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

Empis (Enoplempis) spiculata sp. nov.

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( Figs 153 View FIGURES 152–153 , 164–166 View FIGURES 164–169 , 170, 171 View FIGURES 170–173 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “USA: OR: Benton Co. / Siuslaw NF, 675 m, Marys / Peak Rd ; Adler Ck Falls / N 44°28.462′W 123°31.711′/ 12.vii.2013; B.J. Sinclair ”; “ CNC/ 1078376 View Materials ”; “ HOLOTYPE / Empis (Enoplempis) / spiculata Sinclair ,/ Brooks & Cumming [red label]” ( CNC) . PARATYPES: USA. California: Del Norte County: Patrick Ck Cpgd, middle fork Smith R , Six Rivers NF, 41°52′21″N 123°50′41″W, 210 m, 2.vi.2009, (09-11), S.D. Gaimari (3♂, 3♀, CSCA) GoogleMaps . Oregon: Benton County: Corvallis, Lewisburg Saddle , below Old Growth Tr. , 44°38′32.28″N 123°17′20.76″W, MT GoogleMaps over creek, 31.v–12.vi.2013, SJF (1♂, CNC) ; Mary’s Peak Rd waterfalls mi. 2–5 [44°28′N 123°32′W], 18.vii.1994, SJF (1♂, CSUC) GoogleMaps ; same data as holotype (4♂, 9♀, CNC); Mary’s Peak, Alder Creek below Mary’s Peak Rd , 44°28′28″N 123°31′40″W, 24.vi.2018, SJF (1♂, 1♀, CNC) GoogleMaps ; Mary’s Peak, Alder Ck Falls jct Mary’s Peak Rd , 44.2846°N 123.3171°W, 12.vii.2013, SJF (1♂, CNC) GoogleMaps . Douglas County: Cow Ck Rest Area , 7 km ENE Glendale , 470 m, 42°45.46′N 123°21.12′W, 29.vi.2008, C. Borkent, CJB08-28 (11♂, 1♀, LEM); summit Camas Mt. jct. Rd 42 GoogleMaps , 1448 ft, dry woods, 43.062450°N 123.652791°W, 23.v.2014, SJF (1♂, CNC) GoogleMaps . Josephine County: Grayback Camp [42°08′N 123°27′W], Siskiyou NF, 19.vi.1962, C.A. Toschi (1♂, EMEC); Oregon Caves [42°05′N 123°24′W], 27.vi.1972, W.N. Mathis (1♂, OSAC). Lane County : Siuslaw NF GoogleMaps , 3 mi. S Yachats [44°16′N 124°06′W], 15.vii.1989, streams along Gwynn Ck Tr., BJS (3♂, CNC). Wasco County GoogleMaps : 3.6 mi. S The Dalles [45°36′N 121°10′W], 4.v.1973, Oman (1♂, 1♀, OSAC) GoogleMaps . Washington: Chelan County: Eight Mi. Cpgd [47°33′N 120°45′W], 8 mi. S Leavenworth, 18.vii.1972, MT GoogleMaps dry ice, WJT & W.B. Garnett (1♂, WSU). Kittitas County: Liberty, Williams Ck [47°15′N 120°39′W], 17.vii.1972, Dry Ice MT, WJT GoogleMaps & W.B. Garnett (1♂, WSU); Swauk Ck [47°13′N 120°41′W], 28.vi.1924, ALM (1♂, USNM) GoogleMaps . Klickitat County: Brooks SP [45°57′N 120°40′W] GoogleMaps , 2.5 mi. S Satus Pass, 27.vi.1975, JAP (1♂, 1♀, EMEC); Brooks Mem. SP , 12 mi. NE Goldendale , 2700–3000 ft, 27.vi.1975, WJT (3♂, 4♀, WFBM; 3♂, 4♀, WSU) . Pierce County: Mt Rainier, Tahoma Fork [46°44′N 121°53′W], 25.vii.1922, ALM GoogleMaps (1♂, USNM) .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of the E. (En.) delumbis species group by the male hind femur with row of strong, black anteroventral setae proximal to preapical region, male hind tibia bearing divergent digitiform anteroventral and posteroventral processes, with sparse setae, except long ventral setae on posteroventral process ( Figs 164–166 View FIGURES 164–169 ) and phallus with subapical expansion with spiculate surface and narrow apex.

Description. Wing length 5.3–5.9 mm. Male. Similar to E. (En.) delumbis except as follows: head with ocellar triangle with pair of parallel ocellar setae, length subequal to pprn.

Thorax mostly dark in ground-colour, with whitish pruinescence. Scutum faintly bivittate between acr and dc rows; postpronotal lobe, lateral margin of scutum, postalar ridge and scutellum yellowish. Pleura dark, especially lower half of katepisternum and meron; upper half of katepisternum and meron, anepimeron, laterotergite and metakatepisternum pale brown to yellowish; mediotergite mostly dark.

Legs slender, yellow, darker towards apex of tibiae and tarsomeres ( Fig. 164 View FIGURES 164–169 ). Fore femur with anteroventral row of fine, short setae. Fore tibia with 3–5 erect anterodorsal setae, longer than width of tibia; apex with circlet of preapical setae; anterior face with short appressed setae. Fore tarsomere 1 inflated, slightly narrower than apex of tibia with 1 dorsal seta, slightly longer than width of tarsomere, with fine ventral setae and row of stronger ventral and anterior setae, longer than width of tarsomere; 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 with erect, fine short ventral setae, with strong preapical anterior seta. Mid tibia with several erect anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae; posterior face with dense fine setulae and several erect, strong setae; circlet of strong preapical setae. Mid tarsus with long, strong ventral setae on tarsomere 1; tarsomeres 2–5 similar to fore tarsus. Hind femur with apex somewhat inflated; row of strong, black anteroventral setae proximal to preapical region, distal setae closely appressed and sickle-shaped; narrow hook-shaped posteroventral process with long black apical setae, medial to row of strong setae; bilobed process with divergent tapered lobes distal to posteroventral process; apex with preapical row of 5–6 flattened, black posterior setae; preapical anterior seta strong, longer than width of femur; 2 preapical anterodorsal setae ( Figs 165, 166 View FIGURES 164–169 ). Hind tibia with slight subbasal bend, bearing anteroventral digitiform lobe with sparse lateral setae, apical half of process flattened with truncate apex; posteroventral lobe curved, half-length of anteroventral process, with short marginal setae and several long subapical ventral setae, longer than process; long, numerous anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae, length nearly twice width of tibia; long setae on ventral surface ( Figs 164–166 View FIGURES 164–169 ). Hind tarsomere 1 slightly inflated with long dorsal setae similar to tibia; remaining tarsomeres similar to fore tarsus.

Halter yellow to pale brown.

Abdomen shiny to pruinescent (dependent on preservation method), tergites darker than pale sternites; with long dark setae on posterior margin. Pregenital segments unmodified, except sclerites of segment 8 narrowly fused anteriorly. Terminalia ( Figs 170, 171 View FIGURES 170–173 ): yellowish brown to brown with hypandrium and cerci darker. Cercus narrow and tapered on apical half short, projecting obliquely from epandrium; shorter than length of epandrium; setae nearly equal to width of cercus. Subepandrial process extending to either side of phallus. Epandrial lamella subrectangular, broad basally, more than twice width of cercus; with short, upturned projection apically; length of setae more than half basal width of epandrium. Hypandrium long, apex rounded; setae longer than width of hypandrium, closely orientated nearly parallel to hypandrium. Phallus ( Fig. 171 View FIGURES 170–173 ) with basal half broader than apical half, distinctly bent beyond mid-length, with slender lateral digitiform processes flanking apex section; apex emerging beyond epandrium; apical portion with subapical expansion with spiculate surface; apex very narrow and tapered; ejaculatory apodeme more than half-length of epandrium, Y-shaped, with ventrally positioned lateral apodemes.

Female. Similar to male, except as follows: frons broader, wider than anterior ocellus; hindleg without modified setae and processes; abdominal pleural membrane without darkened, expanded region; tergites 7 and 8 with pruinescence.

Geographical distribution and seasonal occurrence ( Fig. 153 View FIGURES 152–153 ). Empis (En.) spiculata sp. nov. is known from Washington, Oregon and northern California. Adults have been collected from May to July.

Etymology. The species name is in reference to the subapical spiculate surface of the phallus in this species.

Nuptial gift presentation. Form unknown.