THE ANTHOMYIIDAE of CALIFORNIA Exclusive of the Subfamily Scatophaginae
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
THE ANTHOMYIIDAE OF CALIFORNIA Exclusive of the Subfamily Scatophaginae BY H. C. Huckett INTRODUCTION THE ANTHOMY~AEof California, a major segment of and Tachinidae, by the absence of strong bristles on the Calyptrate Diptera, has received little attention by the hypopleura. authors, although the family forms a significant and The Anthomyiidae, exclusive of the Scatophaginae, integral part of the insect fauna in this region. A vast is represented in North America by the subfamilies amount of material has been preserved in the collec- Fucelliinae and Anthomyiinae, the former as found in tions of the various institutions within the state as well California containing the single genus Fucellia Robi- as elsewhere, representing accessions dating from the neau-Desvoidy, and the latter a composite of thirty beginhg of the century to the present time. Wood- genera and subgenera. A total of !20!5 species and worth (1913) and Essig (1947) have given a few subspecies have been recorded in this prelimimry anthomyiid examples in their manuals. Aldrich (1918), -9. Malloch (1918, 1919, 1920, lm), and Stein (1920), have recorded a limited number of species in papers that, with little exception, dealt with a fauna of wider HABITS range. Certain species of economic importance have been investigated by workers interested in problems of Although adults of the Anthomyiidae have been plant protection or matters of public health. But, in studied extensively for purposes of classification, there sum, the literature cited is notably inadequate for is little known concerning the life history of most of meeting the current needs of classification and identi- the species. The few observations that have been made fication. have shown that habits vary widely and in interesting detail. Species belonging to the genus FuceUia are In this present work I hope to indicate more clearly inhabitants of the seashore and offshore islands of the richness of the anthomyiid fauna in California, California, living on kelp, seaweed, Fucus, and marine and to provide keys and illustrations that will aid in organisms washed up or dependent on the tides for the recognition of the various taxa. The family, known their survival. A few have been seen also on the mar- generally by the adult flies, is allied to the Muscidae, gins of inland ponds and lakes. Species comprising the from which it may be separated by the extension of large complex genus Hylemya sens. Zat. are of wide the sixth long vein ( Cu2+lst A) to the wing margin. geographical range and modes of behavior. They may Both families have the postscutdun absent and the occur in gardens, woods, open fields, alpine meadows mouth parts fully developed. They may be distin- and at elevations above the timber line. Adults are guished readily from the Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, anthophilous, the larvae mainly phytophagous and 2 Bulletin of the California Insect Survey saprophagous, becoming in certain instances injurious Territories, and to the east in the Rocky Mountains of to cultivated crops and flowering plants, or possibly Colorado and New Mexico. The geographical range considered as benefactors in aiding in the pollination of the maritime species FuceUiu thinobia (Thomson) of plants and as scavengers in the breaking down of apparently follows a course parallel to that of fur seal animal and crop refuse. Only a few species are found migration along the Pacific coast, specimens having to cohabit the dunes and sands by the seashore with been taken as far south as the waters near San Diego adults of FuceUia. The large genus Pegomya likewise and on islands off the California mainland, and to contains species of wide distribution and variable the north at Anchorage and the Commander Islands habits. Adults are met with usually in surroundings bordering the Bering Sea. favorable to vegetation. Many species are regarded as Full collection data are given for most of the species phytophagous; the larvae mine foliage of various which have been taken in California. In cases where plants and in a few cases become injurious to commer- species are represented by a large number of speci- cial crops such as spinach and beets. Other species are mens and records (usually more than 100 localities), known to breed in mushrooms of the field and woods, the California records, for the sake of brevity, have such as Agaricus and Bohw. In the offinis-group, been restricted to a listing of the localities, ammpa- adults frequent, and larvae inhabit, burrows of rodents nied by a paragraph summarizing seasonal flight in- and land turtles. Species belonging to the genus Hydro- formation. The flight period summaries and distribu- phoria sens, lat., with few exceptions, are mainly boreal tion maps were prepared by J. A. Powell, University in their distribution, inhabitingthe environment around of California, Berkeley. lakes and streams, swamps and tundra. Larvae, where I have mentioned a few not yet known to known, are regarded as aquatic or semiaquatic in species oc- habits, or may be coprophagous. Adults of AUiopsis cur in California in order to facilitate the purposes of diagnosis and comparison, to indicate close relation- frequent the margins and rocks of running streams, and those of Paraprosalpia, in addition, the vicinity of ships, and, as in keys, to include any that are con- stagnant pools and boggy areas. There adults of both sidered of possible or likely future occurrence. Such genera prey on nematocemus flies common to their names have been marked by an asterisk ( O ) . habitat. The genus Anthomyio, of which one species is recorded from California, is of wide geographical ACKNOWLEDGMENTS distribution. Larvae of A. pluuialiSo have been bred The survey has been based mainly on material in from nests of several species of birds, including song collections of the University of California at Berkeley, sparrow, eastern blue bird and the American robin. at Davis, at Los Angeles, at Riverside, the California Adults belonging to the genus Leucophora, particular- Academy of Sciences at San Francisco, California De- ly the females, have been recorded as active near sites partment of Agriculture, Bureau of Vector Control, of burrows of solitary bees and wasps for purposes of California Department of Public Health, United States oviposition in the burrows. Larvae are known to in- National Museum, Canadian National Collection, habit the nests or brood chambers in such tunnels, American Museum of Natural History, Cornell Uni- feeding on the food contents as inquilines or commen- versity, Michigan State University, and the personal sals. Larvae of the genus Eurtalomyia are also found collections of Dr. P. H. Arnaud, Jr., the late Mr. J. D. to inhabit nests of crabronine wasps built in herbs, Birchim, and of the writer. I am deeply indebted to shrubs, and trees. the curators of insect collections at the above institu- tions for their generous assistance and cooperation, DISTRIBUTION which alone made such a projeet feasible and as com- It is not the intention of the present work to discuss pre'hensive as workjng conditions permitted. of distribution local fauna the topic concerning the The following abbreviations have been adopted to other than to indicate the geographical range known indicate the probable source for locating types, and of the various species in North America and adjoining of specimens taken in California that through the years territories. A few have so far been known to only occur have been included in collections submitted for pur- in California, but a greater number both in occur poses of identification: California and bordering states. Many boreal species in the Sierra Nevada and San Bernardino Mountains AMNH American Museum of Natural History are found as far north as central Alaska, the Yukon ANSP Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia Territory and Mackenzie River Basin of the Northwest BMNH British Museum (Natural History), London Huckebt: The Anthomyifhe of California 3 BVC Bureau of Vector Control, ZIL Zoologiska Institutionem, Lund, Sweden California Department of Public Health ZMUB Zoologisches Museum der Universitat, Berlin BYU Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah CAS California Academy of Sciences, TERMINOLOGY San Francisco CDA California Department of Agriculture, Legs are assumed to lie on the substrata in one Sacramento plane at right angles to the body. A cross section of CIS California Insect Survey, Berkeley any part of a leg in this position would reveal the vari- CNC Canadian National Collection, Ottawa ous surfaces thus exposed in their relation to position cu Cornel1 University, Ithaca, New York of an insect's body as follows: dorsal (d.), ventral FMNH Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago (v.), anterior (ant.), posterior (post.), and interrnedi- HCH Collection of H. C. Huckett ate surfaces as anterodorsal ( ad. ) , posterodorsal ( pd. ), IllNHS Illinois Natural History Survey, Urbana anteroventral (av.), posteroventral (pv.) (see fig. 4). JDB Collection of the late J. D. Birchim The first visible abdominal tergum is regarded as MCZ Museum of Comparative Zoology, composed of two connate sclerites, and is referred to Cambridge, Massachusetts as terga 1+2, the second visible as tergum 3, the third MNHP Museum National dHistoire Naturelle, Paris visible as tergum 4, and the fourth as tergum 5. The MNHS Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm anal sclerite is regarded as tergum 9. MNHW Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien The term hypopygium as used comprises the anal MSUM Michigan State University, East Lansing segment, cephalad of which is the basal plate, and also OSUM Ohio State University Museum, Columbus when present the prebasal (tergum 6) as in Botuno- UCB University of California, Berkeley phila Lioy. Caudad of the anal segment are the cerci UCD University of California, Davis and gonostyli, and ventrad the genital pouch, in which UCLA University of California, Los Angeles are secluded the aedeagus and its appendages, knked UCR University of California, Riverside on either side by two paralobes or parameres, an an- UK University of Kansas, Lawrence terior and posterior pair, or outer and inner.