The true identity of copeland's aquatic scuttle fly (Diptera: Phoridae) from Indiana and recognition of a sibling species from Texas

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington

Publication Date

1-1-2009

Abstract

Among the insects reported by Copeland (1989) breeding in the waters retained by treeholes in Indiana was a scuttle fly identified by W. H. Robinson as Megaselia scalaris (Loew). It is here reported that in fact this fly, along with fresh material from Illinois and Missouri, is M. imitatrix Borgmeier, whose type series was from Puerto Rico. An aquatic species reported from Texas is recognized as a sibling species of M. imitatrix and is named M. hansonix Disney, sp. nov. A single female from Brazil represents a third species of this complex, thus raising doubts about the identity of specimens from Brazil attributed to M. imitatrix by Benton and Claugher (2000).

Keywords

Megaselia, Misidentifications, New species, Voucher specimens

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