Calliphora irazuana Townsend 1908
Creators: name: Rognes, Terry Whitworth With An Appendix By Knut
name: Whitworth, Terry
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Calliphoridae
Calliphora
Calliphora irazuana

description: Calliphora irazuana Townsend, 1908
Figs. 1, 4, 8, 9, 16, 17, 24–26, 36, 40, 44, 51
Calliphora irazuana Townsend, 1908: 118; Vargas and Wood, 2010: 1303. Calliphora vomitoria: Shannon, 1923: 115 (misidentification).
Calliphora nigribasis: Shannon, 1926: 134 (misidentification).
Calliphora terraenovae: Hall, 1948: 303 (misidentification).
Type information. Townsend (1908) described Calliphora irazuana from a single female specimen (USNM, Type No. 10886). The holotype was collected by Schild and Burgdorf from Irazu, Costa Rica; no date of collection was given. The holotype was examined and specimen labels are shown in Fig. 51.
The holoype is typical of the female of this species described below. It is generally in good condition, though it is missing a tarsus on right side of midleg, venter of midthorax near pin has heavy white glue, and there are breaks in cuticle of dorsolateral area at base of abdomen on right side and at rear tip of scutellum. Only two postsutural intra-alar setae present, the type lacks the tiny extra postsutural intra-alar seta found in some specimens.
Diagnosis. Known only from higher elevations (900m or more) in Central America and Mexico. To distinguish C. irazuana from C. triseta (geographical ranges overlap): C. irazuana normally has only two postsutural intra-alar setae (some specimens have a tiny third seta barely larger than surrounding small setae) while triseta normally has a distinct third intra-alar seta. Additional character states of irazuana include genal groove usually orange versus brown or black; setae on back of head pale yellow versus whitish; lower calypter rim and setal fringe usually reddish brown versus pale whitish; anterior third to half of gena often with faint reddish coloration versus all dark; surstylus in lateral view short and slender versus broad and longer; male frons narrow, 0.034 (0.03–0.04/5) of head width, similar to C. triseta.
Description. Frontal vitta and lower parafacial reddish brown; anterior half of gena often more reddish brown in contrast to the rear half and postgena which is brown to dark brown; genal groove reddish brown to brown; upper parafacial and fronto-orbital plate faintly golden color when viewed from above, black to dark brown from below; occiput with 2–3 rows of stout black setae below the postocular row; center of occiput with silky yellow setae. Supravibrissal setae on facial ridge ascending about 70% up facial ridge toward antennal base (as in Fig. 6). Anterior thoracic spiracle brown to orange brown, lighter around opening, posterior spiracle dark brown; normally with only two postsutural intra-alar setae, sometimes a third weak seta. Central area of upper calypter brown, outer margin pale, rim of calypter and fringe dark brown to black; lower calypter, including rim, usually dark brown with long reddish brown fringe. Males smaller, averaging 9–10mm in length, females larger, averaging 10–13mm.
Male. Frons narrow, at narrowest, 0.034 (0.03–0.04/5) of head width; 0.45 (0.39–0.50/5) of first flagellomere; parafacial wide, at narrowest, 2.4x frons width (1.8–2.8/5); about equal to first flagellomere 1.1 (0.92–1.2/5); gena to eye ratio 0.44 (0.42–0.46/5). Fronto-orbital plates meet in middle; frontal setae ascend about 2/3 up frons toward median ocellus. A contrasting changeable spot visible at top of parafacial. Surstyli and cerci in lateral view long and slender, similar to those in C. lopesi which is known only from southern South America; surstylus ending in sharp point versus rounded point in C. lopesi. In posterior view, cercus and surstylus equal in length (Fig. 9) versus cercus longer than surstylus in C. lopesi (Fig. 11). Phallus, hypandrium, pre- and postgonites, ejaculatory sclerites, and sternites as in Figs. 16, 17, 24–26, 36, respectively.
Female. Frons 0.35 (0.34–0.35/5) of head width at narrowest; 3.9 (3.4–4.4/5) of first flagellomere; parafacial, at narrowest, 0.36 (0.31–0.39/5) of frons; 1.4 (1.2–1.4/5) of first flagellomere; gena to eye ratio 0.58 (0.57–0.60/5). Frontal setae long and densely set, ascending to level of rear ocelli; one lateroclinate and two proclinate frontoorbital setae present. Two changeable spots visible, one midway on fronto-orbital plate and one on upper parafacial. T5 with short incision, which can be difficult to see when tip of abdomen is curled under. Ovipositor and spermathecae as in Figs. 40, 44, posterior margin of ST8 bifurcated in this species and C. lopesi.
Specimens examined. 34 males, 122 females. Costa Rica (19 males, 112 females): Alajuela Province: 6 females, Rio Poasito, May 10, 1995, Baumann and Houseman (BYU). Cartago Province: 2 females, Cartago, 9°40'N 83°50'W, May 18–20, 1973, 2610m, J. Helava (CNC); 1 female, Villa Mills, May 2, 1980, T. Laverty, (CNC); 1 male, 5 females, Hgw. 2 km, 93, 9 °36'N 83°45'W, April 7, 1985, H. Goulet, L. Masner (CNC); 1 male, 1 female, P.N. Tapanti-Macizo de la Muerte, el Tajo, 2840m, L_S_329700_593100, Feb. 11, 2002, M. Alfaro (INBIO); 1 male, Rio Macho, Camino a Torre 46, 2760m, L_S_396700_482550, 12 April, 1997, B. Gamboa (INBIO); 1 female, 4 km E Tres Rios, EAO, Nov. 11, 1988, F.D. Parker, J.B. Welch, F.R. Ramirez (USNM). Heredia Province: 1 female, Volcan Poas, Feb. 21, 1980, T. Laverty (CNC); 4 males, 38 females, Barva Volcano, 10°70'10''N 84°87'50''W Jan. 15, 2011, T.L. Whitworth (TW); 5 females, Barva, Braulio Carrillo P.N., 2500m, L_S_233400_523200, Dec., 1989, A. Fernandez (INBIO); 4 females, Vol. Poas, July 12, 1962, M.T. James (WSUP); 1 female, Barva Volcano, 2600m, L_S_235200_524600, Jan. 15, 1997, M.A. Zumbado, F.C. Thompson (INBIO); 1 female, P.N. Braulio Carrillo, transecto altitudinal Barva, La Selva, 2000m, L_S_240000_523800, Feb. 13, 2002, M.A. Zumbado (INBIO). Limon Province: 1 male, P. Int. La Amistad, Cerro Hoffman, 2460m, L_S_340258_577465, March 21, 2003, D. Rubi (INBIO); 1 male, same data, different collector, M. Alfaro; 1 male, P. Int. La Amistad, P.N. Chirripo, Llano Bonito km 7, 900m, L_S_378500_ 593100, March 31, 2007, M. Sobs (INBIO); 1 female, P. Int. La Amistad, 2450m, L_S_340258_577465, M. Alfaro, R. Delgado (INBIO); 1 female, Cerros Tararia, 2659m, L_S_344600_576700, April 23, 1997, R. Villalobos (INBIO). Puntarenas Province: 1 male, P. Int. La Amistad, Buenos Aires, Estacion Altamira, Cerro Quemado, 2279m, L_S_336200_575560, Jan. 9, 2002, M. Alfaro (INBIO); 2 males, same as above except Cerro Cabecar, 2900m, L_S_366400_530800, 23 March, 2007, M. Sobs (INBIO); 1 male, Estacion. La Casona, Monteverde, 1520m, L_S_253250_ 449700, 1520m, April, 1992, K. Flores (INBIO); 1 male, Sendero a Cerro Echandi, 2600m, L_S_329700_593100, April 13, 1998, B. Gamboa (INBIO). San Jose Province: 1 male, Corralar Arriba, Sta. Ana, 1700m, L_S_207000_516000, April 9, 1994, M.A. Zumbado, F.G. Zumbado, H. Vargas (INBIO); 1 male, 5 km E. de Villa Mills, 2700m, L_S_S390100_500100, 2700m, April 1, 1996, B. Gamboa (INBIO); 1 male, Escazu, Oct. 22, 1989, F.D. Parker (USU); 2 females, Cerro de la Muerte Hwy, Aug. 14, 1966, 9500ft, D.F. Veirs (USU); 1 female, Cerro de la Muerte, Rio Savegre at San Gerardo de Dota, 9°33'N 83°4-8'W, 2200m, Aug. 8-10, 1995, C.R. Nelson #6248, Malaise trap (BYU); 1 female, 1 mi NW Villa Mills (La Georgina) 9°34'N 83°41W, March 23, 1967 (USU); 1 female, Cerro de la Muerte, cloud forest above Rio Savegre at San Gerardo de Dota, 9°33'N 83°48'W, 2600m, Aug. 9, 1995, C.R. Nelson (BYU); 2 females, Cerro de la Muerte, Aug. 25, 1970, R.W. Merritt (USU); 2 females, Cerro de la Muerte, 6 km W Villa Mills, Inter-Am Hwy, 3340m, E.R. Heithaus, Oct. 29, 1971 (WSU); 1 male, 35 females, Tres de Junio, 2675m, 9°39'8''N 83°51'3W, Jan. 16, 2011, T.L. Whitworth. El Salvador: (2 males, 2 females) 2 males, 1 female, Santa Ana, Youcan, Sept. 26, 1956, P.A. Berry (USNM); 1 female, same as above except March 5, 1957. Guatemala (3 males): 1 male, Huehuetenango, 15 km nw Todos Santos Cuch., Aug. 31, 1987, 2500m, M. Wood; 2 males, same data except 10 km nw Todos Santos (CNC). Mexico: (10 males, 8 females) 1 male, La Venta, Aug. 9, 1969, D. Kritsch (CNC); 4 males, 3 females, 10 mi W. El Salto, Dgo, 9000ft, June 2, 1964, J.F. McAlpine (CNC); 1 male, Chis., 5 mi W San Cristobal, March 3, 1969, 7500ft, H.J. Teskey (CNC); 1 female, W slope Popocatepetl, 9600ft, July 15, 1951, P.D. Hurd (WSU); 1 female, State of Chiapas, 16 mi W San Cristobal de la Casas, July 16, 1967, P.D. Hurd (TW); 1 female, State of Mexico, Mt.Tlaloc, Chapingo, Aug. 13, 1974, Mac Tidwell (FSCA); 1 male, State of Chiapas, 42 mi W Cintalpa, March 4, 1985, L. Stange, R. Miller (FSCA) 1 male, 1 female, State of Mexico, 36 mi SE Mexico City, Puebla Turnpike, 9000ft, April, 26, 1965, H.V. Weems (FSCA); 2 males, 1 female, State of Guerrero, Omilteme, 8000ft, July, year unknown, H.H. Smith (BMNH).
Distribution. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, higher elevations, 900–3000m (Fig. 1). This species is common in the mountains around San Jose, Costa Rica and likely occurs in mountainous regions throughout Central America. In Costa Rica it was found in the Cordillera de Talamanca which extends into Panama, the Coastal Ridge, Cordillera Central and Cordillera de Tilaran. It was not found in the Guanacaste area in the northwest, but this may reflect lack of collection effort, or lack of suitable habitat.
Discussion. It was difficult to find characters common to both sexes that consistently separate C. irazuana from C. nigribasis. The male genitalia of C. irazuana and C. nigribasis are very different and will reliably separate males, while some females can be more difficult to distinguish. Another difference in the male is the frons is narrow in C. irazuana (0.03 of head width) and much wider in C. nigribasis (0.10 of head width). The genal groove and anterior half of gena are reddish in many C. irazuana, while this area is usually brown or black in C. nigribasis; however, the color can be variable. The occiput has yellowish setae in C. irazuana, while the setae are whitish in C. nigribasis. Range alone will separate these two species, except possibly where they could overlap in southern Central America or northern South America. About a third of the specimens of C. irazuana examined have a weak third postsutural intra-alar seta, a condition similar to that sometimes found in the Nearctic C. latifrons Hough. This condition could cause confusion with C. triseta, however other characters are sufficient to distinguish this species where it occurs.
description: Published as part of Rognes, Terry Whitworth With An Appendix By Knut & Whitworth, Terry, 2012, Identification of Neotropical blow flies of the genus Calliphora Robineau- Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae) with the description of a new species, pp. 1-27 in Zootaxa 3209 on pages 6-10, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.213088