Eucelatoria strigata
Creators: name: Burington, Zelia L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Tachinidae
Eucelatoria
Eucelatoria strigata

description: Eucelatoria strigata (Wulp, 1890)
(Figs 17, 37, 62, 82, 93, 103, 118, 132, 148, 165, 175)
Masicera strigata Wulp, 1890: 105. Lectotype, Mexico, Morelos, Cuernavaca (NHMUK). Other references: Guimarães (1971: 153).
Hypostena minima Wulp, 1890: 148. Lectotype, Mexico, Tabasco, Teapa (NHMUK). Other references: Guimarães (1971: 152). Syn. nov.
Hemilydella fasciata Townsend, 1927: 315. Holotype, Peru, La Tina (USNM). Other references: Thompson (1968: 184), Guimarães (1971: 135). Syn. nov.
Eucelatoria strigata: Wood (1985: 43).
Eucelatoria minima: Wood (1985: 43).
Eucelatoria fasciata: Wood (1985: 43).
Type material examined. Lectotype ♂, labeled “LECTO-/ TYPE [round label]”, “ ♂ ”, “Cuernavaca/ Morelos./ June. H.H.S.”, “ B.C.A. Dipt. II./ Masicera / strigata,/ v. d. W.”, “ Central America. / Pres. by/ F.D.Godman. / O. Salvin. / 1903.172”, “ LECTOTYPE ♂ / of Masicera / strigata Wulp / designated 1979/ D.M. Wood ” (NHMUK).
Lectotype ♂ of “ Hypostena minima ”, labeled “LECTO-/ TYPE [round label]”, “ ♂ ”, “Teapa/ Tabasco,/ Jan. H.H.S.”, “ B.C.A. Dipt. II./ Hypostena / minima,/ v. d. W.”, “ Central America. / Pres. by/ F.D.Godman. / O. Salvin. / 1903.172”, “ LECTOTYPE ♂ / of Hypostena / minima Wulp / designated 1979/ D.M. Wood ” (NHMUK).
Holotype ♂ of “ Hemilydella fasciata ”, labeled “On Foliage/ Chch. 24-IX”, “Type”, “This does not/ match description/ in TWD 1941b: 271” (USNM).
Other material examined. 56 ♀♀ and 25 ♂♂. Argentina—Tucuman: 1 ♀, “ Tucuman, Arg. / III-18 1930 / H. A. Jaynes”, “USNM ENT 00039937”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00335” (USNM). 1 ♀, “TUCUMAN/ 30.V.1917 ”, “H. E. Box/ Collector”, “67”, “ Dexodes / meridionalis/ in colln.”, “? near/ Heliolydella ”, “USNM ENT 00040064”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00315” (USNM). Brazil — Goiás: 1 ♀, “Valdir - T. 4/ 17/02/2012/ Cult. Malaise/ Msp.” (UNB). Costa Rica — Cartago: 1 ♀, “ COSTA RICA / Turrialba/ (WWHeel) 19”, “USNM ENT 00040022”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00338” (USNM). Guanacaste: 1 ♀, “ COSTA RICA Gncste / 5 km n Cañas / 10–12.VIII.1987 / G. & M. Wood” (DMW). Ecuador — Napo: 1 ♂, “ ECUADOR, Napo / Tena/ 13.II.83/ G. & M. Wood”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00292” (DMW). 1 ♀, “Coca, Napo R./ Napo, ECUADOR / 25–30.IV.65/ 250 M., L.Pena”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00290” (CNC). Pastaza: 1 ♂, “ Pompeya, Napo R./ Pastaza, ECUAD./ 14–22.V.1965 / L.Pena”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00291” [genitalia in vial under specimen] (CNC). Pinchicha: 2 ♀♀, “ ECUADOR, Pich./ Rio Palenque Fld / Stn 22–26.II.76/ G.& M. Wood 150m ”, the specimen IDs “00294” and “00293” (DMW). Mexico — Tabasco: 2 ♀♀, “PARA-/ LECTO-/ TYPE [circle label]”, “ ♀ ”, “Teapa,/ Tabasco./ Jan. H.H.S.”, “ B.C.A. Dipt. II./ Masicera / luctuosa/ v.d.W.”, “ Central America / Pres By/ F.D.Goodman. / O. Salvin. / 1903-172.”, “ PARALECTOTYPE ♀ / of Masicera / luctuosa Wulp / designated 1979/ D.M. Wood ” (NHMUK). 1 ♂ and ♀, as previous except determination and paralectotype labels read “ Hypostena minima ” [genitalia of the former in vial under specimen] (NHMUK). Veracruz: 1 ♀, “ MEXICO, Veracruz / Sontecompan / 20.VI.1969 / B.V. Peterson ”, “HOMOTYPE/ Anisia/ inepta/ Wulp/ Compared by/ Wood ‘79 [blue label]”(CNC). Panama — Panamá: 1 ♀, “Ancon CZ/ IV-9-26”, “CTGreene/ Collector”, “USNM ENT 00040019”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00337” (USNM). Panamá Oeste?: 1 ♀, “HermitaRPan/ 18Sept1952 ”, “PSBlanton/ Collector”, “USNM ENT 00040029”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00342” (USNM). Peru — Loreto: 1 ♀, “ 24 VIII 1965 San Antonio/ LORETO, PERU 69/ Coll. J.C.Hitchcock,Jr. ”, “ 500ft. ”, “USNMENT 00875973”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00355” (USNM). 1 ♂, as previous except date “ 20 VIII 1965 ”, numerical identifier “36”, USNM number “00875970”, and specimen ID “00357” [genitalia in vial under specimen] (USNM). 2 ♀♀, “Yurimaguas/ R. Huallaga/ Peru-VII-15”, “CHTTow’d/ coll”, “on foliage”, “Yuri 15.VIII”; the first labeled “USNM ENT 00039940” and “ZLB_ E.Ferox 00329”; the second “00039935” and “00333” (USNM). Trinidad & Tobago — Trinidad: 1 ♀, “MARACAS. V./ Trinidad. BWI./ OCT.28.1953”, “Collector/ F.J.Simmonds ”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00116” (CNC). 1 ♀, as previous except date “July 7.1954.” and specimen ID “00159” (CNC). 1 ♂ and 1 ♀, as previous locality except without “V.”, date “July.16.1954”, and specimen IDs “00132” [♂] and “00110” [♀], the first with head missing (CNC). 2 ♂♂, “MARACAS/ TRINIDAD / 11-9-1964 ”, the specimen IDs “00137” and “00129” (CNC). 1 ♂ and 1 ♀, “DIEGO MARTIN./ Trinidad, BWI./ AUG.18.1954”, “Collector/ F.J. Simmonds ”, the specimen IDs “00145” [♂] and “00109” [♀], the first specimen labeled “ 1485/ VII. 26.66” (CNC). 1 ♀, “DGO.MARTIN/ TRINIDAD / 21-9-1964 ”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00111” (CNC). 1 ♂ and 2 ♀♀, “ NURSERY/ TRINIDAD / 18-8-1964 ”, the specimen IDs “00139” [♀], “00112” [♀], and “00135” [♂] (CNC). 1 ♀, as previous except date “ 28-8-1964 ” and specimen ID “00118” (CNC). 2 ♀♀, as previous except date “ 1-9-1964 ” and specimen IDs “00152” and “00138” [terminalia in vial under specimen] (CNC). 2 ♀♀, as previous except date “ 30-9-1964 ” and specimen IDs “00151” and “00115” (CNC). 2 ♀♀, “I.C.T.A. [Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture]/ Trinidad, BWI./ JAN-28-1953 ”, “Collector/ F.J. Simmonds”, the specimen IDs “00158” (CNC) and “00204” (DMW), the second with blank red label. 1 ♀ and 1 ♂, as previous except date “ FEB-2-1953 ” and specimen IDs “00155” [♀] and “00136” [♂], the second with head missing (CNC). 1 ♂, as previous except date “ FEB-9-1953 ” and specimen ID “00131” (CNC). 2 ♂♂, as previous except date “ FEB-18-1953 ” and specimen IDs “00130” and “00147”; the second labeled “ Hemilydella /?fasciata/ TT/ Det. Thompson ” [genitalia in vial under specimen] (CNC). 1 ♀, as previous except date “ FEB-23-1953 ” and specimen ID “00166” (CNC). 1 ♀, as previous except date “ OCT.16-1953 ” and specimen ID “00120” (CNC). 1 ♀, as previous except date “ OCT-23-1953 ” and specimen ID “00124”, labeled “17/ 1006-[”16” struck out with pen]” (CNC). 1 ♀, as previous except date “ FEB-26-1954 ” and specimen ID “00157”, the abdomen missing (CNC). 1 ♀, as previous except date “ MARCH-1954 ” and specimen ID “00125” (CNC). 1 ♀, “SANTA CRUZ/ Trinidad, BWI./ July-15- 1954 ”, “Collector/ F.J.Simmonds ”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00160” (CNC). 1 ♀, “Santa Cruz V./ 3.2.60/ Trinidad, BWI.”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00121” (CNC). 2 ♀♀, as previous except date “3.5.60”, and specimen IDs “00205” (DMW) and “00161” (CNC). 1 ♀, as previous locality except date “x.25.60” and specimen ID “00164” (CNC). 2 ♂♂ and 3 ♀♀, as previous locality except date “XII.20.60” and specimen IDs “00122” [♀], “00141” [♂], “00156” [♀], “00123” [♀] (CNC), and “00203” [♂] (DMW), the final specimen with blank red label. 1 ♂, as previous locality except date “ Apr. 1959 ” and specimen ID “00146” (CNC). 2 ♂♂ and 1 ♀, as previous except date “ 27-7-1964 ”, and specimen IDs “00128” [♂], “00148” [♀], and “00127” [♂] (CNC). 1 ♀, “S Cruz V./ II.14.64/ Trinidad, WI.”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00150” (CNC). 3 ♀♀, “VALSAYN/ TRINIDAD / 11-8-1964 ”, the specimen IDs “00154”, “00153”, and “00114” (CNC). 3 ♂♂, “II.26.64/ St. Augustine,/ Trinidad, WI”, the specimen IDs “00134”, “00149”, and “00143”; the third with head missing and genitalia on point under specimen (CNC). 1 ♀, “ St. Augustine,/ Trinidad, BWI/ DEC-18- 1952 ”, “Collector/ F.J. Simmonds”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00162” (CNC). 1 ♀, “ST. JOSEPH/ Trinidad, BWI,/ NOV-12- 1953 ”, “Collector/ F.J. Simmonds ”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00113” (CNC). 1 ♀, “P.M. Highway/ TRINIDAD W.I./ XI.4.60 [1961 struck out]/ W.R.Thompson ”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00119” (CNC). 1 ♀, “ TRINIDAD / 28-7-1964 / CUMUTO”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00163” (CNC). 1 ♂, “CUERPE/ TRINIDAD / 28-9-1964 ”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00142” (CNC). 1 ♂, “CoLL. ARIPOV/ TRINIDAD / 24-7-1964 ”, “F.D. BENNETT/ Collector”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00140” (CNC). 1 ♂, “CUNUPIA/ Trinidad, BWI./ MARCH-9-1964 ”, “Collector/ F.J. Simmonds ”, “HOMOTYPE/ Hemilydella / fasciata/ Tnsd/ Compared by/ Wood ‘78”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00126” (DMW). 1 ♂, “M-New Farm / TRINIDAD / 11-9-1964 ”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00133” (CNC). 1 ♀, “II.61/ Trinidad, BWI.”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00165” (CNC). 1 ♀, “II.20.64/ Trinidad, WI.”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00117” (CNC). Venezuela — Carabobo: 1 ♀, “ Venezuela / San Esteban / 1–6 Jan1940 ”, “P Anduze/ Collector”, “USNM ENT 00040028”, “ZLB_E.Ferox 00345” (USNM).
Recognition. This species appears closely related to E. aurata, as both species share similar tomentum patterns and females of both have a short piercer barely extending beyond the apex of abdominal T4. They differ in that the tomentum of the head is mostly to partially ash-gray as opposed to entirely yellow. In the males, the cercus in lateral view is less angled at mid length and thicker at the apex than E. aurata, with only a weak apical hook. The short length of the female piercer distinguishes this species from most other sword flies.
Redescription. [Redescribed from 51 ♀♀ and 24 ♂♂. Head measurements from 4 ♀♀ and 3 ♂♂.] Length 5.0– 7.5 mm (mean = 6.4 mm).
Head. Gena, lower half of post-ocular plate, postgena, and occipital tomentum ash-gray. Parafacial tomentum usually ash-gray on entire length, or at least on lower half, rarely gold along entire length. Fronto-orbital plate, vertex, and upper half of post-orbital plate tomentum pale yellow gold; rarely with head tomentum entirely ash-gray. Pale occipital setulae gray. Ocellar setae one-fourth to three-fourths length of posterior reclinate orbital seta, shorter in males. Gena with 4 setae, rarely 2–3 setae, subvibrissal ridge with 1 seta. Facial ridge with setulae on less than lower third. Postocellar setae one-fourth to one-third length of ocellar setae. Paravertical seta subequal to postocellar setae. Outer vertical seta undistinguished from post-ocular row in both male and female, or if distinguished, no more than one-half length of closest post-ocular seta. Reclinate orbital setae 2–3. Frontal setae 4–5, last frontal seta level with apex of pedicel or slightly beyond. Eye apparently bare. Eye height to head height ratio 0.85–0.90 (mean = 0.86). Postpedicel length 0.38–0.44 (mean = 0.40) height of head. Facial ridge length 0.47–0.56 (mean = 0.51) height of head. Parafacial width 0.06–0.09 (mean = 0.07) lateral length of head. Pedicel 0.24–0.37 (mean = 0.32) length of postpedicel. Postpedicel 2.3 to 4.0 (mean = 3.2) times width of parafacial in lateral view. Vertex 0.21–0.25 (mean = 0.23) width of head in dorsal view. Palpus subcylindrical, yellow to yellow tan, slightly more expanded at tip in females; with dense short dorsoapical setae, several short apicoventral setae, several longer setae laterally near mid length, and scattered thin dorsal setae along middle third.
Thorax. Dorsomedial length 1.3 times width of thorax. Lateral tomentum ash-gray. Dorsal tomentum pale yellow-gray-gold to ash-gray. Presutural outer vitta triangular to bar shaped, narrowed to anterior, usually connected to anterior margin. Postsutural outer vitta bar to wedge shaped, disconnected from presutural outer vitta at suture. Inner thoracic vittae bar shaped, usually as thick as outer vittae, subparallel, extending to second postsutural acrostichal seta, often fused into single, median square vitta on postsutural area. Scutellar dorsal tomentum diffuse pale yellow-gray gold to ash-gray, covering at least apical half of dorsal area. Postpronotum with 3 setae. Presutural area with 2 supra-alar setae, the anterior seta weak. Postsutural area with 3 dorsocentral setae. Fore tibia with 2 posterodorsal setae. Wing hyaline; sometimes lightly infuscated adjacent to costa and radial sector. Calypters tan to cream colored.
Abdomen. Cuticle and setulae entirely black. Dorsal tomentum bands ash-gray to dirty gray, one-third to onehalf length of T3–5, with distinct to indistinct median vitta. Ventral tomentum bands similar to above. T4 with 1 pair widely spaced erect median marginal setae and 3 pairs widely spaced
Male terminalia (Figs 132, 148, 165). Sternite 5 basal plate with median teeth separated 0.35 width of basal notch, teeth usually divergent at apex; apical lobes 1.3 times length of basal plate. Postgonite broadly rounded on posterior margin; incised margin subangular, depth subequal width of postgonite at mid length. Surstylus paddleshaped, length of apical section three times width, subequal to length of cercus; apical margin broadly rounded; posterobasal area often with slight to distinct, flat emargination; posterior and anterior margins subparallel; basal lobe margin rounded. Cercus in lateral view dilated at base, narrowed sharply to mid length and slightly angled caudally, margins roughly parallel to blunt apex with minute anteroapical hook; in caudal view tapered to blunt apex. Upper lobe subquadrate; 0.33 length of cercus. Median section 0.42 length of cercus. Apical cleft narrow, sides subparallel, heavily toothed, 0.34 length of cercus. Syncercus apex width in caudal view 0.35 width of syncercus base.
Female terminalia (Figs 93, 103, 118). Piercer extending barely to apex of T4, often hidden by margins of T4 and T5; in lateral view gradually curved to apex; in posterior view narrowed to apex. Aculeate lobe subequal height of segment 7 base. End tergite subquadrate, as long as wide. Cercus with 7–8 setae; ventral elongation 2 times width of main cercus body. Postgenital plate with 18 setae.
Host(s). Unknown.
Geographic extent and seasonal occurrence. Eucelatoria strigata is widely distributed in the Neotropical Region with individuals known from as far north as central Mexico and as far south as the Yungas of northern Argentina; this redescription includes intermediate records from Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad, coastal Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru (Fig. 175). Most records are from lowland tropical rainforests with some records from tropical dry forest. In Trinidad, individuals were collected year round with no apparent pattern. In the tropical dry forests of Panama, individuals were collected in April and September, and in Costa Rica in August.
Discussion. The holotype of Hemilydella fasciata listed above appears to be correct, despite the following issues. The locality label is wrong, and should list “La Tina”, the type locality indicated in the original description (Townsend 1927: 315). The specimen was placed in a unit tray labeled “ Hemiargyrophylax punctilucis ” with another specimen matching the Hemiargyrophylax punctilucis Townsend description from the Manual of Myiology (Townsend 1941: 271) with the locality label the same as listed in the type material above. In the unit tray labeled “ Hemilydella fasciata ”, there was a specimen identical to the Ha. punctilucis description and to the apparent syntype. This specimen bore the correct locality for Hemilydella fasciata (“La Tina”), which is the incorrect type locality for Ha. punctilucis, and the determination label for Hl. fasciata Townsend. Therefore, it is likely that the locality and determination labels for Hl. fasciata were switched with the labels of one of the Ha. punctilucis syntypes. As the general rule is for revising authors not to make changes to type labels, these labels have not been returned to their proper specimens, but an indication of the issue has been left in the unit tray.
The amount of gold on the head and thorax is highly variable in this species. Individuals from Trinidad range from nearly entirely gold tomentum on the thoracic dorsum and head to all tomentum on an individual being entirely ash-gray. Individuals from Central America have a greater extent of gold on the head than is common on those from South America, but the wide sympatric range in coloration suggests these are not a different species. The lectotype male also possesses a wider parafacial than other specimens. These variations indicate that E. strigata may very well be a species complex, but more specimens from the northern and southern distribution edges are needed to make these determinations. The genitalia are largely indistinguishable across the range, with only minute differences in the shape of the gonites and surstylus between Mexican and Trinidadian males. In cases where the extent of gold tomentum is greater, males of E. aurata are easily separated from E. strigata by the greatly narrowed cercus with prominent hooked apex.
description: Published as part of Burington, Zelia L., 2022, A taxonomic revision of the Eucelatoria ferox species group (Diptera: Tachinidae), pp. 1-104 in Zootaxa 5143 (1) on pages 40-43, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5143.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6601404