Empis (Enoplempis) californica, Sinclair & Brooks & Cumming, 2025

Empis (Enoplempis) californica sp. nov.

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( Figs 290 View FIGURES 286–291 , 296 View FIGURES 296–298 , 307 View FIGURES 307–308 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “USA: CA: Siskiyou Co.,/ Weed , Columbine Rd,/ 41°23′21″N 122°25′10″W,/ 15.ii-24.vi.2016, MT, E. Boyd,/ CNC695031 View Materials ”; “ HOLOTYPE / Empis (Enoplempis) / californica Sinclair ,/ Brooks & Cumming [red label]” ( CNC) GoogleMaps . PARATYPES: USA. California: Siskiyou County: Same data as holotype except, CNC GoogleMaps 695034 (1♀, CNC) . Oregon: Benton County: Mary’s Peak Rd [44.4748°N 123.5287°W], waterfalls, mi. 2–5, 18.vii.1994, SJF (1♂, CSUC) GoogleMaps . Josephine County: 12 mi. E Cave Jct. [42°10′N 123°38′W], 24–26.v.1985, D.C. Darling (1♂, ROM). Lane County : H.J. Andrews Exp. For. [44°13′N 122°10′W], 1450 ft, R GoogleMaps . S.7, 18.v.1983, sweep, D.S. Chandler (1♂, UNHC); Oakridge , 18 mi. NW [43°52′N 122°42′W], 12.v.1969, E.M. & J.L. Fisher (1♂, CSCA) GoogleMaps . Washington: Pierce County: Mt. Rainier NP, Fish Ck at West Side Rd [46°47′N 121°53′W], 910 m, 1.viii.1977, DDW (1♂, CAS) GoogleMaps ; Mt. Rainier NP, 14 km ENE Paradise starting 0.8 km up Owyhigh Tr. , 900–1200 m, 46°45′44″N 121°39′26″W, 16.vi.2004, C.J. Borkent (1♂, LEM). Snohomish County: Everett [47°58′N 122°12′W], 4.vii.1924, ALM GoogleMaps (1♂, USNM) .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of the subgenus by the grey body and males are dichoptic, with hindleg unmodified ( Fig. 290 View FIGURES 286–291 ), hind tarsomere 1 swollen, hind tibia with long, slender anterior setae and cercus expanded dorsally, with sloping posterior margin and posteroventral elongation ( Fig. 296 View FIGURES 296–298 ).

Description. Wing length 4.5–5 mm. Male. Head dark in ground-colour, with greyish pruinescence. Dichoptic, upper ommatidia not enlarged. Frons divergent towards antennae; below ocellar triangle subequal to width of ocellar triangle; with short setulae along inner margin of eye. Face without setae; slightly divergent towards mouthparts, with oral margin dark and shiny. Ocellar triangle elevated, with thin greyish pruinescence, with short pair of parallel ocellar setae, shorter than pprn and 1–2 pairs of shorter setulae. Occiput bearing single row of strong setae, similar in size to ocellar setae, longer and finer ventrally; postocular setae with stronger upper setae, with weaker, shorter lower setae; postocellar region without setae. Postpedicel, stylus and scape dark, pedicel slightly paler; scape 2× longer than pedicel, with short, black setae; pedicel with ring of apical setae; postpedicel long and tapered, 4–5× longer than basal width; stylus 1.5× longer than basal width of postpedicel. Palpus pale, yellow to orange brown, with dark setulae. Proboscis reddish brown, length 1.5× or less head height; labellum with short, dark setae.

Thorax dark brown in ground-colour, densely grey pruinescent. Scutum with narrow median pair of greyish vittae and fainter, broader outer pair of greyish vittae; postpronotal lobe and postalar ridge pale brown. Pleura similar to scutum, with greyish pruinescence. Proepisternum with short dark setae on lower section; upper proepisternum in front of spiracle without setae. Prosternum bare. Antepronotum with 2–4 pairs of pale to dark setae. Postpronotum with 1 long seta and several short, dark setae. Scutum with short, fine uniserial acr; dc slightly longer, stronger than acr, increasing in length and stronger posteriorly; 1 posterior npl, with 1–2 shorter anterior npl; 1 presut spal; 1 psut spal; 1 pal. Scutellum with pair of usually long apical sctl, with 1 pair of marginal setae; disc bare. Laterotergite with narrow patch of strong, dark setae. Anterior and posterior spiracles pale.

Legs short, slender, orange brown, apical half of tibiae and tarsi darker brown; coxae without dense greyish pruinescence. Coxae with stiff, black setae. Hind trochanter with short setulae. Femora with white ventral pile, longest on hind femur. Fore femur with anteroventral and posteroventral row of setae, shorter than half width of femur. Fore tibia with long, erect posterior setae on apical three-quarters, length twice width of tibia; numerous erect dorsal setae on apical half, length twice width of tibia; long, fine erect ventral setae about as long as width of tibia; anterior face with short appressed setae. Fore tarsomere 1 swollen with long dorsal setae, length longer than width of tarsomere, with fine dense ventral setae; tarsomeres 2–5 with biserial row of spine-like ventral setae; tarsomeres 1–4 with apicolateral pair of spine-like setae, longer than width of segment. Mid femur similar to fore femur. Mid tibia with 4–5 long posterodorsal setae on apical third, apical setae nearly as long as tarsomere 1; long, fine erect ventral setae about as long as width of tibia; apex with strong ventral and anteroventral seta. Mid tarsomere 1 with long dorsal setae, length as long as width of tarsomere; tarsomeres 1–5 with biserial row of spine-like ventral setae; tarsomeres 1–4 with apicolateral pair of spine-like setae, longer than width of segment. Hind femur slender without modified setae and processes; row of fine anteroventral setae, nearly as long as width of femur near apex ( Fig. 290 View FIGURES 286–291 ). Hind tibia without processes or modified setae; long dorsal setae on apical half, length more than twice width of tibia; long, erect anterior setae on apical half, length slightly longer than width of tibia; long, fine erect ventral setae about as long as width of tibia; with seta in posteroapical comb ( Fig. 290 View FIGURES 286–291 ). Hind tarsomere 1 swollen with long dorsal setae, similar to tibia, with strong setae among finer dense ventral setae; tarsomeres 2–5 similar to fore tarsus.

Wing infuscate with dark veins; veins mostly complete (except Sc), well sclerotized, except CuA+CuP weaker and fading out before wing margin. Basal costal seta absent. R 5 and M 1 divergent near wing margin; R 5 ending at or beyond wing tip; radial fork acute. Halter paler than orange-brown legs.

Abdomen paler than thorax, with dense greyish pruinescence, similar to scutum with long setae, one-half length of sclerites. Pregenital segments unmodified, except sclerites of segment 8 fused laterally. Terminalia ( Fig. 296 View FIGURES 296–298 ): epandrium dark brown, with cerci and phallus orange brown and shiny. Cercus expanded dorsally, with sloping posterior margin and posteroventral elongation; setae on posterior face mounted on short prolongations; setae shorter than width of cercus. Subepandrial process extending on either side of phallus. Epandrial lamella elongate, longer than height; posterior margin with somewhat expanded, rounded, bearing long setae ventrally, longer than width of epandrium. Hypandrium narrow, strap-like; without setae. Phallus with basal half not strongly expanded, tapered apically, with distinct bend near mid-length; apical half gently arched, apex emerging beyond epandrium; apex not expanded, with roughened subapical surface; ejaculatory apodeme more than half-length of epandrium, Y-shaped, with lateral apodemes positioned near ventral margin with short medial apodeme.

Female. Similar to male, except as follows: frons broader, wider than anterior ocellus; legs stockier, without modified setae and processes. Abdominal pleural membrane without darkened, expanded region; tergite 8 (and likely syntergite 9+10) shiny at apex.

Geographical distribution and seasonal occurrence ( Fig. 307 View FIGURES 307–308 ). Empis (En.) californica sp. nov. is known from Washington, Oregon, and northern California. Adults have been collected from February to August.

Etymology. The species is named after its early-known California distribution.

Nuptial gift presentation. Form unknown.