The Pupal Case of Mallophora Atra Macquart (Diptera: Asilidae) from South America
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07 January 2008 PROC. ENTOMOL. SOc. WASH. 110(1), 2008, pp. 234-241 THE PUPAL CASE OF MALLOPHORA ATRA MACQUART (DIPTERA: ASILIDAE) FROM SOUTH AMERICA D . STEVE DENNIS, JEFFREY K . BARNES, AND LLOYD KNUTSON (DSD) 1105 Myrtle Wood Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32086-4838, U.S.A. (e-mail: [email protected]); (JKB) Department of Entomology, University of Arkan sas, 319 Agriculture Building, Fayetteville, AR 72701, U.S.A. (e-mail: jbarnes@ uark.edu); (LK) Salita degli Albito 29, 04024 Gaeta (LT), Italy (e-mail: lvknutson@ tiscali. it) Abstract.-The pupal case of Mallophora atra Macquart from South America is described, illustrated, and compared with the South American species M media Clements and Bennett, M. ruficauda (Wiedemann), and NI sylveirii Macquart, and the North American species M. bomboides (Wiedemann), M fautrix Osten Sacken, M leschenaulti Macquart, and M. orcina (Wiedemann). Key Words: Diptcra, Asilidae, robber flies, Mallophora, Mallophora atra, pupal case, South America Limited descriptive infonnation has The species of Mallophora Macquart been published on the pupal cases of have had a checkered taxonomic history. robber flies from South America. Co Most recently, Artigas and Angulo pello (1927, 1942), in his study of the life (1980) reduced the 122 nominal species cycle of Mallophora ruficauda (Wiede of Mallophora recognized at that time to mann) in Argentina, included a descrip 51 valid species. They stated that NI atra tion and photographs of the pupal case. has many synonyms: M. albifrons Clements and Bennett (1969) described Walker, M. coeruleiventris Thompson, and illustrated the pupal case of M. M. curiosa Curran, M. freycineti Mac m edia Clements and Bennett. Artigas quart, M. Jemima Curran, M. lucida (1970) prescnted a diagrammatic sketch Curran, M. lynchi Gemignani, M. nigra of the lateral view of an opened pupal Williston, M. testaceipes Macquart, M. case of Eccritosia ruhriventris (Macquart) testaceitarsis Maequart, NI ventralis from Chile. Knutson (1976) gave a de Macquart, M. vorax Curran, and M tailed description and illustration of xylocopiides Walker. a pupal case of Pseudorus distendcns Mallophora is restricted to the Western (Wiedemann) (as Doryclus distendens) Hemisphere. It is most abundant in from Brazil. Dennis and Knutson northern and central South America, (1988) provided detailed descriptions of especially across a broad area around Diogmites vulgaris Carrera, Trio ria the Tropic of Capricorn. The geograph striola (Fabricius), and M. sylveirii Mac ical distribution of M alra is broader quart from Brazil, and they redescribed than that of the other South American the pupal case of M . ruficauda from Mallophora specics for which pupal cases Uruguay. have been described: M media, M . VOLUME 110, NUMBER I 235 ru(icauda, and M. sy/veirii (Artigas and for integumental processes of the ab Angulo 1980). It occurs in the southern dominal segments (Melin 1923; Malloch most part of the United States, along the 1915, 1916, 1917). These terms were Gulf Coast, south through Mexico and oftcn used interchangeably. A bristle is Central America and the northern and now strictly defined in modern entomo eastern parts of South America to logical texts as a unicellular macrotri northern Argentina. It does not occur chium or seta connected with nerves and in most of Chile and the central to surrounded at the base by a membranous eastern part of Brazil. Mal/ophura media ring or socket called an alveolus (Daly et occurs in Trinidad , Tobago, and Vene a1. 1998; McAlpine et a1. 1981). zuela. !l1al/ophora rujiclfuda occurs from While studying the integumental pro southern Mexico to Panama, southern cesses of robber fly pupal cases we have Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and north observed that some do not have a con ern Argentina. Mallophora sy/veirii has stricted base or area of integumental a similar distribution, but it occurs in weakness. Others are constricted at the Bolivia and not quite as far south in base and appear to be articulated by northern Argentina. a socketlike area of weakened integu ment, suggesting that they are movable TERMINOLOGY in life. Melin (1923) noted that the dorsal The format and terminology used in integumental processes on at least ab the following description are similar to dominal segment I are movable in the descriptions found in Dennis and Knut longitudinal axis of the pupal case and son (1988), with a few significant mod serve as levers that help the organism ifications. The antennal processes and move through the medium in which the mouthpart sheaths are borne on the ease was formed. To test the abi'lity of facial sheath, located anteroventrally on "socketed" processes to move, we soft the pupal case. We now regard the small cned pupal cases of PrOC/(lcanthu.s micons callosities lateral to the labral sheath as Schiner and Mal/ophora /cschcl1(lu/ti palpal sheaths. The proboscial sheath is Macquart in sodium hydroxide solution. located immediately posterior to the The socketed processes moved easily and labral sheath. This structure was desig deformed the integument far less than nated the hypopharyngeal sheath in pre the unsocketed processes when pressure vious pupal case descriptions, but we was applied. This led liS to believe that have now adopted the term proboscial the processes on the abdominal segments sheath becau the structure probably of robber Oy pupal cases are actually ensheathes the lahium as weU as the a combination of' spines and spurs as hypopharynx. We recognize nine abdom defined by Comstock (1925) and Daly ct inal segments, rather than eight. The line a\. (J 998). A spine is a multicellular, between segments 8 and 9 is often rigid, immovable, thornlike outgrowth of indistinct on asilid pupal cases. In pre the euticle that is not separated from it vious investigations, these structures by a joint. It docs not have a socket or were regarded as "ring"likc" and "pos area of inlegumental weakness around terior tapered parts" of segment 8 its base. A spur is l.l. multicellular move (Knutson 1972, 1976). We now regard able process of the cuticle that is the posterior tapered part as segment 9. connected to tbe body wall by a joint. We no longer use the term bristJe for It has a socket or area of intcgumental structures on abdominal segments in weakness around its base. The more pupal ease descriptions. Previously, the strictly defIned terms spine and spur are terms spine, bristle, and thorn were lIsed now lIsed instead of the loosely defined 236 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON spine and bristle terminology found in glistening reddish brown, often darker previous papers on robber fly pupal on apical half (Fig. I). cases. At least in the case of Nfallophora Head with pair of separate, dorsally atra, spines and spurs are found dorsally flattened , ventrally wedgc-shaped, basally on the abdominal segments. Only spines rugose antcrior antennal processes; group are found laterally and ventrally, not of 3 basally fused, dorsally fl attened, bristles as strictly defIned in modern ventrally wedge-shaped, basally rugose texts. posterior antennal processes; outennost pair of processes closer together and fused DESCRIPTION 01 TIlE M A LLOPIiORA ATRA basally for greater distance, appearing PUPAL CASE shorter than innermost pair of processes; Remarks.-The following description outermost process elbowed near middle is based on a single pupal case with an (Figs. 2 3). Labral sheath with median associated , pinned adult female in the longitudinal rugose keel. Pal pal sheath National Museum of Natural History, extending about half way down labral Washington, D.C. (USNM). The speci shcath. Maxillary sheath mostly smooth, men is labeled, " No. 28 29, Lima, Peru; but rugose, narrowed, and projecting from Jan. 1929; G. N. Wolcott Collector." body at apex. Hypopharyngeal sheath The adult was originally identified as M. narrow, protruding from case at apex jreycille/i. Knutson identified it as NI. and resembling a process: mostly smooth, atra, using the work of Artigas and with slight median crease; rugose poster Angulo (1980) and comparing it with iorly on either side of mid line (Fig. 3). other identified specimens in the USNM. Anterior coxal sheath mostly smooth, The pupal case has some soil and sand with anterior, median, longitudinal split. grains on it, indicating that it was found Prothoracic spiracle midlaterally at an in soil. Biological notes from the United terior margin of thorax on highly rugose, States Depa rtment of Agriculture South raiscd area. Dorsal upraised area on American Parasitc Laboratory cited by either side of median split at anterior Dennis and Knutson (1988) indicatc that margin of thorax. Pair of subequal, the larvae and pupae of NI. rujicauda and broadly flattened , apically rounded to M. sylveirii also occur in soil. blunt, basally rugose, anterior mesotho Nlallophora pupal cases typically have raeic spines on thorax above base of some of the dorsolateral abdominal sheaths of second pair of legs; anterior spurs and spines forked apically or spine curved posteriorly; posterior spine a ppearing to be fused basa lly. The M. straighter (Fig. 4). Large, raised, rugose alra pupal case exhibits this characteris posterior mesothoraeie callosity at base tic in the extremc with severa l spurs of wing sheath, lacking distinct spines. bifurcate or trifurcate apicaJly and ap Wing sheath rugose, with acuminate pearing to be fused basally. Table I basal tubercle larger than paired, ap provides details of the spines and spurs proximate, median tubercles. Thoracic on the abdominal segments. area above wing sheath mostly rugose. Description. Greatest length, includ Leg sheaths 1 and 2 modera tely rugose. ing anterior antennal processes, 33.2 Leg sheath 3 reaching to middle of mm; greatest width of thorax, 10.2 mm; abdominal segment 3 (Fig. I). grcatest width of a bdomen, 9.4 mm Spiracles of abdominal segments 1-7 tapering to 4.6 mm at greatest width of situated along midline laterally, reni abdominal segment 8.