Sclerocoelus parasordipes Kuwahara, Marshall & Paiero, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Kuwahara, Gregory K.
name: Marshall, Stephen A.
name: Paiero, Steven M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Sphaeroceridae
Sclerocoelus
Sclerocoelus parasordipes

description: Sclerocoelus parasordipes sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 17DB312E-34A0-47E2-9BCB-D3C2CC5E6D31
Figs 8F, 106–108
Etymology
This name reflects the similarity between this species and S. sordipes (Adams) (from the Greek ‘ para ’, meaning ‘beside or near’).
Material examined
Holotype
MEXICO • ♂, Mexico, 6.4 km S of Amecameca; 520 m a.s.l.; 13 Aug. 1954; J.G. Chillcott leg.; CNCI.
Paratypes
CANADA – Alberta • 1 ♂; Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, Birch N.; 31 Aug.–10 Sep. 1990; M. Klassen leg.; DEBU. – British Columbia • 1 ♀; Nancy Greene Park; Aug. 1980; S.A. Marshall leg.; sweep; DEBU • 1 ♂; Osoyoos, Mount Kobau; 560 m a.s.l.; 14 Jul.–23 Aug. 1991; D. Blades and C. Maier leg.; DEBU • 1 ♂; Skagit Valley Provincial Park, 12.9 km W Hope; 8–28 Jul. 1980; flight-intercept trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; Vancouver; University of British Columbia campus; 23 Jul. 1980; S.A. Marshall leg.; conifer duff; DEBU.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – Arizona • 1 ♀; Cochise Co., 12 km S of Sierra Vista, Ramsey Canyon; 10 Jun. 1987; B.V. Brown leg.; oak pine, Malaise; DEBU • 1 ♂; Cochise Co., 8.4 km W of Portal, Southwestern Research Station; 31°52′58″ N, 109°12′20″ W; 1650 m a.s.l.; 5 Jul. 1995; S.D. Gaimari leg.; Malaise trap; USNM • 1 ♀; Cochise Co., Chiracahua Mountains; 2130 m a.s.l.; 15–21 Jul. 1978; O. Kukal leg.; dung; DEBU • 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀; Cochise Co., Coronado National Forest, Coronado National Memorial; 11–15 Aug. 1984; L.B. Carlson leg.; dung trap; DEBU • 7 ♂♂, 15 ♀♀; Cochise Co., Coronado National Memorial; 11–15 Aug. 1984; B.V. Brown leg.; dung trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; Cochise Co., Portal, Southwestern Research Station, Chiricahua Mountains; 18–23 Aug. 1984; B.V. Brown leg.; mushroom trap; DEBU • 1 ♂; Cochise Co., Portal, Southwestern Research Station; 1645 m a.s.l.; 2 Aug. 1955; R.R. Dreisbach leg.; MSUC • 12 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀; Cochise Co., S of Sierra Vista, Ramsey Canyon; 24 Aug. 1984; B.V. Brown leg.; riparian forest, litter; DEBU • 1 ♀; Pima Co., Santa Rita Experimental Range, Florida Canyon; 2–5 May 2010; S.A. Marshall leg.; DEBU • 5 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀; Santa Cruz Co., NW Nogales, Sycamore Canyon, Hank and Yank Spring; 31°26′ N, 111°11′ W; 1220 m a.s.l.; 20–25 Aug. 1993; J.E. O’Hara leg.; Malaise trap; CNCI • 1 ♀; Santa Cruz Co., Patagonia Lake Recreational Area; 1370 m a.s.l.; 9–11 Aug. 1984; L. Carlson leg.; carrion trap; DEBU • 1 ♂; Santa Cruz Co., Santa Rita Mountains, Madera Canyon; 1675 m a.s.l.; Sep. 1970; A. Newton leg.; oak, human dung; FMNH • 1 ♀; Santa Cruz Co., Santa Rita Mountains, Madera Canyon; 27 Apr. 1979; K.N. Barber leg.; DEBU. – Colorado • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Jefferson Co., Littleton, Normandy Estates; 30 Jun. 1995; S. Fitzgerald leg.; compost; DEBU • 1 ♂; Larimer Co., Laporte, Jolly Ridge Farm; 12 Jun. 1995; S. Fitzgerald leg.; manure; DEBU. – Texas • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Angelina Co., hill near Broaddus; 15 Jun. 1993; S.A. Marshall leg.; DEBU • 1 ♂; Brazos Co., College Station, Lick Creek Park; 26–28 Mar. 2000; M. Buck leg.; bottomland forest near creek, Malaise trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; Brazos Co., College Station; 2–24 Apr. 1987; R. Anderson leg.; oak savannah; DEBU • 1 ♂; Brazos Co., Koppe’s Bridge, 8 km SW of College Station; 5–13 Apr. 1987; R.S. Anderson leg.; riparian ravine, Berlese funnel; DEBU • 1 ♀; Kimble Co., Llano River at County Road 385; 1 Apr. 2000; M. Buck leg.; riverbank; DEBU • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 1–2 Apr. 2000; floodplain forest, pans; DEBU • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; riverbank, pan traps at muddy pond margin; DEBU • 1 ♀; Presidio Co., 4.8 km NE of Porvenir; 26 Sep. 1946; Patterson and Schmidt leg.; USNM.
MEXICO – Baja California Sur • 1 ♀; Sierra La Laguna; 1770–1850 m a.s.l.; 1 Sep. 1977; E. Fisher and R. Westcott leg.; collected from flight trap at edge of forest; CAS. – Chihuahua • 3 ♂♂; Santa Clara Canyon, 8 km W of Parrita; 21 Jun. 1956; J.W. McSwain and D.D. Linsdale leg.; BERK. – Guerrero • 1 ♀; Iguala; 1500 m a.s.l.; 18 Jul. 1962; H.E. Milliron leg.; CNCI.
Other material examined
CANADA – Alberta • 1 ♂; Jasper National Park, NE of Jasper Lake; 53°11′35″ N, 117°57′04″ W; 958 m a.s.l.; 21 Jul. 2012; wetland, Malaise trap; BIOBus 2012 leg.; BIOUG08032-B06/SSJAE1118-13 sequenced for CO1-5’; BIOUG.
Description
BODY (Fig. 106A). Length 2.4–2.7 mm. Head dark brown, bottom of frons orange; face, gena, and antennae dark brown. Frontal width 2.2–2.3× frontal height. Three pairs of strong interfrontal bristles surmounting a very fine fourth pair; anterior orbital 0.4–0.5 × length of posterior. Palpus yellow. Eye slightly reduced, greatest height about 2.5× shortest genal height. Thorax brown, scutum with paler lateral edges. Two pairs of dorsocentral bristles (anterior pair distinct, 0.5× length of posterior pair) separated by 8–9 rows of acrostichal setulae. Membrane around prosternum bare. Legs brown, mid and hind femora darker. Fore femur with three large ventral preapical setae. Ventral surface of male mid tibia with two rows of stout setae in apical third. Wing (Fig. 8F) slightly infuscate. CS2 0.7–0.8 × CS3. Halter brown with paler apex.
MALE ABDOMEN (Figs 106B–C, 107). Dark brown, posterior edges of tergites sometimes slightly desclerotized. T2–5 and S2–4 uniformly long-setose with large posterolateral setae. S5 rectangular, 1.3× length of S4, laterally long-setose with a large, dark posteromedial patch of dense setulae flanked by broad pale areas and then dark vertical bands, anteromedially with a dark, transverse band. Anterior flange of S6+7 small, weakly developed. Sclerite A large, ovoid; sclerite B very narrow, curved along anterodorsal part of genital pouch; sclerite C thick, elongate; sclerite D small, closely associated with left side of posteromedial patch of S5; sclerite E elongate, left apex bifurcate; sclerite F large, elongate and narrow, reaching over to sclerite A; sclerite G large, elongate; ring sclerite weakly developed, pale. Epandrium moderate, 1.0× length of S8, height 1.3 × maximum length and 0.6× maximum width, uniformly setose, ventral margin broadly desclerotized; perianal pads weakly developed. Pseudocercus elongate, narrowly connected to epandrium, with three setae; halves of subepandrial sclerite arched, narrow but apicomedially expanded at articulation with subcercus, halves well separated. Subcercus with inner part forming a broad, flat anterior lobe and a long, tapered posteroventral lobe, outer part smaller with a broad lateral lobe extending anteriorly parallel to inner lobe. Hypandrium with very long, thin anteromedial apodeme. Surstylus small, triangular, long-setose posteriorly. Postgonite short, slightly angulate, tapered in apical half, apical third with a long anterolateral lobe, apex with posteroventral bifurcation. Phallapodeme long, thin; basiphallus stout, curved, connected to distiphallus by a small, neck-like distal part; distiphallus largely membranous with two long, divergent dorsal sclerites and a U-shaped ventral sclerite.
FEMALE ABDOMEN (Fig. 108). T7 broad, simple; T8 divided into a broad, pale, dorsal sclerite and two broad, dark, lateral sclerites, ventral corners slightly produced. Epiproct broad, medially desclerotized, and entirely setulose. Cercus stout, blunt, with long apical and dorsal setae. S7 large, broad, posteriorly flat with four long posterior setae; S8 reduced to a pair of small, lateral sclerites, each bearing two setulae. Three spermathecae, bulb stout, subspherical, finely striate with a deep invagination on one end and a shallow invagination beside insertion point of duct, both invaginations with a finger-like, central process.
Distribution
Nearctic: Canada, United States of America; Neotropical: Mexico.
Remarks
Sclerocoelus parasordipes sp. nov., a widespread western Nearctic species known from British Columbia, Canada south to Guerrero, Mexico, is externally very similar to the eastern North American species S. sordipes. Male and female genitalia of these closely related species are similar; however, in S. parasordipes the pale medial area of the male S5 is smaller, with dark lateral lines separated from the anterior edge by about one-third the length of S5 and with a dark anterior band. The surstylus of S. parasordipes has a more concave anterobasal edge and the postgonite is of relatively uniform width and has an anterolateral lobe in the apical third. Female specimens of these apparently allopatric species cannot be distinguished without dissection.
description: Published as part of Kuwahara, Gregory K., Marshall, Stephen A. & Paiero, Steven M., 2025, A revision of the genus Sclerocoelus Marshall (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), pp. 1-277 in European Journal of Taxonomy 979 on pages 88-90, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.979.2803, http://zenodo.org/record/14980852