 0.29 in male C. maestrica ), without lateroclinate and proclinate orbital setae, except for C. maestrica where these setae are present. In lateral view, C. irazuana and C. lopesi with long slender surstyli curving forward, in the former the surstylus ends in a sharp point while in the latter it ends bluntly ( Figs. 8–11 ); surstylus in C. nigribasis similar, but shorter and more robust ( Figs. 12, 13 ); C. triseta ( Figs. 14, 15 ) and C. vicina (cf. Rognes 1991, figs. 140, 141) have broader, digitate surstyli which are parallel-sided; in C. maestrica surstyli are triangular (Whitworth 2010, fig. 11); from the rear, five species with surstyli curved more or less inward; in C. maestrica , surstyli forceps-like in posterior view with cerci embedded in the base of surstyli (Whitworth 2010, fig. 10). The phalli of all 6 Neotropical Calliphora are similar ( Figs. 16–23 ). For C. maestrica see Whitworth (2010 figs. 12, 13) and for C. vicina see Rognes (1991, figs. 143, 144). The epiphallus is broad and cupped, angling more or less forward, the tip angling more or less sharply downward; it originates at the posterior end of the basiphallus in two species ( C. irazuana , C. lopesi ), midway in three species ( C. nigribasis , C. triseta , C. vicina ) and near anterior end in one species ( C. maestrica ); venter of hypophallus serrated posteriorly; tip of paraphallus foot-like and serrated apically in all but C. maestrica ; this species has a hook-like tip of paraphallus with no apparent serrations; acrophallus similar in all species, venter of anterior end with posterior pointing denticles, more or less broad in dorsal view; all species appear to have lateral ducts. The hypandria of the four native Calliphora species in South and Central America are all similar ( Figs. 24, 27, 30, 33 ). The distal end varies from broad in C. nigribasis to narrower in C. irazuana ; in the West Indies species, C. maestrica hypandria are much more slender (Whitworth 2010, fig. 14). The hypandrium of C. vicina was not examined. The pre- and postgonites of all six Calliphora species are also similar. Calliphora irazuana , C. lopesi ( Figs. 25, 28 ), and C. vicina ( Rognes 1991, fig.146) each normally have 4 setae on the pregonite, while in C. nigribasis and C. triseta ( Figs. 31, 34 ) each has six setae and C. maestrica has about ten setae (Whitworth 2010, fig.15). The postgonites of all species are similar; each has a single very fine seta at its inner base. This seta commonly breaks off during dissection but the socket is visible in some of the photos. The ejaculatory sclerites are similar in each species ( Figs. 26, 29, 32, 35 ) (for C. vicina see Rognes 1991, fig. 145; for C. maestrica see Whitworth 2010, fig. 16). Sternites of C. irazuana , C. lopesi , C. triseta ( Figs. 36, 37, 39 ) and C. vicina are typical of most other New World species of this genus while in two species, C. nigribasis ( Fig. 38 ) and C. maestrica (Whitworth 2010, fig. 17) ST5 is exceptionally broad.

Female. Frons broad with one lateroclinate seta and two proclinate setae. Ovipositors and spermathecae of five species are similar ( Figs. 40–47 ), for C. vicina see Rognes 1991 (figs. 147, 148). Calliphora maestrica ovipositor (Whitworth 2010, fig. 18) is much different; anterior portion of T 6 in C. irazuana and C. lopesi broader, tapering to a narrower posterior; T6 more oval in C. irazuana , C. nigribasis , and C. triseta ; very broad, but short in C. maestrica ; T6 with central area weak in C. irazuana , C. lopesi , C. nigribasis and C. maestrica , only anterior edge weak in C. triseta and no weak areas in C. vicina ; anterolateral corners of T6 weak in all species except C. maestrica . ST6 is more or less oval in C. irazuana , C. lopesi , and C. triseta ; while broader in C. nigribasis and narrower in C. vicina ( Rognes 1991, fig. 148); in C. maestrica ST6 is broader than long (Whitworth 2010, fig. 18). T7 is almost divided in five species, with only a narrow connection on rear edge; in C. maestrica sclerites are completely divided. ST7 is long and parallel-sided in C. irazuana , C. lopesi , and C. nigribasis ; while it tapers distally to a narrow neck and expands at the margin in C. triseta and C. vicina ; in C. maestrica ST7 is large and oval with the lower portion isolated by a large horizontal weak area (Whitworth 2010, fig. 18). In all species, T8 is divided into two sclerites by a large membranous area; in five species ST8 is slightly longer than T8 with similar shape; posterior margin of C. irazuana and C. lopesi with a bifurcation lacking in others; in C. maestrica ST8 is reduced to two small triangular sclerites at the posterior margin. The epiproct, hypoproct and spermathecae are similar in all species ( Figs. 40–47 ).

Discussion. Twelve specimens of Calliphora coloradensis Hough (FSCA) were examined from southern Mexico near the boundary of the Neotropical Region, State of Puebla near Tehuacan. In addition, seven C. latifrons Hough (FSCA) were found in the same area, as well as in several other locations in the highlands and further north in Mexico. A single C. grahami Aldrich (CNC) was examined collected from the mountains north of Mexico City, however it was not found further south in Mexico or in any of the Neotropical Region. None of these species is included in the key that follows; specimens suspected to be these species may be keyed using Whitworth (2006).

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 7. Calliphora character states. 3. C. triseta, pale whitish setae on upper surface, rim and fringe of lower calypter. 4. C. irazuana, brown setae on upper surface, rim and fringe of lower calypter. 5. C. lopesi male, setae extend about halfway up facial ridge. 6. C. triseta male, setae extend about 80 % up facial ridge. 7. C. nigribasis, base of wing infuscated.

FIGURES 8 – 11. Left lateral and posterior views of male genitalia of Calliphora spp. epandrium, cerci and surstyli. 8, 9. C. irazuana. 10, 11. C. lopesi.

FIGURES 12 – 15. Left lateral and posterior views of male genitalia of Calliphora spp. epandrium, cerci and surstyli. 12, 13. C. nigribasis. 14, 15. C. triseta.

FIGURES 16 – 23. Phallus of Calliphora species in left lateral and dorsal views. 16, 17. C. irazuana. 18, 19. C. lopesi. 20, 21. C. nigribasis. 22, 23. C. triseta, guide is damaged on right side (Fig. 23).

FIGURES 24 – 35. Hypandria, pre- and postgonites, and ejaculatory sclerites of male Calliphora. 24 – 26. C. irazuana. 27 – 29. C. lopesi. 30 – 32. C. nigribasis. 33 – 35. C. triseta.

FIGURES 36 – 39. Ventral view of male abdominal sternites of Calliphora. 36. C. irazuana, segments labeled. 37. C. lopesi. 38. C nigribasis. 39. C. triseta.

FIGURES 40 – 41. Ovipositors of Calliphora. 40. C. irazuana, sclerites labeled. 41. C. lopesi.

FIGURES 42 – 47. Ovipositors and spermathecae of Calliphora. 42, 43. Ovipositors. 42. C. nigribasis. 43. C. triseta. 44 – 47. Spermathecae. 44. C. irazuana. 45. C. lopesi. 46. C. nigribasis. 47. C. triseta.