Hybobathus phaeopterus ( Schiner, 1868 )

Miranda, Gil Felipe Gonçalves, 2017, Revision of the Hybobathus arx and Pelecinobaccha summa species groups (Diptera: Syrphidae), Zootaxa 4338 (1), pp. 1-43 : 20-24

Hybobathus phaeopterus ( Schiner, 1868)

Fig. 7

Bacha phaeoptera Schiner, 1868: 342 . Type locality: Venezuela. Lectotype male (NHMW). Williston, 1888: 266 (key), 267 (citation); Williston, 1891: 32 (key), 33 (citation); Townsend, 1897: 20 (citation); Aldrich, 1905: 356 (catalog citation); Curran, 1941: 260 (key); Hull, 1949: 97 (citation), 122 (key), 124 (key), 196 (fig. 28, abdomen); Fluke, 1956: 258 (catalog citation).

Ocyptamus phaeopterus . Thompson et al. 1976: 25 (catalog citation).

Hybobathus phaeopterus . Miranda, 2017 (species list).

Baccha druida Hull, 1947: 398 . Type locality: Brazil, Santa Catarina, Nova Teutônia. Holotype male (AMNH). Hull, 1949: 97 (citation), 123 (key), 249 (fig. 258, abdomen); Fluke, 1956: 245 (catalog citation). syn. nov.

Ocyptamus druida . Thompson et al. 1976: 17 (catalog citation).

Hybobathus sp. species group arx . Miranda and Moran, 2017: 20 (fig. 58, female genitalia), 23 (fig. 76, female genitalia), 27 (female genitalia description), 29 (fig. 89, female genitalia); Miranda et al. 2016 (sampled taxon).

Redescription. MALE ( Figs 7a, b, d, e & i–l ). Head ( Figs 7d & e ). Yellow; face with sparse white microtrichosity, with black pile, absent medially. Gena with white pile. Lunule with central black marking and very narrow dorsal black vitta from central marking to the crease ventral to the frontal triangle. Frontal triangle wholly yellow and with black pile, except bare medially. Base of antenna protuberant. Vertical triangle with shiny white microtrichia, except on ocellar triangle, which is dull black, with several irregular rows of black pile ending dorsal to the anterior ocellus; ocellar triangle separate by its length from the posterior margin of the head. Eye contiguity shorter than the vertical triangle length. Eye with weak sub-triangular indentation on posterior margin, positioned around the level of the antennal insertions. Antenna with black pile; postpedicel with darkened dorsal 1/2. Occiput homogeneously covered by white microtrichia, with white pile, dorsal 1/3 with one row of flattened pile, ventral 2/3 with 2–3 rows, posterior row with longer and flattened pile. Thorax ( Fig. 7a ). Scutum black, but yellow laterally from postpronotum to scutellum; mostly covered by white microtrichia, denser on a medial narrow and a pair of submedial vittae, with a medial pair of short vittate and sub-lateral pair of long vittate areas without microtrichia; pile long, black and erect, except pale on notopleuron, small area latero-posterior to the transverse suture and small area anterior to the scutellum, with anterior continuous row of longer white pile. Scutellum dark yellow, paler basally, with short, black and erect pile, some longer on margins; subscutellar fringe with long and white pile. Pleuron yellow, dark on anterior 1/3 of posterior anepisternum, ventral 1/2 of katepisternum, meron and postero-ventral margin of katatergum; white pilose on proepimeron, anterior and posterior anepisternum, dorsal and ventral katepisternum, anterior anepimeron, katepimeron and metaepisternum, katatergum with long microtrichia giving it a ‘velvet’ appearance. Plumula short and white. Calypter pale, pile long and pale on margin of the ventral lobe and very short and dark on margin the dorsal lobe. Halter yellow, capitulum orange. Wing ( Fig. 7a ). Dark yellow, lighter on bm, middle of dm, small middle portion of cup, most of cua1, middle areas of r2+3 and r4+5, and posterior margin of the wing, and entirely microtrichose; alula light yellow, darker anteriorly, wide and convex, apically 5 times as broad as c cell, entirely microtrichose. Legs ( Fig. 7a ). Pro- and mesolegs yellow, slightly darker sub-apically on mesofemur, with yellow pile, longer and erect on postero basal margin of the femora (mesofemur with a distinct row), and black anteriorly on mesocoxa and on longer pile of the mesofemur. Metalegs mostly yellow, except dark brown on a sub-apical small area of the metafemur, and metatibia dark brown on middle 3/5, with black pile except pale on tarsus; metabasitarsomere slightly less than 1/2 the length of the metatibia. Abdomen ( Figs 7a & b ). Dark brown and petiolate, 2.5 times the length of the thorax. Tergite 1 yellow, except for dark brown apical margin, with long, black and erect pile, except pale dorsally and mostly bare dorso-apically; sternite 1 yellow with long, yellow and erect pile. Tergite 2 long, slightly compressed medially, 5 times longer than smallest width, pale baso-laterally and with pair of wide vittate yellow markings sub-apically; with mostly black and appressed pile, except shorter dorsally and erect baso-laterally; sternite 2 mostly pale, with very sparse short, erect, black pile. Tergite 3 trapezoidal and slightly long, slightly longer than apical width and apical margin around 2 times wider than basal margin, with pair of central narrow yellow vittae that almost reach the apical margin and a basal sub-lateral pair of short, wide, tapering vittate markings that join to the central pair basally; with short, black and appressed pile; sternite 3 mostly dark with short, black and appressed pile. Tergite 4 quadrate, slightly wider than long, with four complete narrow yellow vittae, with lateral vittae on one side joining basally; with black and appressed pile; sternite 4 dark brown with black and appressed pile. Tergite 5 rectangular short, wider than long, with four yellow vittae not connecting basally, with black and appressed pile; remaining characteristics as on 4. Genitalia ( Figs 7i –l ). Cerci with 4 rows of pile but with more pile concentrated dorso-medially. Surstylus oval and elongated, in lateral and ventral views, dorsally pilose except on apex, with ventral setulae on apex, lateral margin and a few sparse medially; subepandrial sclerite quadrate, very slightly tapering towards apex, apical quadrate indentation almost 1/2 the length of the sclerite, with a pair of concave indentations baso-medially, baso-lateral extensions distinct. Hypandrium sub-quadrate, slightly tapering towards apex, ventral notch extending on apical 3/ 4, with slightly concave basal margin, and with medial-lateral indentations extending dorsally; phallapodeme mostly unsclerotized; basiphallus drop-shaped but more elongated and abruptly tapering on basal 1/3, in ventral view, distiphallus slightly undulated, in lateral view, base slightly extending laterally but not joining ventrally, anterior sclerotized surface tapering apically, with wider membranous area on apex, ventral surface completely membranous; postgonite large, with anterior margin almost straight, apico-ventral extremity as a long acute projection; apico-dorsal extremity as a small and short acute projection, with pile on basal 4/5 of the ventral margin.

FEMALE ( Figs 7c, f–h & m–o ). Like male except for the following characters: Frons with medial, narrow, dark vitta that might expand slightly apically, which ends before the crease of the frontal prominence, with dark area covered by white microtrichosity differently oriented dorsally and ventrally. Ocellar triangle separated by 2– 2.5 times its length from the posterior margin of the head and by one ocellus-width from the eye margin. Vertex covered in white microtrichosity, differently oriented medially posterior to ocellar triangle, and absent on ocellar triangle, which is dull black. Overall pile of scutum shorter, and anterior row interrupted medially. Overall pile on scutellum shorter; subscutellar fringe with very short, black and sparse pile. Pale areas are wider on dm, r2+3 and r4+5; alula apically 4 times as broad as c cell. Tergite 1 with appresed pile; sternite 1 with shorter and appressed pile. Tergite 2 long, 4 times longer than smallest width, overall darker, markings smaller, without long and erect pile; sternite 2 pile appressed. Tergite 3 slightly shorter than apical width; central vittae slightly curving towards sides, slightly widening towards apex, and ending closer to the apex, sub-lateral markings longer and narrowing more apically. Tergite 4 rectangular, wider than long. Tergite 6 is 1/3 of the length of 5 and with similar pattern. Genitalia ( Figs 7m –o ). Tergite 7 as four sclerotized strips, the lateral ones joining basally to the medial ones, pilose on apical 1/2 and apico-lateral 2/3 and with a few longer pile apically; sternite 7 membranous, wholly pilose but with a few longer pile on a sub-apical row. Tergite 8 as a pair of lateral sclerotized strips that converge towards each other basally and run parallel most of their length until joining at apex, pilose on apical 2/3, with a few longer pile apically; sternite 8 with long, narrow, lateral sclerotizations that connect as a fascia basally, wholly pilose, with a few longer pile on a medial transverse row. Epiproct as a pair of narrow, sclerotized, short strips, with a few pile apically, apodeme the same length as the epiproct; hypoproct triangular and membranous, pilose. Cerci membranous, pilose, positioned apically and on a slightly perpendicular plane to the epiproct. Three round spermathecae with a few tubercles on 1/2 of their surface.

Variation. MALE. Dark above lunule varies from absent to as wide as central black marking; frontal triangle may present a central marking that varies from an inconspicuous spot until a small diamond-shaped marking that might connect dorsally to eye contiguity; ocellar triangle might be up to 1.25 times its length in front of the posterior margin of the head; anterior rows of pile of the occiput might have a few black pile. Scutum might have pale pile dorsal to wing base and shorter on postalar callus; apical margin of scutellum might also be paler and subscutellar fringe often is wholly black; plumula can be of normal length. Dark areas of the wing might be much more extensive on r2+3, r4+5, dm, cua1 and posterior margin of the wing. Sub-apical area on mesofemur might be wholly pale or much darker, and metafemur overall darker, with only base and/or apex pale; metacoxa might have a few dark pile anteriorly. Abdomen might be up to 3 times as long as thorax; tergite 1 might have a few pale pile baso-ventrally; tergite 2 up to 6 times as long as smallest width, might be overall darker or pale areas may practically merge together, erect pile might be present up to baso-lateral 3/4; tergite 3 might be as long as apical width, central vittae might be wider, slightly curving towards sides, slightly widening towards apex, ending closer to the apex, and disconnected from baso-lateral markings; tergite 4 lateral vittae might be reduced to baso-lateral vittate markings that connect to central vittae basally; one specimen (USNMENT01288167) has an inconspicuous medial complete yellow vitta on the tergites 3 to 5. One specimen (GFGM-MNRJ0017) with thicker ventral setulae on surstylus and basiphallus wider apically; subepandrial sclerite apical indentation and pair of basal concavities might be much shallower (e.g. USNMENT00 0 91092 and USNMENT01288144). FEMALE. One female with frontal vitta very short (USNMENT01288183), and another (USNMENT01288175) has the vitta from the frons extending apically as a narrow vitta until the dark of the lunule. Some specimens have the area anterior to the scutellum and dorsal to the wing base with black pile; pleuron might be distinctly black only on anterior 1/3 of the posterior anepisternum and ventro-posterior margin of katatergum, remaining darker areas only slightly darker than overall color. One female (DZUP 082332) with abdominal segment 2 longer, 6 times longer than smallest width; some central-western and southern Brazil specimens have a mostly dark abdominal tergite 6. Sternite 7 with sclerotized pile insertions; tergite 8 pile might be restricted to apical 1/2 or apico-lateral 1/2.

Length. Body: male 13.6–17mm (n = 38), female 14.1–16.3mm (n = 49); wing: male 11.4–14.2mm, female 12.1–14.2mm.

Distribution. Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela (department/province/state records are in the examined material list below).

Prey records. One of the examined specimens (USNMENT01243069) was reared preying on Guayaquila xiphias ( Fabricius, 1803) ( Hemiptera , Membracidae ).

Comments. Schiner (1868) stated that there were three males and one female in the material that he used to describe Baccha phaeoptera . The characters used by Schiner (1868) to describe his species fit all three male syntypes of the NHMW, however, only one of them has a completely yellow frontal triangle (in Schiner’s words: ‘Stirndreieck des männchens matt rostgelb, ober den fühlern mit einem schwarzen runden fleck’, the ‘schwarzen runden fleck’ being the common black spot on the lunule, present in all Hybobathus arx group species), the other two males having a distinct, although very small, black vitta medially. Furthermore, this syntype is in better condition than the other two males, whose heads were flattened. Thus, although the syntype has its head glued on to the thorax, it is the only one that agrees with the frontal triangle condition of the original description and is hereby designated the lectotype of B. phaeoptera , and the remaining syntypes designated as paralectotypes. The labels of the lectotype are as follows: “Lindig 1864 Venezuela ” “ phaeoptera Me samlung” [handwritten, assumed to be a contraction of ‘Meine sammlung’ = My collection] “ SYNTYPE Baccha phaeoptera Schin. Design. F. Denner 2015 ” [red label] “ Lectotype Baccha phaeoptera Schiner Des. G.F.G. Miranda, 2016 ” [red label]. On another note, and based on the description of the structures, Schiner seems to confuse the abdominal tergites 1 and 2, considering them both together as tergite 1, then tergite 3 as tergite 2, and so on, a fact already pointed out by Townsend (1897).

Hull (1947) never seemed to compare B. druida with B. phaeoptera , in his description he simply comments that it was related to B. arx but was much slender. In his new world Baccha key, Hull (1949) separates B. druida and B. phaeoptera on couplet 165, which is assumed, although his unclear wording, to differentiate between those species with four pairs of vittae from those with central vittae and basal sub-lateral pair of vittate spots. Hull must have not seen the types of B. phaeoptera , or else he would have noticed that the basal spots of the males are the same as those he described for B. druida . After genitalia dissection of a sample of males and females from different regions and altitudes, and with different morphological combinations (see ‘Variation’ above), there was no visible morphological pattern delimiting more than one species. Thus, I hereby synonymize B. druida and H. phaeopterus , the latter being the senior name.

A male specimen from Mexico (JSS32808) is highlighted here instead of in the ‘Variation’ section. It diverges in more discrete characters in the genitalia: Surstylus narrower on apical 1/2, dorsal pile longer and distinct only on baso-medial 1/2; hypandrium with patch of a few ventral pile mid-laterally; postgonites slightly shorter; and the basiphallus, in ventral view, expands slightly before tapering towards the base. The ventral pile on the hypandrium is unique among all the specimens studied, but I refrain from naming it as a separate species based solely on what might still be an atavism and without additional specimens and corroboration of the pattern of diverging characters. For the record, the specimen has the following diverging characters from the main description: Frontal triangle with central, small, black, diamond-shaped marking; scutum lateral vittate area of absence of microtrichia much narrower, leaving the whole pattern of the scutum more similar to the Hybobathus s. s. pattern (but denser areas of microtrichia still more distinct as expected for the H. arx group, see Fig. 1 ), and with pale pile laterally (except on the postalar callus); scutellum also pale apically, and subscutellar fringe black; wing overall lighter, dark/pale pattern inconspicuous; pro and mesolegs completely yellow; metabasitarsomere smaller, 2/5 of the length of the metatibia; tergite 1 pile all black; tergites 3 to 5 also with inconspicuous narrow middle vitta.

Examined material. BOLIVIA. La Paz, Mapiri , 16.iii.2001, leg. A. Freidberg (USNMENT01243068) [1 ♀, USNM] ; San Silverio , 21.iii.2001, leg. S.D. Gaimari (USNMENT01288178) [1 ♂, USNM] . Santa Cruz, Florida, Vicoquin area above Achira , road to Floripondo , 19.xii.2011, leg. N.E. Woodley (USNMENT01288192) [1 ♀, USNM] ; Refugio Los Volcanes , 11.xii.2011, leg. N.E. Woodley (USNMENT01288179) [1 ♂, USNM] . BRAZIL Amazonas, Barcelos , vii–viii.2007, leg. A. Filho (( INPA-DIP000841 ) [1 ♀, INPA] . Bahia, Encruzilhada , 15.xii.2012, leg. J.A. Rafael & F. I. Grossi ( INPA-DIP000871 ) [1 ♂, INPA] ; Feira de Santana , 2.xi.2007, leg. E. Alvim, S. Bastos & I. Souza (GFGM-UEFS0002) [1 ♀, MZFS] ; Lençois , 22–24.x.1999, leg. Freddy & Mazzarolo (GFGM-UEFS0001) [1 ♀, MZFS] . Goiás, Campinas , i.?936, leg. R. Spitz (JSS32978) [1 ♀, MNRJ, 1 ♀, CNC] . Mato Grosso, Chapada ( CNC _ Diptera 190631, JSS32402, 32809–10, JSS32811) [3 ♀ & 2 ♂, CNC] ; Dourado , iii.??74, leg. Alvarenga & Roppa (GFGM-MNRJ0014–15) [1 ♀ & 2 ♂, MNRJ] ; Maracajú , v.1937, leg. Serviço Febre Amarela (GFGM-MNRJ0 0 17, JSS32805–6, USNMENT01288144, 0 1288164, 0 1288177, 01288189) [1 ♀ & 3 ♂, USNM, 2 ♂, CNC, 1 ♂, MNRJ] . Minas Gerais, Corinto , 16–30.ix.1979, C. Elias ( DZUP 051351) [1 ♀, DZUP] ; Passos , v.1961, leg. C. Elias ( DZUP342497 ) [1 ♀, DZUP] . Pará, Serra Norte, Pojuca , 14.vi.1985, leg. M.F. Torres ( MPEG DIP 12170333 ) [1 ♀, MPEG] ; Serra Norte, Serraria, 20.vi.1986, M.F. Torres (MPEG DIP 12170343) [1 ♀, MPEG]. Paraná, Antonina, Res. Sapitanduva , 22.xii.1986, leg. Lev. Ent . PROFAUPAR (DZUP 082332) [1 ♀, DZUP]; Cascavel , iii.1965, leg. F. Plaumann (USNMENT01288191) [1 ♀, USNM] ; Rondon , iii.1965, leg. F. Plaumann (USNMENT01288190) [1 ♀, USNM] . São Paulo, Guatapará , i.?945, leg. Barreto (JSS32803, USNMENT01288193) [1 ♀, USNM, 1 ♂, CNC] ; Paraná river, Porto Cabral , 20–31.iii.1944, leg. Trav. Fo., Carrera & E. Dente (JSS32976, USNMENT01288186) [1 ♀, CNC, 1 ♀, USNM] ; Mogi Guaçu , 1.vii.1992, leg. K. del-Claro (USNMENT01243069) [1 ♀, USNM] . Rio de Janeiro, Ilha Seca , 18–26.ii.1940, leg. Barreto (JSS32804) [1 ♀, CNC] . Santa Catarina, Nova teutônia [Seara], ii|iii|iv| xii.1938 |1952|1957|1960|1962, leg. F. Plaumann (JSS32405, 32798–9, 32802, 32982, 32987) [1 ♀ & 5 ♂, CNC, 1 ♂ holotype Baccha druida , AMNH] . COLOMBIA. Antioquia, Alejandria, 11.viii.2007, leg. A.L. Montoya ( CEUA43304 ) [1 ♀, CEUA, only studied from photographs]; Medellin , 2.x.2008, leg. A.L. Montoya ( CEUA47203–4 ) [1 ♀ & 1 ♂, CEUA, only studied from photographs]; San Roque, Corpoica, 1.v.2007, leg. N. Uribe ( CEUA42548 ) [1 ♂, CEUA, only studied from photographs] . COSTA RICA. Alajuela, Higuito San Mateo , leg. P. Schild (USNMENT01288166, 01288168) [1 ♀ & 1 ♂, USNM] . Guanacaste, Hacienda Comelco , 15.xi.1971, leg. E.R. Heithaus (USNMENT01288169) [1 ♀, USNM] ; Est. Pitilla , xi.1988, leg. C. Chaves & M. Espinoza ( INBIO CRI 000 064003) [1 ♀, USNM] ; Estacion Exper. Enrique Jimenez Nuñez , 5–17.xi.1991, leg. A.S. Menke (USNMENT01288161) [1 ♀, USNM] ; Santa Rosa National Park, leg. D.H. Janzen (USNMENT01288167) [1 ♂, USNM] . San Jose, Escazu , 27.xii.1988, leg. A.S. Menke (USNMENT01288174) [1 ♀, USNM] . ECUADOR. Napo, Coca , Napo river, v.1965, leg. L. Pena (JSS32812) [1 ♀, CNC] . Orellana, Tiputini river , 12–29.viii.1999, leg. W.N. Mathis, A. Baptista & M. Kotrba (USNMENT00091092) [1 ♂, USNM] . GUATEMALA . Izabal, Meréndon , 15.ix.2005, leg. J. Monzón (USNMENT01288162) [1 ♀, USNM] . MEXICO . Chiapas, Motozintla area , 6.vi.1969, leg. B.V. Peterson (JSS32328) [1 ♀, CNC] . Guerrero, 4km E Chilpancigo , 19.vi.1992, leg. M. Wood (JSS32808) [1 ♂, CNC] . San Luis Potosí, 10mi SW Tamazunchale , 12.viii.1972, G.F. & S. Hevel (USNMENT01288175) [1 ♀, USNM] . ‘ San Rafael’ , 3.1930, leg. Townsend (USNMENT01288172) [1 ♀, USNM] . PANAMA. Canal Zone, Barro Colorado Island , v.1942, leg. J. Zetek (USNMENT01288182) [1 ♂, USNM] ; Gamboa, Rio Agua Salud , vi.1967, leg. W.W. Wirth ( CNC _ Diptera 225250) [1 ♀, CNC] . PARAGUAY. Canendiyu, 34km S de Catuate , 19.ii.1984, leg. T. Bonace ( DZUP049893 ) [1 ♂, DZUP] . PERU. Cusco, Quincemil , 1–15.xi.1962, leg. L. Pena (JSS32814) [1 ♂, CNC] . Huanuco, Tingo Maria , i.1947, leg. Weyrauch (JSS32815) [1 ♀, CNC] ; Tingo Maria, Monsoon Valley , 10.x.1954, leg. E.I. Schllinger & E.S. Ross (USNMENT01243066–7) [2 ♀, USNM] . Madre de Dios, Manu, Erika , 5– 6.ix.1988, leg. A. Freidberg (USNMENT 0 1288165, 01288176) [1 ♀ & 1 ♂, USNM] ; Rio Manu, 250m Pakitza , 9– 23.ix.1988, leg. A. Freidberg | W.N. Mathis (USNMENT01243071, 0 1288145, 01288180–1, 01288183–5, 01288187–8) [5 ♀ & 4 ♂, USNM] . UNKNOWN. (USNMENT01288173) [1 ♀, USNM, no labels]. VENEZUELA. ‘ Lindig’, 1864 [1 ♂ lectotype Baccha phaeoptera , 1 ♀ & 2 ♂, MHMW] . Merida, Tovar , 7.viii.1943, leg. P. Anduze ( CNC _ Diptera 225249) [1 ♂, CNC] .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Schematic drawing of the microtrichosity pattern on the scutum of the Hybobathus sensu stricto (left) and Hybobathus arx species group (right).

FIGURE 7. Hybobathus phaeopterus (Schiner, 1868). a. Male, lectotype, habitus, dorsal (courtesy NHMW). b. Male, abdominal tergite 1, dorsal. c. Female, habitus, dorsal. d. Male, lectotype, head, dorsal (courtesy NHMW). e. Male, paralectotype, head, dorsal (courtesy NHMW). f. Female, paralectotype, head, dorsal (courtesy NHMW). g. Female, anepisternum, lateral. h. Female, detail of dorsal occiput, oblique dorsal. i – l. Male genitalia: i. Epandrium, dorsal. j. Epandrium, ventral. k. Hypadrium, lateral. l. Hypandrium, ventral. m – o. Female genitalia: m. Dorsal. n. Ventral. o. Lateral. aanepst: Anterior anepisternum, bph: Basiphallus, cerc: Cercus, ep: Epiproct, oc: Occiput, panepst: Posterior anepisternum, pgt: Postgonite, sscl: Subepandrial sclerite, s 2: abdominal segment 2, srs: Surstylus.