Asymphyloptera havasu, Sinclair, Bradley J., 2015

Sinclair, Bradley J., 2015, New World species of Asymphyloptera Collin (Diptera: Empididae: Clinocerinae), Zootaxa 4048 (4), pp. 553-564 : 558

Asymphyloptera havasu sp. nov.

( Fig. 14 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE, ♂ labelled: “ USA: AZ:Grand Canyon NP/ CR#7, Elves Canyon [Chasm]/ 10– 21.v.1998 / J.F. MacDonald”; “ HOLOTYPE / Asymphyloptera / havasu / Sinclair [red label]” ( CNC). PARATYPES: USA. Arizona: Same data as holotype (2 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC); Grand Canyon NP, CR#15, Fern Canyon, 10–21.v.1998, J.F. MacDonald (1 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC); Grand Canyon NP, CR#3, Saddle Canyon, 10–21.v.1998, J.F. MacDonald (1 ♂, USNM).

Recognition. This mostly dark species may be distinguished by pale fore coxa (viewed anteriorly) and dark pleura; narrow, tapered surstylus with pointed apex; apex of phallus expanded, membranous and strongly bent anteriorly.

Description. Male. Postpedicel globular with long, slender apical extension, arising subapically. Ocellar setae stout, similar in length to postpedicel extension. Labrum slightly shorter than clypeus; palpus brown, subequal to labrum, tapered to slender apex.

Pleura dark brown with thin bluish pruinescence. Chaetotaxy very stout; 1 pprn short, very slender; 2 npl, lower slender and shorter; 4 dc, anterior dc offset; 2 apical sctl, slightly longer than prescutellar dc, lacking lateral sctl. Legs brown, fore coxae pale yellowish-brown (anterior view); fore and mid femora with antero- and posteroventral rows of pale, slender setae, subequal in length to width of femur; fore tibia with biserial row of erect setae. Wing length 1.7–2.0 mm; crossvein h distinct; base of wing with slender setulae along posterior margin. Halter pale, yellowish-brown.

Male terminalia ( Fig. 14 ): Cercus with anterior lobe slightly produced; posterior lobe long, slender. Hypandrium prolonged as broad, paired postgonites; apical margin of postgonite not extended anteriorly, apex pointed. Epandrium narrow, with elongate setae on apical half. Surstylus shorter than cercus, slender, arched, tapered to pointed apex; not extending beyond phallus. Phallus straight; apex expanded, membranous, strongly bent anteriorly; apical margin hooked anteriorly; ejaculatory apodeme narrow, short, not expanded.

Female. Similar to male except as follows: lacking long ventral setae on fore and mid femora and fore tibia. Terminalia not dissected.

Etymology. Named after the Havasupai, a native American tribe that have lived for centuries in the Grand Canyon region; Havasu means “blue-green water” and pai “people”.

Distribution. Known from several seepages along the Colorado River, collected by John MacDonald during a survey in Grand Canyon National Park ( Fig. 17 ).

Remarks. This species was collected in deeply shaded madicolous habitats on the canyon walls, formed by cold streams flowing down narrow slot canyons ( Figs 6, 7 ). These sites are characterized by mosses and maidenhair ferns (MacDonald pers. comm. 2015).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Distribution of Asymphyloptera in the New World.

FIGURES 13 – 16. Male terminalia of Asymphyloptera, lateral views. 13, A. dominica sp. nov.; 14, A. havasu sp. nov.; 15, A. lutea sp. nov.; 16, A. mexicana sp. nov. Scale bars 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: pgt—postgonite; ph—phallus; sur—surstylus.

FIGURES 4 – 7. Examples of Asymphyloptera habitats. 4, type locality of A. cajanuma sp. nov.: upper montane rainforest or cloud forest at Cajanuma, Ecuador (~ 3000 m) (specimen collected in Malaise trap set over small stream) (photograph M. Pollet); 5, type locality of A. chiricahua sp. nov.: East Turkey Creek, Arizona, USA (specimens collected on wet over hanging rocks); 6, Saddle Canyon, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA (specimens aspirated off seepage on right) (photograph J. F. MacDonald); 7, type locality of A. havasu sp. nov.: Elves Chasm, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA (specimens aspirated off seepage on left) (photograph Flickr).