PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 99(3), 1997, pp. 477-482 TWO NEW SPECIES OF ASYNDETUS LOEW, AND NOTES ON THE IDENTITY OF A. INTERRUPTUS LOEW (DIPTERA: DOLICHOPODIDAE) Harold Robinson and Mark Deyrup (HR) Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Insti- tution, MRC 166, Washington, DC 20560, U.S.A.; (MD) Archbold Biological Station, RO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, I^ 33862, U.S.A. — Abstract. Asyndetus archboldi is described as new from the sand hills of peninsular Florida; A. wirthi is described from Jamaican and Antiguan material previously deter- mined as A. interruptus. Observations are given on the type specimen of A. interruptus Loew in Havana, Cuba. Key Words: Asyndetus, new species, Dolichopodidae, Florida, West Indies Two new species of Asyndetus Loew Asyndetus archboldi Robinson and are described, the first based on collec- Deyrup, new species tions from the xeric uplands of Florida, (Figs. 1-3) and the second based on West Indian ma- — Holotype male. Length 1.9 mm; wing terial previously identified as A. interrup- 1.6 mm by 0.6 mm. Face 1.4 times longer tus Loew. than wide, sides parallel; face and front The Florida Asyndetus is described and with dense silvery pollen. Palpus black, discussed as part of an effort to catalog the with several stout black setae; proboscis species of arthropods found in the Florida black; upper postocular setae black, lower Scrub habitat. Florida scrub is a fire-main- postocular setae white. Antenna black, tained habitat that occurs on xeric sand scape widened apically, without hairs or se- ridges in scattered localities in Florida. The tae; pedicel about twice as long dorsally as scrub habitat supports a number of species ventrally in external lateral view, with a of plants and animals found nowhere else, dorsal apical enlarged black seta; 1st fla- and the rapid disappearance and degrada- gellomere with a long, dorsal, sub-basal tion of the remaining areas lends an urgen- arista, encircled by a deep groove just dis- cy to the project ofcataloguing the resident tad of arista, so flagellomere appears divid- arthropods. For more detailed descriptions ed into 2 parts. of Florida scrub, see Myers (1990) and Thorax dark gray with light gray pollen, Abrahamson et al. (1984); for more infor- with extremely faint greenish and coppery mation on Florida scrub arthropods, see reflections when viewed in fluorescent Deyrup (1990) and Deyrup and Eisner light, with both green and coppery reflec- (1993). tions conspicuous in incandescent light; all All specimens are presently deposited setae black; only 4 acrostichals in single ir- at either the National Museum of Natural regular row, 4 pairs of dorsocentrals; 2 History, Smithsonian Institution, (USNM) large scutellarbristles; 1 blackproepistemal or the Archbold Biological Station (ABS). seta above fore coxa. 478 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON Coxa black, front and middle coxa with lector as holotype, 30 Apr. 1989, road 6, an anterolateral irregular row of bristles, scrubby flatwoods; 2 ? same locality, col- : hind coxa with an external basal bristle; lector as holotype, 23 June 1989, white femora black with conspicuous green re- sand trail, scrub; 1 $: same locality, collec- flections and yellowish apices; front and tor as holotype, 29 June 1989, white sand middle tibiae yellowish, hind tibia and all fire lane; 1 6,1 9; 4 cJ, 15 9, same lo- tarsi black; hairs and setae on legs black; cality, collector as holotype, 16 June 1992, middle and front tibiae with small seriate inopina scrub, line road; 1 c?, 8 9: same setae and single enlarged apical seta, hind locality, collector as holotype, 18 June tibia with paired anterodorsals and poster- 1992; 3 (?, 3 9: same locality, collector as odorsals at basal fifth, at two-thirds and holotype, 19 June 1992; 1 6: same locality, subapically; an unpaired anterodorsal at ba- collector, habitat as holotype, 18 Apr. 1996; sal third. Front basitarsus with a subapical 3 6,1 9: same locality, collector, habitat external cluster of small thick setae; 2nd, as holotype, 23 Apr. 1996; 2 6, \ 9: same 3rd and 4th segments compressed, 5th seg- locality, collector, habitat as holotype, 24 ment depressed; pulvilli about as long as Apr. 1996; 1 6: Lake Placid, Placid Lakes rest of 5th segment, claws about half as Development, 15 June 1992, M. Deyrup; long as pulvilli, shorter than 3 apical bris- same locality as holotype, 26 June 1989, R. tles of 5th segment; lengths of tarsal seg- Shumate, Malaise trap, Ceratiola area. ments from base: tarsus I, 0.30, 0.09, 0.06, (ABS): 9 6,1 9: same locality, collector, 0.04, 0.05 mm, pulvilU 0.05 mm; tarsus II, habitat as holo—type, 1 May 1996. 0.35, 0.16, 0.11, 0.08, 0.08 mm, pulvilh Etymology. Named for the Archbold 0.03 mm; tarsus III, 0.25, 0.18, 0.12, 0.08, Biological Station, where most of the type 0.08 mm, pulvilli 0.02 mm. material was—collected. Wings appearing rather smoky due to Diagnosis. Because ofthe pale fore tib- dense, uniform microtrichae; veins dark ia, black hind tibia, and the male face that brown; costa ending at apex of 3rd vein; is higher than wide, Asyndetus archboldi 4th vein discontinuous, the "broken" ends keys in Robinson (1964) to couplet 6, but apparently overlapping, at least as folds; ca- differs from all the species in that part of lypter, its setae, and knob of halter, ivory. the key by the small first flagellomere of Abdomen dark gray with thin gray pol- the antenna. Relationship might be closest len, with greenish and coppery reflections to some western species, particularly A. la- that are almost imperceptible in fluorescent tus Van Duzee, from Bill Williams Fork, light, conspicuous in incandescent light. Arizona, having a similar densely silvery Tergal setae black, suberect, apical band on pollinose face and black palpi. The latter mm each tergite larger; genital capsule with 4 species is distinctly larger, ca. 3.5 long, large equal setae. — is evidently from near water, and resembles Allotype female. Length 2.2 mm; wing other possibly related western species in 2.0 mm by 0.7 mm. Coloration, pollinosity, having all the tibiae partly or wholly yellow wing venation, tibial setae similar to male. (Van Duzee 1—916, 1919). Front tarsi not modified, setae of tergites Discussion. Florida scrub habitat is the shorter and more decumbent. antithesis ofhabitats preferred by most Dol- Holotype.—Male: FLORIDA: Highlands ichopodidae: it is comparatively sterile, xer- Co., Archbold Biological Station, 26 April ic, without nearby permanent water, with 1996, M. Deyrup. On open sand at edge of clumps of sclerophyllous, drought-adapted \ fire lane, Florida scrub habitat (USNM). plants, and patches of bare, white sand. — Paratypes. (USNM): 6 6,39 (includ- Other species of Asyndetus are usually ing allotype): same locality, date, collector, found on the seacoast or around permanent habitat as holotype; 1 9: same locality, col- fresh water (Cole 1969). However, A. arch- VOLUME 99, NUMBER 3 479 boldi shares a habitat trait with some of its one time. We expect that, when dipterists congeners: it is associated with sandy plac- begin to scan the surface of open sand for es. This is somewhat parallel to the situa- these tiny flies, that this species or similar tion in pygmy mole crickets (Tridactylidae) species will be found in scrub elsewhere in which live on algae growing in wet, sandy Florida, and perhaps outside of the state as areas, except for a newly described species well. from Florida scrub (Deyrup and Eisner 1996). This latter pygmy mole cricket feeds Asyndetus wirthi Robinson, new species on a recently discovered layer of algae that grows about 3 mm below the surface ofthe (Fi—gs. 4-6) bare sand, where light is easily transmitted Holotype male. Length 4.0 mm; wing through the translucent grains and where at- 3.5 mm by 1.2 mm. Face ca. % to % as wide mospheric drying is much reduced. The lar- as high, not recessed, white pollinose; front vae are known for only one species of not noticeably wider than face at antennae, Asyndetus (Williams 1938), that naturally metallic greenish color almost totally ob- occurs at the entrances of crab holes on scured by grayish-white pollen. Palpus and sandy beaches, and whose larvae have been proboscis black, the former with numerous raised in vials where they were fed on dro- black setae. Antenna black; pedicel only sophilid maggots. Almost all dolichopodid slightly produced above and on inner side, larvae are similarly predacious, but the an- not longer above than below; first flagello- imals on which they feed occur in a wide mere scarcely as long as high, with very variety of habitats. At least some dolicho- short, blunt point below arista, arista borne podid larvae are associated with algal mats at distal Va of upper edge, very near tip. (Oldroyd 1964). Thus, we speculate that the Lower postocular setae white. larvae of A. archboldi may be feeding in Thorax mostly metallic green obscured the algal layer under the sand on which the with yellowish-gray pollen, with rather dis- adults are found. The limited literature on tinct brown pollinose stripe dorsally be- dolichopid larvae and pupae (Willams tween rows of dorsocentrals; acrostichals 1938; Smith 1952; Dyte 1959; Robinson distinctly biseriate; scutellum with small and Vockeroth 1981) would be augmented hair on lateral margin; with series of 5 or 6 by discovery and description of the imma- small proepistemal setae above fore coxa of ture stages ofA. archboldi. which those nearest the coxa are longer Adults of Asyndetus archboldi occur on Legs dark, with some yellow at knees; open sand at edges of fire lanes and in bare coxae and femora metallic green with gray- patches between clumps of scrub plants. ish pollen. Setae on anterior surfaces of These flies move quickly from place to coxae coarse, black. All femora with some- place on the sand, seldom flying more than what irregular series of anteroventral and a few mm above the surface. They may posteroventral setae, halfto three-fourths as perch for a few minutes on debris, especial- long as widths of femora, a stouter antero- ly the small dead leaves of scrub oaks. ventral seta at tip ofhind femur, 2 or 3 lon- When individuals meet, they usually per- ger setae anterodorsally near tip ofhind fe- form a rapid gyrating flight around each mur Fore tibia with 2 or 3 anterodorsals, A other, then separate. fly can be captured third and largest anterodorsal near middle, by quickly placing a plastic bag over it, 1 distinct posterodorsal near middle, 2 then chasing it up into the bag, where it can small apicals above and below; middle tibia be sucked up with an aspirator. We have with 2 large anterior bristles near '/<; and %, collected one specimen in a Malaise trap, small anterodorsal near %, 3 rather small but there seems to be no method for easily posterodorsals near '/j, -/^, and y^, 1 distinct capturing large numbers of specimens at ventral near % and sometimes 1 smaller — 480 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON near %, usually 5 large apicals; hind tibia Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Dip- with 7 anterodorsdals of irregular lengths tera section of the U.S. Department of Ag- staggered in 2 rows, basal in series very riculture. small, the second, fourth and sixth in a Diagnosis. Asyndetus wirthi differs more anterior row and slightly larger, with from A. interruptus by the face ofthe male 6 posterodorsals, the third and fifth large, being higher than wide, very gradually nar- near % and %, with 5 large apicals. Tarsus rowed from the front rather than having a with last segment slightly broadened, all slight but abrupt narrowing at the level of pulvilli enlarged and longer than 5th seg- the antennae (Figs. 6, 7). The pedicel ofthe ment, fore tarsus slightly felted ventrally, antenna has the upper edge scarcely longer middle basitarsus with only a few ventral than the lower edge, the first flagellomere spicules; lengths of tarsal segments from is scarcely as long as high with a very short the base as: tarsus I, 0.52, 0.22, 0.17, 0.13, blunt point ventral to the arista, and the me- 0.17 mm, pulvilli 0.26 mm; tarsus II, 0.65, soscutum has brownish pollen between the 0.35, 0.22, 0.17, 0.13 mm, pulvilli 0.24 rows of dorsocentrals. Asyndetus interrup- mm; tarsus III, 0.48, 0.43, 0.30, 0.17, 0.13 tus has the pedicel ofthe antenna distinctly mm, pulvilli 0.20 mm. longer above than below, the first flagello- Wings grayish with yellowish-brown mere is swollen at the base with the lower veins; anal margin fully rounded. Vein 1 edge oblique to a short and sometimes reaching costa near middle of wing; vein 3 sharp point, and the mesoscutum is evenly distinctly curved backward near tip; last grayish or whit—ish pollinose above. part of vein 4 broken at bend, broken ends Discussion. The distinction between apparently slightly overlapping. Crossvein Asyndetus wirthi and Asyndetus interruptus Va as long as terminal section ofvein 5. Ca- Loew was first made by Robinson (1975). lypter, its setae and knob of halter whitish. Unfortunately, at that time, A. wirthi was Abdomen metallic green dulled with gray thought to be A. interruptus, and specimens pollen; hairs mostly short, hairs on sides of A. interruptus were described as a new and stemites longer, marginal setae 2 or 3 species, A. bredini. The confusion was the times as long as dorsal hairs. Genital cap- direct result ofinadequate knowledge ofthe sule dark brown, bearing 4 stout bristles type specimen ofA. interruptus, supposedly posteriorly. — deposited in the Poey collection in Havana, Allotype female. Length 4.0-4.5 mm; Cuba. The type was said to be in a sealed wing 3.5-3.9 mm by 1.3 mm. Face slightly tray. higher than in male, with narrow clypeus In 1990, this situation was resolved visible; antenna as in male. Fore and middle through a correspondent in Cuba, Gabriel coxae with setae less coarse anteriorly; fem- Garcea G., who sent photographs of the ora without long setae or bristles below; type specimen. Garcea reported that the hind tibia with small anteroventrals; last type was in the Gundlach collection of the segments of tarsi not broader, pulvilli not Ecology-Systematics Institute, Academy of enlarged. — Sciences, in Havana, not in the Poey col- Holotype. Male, JAMAICA: Falmouth, lection. The specimen is a male, with the bay shore, 1 March 1969, W. W. Wirth genital capsule nearly hidden within the tip (USNM). of the abdomen. The antennae are now — Paratypes. 3 (5,3 9 (including alloty- missing from the type as depicted in the pe): same locality, date, collector, habitat as photographs, and the colors were said to be holotype; 1 S, ANTIGUA: Dutchman Bay, faded, but the head is present, and the fron- 1 March 1969,—W. W. Wirth (all USNM). tal and facial shapes can be seen. The face Etymology. The speciesWis named for is square, not higher than wide, the form the collector, the late Willis Wirth ofthe previously cited for A. bredini Robinson VOLUME NUMBER 99, 3 481 Figs. 1-7. Asyndetiis. 1-3, A. archboldi. 1, Genital capsule. 2, Antenna. 3, Head showing face and front. 4-6, A. wirthi. 4, Genital capsule. 5, Antenna. 6, Head showing face and front. 7.A. interruptus. head showing face and front. 1, 4, 50 ixm scale. 2-5, Upper0.5 mm scale. 6, Lower0.5 mm scale. 7, Drawn from photograph oftype specimen, seen from slightly above. (1975). Asyndetus bredini is a synonym of widely. A female, that may be this species, A. interruptus, and the material describedas has been seen from Quintana Roo, Mexico. A. interruptus in 1975 is described here as Asyndetus interruptus is known from Flor- a new species. ida, Cuba and Dominica. Both Asyndetus wirthi and A. interruptus are found along seashores of the Gulf of Acknowledgment Mexico and Caribbean area, a habitat that is common in the genus. The new species Gabriel Garcea G., at the Centro Oriental is described strictly from Jamaica and An- de Ecosistemas y Bioversidad in Santiago tigua, but it is presumed to occur more de Cuba, is thanked for the photographs of 482 PROCEEDINGS OFTHE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON W the type specimen ofAsyndetus interruptus Oldroyd, H. 1964. The natural history offlies. W. in Havana. Norton and Company, New York. 324 pp. Robinson, H. 1964. A synopsisoftheDolichopodidae Literature Cited (Diptera)ofthe southeasternUnitedStatesandad- jacent regions. Miscellaneous Publications of the Abrahamson, W. G., A. F. Johnson, J. N. Layne, and Entomological Society ofAmerica 4: 103-192. P. A. Peroni. 1984. Vegetation of the Archbold . 1975. Bredin-Archbold-Smithsonian biolog- Biological Station, Florida: an example of the ical survey of Dominica, the family Dolichopod- southern Lake Wales Ridge. Florida Scientist 47: idae with some related Antillean and Panamanian 209-250. species (Diptera). Smithsonian Contributions to Cole, F R. 1969. The flies ofwestern North America. Zoology 185: i-iv, 1-141. University ofCalifornia Press, Berkeley. 693 pp. Robinson, H. andJ. R. Vockeroth. 1981. Dolichopod- Deyrup, M. 1990. Arthropod footprints in the sands idae, pp. 625-639. In Manual ofNearcticDiptera. oftime. Florida Entomologist 73: 529-538. Deyrup, M. and T Eisner. 1993. Last stand in the 1: i-vi, 1-674. sand. Natural History 102: 42-47. Smith, M. E. 1952. Immaturestagesofthemarine fly, Hypocharassus pruinosus Wh., with a review of new. p1y99g6m.yDmeoslcericprtiicoknetafnrdomnarteulricatlxheirsitcourpylaonfdsa the biology of immature Dolichopodidae. Ameri- ofFlorida(Orthoptera: Tridactylidae). Memoirsof can Midland Naturalist 48: 421-432. the Entomological Society ofWashington 17: 59- Van Duzee, M. C. 1916. Table ofmales ofthe North American speciesofthegenusAsyndetuswithde- 67. Dyte, C. E. 1959. Some interesting habits of larval scriptions ofsix new species. Psyche 28: 88-94. Dolichopodidae(Diptera). EntomologistsMonthly . 1919. Two new Asyndetus, with a table of Magazine 95: 139-143. North American species. EntomologicalNews 30: Myers, R. L. 1990. Scrub and high pine, pp. 150- 248-250. 193. In Myers, R. L. and T. T Ewel, eds. Ecosys- Williams, F. X. 1938. Asyndetus carcinophilus Parent tems of Florida. University of Central Florida (Diptera, Dolichopodidae). ProceedingsoftheHa- Press, Orlando. 765 pp. waiian Entomological Society 10: 126-129.