A New Species of Megaselia Rondani (Diptera: Phoridae) from the Bioscan Project in Los Angeles, California, with Clarification of Confused Type Series for Two Other Species Author(s): Emily A. Hartop , Maria A. Wong , and Charles S. Eiseman Source: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 118(1):93-100. Published By: Entomological Society of Washington DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.118.1.93 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.4289/0013-8797.118.1.93 BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/ terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder. BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 118(1), 2016, pp. 93–100 A NEW SPECIES OF MEGASELIA RONDANI (DIPTERA: PHORIDAE) FROM THE BIOSCAN PROJECT IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, WITH CLARIFICATION OF CONFUSED TYPE SERIES FOR TWO OTHER SPECIES EMILY A. HARTOP,MARIA A. WONG, AND CHARLES S. EISEMAN (EAH) Urban Nature Research Center, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, 90007, U.S.A. (e-mail: [email protected]); (MAW) Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, 90007, U.S.A.; (CSE) 276 Old Wendell Rd., Northfield, MA, 01360, U.S.A. (e-mail: [email protected]) Abstract.—The paratype series of Megaselia globipyga Borgmeier was found to contain two species, neither of which matched the holotype. The holotype of M. globipyga is here fully illustrated for clarity, and new biological and geographical data for the species are given. A new species, Megaselia risoria Hartop, Wong, and Eiseman, is described from two of the paratypes of M. globipyga, a paratype from the original type series of M. postcrinata Borgmeier, and a singleton from the BioSCAN Project. Key Words: taxonomy, urban biodiversity, type material DOI: 10.4289/0013-8797.118.1.93 Megaselia Rondani (Phoridae) is a ge- different species, neither of which matched nus rife with taxonomic challenges and the holotype. Two specimens from the frustrations. Recently, author Eiseman sent paratype series were found to match an a series of specimens from Massachusetts unknown singleton from the BioSCAN to author Hartop for identification. Project. When these specimens were These specimens clearly matched some taken through the keys, it led to the specimens from the BioSCAN Project, examination of the type series of an urban biodiversity study (Brown M. postcrinata Borgmeier, a species et al. 2014, Hartop 2014), and some of described from a female specimen. In the specimens keyed to M. globipyga this series, one of several disparate (somefailedtokeybecauseofvariation male paratypes matched the BioSCAN in the costal indices that is not ac- singleton and M. globipyga paratypes. counted for in the keys). Examination This species is herein described as of the type series for M. globipyga re- Megaselia risoria sp. nov. The problem vealed a total of three different species. of historic over-reliance on superficial Both Eiseman’s specimens and Bio- characters and resulting misidentifica- SCAN material matched the holotype tions cannot be overstated; it is not un- (although color differences between the common for multiple species to have fresh material and old, air dried, type masqueraded as a single species in iden- material further added to the confusion), tified material and even type series, but the three paratypes represented two sometimes for decades. 94 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON MATERIALS AND METHODS RESULTS BioSCAN specimens were collected Megaselia globipyga Borgmeier by Malaise traps into 95% ethanol. Eiseman’s specimens were reared to (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8) adulthood in a plastic vial and then Megaselia globipyga Borgmeier 1966 preserved in 95% ethanol. Specimens p.6 (key) 105, fig. 88 were dissected and slide mounted by first Diagnosis.—♂. Costal length ranging clearing in clove oil and then mounting from 0.41–0.45 of the wing length, al- in Canada Balsam. Dried type material lowing this species to key in either was softened in lactic acid and then group VII or group VIII in the keys of rinsed with water before clearing in Borgmeier (1966), although M. globipyga clove oil. Specimens were examined is only found in the group VIII key. In using a Leica M205C stereo microscope the group VII key, M. globipyga keys to and an Olympus BX40 compound mi- couplet 11 where it is easily differenti- croscope. Specimens were photographed ated from M. nigra Meigen by the un- with a Keyence VHX-5000 digital mi- diverted setal palisade on the hind leg. croscope. Specimens from the BioSCAN This species cannot definitively be told project are deposited in the Natural apart from M. postcrinata Borgmeier at History Museum of Los Angeles County, the same couplet; the latter was de- USA (LACM). All material from the scribed from the female and the paratype Smithsonian (USNM) remains in that series was found to contain several dis- collection. Methods for dissection and parate males. Future molecular work (or specific mounting protocol followed the lucky find of a copulating pair) may those recommended for this genus (Disney allow us to correctly match a male with 2009). the female holotype, which may even- As technology has much improved tually lead to a synonomy of a separately since the original description of M. glo- described male. bipyga in 1966, we here offer high Although the near century-old holo- quality photographs and a detailed type of M. globipyga would clearly be drawing of the genitalia for this spe- classified as a “brown” species (Fig. 1), cies in addition to the newly described a fresh, chemically dried mount looks species.Wealsopresentachartofspe- remarkably lighter (Fig. 2) and would cies character states for both, following likely be called a “yellow” species. The the previously established system of two are indistinguishable in color once Hartop and Brown (2014). Clarification slide mounted, confirming the difference of some of the characters for this system as an artifact of preservation. If M. glo- can be found in Hartop et al. (2015). The bipyga is keyed in either the group VII or visual aids also follow this system for group VIII keys as a yellow species, it both species, with the exception of the reaches M. longipennis Malloch, which hypandrium, which is normally dissected was described from females. Borgmeier out and photographed but here was left did purport to have examined males of intact (due to the historic nature of many this species, but since these were un- of the specimens involved). The ex- doubtedly superficially matched to the panded details of description should aid females and almost certainly repre- in confident future identifications of both sent several species, the authors do not species. recommend calling any male phorid VOLUME 118, NUMBER 1 95 Figs. 1–8. 1, Megaselia globipyga (holotype), lateral habitus. 2, Megaselia globipyga (chemically dried specimen from the BioSCAN Project), lateral habitus. 3, ♂ genitalia of Megaselia globipyga, left lateral aspect. 4, Right wing of M. globipyga (holotype). 5, Right wing of Megaselia larvivora (paratype). 6, Adult ♀ Megaselia globipyga (lower left) with dead Orgyia caterpillar. 7, Larva of Megaselia glo- bipyga. 8, Puparium of Megaselia globipyga. 96 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON M. longipennis at this time. Even if parasitoids. A number of eulophid wasp Borgmeier’s description was to be (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) pupae were trusted, the short apical hairs on the attached to its remains, and from these anal tube of M. longipennis would be 12 adult females of Elachertus cidariae easily differentiated from the prom- (Ashmead) emerged on 27 July. Since inent setae found on M. globipyga.As Elachertus larvae are primary parasitoids, with M. postcrinata, only with future and O. leucostigma is a known host of E. molecular work or a mating pair will cidariae (Schauff 1985), we consider it we be able to identify the males of M. safe to assume that the wasp larvae were longipennis. the cause of death. At the time of col- In more recent literature, M. globi- lection, an adult female Megaselia was pyga was found to closely resemble M. observed moving about on the caterpillar larvivora Disney (2013) in host (both remains (Fig. 6). She was sufficiently in- species reared from moth larvae) and in terested in the carcass that she did not the overall shape of the male genitalia. attempt to escape when the leaves were Upon comparison with the types of M. picked and placed in a vial. She was re- larvivora, however, two characters eas- moved from the vial two days later. Sev- ily separate these similar species: M. eral phorid larvae (Fig. 7) were found on globipyga has a distinct prolongation of the caterpillar on 26 July, and it was the epandrium just under the anal tube presumed that the female had oviposited (Fig. 3) that M. larvivora lacks, and the and these were her offspring; however, it fork created by R2+3 and R4+5 is no- is conceivable that another phorid had ticeably more acute in M. larvivora (see oviposited previously. Puparia (Fig. 8) M. globipyga Fig.