Geron weemsi Hall & Evenhuis

Hall, Jack C. & Evenhuis, Neal L., 2003, Review of the subgenus Geron (Geron) Meigen in the Nearctic Region (Diptera: Bombyliidae: Toxophorinae), Zootaxa 181, pp. 1-72 : 65-66

Geron weemsi Hall & Evenhuis , sp. nov.

Description. Male. Head. Front with silver­white tomentum, pile wanting; antenna black, scape with white hair at base, rest with black hair; pedicel with black hair; first flagellomere narrow, tapering from base to acuminate apex; antennal ratio: 12:5:31; face cinereous pollinose with white hair, bare medially; tomentum wanting except silver white scales lateral of antennal base; oral margin pale; proboscis projects about twice head height beyond oral margin; gena white pilose and tomentose; occiput with white to pale yellow hair and white tomentum on lower half, upper half with yellowish hair, tomentum wanting; ocellar tubercle with black hair.

Thorax. Mesonotum velvety black, lateral margin cinereous pollinose; median longitudinal stripe not evident; notum with pale yellow hair, posterior half with shorter black hair medially; tomentum golden yellow, scattered and mainly present posterior to transverse suture; pleura white pilose and tomentose; legs black, mid and hind tibiae and basitarsi ferruginous; legs with white hair and scales; halter with stem brownish; knob yellowish; scutellum with yellow hair and scattered golden yellow tomentum.

Wing. Hyaline; venation normal; crossvein r­m beyond middle of cell dm; crossvein m­cu sinuous; basicosta with yellow hairs.

Abdomen. Dorsum pale yellow pilose, with scattered golden yellow tomentum; side and venter white pilose and tomentose; lateral margins of tergites and posterior margins of sternites black.

Genitalia ( Fig. 57 ) with gonocoxa in ventral view with two pits separated by a median ridge, in lateral view gonocoxa rectangular, lower margin without projections; gonostylus long, about four times longer than high, rounded apically, straight; lateral ramus narrow, not as long as gonostylus, nearly straight; dorsolateral ramus about two­thirds length of lateral ramus.

Female. As in male except as follows: Head. Eyes at vertex by twice width of ocellar tubercle. Front with yellow hair, golden yellow tomentum medially, white tomentum laterally along eye margin; upper half of occiput with yellow hair and yellow tomentum. Thorax. Mesonotum with median longitudinal stripe reaching beyond transverse suture; notum yellow pilose with black hair on posterior half medially, tomentum yellow, abundant; scutellum with yellow hair and abundant yellow tomentum; fore tarsi with palynophilic setae. Abdomen. Dorsum with yellow hair and tomentum, side white pilose and tomentose.

Genitalia with posterior projection of tergite VIII black; vaginal furca ( Fig. 26 ) somewhat complicated, upper half broadly V­shaped, lower half divided apically, lateral strut curved inward and upward at apex with a lateral appendage projecting outward and downward.

Types. Holotype male and allotype (Sebring, Highlands County, Florida, 5.vii.1974 H.V. Weems, Jr.). Paratypes. Florida: 8, topotypic, collected with types; 15, same locality except nr. Hendricks Field, 24–25.iv.1977; 1, 23.xi.1975; 2, 15.vii.1973, all collected by H.V. Weems, Jr. Holotype and allotype deposited in FSCA. Paratypes deposited in USNM, UCR, and FSCA.

Variation. The pile and tomentum, especially that of the female, varies from yellow to golden yellow. The tibiae and basitarsi vary from as described to nearly entirely black.

Discussion. There is some resemblance to G. subauratus ; however, the characteristic genitalia of G. weemsi will readily distinguish the two species.

Biology. Immature stages and adult flower preferences unknown.

Distribution. United States (Florida).

Etymology. Named for Howard Vincent Weems, Jr. (1922–), who collected the type series and has contributed much to the knowledge of Florida dipterology.

Figures

FIGURES 54 – 57. Geron male genitalia. 53, G. stenos Hall & Evenhuis, sp. nov.; a, lateral view; b, gonocoxa, ventral view. 55, G. subauratus Loew; a, lateral view; b, gonocoxa, ventral view. 56, G. vitripennis Loew; a, lateral view; b, tip of gonocoxa, ventral view. 57, G. weemsi Hall & Evenhuis, sp. nov.; a, lateral view; b, gonocoxa, ventral view.

FIGURES 25 – 26. Geron vaginal furcae. 25, G. vitripennis Loew. 26, G. weemsi Hall & Evenhuis, sp. nov.