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

Empis (Enoplempis) sagehenensis sp. nov.

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( Figs 112–114 View FIGURES 112–118 , 119 View FIGURES 119–120 , 130 View FIGURES 129–130 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “ Sagehen Creek / nr. Hobart Mills [39°24′N 120°11′W]/ Nevada Co. Cal. / VII-1-1964 ”; “ M. E. Irwin / Collector”; “ HOLOTYPE / Empis (Enoplempis) / sagehenensis Sinclair ,/ Brooks & Cumming [red label]” ( UCRC) GoogleMaps . PARATYPES: USA. California: Same data as holotype except, 15.vii.1964 (1♀, UCRC); same data except, 17.vi.1964, R GoogleMaps . M. Bohart (1♂, UCDC); same data except, 7.vii.1964, MT GoogleMaps in meadow (1♂, UCRC) .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of the E. (En.) canaster species group by two paint brush-like preapical ventral lobes on the male hind femur and posteroventral process with posterior forked lobe, three digitiform basal processes of the male hind tibia, including a short lobe with long, wavy cluster of setae, and length of the dorsal setae on the male hind tibia less than twice width of tibia ( Figs 112–114 View FIGURES 112–118 ).

Description. Wing length 5.6–7.0 mm. Male. Similar to E. (En.) canaster , except as follows: head with ocellar setae parallel, shorter than ocellar triangle; postocular setae with upper 2–3 setae strong, subequal in length to ocellar setae, with lower postocular setae thinner.

Thorax with postpronotum with 1–2 short setae and several shorter, dark stiff setulae. Scutum with short, fine uniserial acr; dc uniserial; 1 posterior npl, with 1 shorter anterior npl; 1 presut spal; 1 psut spal; 1–2 pal. Scutellum with 1 widely separated pair of very short sctl, aligned with dc row, with 1 outer, shorter pair of marginal setulae. Laterotergite with 2 stiff, dark setae.

Legs slender, yellow, tarsi darker; coxae yellowish, thinly clothed in greyish pruinescence. Fore tarsomere 1 somewhat swollen, slightly narrower than apex of tibia. Hind femur with 2 preapical, paint brush-like ventral processes and outer posteroventral digitiform process without setae, divided into inner finger-like lobe and broad outer forked lobe; medial paint brush-like process narrow, without base; outer paint brush-like process with setae grouped into finger-like, divergent clusters; short knob-like posteroventral process distal to forked lobe; apex of femur without preapical row of posterior setae; preapical anterior seta strong, shorter than width of femur ( Figs 113, 114 View FIGURES 112–118 ). Hind tibia with three posteroventral digitiform processes on basal quarter; anteroventral lobe digitiform with long, black inner and outer marginal setae, with few apical setae; posteroventrally with upper hooked lobe with short, strong apical setae; lower posteroventral lobe short with long, wavy cluster of black setae extending beyond upper lobe; seta in posteroapical comb; apical half with long dorsal setae, longer apically, less than twice width of tibia ( Figs 112–114 View FIGURES 112–118 ). Hind tarsomere 1 weakly inflated, with long dorsal setae, similar to tibia; tarsomeres 2–5 similar to mid tarsus.

Halter yellowish.

Terminalia ( Fig. 119 View FIGURES 119–120 ): orange brown, shiny with cercus dark brown. Cercus short, rectangular; dorsal margin slightly sinuous; apex rounded with lower corner distinctly prolonged; setae longer than width of cercus; weakly fused anteriorly to epandrium. Subepandrium without process; with row of medium-length setae. Epandrial lamella oval, higher than long; posterior margin without projection, setae shorter than half length of epandrium. Hypandrium long, projecting, with arched apical margin; without setae. Phallus very narrow and tubular basally; gradually expanded on basal half, tapered, gradually arched apically; apex emerging beyond cercus; apex not expanded; ejaculatory apodeme longer than length of epandrium, T-shaped, with ventrally positioned lateral apodemes.

Female. Similar to male, except as follows: frons broader, nearly as wide as ocellar triangle; hindleg without modified setae and processes; abdomen yellow, with pleural membrane enlarged; tergites 7 and 8 shiny.

Geographical distribution and seasonal occurrence ( Fig. 130 View FIGURES 129–130 ). Empis (En.) sagehenensis sp. nov. is only known from Sagehen Creek in Nevada County , California. Adults have been collected in June and July.

Etymology. This species is named after the type locality, Sagehen Creek in Nevada County , California.

Nuptial gift presentation. Form unknown.