Empis (Enoplempis) podagra Melander

Empis (Enoplempis) podagra Melander View in CoL

( Figs 73–75 View FIGURES 71–75 , 80 View FIGURES 80–81 , 91, 92 View FIGURES 91–93 )

Empis podagra Melander, 1902: 318 View in CoL . Type locality: Juliaetta , Idaho, USA.

E. (Enoplempis) podagra View in CoL : Melander, 1928: 142 (assigned to subgenus Enoplempis ).

Empis podagra View in CoL : Melander, 1965: 460 (catalogue); Yang et al. (2007): 139 (catalogue).

Type material examined. LECTOTYPE (here designated in order to fix identity of the species) ♂, labelled: “ Juliaetta [46°34′N 116°42′W]/ Idaho ”; “ W.M. Wheeler,/ Collection.”; “ TYPE / No. A.M.N.H. [red label]”; “ Am. Mus . Nat. Hist./ Dept. Invert. Zool./ No. 982”; “ LECTOTYPE / Empis podagra Melander / des. Sinclair, Brooks &/ Cumming 2025 [red label]” ( AMNH) GoogleMaps . PARALECTOTYPES: USA. Idaho: Same data as lectotype (1♂, 1♀, AMNH; 1♂, USNM). Nez Perce County: Peck [46°28′N 116°25′W], 8.iv.1900 (1♀, USNM) GoogleMaps .

Notes on type specimens. The syntype series includes three males and two females from Juliaetta and Peck, Idaho ( Melander 1902). All specimens were identified .

Additional material examined. USA. Idaho: Latah County: 3 mi. S Helmer [46°48ʹN 116°28ʹW], along Meadow Ck, 2800 ft, 20.v.1975, Lomatium orogenoides, N.E. Woodley (1♀, WSU); Juliaetta [46°34′N 116°42′W] (1♂, USNM); Kendrick [46°36′N 116°39′W] (1♂, USNM); Moscow [46°48ʹN 116°52ʹW], 17.iv.1990, R GoogleMaps . J. Sawby (1♂, 1♀, WFBM); Moscow Mtn [46°48ʹN 116°52ʹW], 7.vii.1918, ALM (1♀, USNM) ; Strychnine Ck nr Laird Pk [46°56′N 116°38′W], 15 mi. ENE Potlatch, 2900 ft, 22.vi.1979, WJT (1♂ with Plecoptera prey, WSU) GoogleMaps ; Troy [46°44′N 116°46′W], 4.v.1899 (1♂, USNM) GoogleMaps . Nez Perce County: Craig Mts [46°09′N 116°44′W], 8.vi.1918, ALM (1♀, USNM) GoogleMaps ; Lenore [46.508°N 116.551°W], 1000 ft, 7.v.1958, H.L. Harris (1♀, WFBM); Lewiston [46.41°N 117.02°W], 730–800 ft, 25.iii.1979, R GoogleMaps . S. Bekey (1♂, WSU) . Oregon: Union County: Lk. Lick Ck , 26 mi. SE Union [45°12′N 117°52′W], 4280 ft, 15–21.vi.1975, MT GoogleMaps baited with CO 2, E.J. Davis (1♀, WSU) . Washington: Whitman County: Almota [46°42′N 117°28′W], 25.vi.1913 (1♀, USNM); same data except, 28.iv.1973, WJT (6♀, WFBM) GoogleMaps ; same data except, 27.iv.1972, dry ice MT (1♀, WSU) GoogleMaps ; Almota , 900 ft, 17–18.iv.1981, sweeping Salix fls, WJT (1♂, 1♀, USNM) ; Almota, Almota Ck , 650 ft, 28.iv.1975, conspecific swarms, WJT (1♂, 1♀ mounted as pair with Hilara prey WSU) ; Pullman [46°43′N 117°10′W], April (1♀, USNM); same data except, 30.iv.1907 (1♀, USNM); same data except, 14.v.1901 (5♀, USNM); same data except, 20.v.1917, ALM (1♀, USNM) GoogleMaps ; same data except, 13.vi.1915, M.A. Yothers (1♀, USNM); same data except, J. V GoogleMaps . Piper (1♂, USNM); Kamiak Butte Co. Pk, 10 mi. NE Pullman [46°51′N 117°09′W], 2800 ft, 24.iv.1989, Y. Ming (1♂, WSU); Wawawai [46°38′N 117°22′W], 15.v.1921, ALM (5♀, USNM) GoogleMaps ; Palouse [46.73°N 117.16°W], 12.v.1964, R GoogleMaps . W. Dawson (1♂, WSU) .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of the E. (En.) bigoti species group by the largely shiny abdomen, not separated into bands in males ( Fig. 73 View FIGURES 71–75 ), female abdomen with very broad shiny posterior bands, male hind femur with digitiform anteroventral process with forked distal setal tufts, well proximal to anvil-shaped anteroventral lobe of male hind tibia ( Figs 74, 75 View FIGURES 71–75 ), and male cercus with broad dorsal notch.

Redescription. Wing length 5.9–6.1 mm. Male. Head dark in ground-colour, with greyish pruinescence ( Fig. 73 View FIGURES 71–75 ). Dichoptic, upper ommatidia not enlarged. Frons parallel-sided, subequal to width of ocellar triangle; with short setulae along inner margin of eye. Face without setae; parallel-sided, with oral margin dark and shiny. Ocellar triangle slightly elevated, with thin greyish pruinescence, with pair of ocellar setae, subequal to or longer than upper occipital setae, with several shorter posterior setulae. Occiput bearing two rows of strong setae, longer and finer ventrally; postocular setae not differentiated; postocellar region without setae. Antenna dark; scape more than 1.5× longer than pedicel, with short, black setae; pedicel with ring of apical setae; postpedicel long, gradually tapered, more than 2× longer than basal width; stylus slightly longer than basal width of postpedicel. Palpus brownish to pale, orange brown, with dark setulae. Proboscis reddish brown, nearly twice longer than head height; labellum with short, dark setae.

Thorax dark brown in ground-colour, densely grey pruinescent ( Fig. 73 View FIGURES 71–75 ). Scutum with 2 pairs of broad, brownish vittae, medial pair ending at prescutellar depression. Proepisternum with several short, black setae, similar to occipital setae; upper proepisternum in front of spiracle without setae. Prosternum bare. Antepronotum with row of short, black setae, longer laterally. Postpronotum with 1 long seta and several short, dark setae. Scutum with very short uniserial or weakly biserial acr on anterior half; dc uniserial, slightly longer than acr, extending to scutellum; 2–3 strong npl; 1 presut spal seta; 1 psut spal; 1–2 pal setae. Scutellum with 2 pairs of setae, medial pair separated by less than length of seta; disc bare. Laterotergite with patch of several strong, black setae. Anterior and posterior spiracles pale.

Legs slender, short, femora orange to brown, usually darker dorsally and apically, especially hind femur; tibiae darker, tarsi brown; coxae orange in ground colour, usually clothed in dense greyish pruinescence, concolourous with pleura ( Fig. 73 View FIGURES 71–75 ). Coxae with stiff, black setae. Hind trochanter with short setulae. Fore femur clothed in short, black setae. Fore tibia with several erect anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae, with ring of preapical setae. Fore tarsomere 1 swollen, slightly broader than tibia; all tarsomeres with biserial row of spine-like ventral setae; tarsomeres 2–4 with apicolateral pair of spine-like setae, longer than width of segment. Mid femur clothed in short, black setae. Mid tibia often with 3–4 anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae; several preapical setae. Mid tarsus similar to fore tarsus. Hind femur with digitiform anteroventral process with forked distal setal tufts just beyond mid-length; distal third with short tubercle with long brush-like tuft of posteriorly directed setae; knob-like medial lobe, longer than wide opposite tufted tubercle, with black setulae on proximal margin; apex with preapical row of 5–6 strong, black posterior setae, with surrounding setae, longer than width of femur; preapical anterior seta sometimes weakly developed ( Figs 74, 75 View FIGURES 71–75 ). Hind tibia with anteroventral anvil-shaped process on basal quarter, flattened medially with long, black marginal setae, some longer than length of process; posteroventrally with broad, triangular process, with long, black lateral and apical setae, longer than process; with seta in posteroapical comb; long dorsal setae, longer distally, some nearly twice width of tibia; ventral setae shorter and thinner than dorsal setae ( Figs 74, 75 View FIGURES 71–75 ). Hind tarsomere 1 slightly narrower than fore tarsus, with stronger setae; tarsus otherwise similar to fore tarsus in chaetotaxy.

Wing infuscate with dark veins; veins complete, except Sc. Basal costal seta absent. R 5 and M 1 parallel near wing margin; R 5 ending at wing tip; radial fork broad. Halter pale, yellowish brown.

Abdomen dark, mostly shiny, with anterior portion of tergites 3–7 with sparse pruinescence, tergites 1 and 2 mostly pruinescent. Pregenital segments unmodified, except sclerites of segment 8 weakly separated. Terminalia ( Figs 91, 92 View FIGURES 91–93 ): dark brown with epandrium shiny; hypandrium and phallus shiny brown to orange brown. Cercus shorter than epandrium, subrectangular; base of cercus fused with epandrium; dorsal margin broadly notched at mid-length; apex rounded; setae variable in length, basal setae as long as width of cercus. Subepandrial process extending to either side of phallus. Epandrial lamella linear, longer than height; posterior margin truncate with short, up-turned dorsal margin; setae generally longer than cercal setae. Hypandrium long, extending nearly to apex of basal section of phallus; apical margin rounded; without setae. Phallus with basal half expanded beyond basal curve, usually not projecting beyond base of apical section; apical half arising apically to posterolaterally, strongly arched at nearly 90° or sharply bent at less than 90°, slender beyond curve, with sinuous apex ( Fig. 92 View FIGURES 91–93 ); apex not emerging beyond cercus; ejaculatory apodeme less than half-length of epandrium, T-shaped, with lateral apodemes on lower third.

Female. Similar to male, except as follows: frons slightly broader; hind femur slightly expanded subapically with ventral setae longer than proximal and distal setae; abdominal tergites either shiny or with basal portion of tergites with greyish pruinescence and broad, shiny apical bands; tergites 7 and 8 pruinescent.

Geographical distribution and seasonal occurrence ( Fig. 80 View FIGURES 80–81 ). Empis (En.) podagra is known from eastern Washington, eastern Oregon and Idaho. Adults have been collected from March to July.

Nuptial gift presentation. Among the material examined (above) is a male and female specimen mounted together with an unwrapped prey item ( Hilara sp. ) without a balloon, as well as another male with an unwrapped Plecoptera prey item. This almost certainly indicates that males of this species present unwrapped prey to females as nuptial gifts.