Sepedon noteoi STEYSKAL, 1980

Rozkošný, R., Knutson, L. & Merz, B., 2010, A Review Of The Korean Sciomyzidae (Diptera) With Taxonomic And Distributional Notes, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (4), pp. 371-382 : 375-378

Sepedon noteoi STEYSKAL, 1980

Sepedon noteoi STEYSKAL, 1980: 117

Sepedon oriens STEYSKAL, 1980: 119 , syn. n.

This is a small brownish species, somewhat similar to Sepedon spinipes (SCOPOLI) in habitus. Distinguishing features of S. noteoi , in contrast to those of S. spinipes (cf. characters in parentheses) are as follows: face in lateral view very strongly concave (only slightly and evenly concave), lower fourth of mid face with a broad band of strong, irregularly arranged setulae (lower mid face bare), face only slightly microtrichose in dorsal half, shiny below the strong mid facial angle (face strongly silvery-white microtrichose almost to oral margin), black orbital spots slightly tapered posteriorly (not tapered posteriorly), arista inserted at basal third of postpedicel (at middle), posterior crossvein essentially straight (distinctly bowed outward), and abdomen with a slight trace of blue (entirely brown).

The structures of the male postabdomen figured by STEYSKAL (1980) for S. noteoi and by ELBERG et al. (2009) for S. spinipes are clearly distinct; notably the fused surstyli of S. noteoi forming a low transverse plate in ventral view, whereas each of the separate surstyli of S. spinipes is a rather large, suboval plate. The specimen from South Korea compares well on external characters with two males of S. noteoi (postabdomen of one examined) from Pe-kaho, China (in MNHNP).

STEYSKAL (1980) described Sepedon noteoi from three specimens from China (Kwangtung and Chekiang) and S. oriens was described from the holotype, allotype and 500 paratypes from China (Szechuan), Japan (Aichi and Yamagata Prefectures) and the Philippines (Luzon). STEYSKAL noted in the same paper that both species differ “in very little else than postabdominal characters either in size, coloration, or structure”. We compared male paratypes of both species and did not

6 = hypandrium in lateral view. Scales: 0.5 mm ( Figs 2–3 ), 0.3 mm ( Figs 4–6 )

find any reliable differences in the structures of the male terminalia (see Figs 2–6 ). Moreover, this fact is also documented in STEYSKAL’ s detailed original figures of the male terminalia of both “species”. Also external characters mentioned by STEYSKAL (posteroventral setae on the fore femur, dark bands on the hind tibia) appeared as highly variable and without any species-specific value.

There is no doubt that S. noteoi is closely related to S. neanias HENDEL, 1913 , based on the holotype from Taiwan.

This species had not been subsequently recorded and its holotype was never re-examined. Our study of the holotype confirmed that both species under discussion belong to the same species group characterized by the compact epandrium below cerci and a unified transverse plate replacing a pair of separate surstyli present in all the other species groups of Sepedon . Differences between both species are to be found almost exclusively in the discrete structures of the hypandrium and the aedeagal complex, namely in the shape of the epiphallus in lateral and ventral view (cf. Figs 7–11 ). STEYSKAL (1980), when describing S. noteoi , mentioned also a female from Taiwan (Urai) although he did not include it into the type series. It is view, 11 = hypandrium in lateral view. Scales: 0.5 mm ( Figs 7–8 ), 0.3 mm ( Figs 9–11 )

possible that this female actually belongs to S. neanias because the distinguishing characters between the females of S. noteoi and S. neanias are not known and both species are closely related.

Distribution: Described from China, Kwantung [= Guangdong Prov.] and Chekiang [= Zhejiang Prov.]; a remark on a distribution in Taiwan ( STEYSKAL, 1980) needs to be confirmed (see above). Under S. oriens recorded by STEYSKAL (1980) from the Philippines (Abatan and Luzon), Japan (Ajime near Nagoya and Sakata), China (Suifu and Kuanshien); additional Japanese records (several Prefectures on Honshu) are to be found in SUEYOSHI (2001, 2005, 2010). From North Korea (Suyangsang Mts., Haeju env.) recorded by ROZKOŠNÝ and KOZÁNEK (1989) under S. spinipes (SCOPOLI, 1763) . Individuals from Ajime, Japan were introduced into Hawaii, USA, for control of liver fluke snails in 1972 but it is not known to be established ( STEYSKAL 1980).

Material examined: Male paratype of S. noteoi : “Hangchow, China, 20.vi.1934 ”, “No. 82”, “ Paratype of Sepedon noteoi Steyskal ” (handwriting on blue label), in USNM . Male paratype of S. oriens : “ Philippines, Mountain Prov. , Abatan, Buguias, 60 km S of Bontoc, 1800–2000 m, 2.–4.v.1964 ”, “ H.M. Torrevillas Collector, Bishop”, “ PARATYPE Sepedon oriens Steyskal ” (printed on blue label), in USNM .

Additional material of S. noteoi : South Korea: Majon Keumsan, Malaise trap, 16.iv. (no year given), 1 f ; China: Pei-kaho , 7.ix. 1914, 2 m, LICENT leg., L. KNUTSON det., in MNHNP .

Male holotype of S. neanias (for a comparison): “ Tainan, Formosa, Sauter, ii. 07–09,” “ Sepedon neanias H., det. Hendel ”, “ HOLOTYPUS ” (printed on red label), in SDEI .

Figures

Figs 2–6. Sepedon noteoi, male terminalia: 2 = epandrium and surstyli in caudal view, 3 = male terminalia in lateral view, 4 = aedeagal complex in lateral view, 5 = epiphallus in anteroventral view,

Figs 7–11. Sepedon neanias, male terminalia: 7 = epandrium and surstyli in caudal view, 8 = male terminalia in lateral view, 9 = aedeagal complex in lateral view, 10 = epiphallus in anteroventral