Amiota byersi Jones & Grimaldi 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Jones, Lance E.
name: Grimaldi, David A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Drosophilidae
Amiota
Amiota byersi

description: Amiota byersi, sp. nov.
Figures 47A–B, 48A, 49, 90B
DIAGNOSIS: Large fly (ThL 1.49–1.70 mm); cheek wide (EL/CW 16–28); middle tibia with comb of ~15 setae; hind tibia with comb of ~10 setae; aedeagal apodeme deeply lobed with lateral concavities; subepandrial sclerite with elaborate subepandrial appendage having 1 dorsal and 2 broad, lateral processes; dorsal process bifurcated; lateral process bearing a serrated distal edge; similar to A. subtusradiata Duda and Amiota tibialis, but greatly differing in the appendage of the subepandrial sclerite.
DESCRIPTION: Large fly (ThL 1.49–1.70 mm), black, glossy; legs yellow. Ventral portion of frons and orbital plate tawny, dorsal half of frons black. Eye with anterior margin evenly convex; posterior margin flattened. Cheek wide (EL/CW 16–28), white posteriorly. Facial marking large, almost semicircular, depth 0.5× width. Middle tibia with comb composed of ~15 setae (length of longest ones ~0.7× tibia width). Hind tibia with comb composed of ~10 setae (length of longest ones ~0.8× width of tibia). Tergites 1 and 2 lightly colored. Arista: Very long, plumose; longest branch D2; A.R. 0.5; 5 long dorsal, 2 long ventral branches; branch D4 pointed laterad; arista trunk with medium length microtrichia along entire length. Male genitalia: Epandrium distinct, separated at midline, margins discrete (not grading into membrane). Cercus oval, margins discrete from surrounding membrane; most space surrounded by epandrium is dorsal to cerci. Surstylus roughly square; midregion with many scattered setulae; lateral fingerlike projection present, extending barely beyond prensisetae, long setulae continuing up lateral margin; 12 prensisetae, apices blunt, even lengths and spaces, comblike. Subepandrial sclerite with prominent subepandrial appendage; in lateral view with 1 dorsal process and 2 lateral processes; dorsal process laterally bifurcated, the most posterior bifurcation serrated; distal margin of lateral process with small, rounded teeth; posterior view of subepandrial appendage invaginated in appearance, surrounded by prominent striated membrane. Outer paraphyses long, symmetrical, sclerotized, bent 90° near base, oriented posteriorly, distal end tapered. Inner paraphyses smaller, sinuous, projecting anterolaterally. Aedeagal apodeme as long as wide, constricted on 4 sides; the base forming deep-pocketed lobes. Hypandrium nearly V-shaped, the anterior apex with a prominent convex point; lateral arms thickened with a wide, nearly triangular gonopod. Ejaculatory apodeme large, equal to length of epandrium. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 5; Am 294, 295, 401, 434, 1349) FL/FW 0.75 (0.68– 0.80), EL/EW 1.31 (1.22–1.38), EL/CW 22.27 (16–28), FML/FMW 0.38 (0.35–0.41), PR /RR 0.46 (0.33–0.57), ThL 1.61 (1.49–1.70 mm).
TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: male: “Wayne” Co., Mich., [42.269878, -83.322396], “Aug. 8” 19 “59,” Geo. Steyskal, “#8,” Am 294, [pinned via minuten, dissected]. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Paratype: “Wayne” Co., Mich., “Aug. 16,” 19 “59,” Geo. Steyskal, “#8,” 1♂ (Am 295*, AMNH).
OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: USA: Illinois: Iroquois Co., Iroquois Co. Cons. Area, 6.4 mi ENE Beaverville, 1990-09-02, leg. E.A. Lisowski, 1♂ (Am 1595*, INHS). North Carolina: Highlands, Whitesides Cove, 2000′, 1957-08-11, leg. J.G. Chillcott, 1♂ (Am 1349*, CNC). Pennsylvania: Swarthmore, 1907-08-25, leg. C.L. Fox, 1♂ (Am 401*, CAS). Virginia: Floyd Co., #1, Mile 175.4 Blue Ridge Parkway, 1960-06-23, leg. G.W. Byers, 1♂ (Am 434*, SEMC).
ETYMOLOGY: Named for George W. Byers (1923–2018), late professor of entomology at the University of Kansas who collected one of the specimens of this rare species; in recognition of his contributions to the study of Diptera and Mecoptera and, as one of us (D.A.G.) remembers him, a true, affable gentleman.
DISTRIBUTION: This species is found in the northern Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.
COMMENTS: It is unknown whether this species is attracted to the face and eyes as other Amiota.
description: Published as part of Jones, Lance E. & Grimaldi, David A., 2022, Revision Of The Nearctic Species Of The Genus Amiota Loew (Diptera: Drosophilidae), pp. 1-181 in Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2022 (458) on pages 91-92, DOI: 10.1206/0003-0090.458.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7400026