Peromitra agilis Left
Creators: name: Lee, Jun-Ho
name: Kim, Sam-Kyu
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Phoridae
Peromitra
Peromitra agilis

description: Peromitra agilis (Meigen, 1830)
(Figs. 1A, 1B, 2A–C, 3A–E, 4A–C, 5A, 5B, 6)
Phora agilis Meigen, 1830: 213. Type locality: not given (Europe).
Trineura agilis: Zetterstedt, 1860: 6478 (generic assignment).
Hypocera agilis: Schmitz, 1918: 86 (generic assignment).
Borophaga (Peromitra) agilis: Schmitz, 1927: 63 (generic assignment).
Peromitra agilis: Brown, 1992: 42 (generic assignment).
Phora nudifrons Macquart, 1835: 630. Type locality: “Du nord de la France ” (synonymy).
Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from the other Peromitra species by the combination of the following characteristics: vertex with highly raised ridge along posterior margin; anterior ocellus slightly wider than lateral ocelli, distinctly protruded anteriorly; first flagellomere blackish brown; hind tibia without anterodorsal bristle on basal half, and without dorsoapical bristle; wing vein R 2+3 present but faint; epandrial lobe extended to right side posteroventrally, rounded apically; dorsal extension of apical portion of aedeagus with dorsal and ventral shark fin-shaped processes and narrow, perpendicularly curved apical projection with blunt apex.
Description. Male. Body length 2.38–3.27 mm (n=10). Head (Figs. 1A, 2A–C). Frons black, shiny, with three transverse rows of four long bristles and sparsely covered fine hairs; supra-antennal bristle absent; middle row of bristles nearly straight. Vertex with highly raised ridge along posterior margin; ocellar region (Fig. 2A–C) raised, approximately 1.5× wider than long; anterior ocellus oval, approximately 1.6× wider than long, slightly wider than lateral ocelli, distinctly protruded anterodorsally. First flagellomere dark brown, subglobose. Arista dark brown, located subapically. Palpus dark brown, with single long apical bristle and some shorter bristles along apex to ventral margin. Labrum brown and labella pale yellow, short. Thorax (Fig. 1A). Scutum and scutellum blackish brown. Posterior margin of scutum without strong prescutellar bristles between post-alar bristles. Scutellum with anterior pair of short, narrow bristles and posterior pair of long, strong bristles. Pleuron blackish brown but lower part under one-third of anepisternum slightly brighter. Upper half of anepisternum covered with short setae. Legs (Figs. 1A, 4A–C). Blackish brown except fore tibia and tarsus yellowish brown and midtarsus brown. Fore tibia (Fig. 4A) with single strong dorsal bristle on basal half, single longitudinal row of short dorsal setulae on apical half, and two preapical short posterior setae. Apical fore tarsomere widened, with enlarged pulvilli. Midtibia (Fig. 4B) with single dorsal longitudinal setal palisade, single pair of dorsal bristles on basal quarter, one anteroventral preapical bristle, one short dorsal seta, one short anterodorsal seta, two long ventroapical spurs and one short ventral bristle near apical spurs. Hind tibia (Fig. 4C) with two dorsal longitudinal setal palisades, one anterodorsal preapical bristle, three ventroapical spurs, and some short posteroapical setae. Wing (Fig. 5A). 2.02–2.84 mm long (n=10). Costal index 0.45–0.48. Mean costal ratio 4.15:1.80:1; range 3.73–4.92:1.64–2.17:1. Costal setae of costal section III 0.07–0.09 mm long. Vein Rs with single row of short, fine setulae on dorsal face except apical end. Vein R 2+3 present but faint. Apex of Vein R 4+5 not widened. Vein M 1 started near point of base of R 2+3, highly curved basally and nearly straight apically. Veins brown, membrane hyaline with yellow tinge. 7–8 alular setae present, 0.10–0.18 mm long. Halter black. Abdomen (Fig. 1A). Tergites blackish brown, shiny. Venter of abdomen dark brown, with single pair of rounded sternite 6. Hypopygium (Fig. 6A–D). Epandrium asymmetrical, dark brown. Left and right epandrial lobe fused and extended to right side posteroventrally, rounded apically, covered with some short hairs on surface (Fig. 6A–C). Hypandrium large, dark brown. Lower portion of hypandrium with single pair of lateral membranous lobe cordate, spinulose on posterior and ventral margin; anteroventral portion of lateral membranous lobe slightly pointed (Fig. 6A, C). Posterior margin of left side of hypandrium with large hooked plate, single narrow digitiform process under hooked plate, and single short, rounded process near posteroventral corner of lateral membranous lobe (Fig. 6A). Posterior margin of right side of hypandrium similar to left side, but hooked plate less acute (Fig. 6C). Single pair of small anteroventral processes near basal portion of phallapodeme present, highly sclerotized (Fig. 6D). Cercus and hypoproct short, with some short hairs. Aedeagus (Fig. 6E, F). Basically tubular, consisting of dorsal tube and ventral process protruding at middle of dorsal tube. Right side of basal half of dorsal tube with transparent area (Fig. 6F). Apical half of dorsal tube elongated and curved perpendicularly, with single dorsal and two ventral shark fin-shaped processes basally, and narrow, perpendicularly curved apical projection with blunt apex. Ventral process mostly membranous except upper margin, strongly curved upwardly, with expanded membrane on right side (Fig. 6D).
Female. Body length 2.85–4.14 mm (n=10). Head (Figs. 1B, 3A–E). Similar to male but different as follows: first flagellomere smaller, globose (Fig. 3A); labrum stout, dark brown, pyriform, with apically bifurcated, upwardly curved hook at tip and single pair of long spines ventrally (Fig. 3B–C); labella broadened, with ligula long, pointed, highly sclerotized; ventral surface of each labellum with pseudotracheae only on inner half of labellum (Fig. 3D–E). Thorax (Fig. 1B). Similar to male. Legs (Fig. 1B). Similar to male but fore tarsomere 5 not widened. Wing (Fig. 5B). Similar to male, 2.29–2.91 mm long (n=10). Costal index 0.45–0.49. Mean costal ratio 3.79:1.90:1; range 3.33–4.24:1.58–2.13:1. Costal setae of costal section III 0.07–0.10 mm long. 6–8 alular setae present, 0.14–0.22 mm long. Abdomen (Figs. 1B, 6G–I). Tergites 1–6 well developed, blackish brown. Abdominal segment 7 membranous, without tergite and sternite. Entire surface of abdominal segment 8 longitudinally wrinkled and highly melanized except membranous dorsomedial line, with single pair of tergite 8 posterodorsally; tergite 8 rounded (Fig. 6G, H), bare. Anterior half of dorsal face of segment 9+10 membranous, with some short hairs; posterior half of dorsal face of segment 9+10 with well-developed tergite 9; tergite 9 pale brown, with concave anterior margin and rounded posterior margin, covered with some short hairs (Fig. 6G). Venter of abdomen dark brown, without sclerites except on segment 9+10. Anterior half of segment 9+10 with butterfly-shaped sclerite covering lateral and ventral surface, posterolateral edge fused with anterolateral edge of tergite 9, with internal melanized protrusion medially (Fig. 6H–I). Posterior half of segment 9+10 with well-developed sternite 9; sternite 9 pale brown, pyriform, covered with short hairs (Fig. 6I). Cercus oval, divergent from each other, with single long hair on apex and some shorter hairs on apical half.
Specimens examined. Korea: 7♂ 2♀, Gyeonggi-do, Pocheon-si, Soheul-eup, Korea National Arboretum, 37°45′22″N, 127°09′48.9″E, 5.viii.2011, Malaise trap, KNA leg. (KNU); 2♂, ditto, 30.vi.2014 (KNU); 3♂ 1♀, Jeollabuk-do, Jinan-gun, Maryeong-myeon, Gangjeong-ri, Gwangdaebong Peak, 35°44′41″N, 127°21′25″E, 10–31.vii.2015, Malaise trap, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) leg. (KNU); 2♂, Gangwon-do, Hongcheon-gun, Nae-myeon, Jaun-ri, near Unduryeong Hill, 37°43′08.3″N, 128°26′44.9″E, 16.vi–31.viii.2019, Malaise trap, M. Lee & Park leg. (KNU); 3♂, Gangwon-do, Inje-gun, Buk-myeon, Hangye-ri, 38°08′46.5″N, 128°15′47.5″E, 24.vi–2.vii.2019, Malaise trap, Park & Nam leg. (KNU); 1♂, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Bonghwagun, Chunyang-myeon, Seokhyeon-ri, near Gakhwasa Temple, 36°59′26.1″N, 128°54′33.9″E, 8.vii.2019, J.-H. Lee leg. (KNU); 1♂, Gangwon-do, Chuncheon-si, Dongnae-myeon, Geodu-ri, Mt. Daeryongsan, 37°51′08″N, 127°48′22.2″E, 5–19.vii.2019, Malaise trap, J.-H. Lee leg. [NIBRIN0000984773] (NIBR); 3♂ 1♀, ditto (KNU); 11♂ 3♀, ditto, 19.vii–5.viii.2019 (KNU); 1♂, ditto, 5–19.viii.2019 (KNU); 1♂, Jeollabuk-do, Jinan-gun, Jucheonmyeon, Daebul-ri, Unilam Banilam Valley, 35°58′49.8″N, 127°23′45.3″E, 4.vii–16.viii.2020, Malaise trap, J.H. Sohn et al. leg. (KNU); 6♂ 3♀, Gangwon-do, Pyeongchang-gun, Jinbu-myeon, Mt. Odaesan, streamside near Banyagyo Bridge, 37°44′21.5″N, 128°35′11.6″E, 15.vii–14.viii.2020, Malaise trap, J.-H. Lee leg. (KNU); 1♀, Gangwon-do, Pyeongchang-gun, Daegwallyeong-myeon, Hoengye-ri, peak of Mt. Sohwangbyeongsan, 37°45′42.5″N, 128°40′05.1″E, 1300 m, 16.viii.2020, J.-H. Lee leg. (KNU); 2♂, Gangwon-do, Chuncheon-si, Hupyeong-dong, Mt. Bonguisan, 37°53′34″N, 127°44′05″E, 3.vi–7.vii.2022, Malaise trap, J.-H. Lee leg. (KNU); 2♂ 2♀, Gangwon-do, Pyeongchang-gun, Jinbu-myeon, Mt. Odaesan, streamside near Seopdari Bridge, 37°44′59″N, 128°34′43.4″E, 12.vii–4.viii.2022, Malaise trap, S. Shin et al. leg. (KNU); 1♂, Gangwon-do, Hongcheon-gun, Nae-myeon, Sambong National Recreational Forest, 37°52′03.9″N, 128°27′42.4″E, 737 m, 24.vii–24.viii.2023, Malaise trap, S. Shin et al. leg. (KNU).
Ecology. This species was collected widely in mountainous regions in South Korea. Adults usually appear in summer, wandering on leaves of broadleaf trees or shrubs. In Europe, the species was collected by emergence traps installed on soils in mixed forest, which implies the larval habitat of the species (Disney, 1994). Detailed ecological information including larval feeding habits is largely unknown.
Remarks. There are some slight difference in the hypopygium between South Korean and European specimens illustrated in Disney (2010): short, rounded lobe near lateral membranous lobe of hypandrium distinctly higher than long (longer than high in European specimen); extension of dorsal tube of aedeagus with two ventral pointed processes basally (single pointed process in European specimen).
Distribution. Korea (Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, Jeollabuk-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, North Korea), Europe, Russia.
description: Published as part of Lee, Jun-Ho & Kim, Sam-Kyu, 2025, First record of the scuttle fly genus Peromitra (Diptera: Phoridae) from South Korea, with a key to world species, pp. 111-135 in Zootaxa 5594 (1) on pages 113-116, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5594.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/14954182