Distributional notes on Bertamyia notata (Loew), including the first report of the family platypezidae from the caribbean (Diptera: Platypezidae)

2005·1 MB·

by  Norman E Woodley

PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH.
107(3). 2(X)5. pp. 731-732
Note
Distributional Notes on Bertamyia notata (Loew), Including the First Report of the
Family Platypezidae from the Caribbean (Diptera: Platypezidae)
Kessel (1970) erected the genus Berta- Bertamyia notata is widespread in the
myia, differentiating it from Agathomyia Nearctic Region, ranging from Alaska to
Verrall primarily by its lack ofa postsutural Northwest Territories and Quebec, south to
supra-alar seta; the position of crossvein r- California and Georgia (Kessel and Pearce
m, which is slightly more distal than in 1966). Kessel and Pearce (1966) recorded
Agathomyia; and differences in larval struc- the species from Mexico, Argentina, Brazil,
ture. Bertamyia also differs from known and Paraguay in the Neotropical Region.
Agathomyia in forming a puparial cocoon I recently collected a single female of B.
within the fungal host (Kessel et al. 1973). notata in Puerto Rico and a series from the
The genus contains two species, the type Dominican Republic, which prompted me
species, B. notata (Loew), found widely in to examine material in the collection of the
the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, and National Museum of Natural History,
B. umacibise (Kessel and Clopton) from Smithsonian Institution (USNM). Addition-
South Africa. Bertamyia notata has been al distribution records of interest came to
reared from the bracket fungus Tyromyces light. A specimen from Chiapas, Mexico,
chioneus (Fr.) P. Karst. (Kessel 1957, Chan- extends the range well east of Oaxaca, the
dler 2001) in North America. Adults, like southernmost previous record from Mexico
those of many other platypezids, can be
(Kessel and Pearce 1966). Kessel and
found running actively on the upper surfac-
Pearce (1966) noted that they had not seen
es of broad leaves.
specimens from Central America. Material
Another feature ofBertamyia that is well in the USNM collection from Costa Rica
known, but has not been used as a diag-
and specimens that I collected from Panama
nostic feature, is the presence of well-de-
document the occurrence offi. notata there.
fined, pale maculations with a light metallic The USNM collection also has a small se-
bluish or greenish sheen on the dorsum of
ries from Madre de Dios Department, Peru,
the thorax and on the abdominal tergites of
well west and north of previous South
both sexes as well as on the frons of the
female. Only a few other platypezids in the American records, and material that I re-
genus Agathomyia Verrall (e.g., Agatho- cently collected in Bolivia. The collociioii
also contains specimens from Jamaica,
myia collini Verrall) have silvery markings
or a silvery sheen to the thorax (Chandler, which together with iii\ collections from
personal communication). In B. notata, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Rcpul"^lic.
these markings are variable which led ear- are the first records for the Caribbean and
lier authors to describe several species that suggest a widespread occurrence in tlic re-
subsequently have been synonymized (Kes- gion. In fact, the famil) Phii\ pc/idac has
sel 1957, Kessel and Pearce 1966). In some not pre\'iously been recordeti tmni the Ca-
specimens, these markings appear faint, ribbean (Chandler. perstMiai comnuniica-
USNM
which may be due in part to age of the tion), allhouLih the colleciion ci>n-
specimen or greasing after preservation. On tains specimens o\' an iiiiideniilicd species
the other hand, the male genitalia have not of Mirroscmiii tVoni Doniinica. so iluit pla-
been examined across the geographic range typezid genus occuis in tlie C';irihbc;m as
of the species, and it is possible that future well. The specific localities ol niateiial ex-
work will reveal additional species. amined are given below. Bcricnnyia notata
732 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
is a small, inconspicuous fly that is easily 12°07'S, 70°58'W, 9-23 September 1988,
overlooked. The new records presented Amnon Friedberg; 1 S, Madre de Dios,
here provide a strong indication that the Manu, Erika, near Salvacion, 550 meters,
species occurs throughout much ofthe Neo- 5-6 September 1988, Amnon Friedberg; 3
tropical Region. 6 Madre de Dios, Manu, Rio Manu, Cocha
,
Adults ofB. notata have habits similarto Salvador, 240 meters, 14 September 1988,
many other platypezids. They can be found Amnon Friedberg. BOLIVIA: 4 9, Santa
on horizontal surfaces of large leaves in Cruz Department, Ichilo Province, Hotel
semi-moist to wet broadleaf forests, some- Flora y Fauna, 4-6 km SSE Buena Vista,
times in dappled sunlight. They usually are 17°29.95'S, 63°N33.15'W, 400-500 meters,
seen walking quickly in an erratic fashion 6-8 November 2003, N. E. Woodley.
in a small area on the leaf. I am very grateful to Peter Chandler
Material examined (north to south). (Burnham, Slough, England), for providing
PUERTO RICO: 1 9, Caribbean National information and reading the manuscript,
Forest, Road 186 at Quebrada Grande, 450 and John Brown and Allen Norrbom (both
meters, 18°18'24"N, 65°50'00"W, 17 June of the Systematic Entomology Laboratory,
2003, N. E. Woodley. DOMINICAN RE- USDA) for their review of the manuscript.
PUBLIC: 4 c?, 3 9, Pedernales Province, Literature Cited
Parque Nacional Sierra de Baoruco, Las
Chandler, P. J. 2001. The flat-footed flies (Diptera:
Abejas, 18°09.011'N, 71°37.342', 1,150 Opetiidae andPlatypezidae)ofEurope. FaunaEn-
meters, 11 July 2004, N. E. Woodley. JA- tomologica Scandinavica 36: 1-276.
MAICA: 4 S, Runaway Bay, February Kessel, E. L. 1957. Distribution and variation inAga-
1969, W. W. Wirth, "stream bed". MEXI- thomyia notata (Loew) (Diptera: Platypezidae).
CofO:Jal1teSna,nCgho,iap1a,s0,00FmientcearsP,ru1si2a,Ma3y3 k19m85S, Tinhae.e1W(9Da7is0p.mteaBrnae:rntPaJlmoayutiryanp,aelzaiodfnaeeB)wi.oglTeohngeuysW1ao5f(s1mP)l:aant6ny9p-eJ8zo0iu.nr--
W. N. Mathis. COSTA RICA: 7 ? La Sui- nal ofBiology 28(2): 185-190.
,
za, various dates (April 1922, July 1926, Kessel, E. L., M. E. Buegler and R M. Keyes. 1973.
A survey ofthe known larvae and pupariaofPla-
August 1926, September 1926), Pablo
typezidae, with a key to ten genera based on im-
Schild; 1 9, Turrialba, November 1922, mature stages (Diptera). The Wasmann Journal of
Pablo Schild; 1 9, Turrialba, 15-19 July Biology 31(2): 233-261.
1965, P J. Spangler. PANAMA: 1 9, Bam- Kessel, E. L. and M. J. Pearce. 1966. The genusAga-
bito River, 30 August 1952, F S. Blanton; thomyia in the Americas south of the United
States (Diptera: Platypezidae). The Wasmann
1 (?, 1 9, Canal Zone, Barro Colorado Is- Journal ofBiology 24(2): 261-278.
land, 10 June 1978, N. E. Woodley; 6 d, 1
9 Canal Zone, Chiva Chiva Road, 8 airkm Norman E. Woodley, Systematic Ento-
,
north of Fort Clayton, 25 July 1978, N. E. mology Laboratory, PSI, ARS, USDA, %
Woodley. PERU: 2 d, 1 9, Madre de Dios, Smithsonian Institution NHB-168, P.O. Box
DC
Manu, Rio Manu, Pakitza, 250 meters. 37012, Washington, 20013-7012.