Diptera: Schizophora)

Description of the first known fossil representative of the family Tanypezidae (Diptera: Schizophora)

Owen Lonsdale & Kyle Apigian

Neotanypeza dominicana sp. n., the first known fossil species in the family Tanypezidae (Diptera: Schizophora), is described and compared to extant species. The single male is preserved in Dominican amber, which dates to the mid Miocene at approximately 17-20MYO. O. Lonsdale *, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada. [email protected] K. Apigian, Woodard & Curran, 980 Washington Street, Dedham, MA 02026. [email protected]

Introduction A revision of the extant members of the Neotropi- The family Tanypezidae (Diptera: Schizophora: cal fauna is currently being developed (Lonsdale, Diopsoidea) in the narrow sense is a small, mor- in manuscript) and will include a redefinition of all phologically conserved family found predominantly genera in the Tanypezidae and Strongylophthalmyi- in the neotropics, although the two species of Tan- idae, a reassessment of the higher classification of the ypeza Fallén, 1820 occur only in the north temper- two families, and provide a phylogenetic context for ate regions. This distribution strongly suggests a the fossil species. New World origin for the family, particularly since Neotanypeza dominicana shares the relatively con- both species of Tanypeza occur in the Nearctic, with servative external morphology characteristic of T. picticornis Knab & Shannon, 1916 found in east- other neotropical Tanypezidae, having an elbowed ern North America and T. longimana Fallén, 1820 antenna, no vibrissae, a medially narrowed male found throughout much of the Holarctic Region frons, reflective anterolateral stripes on the frons, a (Steyskal 1965, Stackelberg 1988, Roháček 1998). flat and tomentose “ocellar disc” behind the ocellar Some authors, however, including Griffiths (1972) tubercle, silvery stripes on a stout thorax that con- and D.K McAlpine (1997), also choose to include trasts with long slender legs, a swollen ventrobasal within the Tanypezidae the slightly larger and pre- protuberance on the hind basotarsomere, apical dominantly Oriental family Strongylophthalmyi- convergence of veins R4+5 and M1+2, dorsal setulae idae, which contains the genera Strongylophthalmyia on vein R1, a complete subcostal vein, a row of dark Heller, 1902 and Nartshukia Shatalkin, 1993, and setulae on the stalk of the halter, a greater ampulla, also has a minority of species in the north temper- narrow abdominal sternites, a silvery tomentose ate Regions (Shatalkin 1994, 1996; Iwasa 1998; male sternite 8 and fusion of the surstylus to the Barber 2006). Both families are very well supported epandrium. The fossil species is distinct from extant as monophyletic, as is their sister group relationship neotropical tanypezids in having a relatively long and (see Roháček 1998), with most characters uniting well-developed postvertical bristle, an incomplete the larger clade being male and female genitalic. medial band on the hind femur and a straight hind Neotanypeza dominicana sp. n., described below, is tibia that is not deviated subbasally. the first known representative of either family in the The single known male is preserved in Domini- fossil record. can amber, which dates the specimen to the

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2 3

Figs 1–3. Neotanypeza dominicana sp. n. – 1, dorsal; 2, abdomen, ventral; 3, dorsal, close-up of thorax and head.

Downloaded from Brill.com09/26/2021 06:34:25PM via free access Lonsdale & Apigian: First described fossil Tanypezidae (Diptera) 215 mid-Miocene at approximately 17-20MYO protuberance on hind basotarsomere. Hind tibia (Grimaldi & Engel 2005). The specific provenance straight, without subbasal deviation. is unknown within the Dominican Republic. See Abdomen. Abdominal bristles dark brown with bris- Davis (1989) for further details on this amber col- tles on lateral margin of tergite 1 lighter; abdomen lection. The specimen is deposited in the National dark brown with sternite 8 silvery tomentose; ster- Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. nites narrow. (USNM). Terminology follows J.F. McAlpine (1981) Terminalia. Surstylus lobate, fused to epandrium. except as noted. Internal components of genitalia not visible. Female. Unknown.

Systematics Etymology The specific epithet refers to the collection locality of Neotanypeza dominicana sp. n. the fossilized holotype. Type material. Holotype. Dominican Republic. Dominican Amber, Brodzinsky/Lopez-Penha Col- Acknowledgements lection, collection reg # 7457 (1?, USNM). Funding was provided by a Schlinger Postdoctoral grant to OL. F.C. Thompson first identified the Description of male fossil and realized its significance. KA initiated a description, but that was delayed until the revision Figs 1-3 of the full clade could be finished (Lonsdale, in Body length 6.5mm. manuscript); OL completed the manuscript. Com- Head. Vibrissa absent. Anterior fronto-orbital bristle ments provided by A. Shatalkin and an anonymous relatively thin and half length of posterior fronto- reviewer were gratefully provided. orbital. Postvertical bristle approximately ⅔ length of ocellar disc and nearly as thick as vertical bristle. Frons mostly dark and velvety; silvery anterolateral References triangle extending to level of anterior fronto-orbital; Barber, K.N., 2006. Strongylophthalmyia pengellyi n. sp., round, flat, silvery tomentose plate behind ocel- a second species of Nearctic Strongylophthalmyiidae lar tubercle (the “ocellar disc”) slightly narrowing (Diptera). – Journal of the Entomological Society of anteriorly, with silver patch extending to surround Ontario 137: 81–109. outer margin of tubercle. First flagellomere thin and Davis, D.R., 1989. An exceptional fossil amber collection light yellow, sharply directed ventrally. Clypeus and acquired by the Smithsonian Institution. – Proceed- ings of the Entomological Society of Washington 91: palpus dark brown. Face pale with dark lateral and 545–550. dorsomedial stripes. Occiput pale and bulging with Griffiths, G.C.D., 1972. The phylogenetic classification long, pale setae. of Diptera Cyclorrhapha, with special reference to the Thorax. Postpronotal and presutural intra-alar bris- structure of the male postabdomen. – Series Entomo- tles present. Three dorsocentral bristles. Anepister- logica 8: 1– 340p. num with one dark, dominant bristle. Thorax with Grimaldi, D.A. & M.S. Engel, 2005. Evolution of the in pruinose and silvery tomentose patches, including sects. – Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. tomentose stripe extending laterally from notop- xv + 755 pp. leuron to encompass all of meron. Greater ampulla Iwasa, M., 1998. Family Strongylophthalmyiidae. – In: present. L. Papp & B. Darvas (eds.), Contributions to a Man- Wing. Calypter hairs appear to be pale. Halter white ual of Palaearctic Diptera. Vol. 3: Higher Brachycera: with dorsal row of dark setulae on stalk. Wing clear 173–175. Science Herald, Budapest. with anterodistal margin faintly infuscated; subcosta McAlpine, D.K., 1997. Gobryidae, a new family of Aca- complete; subcostal break absent; vein CuA strongly lyptrate flies (Diptera: Diopsoidea), and a discussion 2 of relationships of the diopsoid families. – Records of curved; R and M convergent apically; R with 4+5 1+2 1 the Australian Museum 49: 167–194. dorsal setulae. McAlpine, J.F., 1981. Morphology and terminology – Legs. Legs yellow with mid coxa brown, distal half of adults. – In: J.F. McAlpine, B.V. Peterson, G.E. Sh- fore femur dark brown (excluding apex), hind femur ewell, H.J. Teskey, J.R. Vockeroth & D.M. Wood (Co- with brown medial band (broken ventrally), and ordinators), Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Vol. 1: 9–63. mid and hind tibiae dark brown; fore tibia possibly Research Branch, Agriculture Canada. Monograph lightly infuscated at midpoint and light yellow on No. 32. Ottawa. distal half; tarsi dark brown with swollen ventrobasal Roháček, J., 1998. Family Tanypezidae. – In: L. Papp &

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B. Darvas (eds.), Contributions to a Manual of Pal- Stackelberg A.A., 1988. Family Tanypezidae. – In G. Bei- aearctic Diptera (with special reference to flies of eco- Bienko (ed.) Keys to the insects of the European part nomic importance). Vol. 3: 165–171. Science Herald, of USSR. V. 5. Diptera and Siphonaptera. Part II. Am- Budapest. erind Publ. Co., New Delhi. Shatalkin, A.I., 1994. Taxonomy of flies of the family Steyskal, G.C., 1965. The family Tanypezidae in North Strongylophthalmyiidae (Diptera). – Entomological America (Diptera, Acalyptratae). – Proceedings of the Review 73(6): 155–161. Entomological Society of Washington 67: 201. Shatalkin, A.I., 1996. New and little known species of flies of Lauxaniidae and Strongylophthalmyiidae (Diptera). Received: 4 March 2010 – Russian Entomological Journal 4(1995): 145–157. Accepted: 1 July 2010

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