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

Empis (Enoplempis) joanae sp. nov.

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( Figs 365, 366 View FIGURES 365–366 , 369 View FIGURES 367–369 , 370 View FIGURE 370 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂ ( Fig.365 View FIGURES 365–366 ),labelled:“U.S.A.:WV: Monongahela,/ Pocahontas County;/ 38.371650°N 79.761117°W;/ 20.V.2000; MT; L. Butler,/ J. Strazanac; CNC513376 View Materials ”; “ HOLOTYPE / Empis (Enoplempis) / joanae Sinclair ,/ Brooks & Cumming [red label]” [dissected] ( CNC). PARATYPES: USA. Virginia: Amherst County : summit, Cold Mtn , nr Hog Camp Gap , Appalachian Tr., 1256 m, N 37°45′8″ W 79°12′12″, 7.vi.2001, J. Skevington (2♂, CNC). GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. This species is assigned to the E. (En.) snoddyi group on the basis of the narrow epandrium, form of the apex of the phallus and long, narrow hind femur with slender, erect ventral setae ( Fig. 366 View FIGURES 365–366 ). The new species is distinguished by the broad, untapered male cercus, with the medial face with short, dense setae.

Description. Wing length 5.2–5.7 mm. Male. Similar to E. (En.) snoddyi Steyskal except as follows: thorax with pleura dark grey, concolourous with scutum, without pale highlights along sutures ( Fig. 365 View FIGURES 365–366 ).

Terminalia ( Fig. 369 View FIGURES 367–369 ): yellowish brown, except dorsal and apical margins of cerci dark. Cercus separated from dorsal margin of epandrium, untapered, with rounded apical margin; medial face with short, dense setae; dorsal margin of cercus with short, strong setae. Hypoproct lacking setae; subepandrial process slender, with hooked tip, not extending to phallus. Epandrial lamella slender, slightly longer than cercus; subapical portion narrowed, apex rounded; strong setae along ventral margin and apex. Hypandrium short, truncate posteriorly, slightly projected medially, about 0.25× as long as epandrium; clothed with several dark setae, longer than hypandrium. Phallus broadly tubular, narrowed subapically with broadly rounded apex and slender, anterior apical filament; ejaculatory apodeme 0.5× length of epandrium; T-shaped, with median keel.

Female. Unknown.

Geographical distribution and seasonal occurrence ( Fig. 370 View FIGURE 370 ). Empis (En.) joanae sp. nov. is currently known only from the “Delmarva” [see Remarks] states and specifically in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia and West Virginia. Adults have been collected in May and June.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to the first author’s mother, Joan Sinclair, who always supported his unlikely adventures in entomology and closely followed the lives and careers of her four children.

Nuptial gift presentation. Form unknown, but presumably involves balloons similar to those of E. (En.) snoddyi and E. (En.) vockerothi Cumming ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 6–14 ) (Sinclair et al. 2013).

Remarks. Following the publication of the revision of eastern North American E. ( Enoplempis ) by Sinclair et al. (2013), a male specimen, collected in the “Delmarva” states (see Murphy et al. 2018) Malaise trap survey, was identified as a new species on the basis of the male terminalia. This led to the re-examination of specimens of E. (En.) snoddyi from this area. As a result, the two male specimens from Virginia listed above, were mistakenly listed under E. (En.) snoddyi in Sinclair et al. (2013).