Microphorella macdonaldi, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Cumming, Jeffrey M.
name: Brooks, Scott E.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Dolichopodidae
Microphorella
Microphorella macdonaldi

description: Microphorella macdonaldi sp. nov.
(Figs 5, 23)
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 07E499E7-A2B0-4A7F-A129-9F3B486D583F
Type material. HOLOTYPE, ♂ labelled: “ CA.Huntington L. [ca. 37°13ʹN 119°14ʹW]/ Kaiser C. 2700m / Fresno Co. 17.VIII/ J. MacDonald 1984”; “84-0079”; “ Microphorella / ornatipes/ Det. J.F. MacDonald ”; “ HOLOTYPE / Microphorella macdonaldi / Cumming & Brooks [red label]” (CNC). PARATYPES: USA: California: Same data as holotype (1♀, CNC); same data as holotype except, Rancheria C., 2600m, 20.viii.1984 (1♀, CNC); same data as holotype except, Midge C., 2200m, 13.viii.1984 (1♀, CNC); Bolsillo Creek at Bolsillo Campground, SW of Mono Hot Springs, 2270 m, 8.viii.1975, Paul H. Arnaud, Jr. (1♂, 2♀, CAS); Madera County: Chiquito Creek, 0.25 mi below Upper Chiquito Campground, 6820 ft, 11.viii.1971, Hugh B. Leech (2♂, CAS).
Diagnosis. Males of M. macdonaldi sp. nov. are distinguished by their broad face (Fig. 5) and long dorsal setae on fore tarsomere 5, in contrast to males of M. breviradia sp. nov. and M. vespera sp. nov., which both have a narrow face (as in Fig. 2) and shorter dorsal setae on fore tarsomere 5. The hypopygial morphology of M. macdonaldi sp. nov. is similar to some specimens of M. breviradia sp. nov. (see Figs 10, 11). Females of M. macdonaldi sp. nov. appear to be indistinguishable from those of M. breviradia sp. nov. and M. vespera sp. nov.
Description. Male (Fig. 5): Body length 1.40–1.43 mm, wing length 1.67–1.78 mm. Similar to M. breviradia sp. nov. except as follows: Head (Fig. 5): Slightly broader than high in anterior view, not wider in occasional specimens. Face broader, nearly twice width of anterior ocellus at narrowest point in middle. Antenna with postpedicel slightly shorter, about 2X longer than wide, conical and gradually tapered distally; arista-like stylus slightly longer, about 2X length of postpedicel. Thorax: Dorsum and pleura with brighter metallic blue-grey coloration, dorsum with reduced greenish-bronze region posteriorly. Legs: Femora and tibiae dark grey-brown. Foreleg: Tarsomere 5 slightly larger, with tuft of longer dorsal setae. Hindleg: Femur with series of ventral setae pale, as long as femur width; tibia straight, without erect setae; tarsus slightly shorter than tibia (>0.7X tibia length). Abdomen: Dark brown with bluish grey tinge. Hypopygium: Right epandrial lamella with anterior end slightly projected. Dorsal lobe of right surstylus with 2 basiventral projections and 3 strong marginal setae on ventral margin (similar to Fig. 11). Right cercus with apex narrow (similar to Fig. 14).
Female: Body length 1.38–1.49 mm, wing length 1.73–1.79 mm. Similar to male except as follows: Head: Face more linear, not narrowed in middle. Thorax: Dorsum mostly dull greenish-bronze. Legs: Foreleg: Tarsomere 5 smaller with fewer dorsal setae. Hindleg: Femur with short indistinct setae ventrally. Abdomen: Similar to M. breviradia sp. nov.
Distribution. This new species is known from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in central California, USA (Fig. 23).
Etymology. This species is named after the late John F. MacDonald of Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. John was primarily a specialist on Hemerodromiinae, who collected many other valuable Empidoidea, including much of the type series of this new species. His empidoid collection now resides in the CNC.
Remarks. No barcode sequences were obtained from the small number of specimens known for this species. The width of the male face in M. macdonaldi is relatively broad compared with the narrower face of males of M. breviradia or M. vespera, resembling the wider face found in M. breviradia species group females. Although a broader face is one of the demasculinization features described by Runyon (2022) for nematode infected Dolichopodidae, it does not appear to be the case for males of M. macdonaldi, which show no signs of nematode infection.
description: Published as part of Cumming, Jeffrey M. & Brooks, Scott E., 2022, Establishment of the Microphorella breviradia species group, with a key to the Nearctic species groups of Microphorella Becker (Diptera: Dolichopodidae sensu lato: Parathalassiinae), pp. 197-214 in Zootaxa 5134 (2) on pages 202-206, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5134.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/6536905