Wilcoxia pollinosa Wilcox

Pollock, Darren A. & Reichert, Lisa A., 2019, Review of the Nearctic genus Wilcoxia James (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae) with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 4695 (5), pp. 401-437 : 411-412

4. Wilcoxia pollinosa Wilcox

( Figs 7–8 , 20 , 29 , 39 , 51–52 , 62 , 67 )

Wilcoxia pollinosa Wilcox 1972: 45 . Type locality: “New Mexico, Chaves Co., 6 mi W Roswell”; Poole & Gentili 1996: 64.

Types. Holotype, male ( CAS), labeled: “[scribbly handwriting] Chaves Co. Sept 15, 65 // 6 mis. west Roswell , N M. // Timberlake Coll. // [blue label] HOLOTYPE ♂ Wilcoxia pollinosa J. Wilcox // California Academy of Sci- ences Type No. 11660 // permanent deposit from University of California, Riverside // ALLOTYPE IS STORED IN THE GENERAL COLLECTION”. The holotype was not examined (images studied at: http://researcharchive. calacademy.org/research/entomology/typesDB/default.asp). The allotype was examined.

Derivation of specific epithet. Though not specifically explained by Wilcox (1972) in the original description, it is presumed that the name “ pollinosa ” refers to the extensive pollinosity on the body of individuals of this species.

Diagnosis. This species may be diagnosed from other species in the cinerea group by the following combination of characters: scutellum uniformly pollinose, without bare posterior margin; scutum with 2–3 pairs of small, semicircular brownish pollinose patches, contrasting surrounding grey pollinosity; abdominal tergites uniformly pollinose, without extensive bare areas; abdomen long (especially so in males), segment 2 longer than wide.

Description. Male ( Fig. 7 ). TL 9.3–9.9 mm; wing 6.5–6.8 mm.

Head ( Fig. 20 ) black, covered in pale grey tomentum; face (in profile) even with, or slightly extended beyond eye; hairs and setae of head white, stoutest setae with amber cast; lower occipital hairs relatively short, sparse; ocellar tubercle with 2 setae (ca. length of scape + pedicel), white to slightly yellow in color; mystax ( Fig. 20 ) sparse, consisting of long setae (ca. length of postpedicel + style) and slightly shorter hairs, confined to lower ¼ of face; setae and hairs white, bases perpendicular to plane of face; hairs above mystax short, inconspicuous (ca. length of pedicel), projecting downward, with bases ca. 45° or less from plane of face; palpi and proboscis black with white hairs; antennomeres brown to black, pollinose, scape pollinose laterally, bare medially; scape and pedicel with several relatively long ventral setae and several short hairs dorsally; ratio of antennomere lengths (scape: pedicel: postpedicel: style+spine) = 8: 8: 27: 11.

Thorax black, covered in light grey tomentum with yellow to light brown tint; scutum with divided median stripe, dark brown pollinose; acrostichal setae present, 5–6 per row; scutum surface with dark brown circle of tomentum inside supraalar setae and inside notopleural setae; scutum with sparse pile of short white hairs (ca. length of scape), primarily presuturally; 2 notopleural setae, 1 supraalar seta, 1 postalar seta; stoutest thoracic setae with amber cast; scutellum uniformly pale grey pollinose, with slight yellow tint; 2–3 light yellow marginal setae, about length of scutellum, elevated slightly about level of scutellum, parallel to slightly converging medially; several marginal hairs present; disc of scutellum without hairs; pleura pale grey pollinose, with slight yellow tint; katatergite with about 10 long white setae, tips not “crinkly” (e.g., Fig. 44 ); wings hyaline, costa complete around entire wing margin; microtrichiae dense and conspicuous on distal half of wing ( Fig. 39 ); halter with base yellow and brown, stem and knob yellow; legs ( Figs 7–8 ) non-pollinose, largely yellow; tibiae black for approximately distal ¼ and tarsi black; all femora yellow basally, contrasting brown/black trochanters; hind and middle femora black for distal 1/6 but with tips yellow; front femur black for ca. distal half, but extreme tip yellow; leg hairs and setae white, stoutest setae with amber cast; femora dorsally with moderately dense, short white appressed hairs (<femur width); ventrally surface mainly bare, with a few scattered short white hairs (<femur width), basally with 1 or 2 long hairs (> femur width); tibiae with sparse, short (<tibia width) appressed yellowish hairs, ventrally with a few longer, more erect hairs; mesotibial spine blackish-brown; protibiae without sigmoidal spine at apex.

Abdomen ( Figs 7 , 29 ) black, pale grey pollinose, with very pale yellow cast, some specimens with pollinosity somewhat lighter on posterior 1/3 of tergites, with sparse short, white hairs; segments relatively narrow, 2–5 longer than wide; tergite 2 largely bare anterad punctillae; tergites 2–5 with narrow bare area along posterodorsal margin, widest medially; pollinosity thin or absent on small elliptical spot medially on tergites 2–5; tergites 3–5 also with small elliptical bare patch laterally; sternites pale grey pollinose with slight yellow cast, with very sparse, short white hairs, not noticeably differing in length from anterior to posterior sternites.

Male genitalia ( Figs 51–52 ). Apex of dorsal gonocoxite process entire, not bifid, but with very slight notch subapically; dorsal process extending past apex of ventral gonocoxite process; medial gonocoxite processes relatively thin and acute, but not distinctly curved; gonostylus relatively thin, arcuate, apex not truncate; phallus without subapical denticle on lateral margins; lateral margins evenly narrowed to apex.

Female ( Fig. 8 ). TL 10.1–10.6 mm; wing 6.8–7.1 mm. Features similar to male, except for the following: abdomen black with pale yellow-grey pollinosity; the following pattern of bare patches may be distinct or indicated merely by thinned pollinosity, or are largely absent: tergites 2–6 with bare longitudinally oriented ellipses middorsocentral, and also lateral; in some specimens, tergites may have posterior margins narrowly bare of tomentum; tergite 2 may also have 2 additional bare patches anterior of punctillae; tergite 8 bare, non-pollinose.

Natural history. The only information available for W. pollinosa was obtained from recent collection of several specimens in Chaves Co., New Mexico, just east of Roswell. On 23 and 25 September 2018, individuals were collected by general sweeping of vegetation in an open, semi-desert type habitat ( Fig. 67 ). Plant species were not identified, but there was a relatively even mix of grasses, non-grasses, and open sandy substrate. Unfortunately, no specimens were seen in situ, so there was no way of ascertaining which (if any) of the plants were most closely associated with W. pollinosa . On the days of collection, two other robber fly species were also collected in the same sweep samples: Metapogon punctipennis Coquillett, 1904 and Megaphorus pulcher (Pritchard, 1935) . Collection date range: 11.viii–25.x.

Distribution ( Fig. 62 ). The few specimens examined exhibit a relatively restricted distribution: central to southeastern New Mexico (Chaves, Eddy, Torrance Counties) and into adjacent west Texas (Hudspeth County). The elevations of these localities range from 3272–6507 feet.

Non-type material examined. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. New Mexico. Chaves Co. 0.5 mi E. off Co. Rd. 1, ca. 3 mi. N. Hwy 70, 33.648925, -104.30499, 23.ix.2018, D. & G. Pollock, swept from vegetation, ( ENMU, 2♂, 1♀); same locality and collectors, 25.ix.2018, ( ENMU, 1♂). Eddy Co. 3.4 mi. NE Sitting Bull Falls [32.267731, -104.66662], Guadalupe Mts. , 3.ix.1986, D. Richman, ( NMSU, 1♂); 0.5 mi. N. State Line, Hwy 180 and 62 [32.001841, -104.524459], 2.x.1962, ( CAS, 1♀) . Texas. Hudspeth Co. [31.536671, -105.389663, est.] 30.viii.1940, D.J. & J.N. Knull, ( EMFC, 1♀). Literature records ( Wilcox 1972) . New Mexico. Chaves Co. 6 mi. W. Roswell [33.394118, -104.627565], 15.ix.1965 (holotype). Eddy Co. 16 mi. S. Artesia [32.608323, -104.401016], 3000–5000 ft., 24.ix.1950. Torrance Co. Gran Quivira [34.260603, -106.092376], 11.viii.1931 .

Figures

FIGURES 5–8. Figs 5–6. Male (5) and female (6) paratypes of W. painteri Wilcox. Male from Catron Co., NM; female from Kane Co., UT. Figs 7–8. Male (7) and Allotype female (8) of W. pollinosa Wilcox. Male from Chaves Co., NM; Allotype from Eddy Co., NM.

FIGURES 17–25. Laterofrontal view of head of Wilcoxia spp. 17. W. cinerea, male. 18. W. monae, male. 19. W. painteri, male. 20. W. pollinosa, male. 21. W. apache, n. sp., male. 22. W. flavipennis, n. sp., male. 23. W. forbesi, n. sp., male. 24. W. forbesi, n. sp., female. 25. W. martinorum, male.

FIGURES 26–29. Abdomens of Wilcoxia spp. (cinerea group), dorsal. 26. W. cinerea, male; 27. W. monae, male; 28. W. painteri, female; 29. W. pollinosa, male.

FIGURES 38–40. Fig. 38. Wing of male W. forbesi, n. sp. showing abbreviated costa (not present to wing base). Fig. 39. Apex of wing of male W. pollinosa, showing dense microtrichial field on wing membrane. Fig. 40. Detail of wing of male W. forbesi n. sp. showing lack of conspicuous microtrichiae on wing membrane.

FIGURES 47–58. Male genitalia (47–57) and ovipositor (58) of Wilcoxia spp. 47. W. cinerea, ventral view (epandrium removed). 48. W. monae, ventral view (epandrium removed). 49–50. W. painteri, ventral and right lateral view. 51–52. W. pollinosa, ventral (epandrium removed) and slightly oblique view. 53–54. W. apache, n. sp., ventral and dorsal oblique view. 55. W. flavipennis, n. sp., ventral view. 56. W. forbesi, n. sp., dorsal view (epandrium removed). 57. W. martinorum, ventral view (epandrium removed). 58. W. apache, n. sp., terminal abdominal segments and ovipositor. dp = dorsal gonocoxite process; dpc = dorsal gonocoxite process carina; gc = gonocoxite; gs = gonostylus; lep = lateral ejaculatory process; mp = medial gonocoxite process; pd = phallus denticle; ph = phallus; vp = ventral gonocoxite process.

FIGURES 61–62. Known distributions of W. painteri Wilcox (61) and W. pollinosa Wilcox (62). Red dots = examined specimens; white dots = literature records (Wilcox 1972) (maps created at www.gpsvisualizer.com).

FIGURES 67–70. Habitats of Wilcoxia spp. 67. Habitat of W. pollinosa (Chaves Co., NM). Individuals were collected by general sweeping of this diverse vegetation. Unfortunately, no specimens were seen in/on specific plants. 68. Type locality (up on cliff edge) of W. apache, n. sp., Quay Co., NM. 69. Detail of rocky terrain at type locality of W. apache, n. sp., Quay Co., NM. 70. Female of W. apache, n. sp. resting on typical rocky substrate, Quay Co., NM (photo credit: George W. Pollock).

FIGURES 41–46. Figs 41–42. Detail of posterior scutum and scutellum. 41. W. apache, n. sp. showing uniformly pollinose scutellum and many marginal setae as well as the linear, non-pollinose patches on scutum. 42. W. monae, showing posteriorly non-pollinose scutellum and relatively few marginal setae. Figs 43–44. Katatergite setation. 43. W. apache, n. sp. male, with “crinkly” setae. 44. W. cinerea, female, with “non-crinkly” setae. Fig. 45–46. Apical tibial spurs. 45. W. painteri, female, sigmoidal apicoventral spur on front tibia. 46. W. apache, n. sp., male, stout spur at apex of middle tibia.