Amiota subnebojsa 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 subnebojsa

description: Amiota subnebojsa, sp. nov.
Figures 52E–F, 53H, 59, 60B, 92C
DIAGNOSIS: Large fly (ThL 1.67–1.79 mm), glossy black with a black head; outer paraphysis heavily sclerotized; apex with short spine, barely hooked; lateral view with 2 long spines on dorsal margin; in ventral view base forming a tapered wing curving medially; inner paraphysis lost; very similar to A. latilabrum, differing as given in diagnosis for that species.
DESCRIPTION: Large fly (ThL 1.67–1.79 mm), dark brown, glossy, grading lighter ventrally; legs yellow. Facial marking very large, semicircular. Cheek wide (EL/CW 8.33–12.28), posteriorly milky white. Frons dark, nearly black dorsally, ventral portion light brown. Palp dark brown. Arista: Very short, plumose; longest branch D2; A.R. 0.29; 3 dorsal, 0 ventral branches, none pointed mediad/laterad; arista trunk with long microtrichia along entire length. Male genitalia: Epandrium nearly split medially, not grading with surrounding membrane; dense cluster of setae ventrally, ascending in a single line toward apex; small lobe projecting on anterolateral margin. Cercus oval shaped, distinct from surrounding membrane. Surstylus rather semicircular, scattered setulae on ventral third; 15 peglike prensisetae, apices blunt, comblike; lateral fingerlike lobe present, not extending beyond prensisetae. Subepandrial sclerite C-shaped in lateral view, moderately sclerotized; subepandrial appendage long, oriented posteriorly, heart shaped in posterior view, tapering to a blunt point, invaginated medially. Outer paraphyses heavily sclerotized, formed of 2 lobes, split deeply medially; apex blunt with sharp hook in lateral view, laterally flattened; posterior margin forming a wing; anterior/dorsal margin with 2 long spines, distal spine oriented dorsally, proximal spine longer and with small subapical tooth, oriented anteriorly; basal portion modified into tapering wing; in ventral view 2 clawed appendages; proximal appendage, stubby; basal tapering wing, long, curving medially. Inner paraphysis lost. Aedeagal apodeme length equal to width; base with a deep cleft, distal end widely flared with medium emargination. Hypandrium deeply notched, accommodating outer paraphyses; lateral arm with gonopod, projecting posteroventrally. Pair of membranous lobes present, connected to space within hypandrium. Ejaculatory apodeme not studied. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 5; Am 442, 443, 447, 448, 1527) FL/FW 0.74 (0.72–0.78), EL/EW 1.30 (1.22–1.48), EL/CW 9.93 (8.33–12.28), FML/ FMW 0.43 (0.40–0.44), PR /RR 0.53 (0.38– 0.80), ThL 1.73 (1.67–1.79 mm).
TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: male: MEXICO, Morelos #7, 14 mi N. Cuernavaca, [19.188745, -99.228691], 7300′, 29 July 1963, George W. Byers, Am 443, [specimen glued to paper point, dissected]. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Paratypes: MEX-ICO, Morelos #7, 14 mi N. Cuernavaca, 7300′, 29 July 1963, George W. Byers, 6♂ (Am 442*, 445, 446, 447*, 448*, 449, SEMC).
OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Mexico: Durango: 14 mi. SW El Salto, 8000′, 1964-06-26, leg. J.F. McAlpine, attracted to man, 1♂ (Am 1527*, CNC).
ETYMOLOGY: Formed from sub, Latin for “under or below,” and nebojsa, a previously described species in the genus which it is presumably closely related.
DISTRIBUTION: Amiota subnebojsa is currently known only from the state of Morelos in Mexico.
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 107-108, DOI: 10.1206/0003-0090.458.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7400026