Empis (Enoplempis) multifaria Sinclair, Brooks & Cumming, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Sinclair, Bradley J.
name: Brooks, Scott E.
name: Cumming, Jeffrey M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Empididae
Empis
Empis multifaria

description: Empis (Enoplempis) multifaria sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C50181D6-7FD7-4C5C-A58A-B54EF37368E5
(Figs 2, 62–70, 76, 77, 81)
Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, labelled: “[USA] WA: Fields’ Spr./ St. Prk. [46°4′N 117°10′W] Asotin Co. / June 6-7, 1971 ”; “ W.J. Turner / collector”; “ HOLOTYPE / Empis (Enoplempis) / multifaria Sinclair,/ Brooks & Cumming [red label]” (WSU). PARATYPES: USA. Washington: Same data as holotype (2♂, 2♀, WSU). Asotin County: 4 mi. S Anatone [46°4′N 117°10′W], 3600 ft, 10.vi.1977, MT, WJT (1♂, WSU); same data except, Fields Spring SP, 3500–4000 ft, 7.vi.1973 (1♂, 1♀, WSU); same data except, 26.v.1974, Dry Ice MT (1♂, WSU); same data except, 12–13.vi.1974 (2♂, WSU). Columbia County: Tucannon Fish Hatchery, 20 mi. E Dayton [46°19′N 117°39′W], 15.v.1979, sweeping, WJT (1♂, WSU). San Juan County: Friday Harbor [48°32′N 123°1′5W], 25.vi.1909 (1♂, USNM). Whitman County: Wawawai [46°38′N 117°22′W], R. W. Doane (1♂, USNM). Yakima County: 35 mi. S Toppenish [45°56′N 120°40′W], 14.v.1948, H.B. Leech (1♂, 1♀, CAS).
Additional material examined. CANADA. British Columbia: Nanaimo [49°09′N 123°56′W], 25.v.1925, G.J. Spencer (1♂, UBCZ). USA. California: Butte County: Yankee Hill [39°42′N 121°31′W], 20.iii.1928, H.H. Keifer (2♂, CAS). Marin County: Alpine Lk. [37°56′N 122°38′W], 23.iii.1956, A.M. Barnes (4♂, 5♀, EMEC); Lily Lk. nr Alpine Lk., 750 ft, 13.iii.1970, WJT (1♂, 3♀, WFBM); Lily Pond, Alpine Lk., 1500 ft, 18.v–9.vi.1978, D.D. Munroe (1♂, CNC). Plumas County: Butterfly Valley, 14.5 km N Quincy, 39.9939°N 120.9918°W, 1200 m, 2.v.2013, G.W. Forister (1♂, UCDC); Graeagle [39°45′N 120°37′W], 17.vi.1949, E.I. Schlinger (1♂, UCDC). San Mateo County: Skyline Blvd nr La Honda Rd [37°23′N 122°15′W], 20.v.1949, PHA (1♂, 1♀, USNM). Santa Clara County: 3 mi. W New Almaden, Herbert Ck [37°09′N 121°51′W], 18.iv.1966, JAP (1♂, EMEC); Santa Cruz Mts [37°06′N 121°50′W], 21.iii.1973, in flight, D. Whitman (1♂, EMEC). Santa Cruz County: Santa Cruz [36°58′19″N 122°1′35″W], 1.i.1919, E.P. Van Duzee (1♂, CAS). Sierra County: Sierraville [39°35′N 120°22′W], 28.vi.1966, R. L. Brumley (1♂, 1♀, UCDC). Shasta County: Viola, 4 mi. W [40°31′N 121°45′W], 19.v.1941, C.D. Michener (1♂, WSU); same data except, Taraxacum vulgare (1♀, EMEC). Tehama County: 35 mi. W Orland, Mud Flap Camp [39°49′N 122°39′W], 13.v.1961, D. R. Miller (1♂, UCDC). Tuolumne County: Ackerson Meadows, 4 mi. S Mather [37°50′N 119°50′W], 5000 ft, 14.vi.1975, N.J. Smith (1♂, UCDC). Idaho: Latah County: Moscow Mtn [46°48ʹN 116°52ʹW], 6.vii.1912 (1♂, USNM); same data except, 7.vii.1918, ALM (1♂, USNM). Shoshone County: St Joe NF, FR 301 at logging rd, 46.993°N 116.141°W, 1225 m, 10.vi.2009, I.S. Winkler, E09-67a (1♂, CNC). Oregon: Benton County: Corvallis, Lewisburg Saddle Rd 580 at NW Sulfur Spr. Rd, ca 44.636959°N 123.296457°W, 13.v.2014, SJF (2♂, CNC); 5 mi. up Woods Ck Rd jct. Hwy 20, ca 44.544022°N 123.503047°W, 15.v.2014, mixed woods & creek banks, SJF (1♀, CNC). Coos County: ca 3 mi. SE Remote, Rock Ck, 42°59′27″N 123°51′41″W, 28.v.2009, SEB (2♂, 1♀, CNC). Douglas County: Riddle [42°57′N 123°21′W], 14.iii.1936, G. Ferguson (1♂, CUIC); Roseburg [43°13′N 123°21′W], 6.iv.1938, J. Wilcox (1♂, USNM). Hood River County: Hood River [45°42′N 121°31′W], 24.vi.1917, F. R. Cole (1♂, USNM). Jackson County: Pacific Crest Trail nr Hyatt Lk. [42°10′N 122°26′W], 24.vi.1994, SJF (1♂, CSUC). Lane County: Eugene [44°3′N 123°5′W], 8.viii.1965, blk light trap, K. Goeden (1♂, ODAC). Umatilla County: Milton [45°56′N 118°23′W], 22.vi.1938, K. Gray, J. Schuh (1♂, WSU). Union County: U. Lick Ck, 28 mi. SE Union [45°12′N 117°52′W], 4920 ft, 19–22.vi.1977, MT baited with CO 2, E.J. Davis (1♂, WSU). Wallowa County: Hell’s Cyn Nat. Rec. Area, Lick Crk Cpgd, 18 mi. S Joseph [45°09′N 117°01′W], 5400 ft, 5–7.vii.1992, S.D. Gaimari (1♂, CNC).
Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of the E. (En.) bigoti species group by frons narrowed below ocellar triangle, four brown scutal vittae (Fig. 66), both sexes with largely shiny abdomen, not separated into bands to largely pubescent with narrow shiny bands, male hind tibia with long, triangular digitiform anteroventral process (Figs 69, 70), and upper section of phallus broadly to strongly recurved with apex flattened with roughened lateral margin.
Description. Wing length 5.5–7.1 mm. Male. Similar to E. (En.) collinsi sp. nov., except as follows: thorax with scutum with 4 broad, brownish vittae, medial vittae ending at prescutellar depression (Figs 2, 66). Proepisternum with several pale to dark setae, similar to lower occipital setae. Postpronotum with 1–2 long setae and several short, dark setae of various lengths. Scutum with 2–4 strong posterior npl, with several short anterior setulae; 1–2 presut spal; 1 psut spal; 1 pal, with short setula. Scutellum with 2–4 pairs of sctl, widely separated medially; disc bare.
Legs long, stocky; femora without pile beneath; yellowish brown, including coxae, tarsi darker apically, coxae without greyish pruinescence to coxae with bluish pruinescence and base of femora yellowish brown, remaining segments progressively darker (Figs 2, 62). Fore tarsomere 1 usually slightly to distinctly swollen, narrower to slightly broader than width of tibia. Hind femur usually with pair of slender, knob-like anteroventral lobes on distal half, bearing short apical setae, or sometimes knobs greatly reduced to setose swelling; tubular ventral process distal to anteroventral lobes, usually apex expanded laterally with laterally-directed tuft of setae; transverse row of thickened setae proximal ventral process; row of short, hooked setae distal to ventral process; apex with preapical row of strong, twisted posteroventral setae and longer, straight posterior setae; preapical anterior seta strongly developed (Figs 67–70). Hind tibia with base slightly twisted; anteroventral triangular digitiform process on broad base on basal quarter, longer than width of tibia, tapered with several short, apical setulae, base of process with posteroventral setulae; posteroventrally with broad, triangular process with long, black apical setae, longer than process, with seta in posteroapical comb; sparse to dense rows of anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae, subequal to or twice width of tibia; proximal half with fine, erect setae ventrally, as long as width of tibia (Figs 67, 68). Hind tarsus similar to mid tarsus; tarsomere 1 slightly swollen, with several long anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae.
Abdomen dark, shiny, except tergite 1 and tergite 7 pruinescent; or abdomen mostly greyish pruinescent, with narrow shiny bands on anterior and posterior margins of tergites. Terminalia (Figs 63, 76, 77): dark brown with hypandrium and phallus shiny orange brown. Cercus shorter than epandrium, subrectangular; base of cercus partially fused with epandrium; dorsal margin straight or with slight notch near mid-length; apex rounded; setae especially dense on anterodorsal margin, nearly as long as width of cercus. Subepandrial process short, extending to either side of phallus. Epandrial lamella linear, longer than height; posterior margin truncate with short, up-turned dorsal margin; setae longer than cercal setae. Hypandrium long, extending to near base of apical section of phallus, with rounded apical margin; without setae. Phallus with basal half slightly expanded, continuous into apical section; apical half gently curved and sinuous (Fig. 77) or strongly recurved (Fig. 76), before arching dorsally; apex slightly emerging beyond cercus, apex flattened, with roughened lateral margins; ejaculatory apodeme small, nearly one-third length of epandrium, T-shaped, with lateral apodemes on lower third.
Female. Similar to male, except as follows: frons nearly as broad as ocellar triangle at narrowest point; hindleg without modified setae and processes; abdominal pleural membrane expanded between segments 4 and 5; tergites 7 and 8 pruinescent (Figs 64, 65).
Geographical distribution and seasonal occurrence (Fig. 81). Empis (En.) multifaria sp. nov. is known from British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California. Adults have been collected from January to August.
Etymology. From the Latin for multifarious or various, in recognition of the variability of the male legs and phallus of this species.
Nuptial gift presentation. Form unknown.
Remarks. This species has great variability in the density and length of dorsal setae of the hind tibia, curvature of the phallus, inflation of fore tarsomere 1 and size of knob-like lobes on the hind femur. No clear separation among the variation could be discerned and we assume this is a variable species. It is possible the variation in the shape of the phallus and even fore tarsomere 1 is dependent on the sexual maturity of the specimen.
description: Published as part of Sinclair, Bradley J., Brooks, Scott E. & Cumming, Jeffrey M., 2025, Revision of the western Nearctic species of Empis subgenus Enoplempis (Diptera: Empididae), pp. 1-200 in Zootaxa 5615 (1) on pages 34-36, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5615.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/15217957