Efferia serrula, Scarbrough & Perez-Gelabert, 2009

Aubrey G. Scarbrough & Daniel E. Perez-Gelabert, 2009, Review of the West Indian species of Efferia Coquillett (Diptera: Asilidae) with 13 new species and checklist: Part II. Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Lesser Antilles including Tobago and Trinidad, Zootaxa 1994, pp. 1-66 : 33-35

Efferia serrula sp. nov.

Figs. 58–63 , Table 1

Male. Measurements, body 11.9; wing 9.0 mm. Head: Gray or pale yellowish gray tomentose. Face mostly black bristles medially, 1–2 bristles laterally, scattered whitish setae dorsally, longer and abundant along oral margin. Palpi black setose, base narrowly white. Antennae, frons, and ocellar tubercle black setose. Vertex and occiput dorsally pale yellowish-gray tomentose, 4–5 thin, black postocular bristles dorsally and another 5–6 thinner bristles more laterally.

Thorax: Pronotum grayish tomentose, whitish setose, bristles whitish and black. Scutum mostly pale yellowish-gray tomentose, dark brown stripe and lateral spots dark brown tomentose, yellowish-gray stripe narrowly divided medially; vestiture black, sparse whitish setae anteriorly and laterally, anterior scutal setae about as long as scape and pedicel combined; 4 lateral bristles long and thick, dorsocentrals contrastingly thin, seta-like, 2 slightly thick posteriorly. Scutellum pale yellowish-gray tomentose, setae mostly whitish, sometimes mixed with sparse black setae; setae about as long as marginal bristles and longer than scape and pedicel combined; 2 long black marginal bristles present. Pleura gray tomentose, pale yellowish anteriorly; setae mostly or entirely whitish, sparse black setae on anepisternum. Halter yellowish.

Wing: Slightly to moderately dilated anteriorly; surface slightly brownish apically, costal cell medially darker brown. Cell r4 narrow basally, slightly angular, well beyond d cell, R4 recurrent vein short, about 1/3 as long as diameter of cell basally. Crossvein r-m at apical 1/5 of cell d.

Legs: Black, bristles black. Apical 1/3–1/2 of femora blackish setose, whitish basally, bristles black; metathoracic femora with 7 black anteroventral bristles, bristles long, slightly greater than greatest diameter. Tibiae mostly pale brownish-yellow or yellow, apices black, bristles black, dense short setae yellow or brownish-yellow. Tarsi black, black bristles, dense ventral setae brownish-yellow.

Abdomen: Brown, mostly white tomentose and white setose; tergite 2–5 mostly brown tomentose dorsally; tergite 3 narrow medially and 4–5 dorsally mostly blackish setose. White setae erect and long, longest on basal 3 segments, progressively shorter through sternite 5; segment 8 brown, mostly white setose, narrow apical margin of tergite 8 black setose.

Terminalia ( Figs. 58–61 ): Blackish, mostly blackish setose, narrowed on apical 1/3. Epandrium 3.3 times longer than wide, apical process small, hemispherical, dorsal surface with 3 minute teeth. Gonocoxa with moderately long, dense, black setae; anterior margin narrows apically.

Female. Measurements, body 12.3–13.1 mm; wing 8.9–9.9 mm. Head: Oral margin of face laterally with 4–5 black setae or thin bristles; 6–7 postocular bristles black. Thorax: Pronotal bristles black. Wing: Base of cell r4 beyond cell d, R4 recurrent vein about as long as diameter of cell base; crossvein r-m at apical 1/3 of cell d. Legs: Metathoracic femora with 5 anteroventral bristles black. Abdomen: Tergites 1–7 mostly brown tomentose, black setose at least medially, wide sides and sternites 1–7 white tomentose with white setae; setae long on basal 3–4 segments, progressively shorter beyond. Terminalia ( Figs. 62–63 ): Length 3.8–4.0 mm, 11.4–12.1 longer than diameter at middle. Cercus about 1/3 as long as tergite 9.

Types. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: RD-243 Babosico, on way to / Jánico, Santiago Prov., 515 m, / 19o20.955’N 70o47.503’W, 27 / iv.2004, D. Perez, B. Hierro, R. Bastardo (d) (holotype, ♂, NMNH). Paratypes: Independencia Prov., RD-271 4–5 km S of Puerto / Escondido, on trail to Caseta 1, / PN Sierra / de Bahoruco, / Independencia Prov., ~ 950 m, 14.vii.2004, D. Perez (1 ♂, NMNH); La Descubierta / Lago Enriquillo / Sierra de Nebya, xi.2006 / col. JA Genaro (2 ♀, NMNH); RD-276 Boca de Yuma, P N / del Este, La Altagracia Prov., 18o19.554’N 68o48.503’W, / near sea level, 19–20.vii.2004, / D. Perez (d/n) (1 ♀, NMNH); RD-090 ~ 3 km E. Monte Cristi, / Monte Cristi Prov., 19o49.657’N / 71o37.254’W, 11.xii.2002, D. / Perez, R. Bastardo. (night) (1 ♀, NMNH); RD-186 Rd. to Playa Buen / Hombre, Monte Cristi Prov., / 132 m, 19o46.213’N 71o23. / 996’W, 6–7.xii.2003, D. / Perez, R. Bastardo, A. Mar- / molejos. (1 ♂, 2 ♀, MHND); RD-226 2 km E. Monte Cristi, / Monte Cristi Prov., 44 m, 19o / 57.127’N 71o37.252’W, 17. / iv.2004, D. Perez, R. Bastardo (1 ♀, NMNH); [Monte Cristi Prov.] RD-187 Near Uvero, Rd. to / Playa Buen Hombre, 200 m, / 7.xii.2003, D. Perez, R. Bas- / tardo, A. Marmolejos (2 ♀, NMNH); Prov. San Juan, El Capa / 21.v.85, Stange, / Woodruff, Nuñez / blacklight trap (1 ♂, FSCA).

Distribution. Dominican Republic: Independencia, La Altagracia, Monte Cristi, San Juan, and Santiago provinces. Captured from sea level to 132 meters in elevation during April, May, July and December.

Etymology. Latin serrula , referring to the serrated dorsal margin on the apical process of the epandrium.

Remarks. Efferia serrula is distinguished by mostly black vestiture of face and palpi, anterior scutal and scutellar setae as long or slightly longer than the scape and pedicel combined, 2 black marginal bristles, base of vein r4 angular, only black bristles below the metathoracic femora, and the combined characters of the terminalia ( Figs. 58–63 ). The male is further distinguished by the slightly dilated costal margin of the wing, base of cell r4 well beyond cell d, the R4 recurrent vein is about 1/3 as long as the basal diameter of cell r4, and segments 6–7 and narrow apex of 5 are white tomentose. The female is essentially identical to E. haitensis .

Figures

FIGURES 58–63. Efferia serrula sp. nov. Male terminalia, lateral view: 58. Intact, left side; 59. Gonostylus with thick sclerotization; 60. Phallus; and 61. Aedeagus with tubes and phallic flange. Female terminalia, lateral view: 62. Ovipositor; 63. Median and lateral spermathecae.