Amiota steyskali Maca. A. Epandrium 2003
Creators: name: Jones, Lance E.
name: Grimaldi, David A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Drosophilidae
Amiota
Amiota steyskali

description: Amiota steyskali Máca, 2003
Figures 10C–D, 15, 82C
Amiota steyskali Máca, 2003: 271 (original description); Brake and Bächli, 2008: 255 (world catalog).
DIAGNOSIS: Small to medium-sized fly (ThL 1.04–1.34 mm), dark brown to nearly black species; frons slightly shiny; hind tibia with comb of 3–7 setae [reported as tibia of midleg in Máca, 2003]; outer paraphysis long, slender, nearly straight, apex strongly curved, clawlike; inner paraphysis heavily sclerotized, short and nearly triangular; subepandrial sclerite sclerotized, large and shelflike; ejaculatory apodeme large.
DESCRIPTION: Small to medium-sized fly (ThL 1.04–1.34 mm), dark brown to nearly black, legs light yellow. Frons slightly shiny, with striations from ptilinal suture radiating to midpoint of frons. Palp yellow. Tergite 1 lightly colored. Hind tibia with comb composed of 3–7 setae. Arista: Medium plumose; longest branch D2; A.R. 0.40; 5 long dorsal, 4 short ventral branches; D4–5 branches pointed laterad; arista trunk with short microtrichia. Male genitalia: Epandrium split at middle dorsal point, long ventral lobe with 13–15 long setae. Cercus distinct from surrounding membrane, crescentic, exposing large central membranous area between and dorsal to cerci. Surstylus nearly rectangular, 6 prensisetae, apices blunt. Subepandrial sclerite triangular, extending dorsally over surstyli, sclerotized, in lateral view subepandrial sclerite thickened and wedge shaped with deep clefts, dorsal appendage thickened and pointed, extending posteriorly. Outer paraphysis long, slender, nearly straight, heavily sclerotized, apex pointed and curved into a hook, dorsally with fracturelike cleft, ca. 6 sensilla present on lateral surface near distal end. Inner paraphysis short, heavily sclerotized, nearly triangular or wedge shaped, central cleft present. Aedeagal apodeme flared wider than base, distal end barely concave, flanges and inner region forming a square, bent almost 90° in lateral at midpoint. Hypandrium U-shaped, simple, consistent thickness; lateral arm thickened posteriorly. Ejaculatory apodeme thick, roughly 2/3 the length of the epandrium. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 5; Am 173, 195, 345, 644, 733) FL/FW 0.74 (0.70–0.78), EL/EW 1.30 (1.17–1.45), EL/CW 16.98 (14.75– 20), FML/FMW 0.29 (0.21–0.36), PR /RR 00.47 (0.38–0.55), ThL 1.20 (1.04–1.34 mm).
TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: As reported by Máca (2003): “ ♂: USA,” Maryland [erroneously reported as Maine] “ Catoctin Mt. Park, Owens Creek, 15.6.1991, leg. M. Barták ” [not examined]. Coll. Jan Máca, to be deposited in National Museum of Prague, Czech Republic (NMPC). Paratypes: “ 5♂, same locality; Catoctin Mt. Park, Chestnut wood, 15.6.1991 1♂ and 1♀, leg. M. Barták. Canada, Quebec: La Roddic, 16 km S Maniwakim 23.6.1991 1♂, leg. M. Barták ” (Coll. Jan Máca, intended for NMPC).
OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Canada: New Brunswick: 6 mi S.E. Sussex, 1971-07-10, leg. B. V. Peterson, 1♂ (Am 1279*, CNC). Ontario: Algonquin Provincial Park, Swan Lake Station, Scott Lake Survey, 1995-05-29 through 1995-06-16, leg. S.A. Marshall, fresh stump emergence, 1♂ (Am 575, DEBU); 1995-06-16 through 1995-07-04, leg. S.A. Marshall, A transect bracket. Pans on dead maple, 1m, 1♂ (Am 574*, DEBU); 1993-06-17 through 1993-06-18, leg. Larson / Marshall / Barr, 1♂ (Am 532, DEBU); 1993-07-12 through 1993-07-16, leg. Larson / Marshall / Barr, 1♂ (Am 533, DEBU); 1994- 07-18 through 1994-07-31, [collector unknown], C1 Shore malaise trap, 1♂ (Am 567, DEBU); Algonquin Provincial Park, W. R.S., 1994-06-25, leg. R. Bonduriansky, 2♂ (Am 608, 609, DEBU); 1994- 06-29, leg. R. Bonduriansky, 1♂ (Am 607*, DEBU); 1994-07-15, [collector unknown], on moose antler, AM W2 S, 1♂ (Am 604, DEBU); Dwight, 1964-07- 09, leg. D.H. Pengelly, Pan A 3, hemlock/clubmoss, 1♂ (Am 546*, DEBU); Franktown, 1965-09-06, leg. D.M. Wood, 1♂ (Am 1206, CNC); Mer Bleue Trail, 2014-06-15, leg. O. Lonsdale, 1♂ (Am 1292, CNC); Norway Point, Lake of Bays, 1919-08-04, leg. J. McDunnough, “Paratype - No. 8016 paratype” [never published], 1♂ (Am 1345, CNC); Orillia, 1927-07-13, leg. C.H. Curran, 1♂ (Am 1356*, CNC); Orleans, Chapel Hill, 2000-06-20, leg. J. R. Vockeroth, 1♂ (Am 1245, CNC); Ottawa, Beechwood Cemet., 1999-07-12, leg. J. R. Vockeroth, shaded damp earth ditch, 1♂ (Am 1270, CNC); Wentworth Co., Sheffield, 1960-06-18, leg. Taylor and Wood, 1♂ (Am 1396*, CNC). Quebec: Abbotsford, 1936-08-20, leg. G.E. Shewell, “ Paratype - No. 8016 paratype” [never published], 1♂ (Am 1344, CNC); 1937-06-14, leg. G.E. Shewell, “ Paratype No. 8016 paratype” [never published], 1♂ (Am 1378, CNC); Mont Tremblant, 3000′, 1959-07-15, leg. B. V. Peterson, 2♂ (Am 1362, 1377, CNC); Mt. Orford, 1936-07-14, leg. G.E. Shewell, “ Paratype - No. 8016 paratype” [never published], 1♂ (Am 1343, CNC); Old Chelsea, Summit King Mtn., 1965-06-20, leg. D.M. Wood, 8♂ (Am 1466, 1468– 1470, 1474, 1476, 1480, 1539, CNC). USA: Arkansas: Logan Co., Magazine Mt. 2750 ft., 1992-07-06, leg. D. Grimaldi, 3♂ (Am 342*, 345*, 348, AMNH). New York: Bronx Co., New York Bot. Garden, 40.864029, -73.875571, 2018-08, leg. L.E. Jones and L. Li, swept around head, 1♂ (Am 733*, AMNH); Orange Co., Cornwall, Black Rock Forest, 2014 -09- 06 through 2014-09-07, leg. D. Grimaldi, 1♂ (Am 416*, AMNH); Tompkins Co., Texas Hollow, 1983- 07-26, leg. D. Grimaldi and L.L. Pechuman, flying about head, 3♂ (Am 25*, 34*, 36*, AMNH); Monroe Co., Rochester, Highland Pk., 43.132600, -77.602784, 2018-07-26, leg. J. Jaenike, 2♂ (Am 724*, 725*, AMNH); 2018-09-14, leg. J., Jaenike, 1♂ (Am 1169*, AMNH); [no date], leg. J. Jaenike, 1♂ (Am 726*, AMNH). North Carolina: Graham Co., Robbinsville, 1976-06-09, leg. G.E. Bohart, 4♂ (Am 500*, 502*, 503*, 518*, EMUS); Highlands, 3800′, 1957-06-15, leg. J. R. Vockeroth, 1♂ (Am 1359, CNC). Tennessee: Cades Cove, GSMNP, 1953-07 through 1953-08, leg. J.M. Carpenter, 1♂ (Am 173*, AMNH); Carter Co., Holston Mtn., 1965-06-02, leg. J.S. Chillcott, 1♂ (Am 1300, CNC). Vermont: Bennington Co., Green Mountain Nat. For., 42.889507, -72.976097, 2018-08-05, leg. L.E. Jones and R.D. Mannion, swept around head, 2♂ (Am 643*, 644*, AMNH); Orleans Co., Westmore, nr. Bald Mountain, 2018-08-16, D. Grimaldi, 1♂ (Am 664*, AMNH). Virginia: Fairfax, 1954-07, leg. M. R. Wheeler, 1♂ (Am 195*, AMNH).
DISTRIBUTION: Amiota steyskali is relatively common in the Northeast but is also found in Appalachia and as far west as the Ozarks. This species has a similar distribution to the closely related species A. communis Chen and Steyskal.
COMMENTS: This species exhibits the characteristic behavior of attraction to the eyes and face common to many 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 32-34, DOI: 10.1206/0003-0090.458.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7400026