Amiota biacuminis 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 biacuminis

description: Amiota biacuminis, sp. nov.
Figures 34C–D, 37B; 39D–F, H–J, Q; 87B
DIAGNOSIS: Large fly (ThL 1.52–1.74 mm), dark blackish brown, including entire pleura; white spots typical of genus present; cheek deep, yellow; belongs to complex of species that includes A. uniacuminis and A. forceps, all with short outer paraphyses that are pincerlike in lateral view; inner paraphysis lost; subepandrial appendage well developed, protruding, apex triangular with an apical “nipple”; hypandrium with 1 or 2 small, wrinkled lobes; Amiota biacuminis distinguished from other species as follows: Arista plumosity shorter; lower lobe of outer paraphysis with apex rounded (vs. bifid); surstylus with fewer prensisetae (7 vs. 12–14); hypandrium with two wrinkled lobes flanking apex (vs. 1).
DESCRIPTION: Large fly (ThL 1.52–1.74 mm), dark blackish brown, pleura entirely dark (including katepisternum); legs yellow. Characteristic markings typical of genus present. Frons dark brown, fading to light brown at margins and orbital plate. Cheek very deep (EL/CW 6.18–7.5), yellowish. Facial marking large, depth 0.25× width. Palp brown. Tergites 1 and 2 lightly colored. Arista: Short, plumose; longest branch D3; A.R. 0.27; 3 longer dorsal, 1 short dorsal, 3 very short ventral branches preapically; no branches pointed significantly mediad or laterad; arista trunk with medium-length microtrichia, bare on apical third. Male genitalia: Epandrium complete dorsally, ventral margin in this area evanescent, graded into membrane below. Cercus of moderate size, nearly grading with surrounding membrane, but margins discrete and faint. Surstylus oval shaped; 7 long prensisetae, apices blunt, closely arranged, comblike; setulae along ventral margin; row of medially projecting setulae dorsal to prensisetae. Subepandrial sclerite well developed; subepandrial appendage present, triangular in full ventral view, broad at base and tapering to small, nipplelike point. Outer paraphysis heavily sclerotized, compressed laterally, pincerlike in lateral view, with 2 lobes: upper lobe slender and pointed, lower lobe thicker with apex rounded. Inner paraphysis lost. Aedeagal apodeme slightly rectangular, width 0.80× length, the basal lateral margins heavily sclerotized; with slightly lateral constriction, anterior margin with faint emargination. Hypandrium roughly squared, inner margin more sclerotized; apex with two flattened, wrinkled, paramedian lobes; lateral arm with large swollen gonopod, ventrally pointed. Ejaculatory apodeme long, length equal to depth of epandrium. Head and thorax measurements: (n = 5; Am 1420, 1449, 1481, 1485, 1515) FL/FW 0.47 (0.43–0.51), EL/EW 1.28 (1.17–1.39), EL/CW 6.57 (6.18–7.5), FML/FMW 0.26 (0.24–0.28), PR /RR 0.46 (0.36–0.50), ThL 1.60 (1.52–1.74 mm).
TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: male: 14 mi. SW. El Salto, Dgo. [Durango] MEX., [23.786449, -105.597725], 8000′, June “9” 1964, J.F. McAlpine, attracted to man, Am 1485, [glued directly to pin, dissected]. Deposited in the Canadian National Collection (CNC). Paratypes: 14 mi. SW. El Salto, Dgo. [Durango] MEX., June “9” 1964, J.F. McAlpine, attracted to man, 2♂ (Am 1486*, 1522*, CNC); 14 mi. SW. El Salto, Dgo. [Durango] MEX., 8000′, June “26” 1964, J.F. McAlpine, attracted to man, 4♂ (Am 1449*, 1457*, 1481*, 1494*, CNC).
OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Mexico: Chiapas: 16 mi. NW Comitan, 5000′, 1969-05-18, leg. H.J. Teskey, (Am 1420*, CNC). Durango: 24 mi W La Ciudad, 7000′, 1964-06-25, leg. J.F. McAlpine, 1♂ (Am 1515*, CNC).
ETYMOLOGY: Formed from Latin bi - for “two” and acuminis for “sharp point,” in reference to the two points on the apex of the hypandrium.
DISTRIBUTION: Amiota biacuminis is known from the states of Durango and Chiapas 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 72-73, DOI: 10.1206/0003-0090.458.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7400026