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

Empis (Enoplempis) genista sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:59059EB0-CD30-4B4D-89A2-C407349FAE71

( Figs 5 View FIGURES 4–5 , 312–318 View FIGURES 309–315 View FIGURES 316–318 , 329 View FIGURES 329–330 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled:“[USA]San Diego [32°42′N 117°09′W]/ Cal.”; “ R. W. Doane/ Collector”; “near mixopolia”; “ HOLOTYPE / Empis (Enoplempis) / genista Sinclair ,/ Brooks & Cumming [red label]” ( USNM). PARATYPES: USA. California: Alameda County: Patterson Reserve, Del Valle Lk. [37.5939°N 121.7094°W], 8.iii.1974, JAP (2♂, EMEC). Los Angeles County: Claremont [34°6′N 117°43′W], Baker, 6953 (1♂, 1♀, USNM). Monterey County: Arroyo Seco, The Lakes [36°14′N 121°28′W], 880 ft, 24.iv.1999, Arnaud Flight Trap, Collection No. 02194, PHA & M. Arnaud (1♂, USNM); Carmel Valley, Hastings Nat. History Pres. [36.3792°N 121.5629°W], 7–8.iii.1996, PHA (1♂, USNM). Riverside County: Santa Rosa Plateau, Mesa Redonda [33°29′28″N 117°20′44″W], 19.ii.1995,on flws Baccharis salicifolius, G.R. Ballmer (1♂, UCRC). San Diego County:Alpine [32°50′N 116°46′W], 10.iv.1915, M.C. Van Duzee (1♂, 1♀, USNM); same data except, 11.iv.1915 (1♂, 1♀, USNM); La Jolla [32°50′N 117°16′W], 1.ix.1914, E.P. Van Duzee (1♂, USNM). Santa Barbara County: Figueroa Mtn Rd above Birabent Cyn, 858 m, 34.741°N 120.009°W, 19.iii.2010, I.S. Winkler et al., E10-24 (1♂, CNC); Santa Cruz Is. [34°00′N 119°43′W], U.C. Sta. HQ, 3.ii.1979, on Ceanothus insularis, JAP (1♂, EMEC); 25 mi. W New Cuyama, Sierra Madre PG [35°07′N 120°05′W], 21.iii.1969, L. Russell (1♂, OSAC). Santa Clara County : Harkins Collection (1♂, LACM). Solano County: L.G. Stebbins Cold Cyn Reserve [38.5101°N 122.0976°W], 24.iii.1979, S. Buchmann (2♂ with Tipulidae prey, UCDC).

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of the subgenus by the male with dichoptic eyes ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 4–5 ), modified pregenital segments ( Figs 314–316 View FIGURES 309–315 View FIGURES 316–318 ), hind femur with anteroventral and posteroventral tufts of black setae, longer than femur width ( Fig. 312 View FIGURES 309–315 ), absence of row of strong posterior setae on hind femur ( Fig. 313 View FIGURES 309–315 ), and phallus with single, subapical anterior appendage ( Fig. 318 View FIGURES 316–318 ).

Description. Wing length 5.4–6.0 mm. Male. Head dark in ground-colour, with greyish pruinescence ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 4–5 ). Eyes dichoptic; frons broader than width of anterior ocellus; short setulae along inner margin of eye. Face without setae; short, slightly divergent towards mouthparts, with oral margin dark and shiny. Ocellar triangle elevated, with thin greyish pruinescence, with pair of parallel ocellar setae, shorter than occipital setae and several pairs of short setulae. Occiput bearing single row of setae, slightly stronger than postocular setae; postocular setae shorter than occipital row; postocellar region without setae. Antenna dark brown; scape 2× longer than pedicel, with short, black setae; pedicel with ring of apical setae; postpedicel long, slightly tapered, 5.5× longer than basal width; stylus length subequal to basal width of postpedicel. Palpus pale orange-yellow, with dark setulae. Proboscis yellowish brown, length less than 2× head height; labellum with short, dark setae.

Thorax dark brown in ground-colour, densely grey pruinescent, with 2 pairs of brown vittae ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 4–5 ); median narrower pair between acr and dc rows, ending at prescutellar depression; faint broader outer vittae extending to postalar ridge; apex of postpronotal lobe shiny. Proepisternum with several pairs of short pale setae on lower section; upper proepisternum in front of spiracle without setae. Prosternum bare. Antepronotum with row of short setae. Postpronotum with 1 long seta and several short setae. Scutum with sparse uniserial row of acr; dc uniserial, longer and stronger than acr, increasing in size posteriorly; 2 posterior npl, with 1–2 slender anterior npl; 1 presut spal; 1 psut spal; 1 pal. Scutellum with pair of long apical sctl, with pair of outer, shorter marginal setae; disc bare. Laterotergite with 3–8 long setae. Anterior and posterior spiracles pale.

Legs slender, yellow, with tarsi darker; coxae with blue pruinescence ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 4–5 ). Mid and hind coxae with single, strong lateral seta. Hind trochanter with numerous dark setulae. Femora without white ventral pile. Fore tibia with anterior face with short appressed setae; apex with circlet of preapical setae. Fore tarsomere 1 slender; 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. Mid tibia with 2–3 pairs of erect anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae not longer than width of tibia; apex with circlet of preapical setae. Mid tarsus similar to fore tarsus. Hind femur with row of setae proximal to preapical posteroventral tuft of long, appressed setae, longer than width of femur and tips of setae strong bent; tuft of anteroventral setae proximal to posteroventral tuft on slight swelling, comprising longer outer setae and shorter inner setae; preapical anterodorsal seta distinct; without row of strong posterior preapical setae ( Figs 312, 313 View FIGURES 309–315 ). Hind tibia with base narrowed; 3–4 pairs of erect anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae, about as long as width of tibia; base with narrow anteroventral digitiform process, bearing several apical setae and tuft of long setae on inner face; row of longer anteroventral setae proximal to process; tuft of posteroventral setae proximal to anteroventral process and row of shorter proximal setae; posteroapical comb with seta ( Figs 312, 313 View FIGURES 309–315 ). Hind tarsus with tarsomere 1 slender; tarsomeres similar to mid tarsus.

Wing lightly infuscate with dark veins; all veins well sclerotized; veins mostly complete (except Sc), with CuA+CuP reaching wing margin. Basal costal seta absent. R 5 and M 1 divergent near wing margin; R 5 ending slightly beyond wing tip; radial fork acute. Halter pale, yellowish to orange-yellow.

Abdomen darker than thorax, tergites brown, similar to scutal vittae. Pregenital segments modified ( Figs 314– 316 View FIGURES 309–315 View FIGURES 316–318 ): tergite 6 expanded posterolaterally into round lobes, with posterior margin of tergite with pair of sclerotized patches; tergite 7 expanded laterally into setose tapered lobes with narrow apex; sclerites of segment 8 narrowly fused anterolaterally. Terminalia ( Figs 317, 318 View FIGURES 316–318 ): reddish brown, subshiny; phallus yellowish. Cercus long and linear, tapered to rounded apex, shorter than epandrium; inner margin with tooth-like subapical projection; setae shorter than width of cercus. Subepandrial process with truncate apex; extending to either side of phallus. Epandrial lamella linear, tapered to broadly rounded apex; not fused with cercus anteriorly; apical setae short, longer setae along ventral margin, shorter than width of epandrium. Hypandrium short, apical margin truncate; several short setae medially. Phallus ( Fig. 318 View FIGURES 316–318 ) very narrow at base, expanded on lower half; anterior margin expanded with single, subapical appendage; gradually tapered beyond mid-length; apex narrow with ring of spicules; apex emerging beyond cerci; ejaculatory apodeme half length of epandrium, T-shaped, with lateral apodemes near lower margin.

Female. Similar to male, except as follows: frons broader, as wide as ocellar triangle; hindleg without modified setae and processes; abdominal pleural membrane not visible; tergites 7 and 8 with pruinescence; sternite 8 narrowly prolonged posteriorly, one-third length of cercus.

Geographical distribution and seasonal occurrence ( Fig. 329 View FIGURES 329–330 ). Empis (En.) genista sp. nov. is known from central and southern California, including Santa Cruz Island in Santa Barbara County. Adults have been collected from February to April and also in September.

Etymology. From the Latin for broom or bush, in reference to the two tufts of setae on the male hind femur of this species.

Nuptial gift presentation. Two male paratypes were examined, each with an unwrapped crane fly ( Tipulidae ) prey item pinned below the specimen. This probably indicates that males of this species present unwrapped prey to females as nuptial gifts.

Remarks. This species is similar to the E. (En.) delumbis group on the basis of the spiculate apex of the phallus but differs in the modified setae and processes of the hindleg, single dorsal subapical phallic appendage and modified pregenital segments.