Scipopus Enderlein 1922

Diagnosing the Scipopus group Scipopus s. lat. is distinguished from other New World Taeniapterinae with a short anal cell by the full combination of the following characters: all setae on the scape and costagium short, arista bare, third costal sector ≤ ½ length of M (Fig. 14A), hind tibia with a well-defined sulcus on at least the basal ⅓ to ½, and ocellar triangle widely separated from posterior margin of frontal vitta (distance ≥ 2.5× ocellar triangle length) (Fig. 66A). Scipopus s. lat. comes out at couplet 20 in the Manual of Central American Diptera key to genera of neotropical Micropezidae Loew, 1861 (Marshall 2010). Scipopus s. str., the most recognizable subgenus, is further diagnosed by the combination of a mostly orange head, an entirely or partially dull orbital plate, a dark brown or black body, uniformly dark brown or black legs and wings, and an anteriorly white microtrichose anepisternum. The remaining subgenera of the Scipopus group have an entirely white microtrichose anepisternum, with at most a small bare patch anteriorly (Fig. 47A); sometimes this microtrichosity is only visible at certain angles and may give the impression of a bare or only partially microtrichose anepisternum; therefore, careful examination is required. Many species of S. (Phaeopterina) (including Pseudeurybata) are similar in coloration to Scipopus s. str., with a mostly orange head and a dark brown or black body. Most S. (Phaeopterina) also have entirely or mostly dull orbital plates (shiny in S. (Ph.) fraudator sp. nov.), an elongate thorax and postpronotal lobe, and most species have a wide, median silvery or blue vitta on the scutum (Fig. 61B). A quarter of the species in S. (Phaeopterina) lack a postocellar seta and most species previously treated as Pseudeurybata have a tall and deflexed clypeus (as in Fig. 15A) (width ≤ 1.6× height). Scipopus (Parascipopus) differs from the remainder of Scipopus s. lat. in having entirely shiny orbital plates (Fig. 43A), a strongly tapered, pointed posterior frontal vitta (Fig. 43D) (except in S. (Pa.) fenestratus subgen. et sp. nov.) and a single spermathecal duct arising from the common or paired spermathecal duct (Fig. 39E). Members of Scipopus s. lat. are superficially similar to several closely related genera of Rainieiriini (Grallipezini) that, like Scipopus, have a bare arista and short setae on the scape and costagium. Species of Mesoconius are similar to Scipopus s. lat. in having a very short third costal sector, and females of several species have both spermathecal ducts arising from a common duct (as in Fig. 61C). Mesoconius differs in that the male genital fork is absent, the tibial sulcus is weak and the ocellar triangle is closer to the vertex than in Scipopus s. lat.; furthermore, a major subgroup of Mesoconius is easily recognized by a protuberant katatergite. Some species of Cliobata Enderlein, 1923 and some species in the Rainieriella clade resemble Scipopus s. lat. in the generally dark brown or black body colour, the short third costal sector and the hind tibial sulcus, but differ from Scipopus in having a short distance between the ocellar triangle and the posterior apex of the frontal vitta. Most Cliobata also have a distinctive pattern of microtrichia on the scutum. Cliobata is restricted to the Andean countries, and all species are mostly or entirely black with red eyes. Species of Raineiriella also have a distinctive pattern of microtrichia on the thorax where the anterior half is entirely white microtrichose. Description of Scipopus s. lat. HEAD. Colour varying from mostly orange to brown or black. Arista bare, microtrichose near base. Pedicel only with short seta. Gena silvery microtrichose, with 2–5 ventral setae. Palpus approximately parallel-sided, rounded or pointed apically, 3.3–6.0× as long as wide, setulose. THORAX. Variable in colour, orange or brown to black, often with blue sheen. Proepisternum setulose on ventral margin, with 1–5 rows of ventral setae. Two notopleural setae, one dorsocentral seta, one prealar seta, one postalar seta. Acrostichal setulae forming several scattered rows. Katepisternum with two posterior vertical rows of orange, brown or black setae. Tibiae with sulcus on at least basal ⅓ of posterodorsal surface. Tarsomere 1 on all legs longer than tarsomeres 2–5 combined. Fore and mid coxae with an anteroventral tuft of black setae, hind coxae with scattered black anteroventral setae. WING. Variable in colour. Anal cell (cua) short (length of A 1 ~half the length of A 1 + CuA 2), triangular, bare, A 1 with basal half with a slight darkened longitudinal fold or false vein (CuP) (Fig. 26D). Third costal sector very short, at most ½ the length of M. Costagium with several short setae. ABDOMEN. Variable in colour. Male pleural sac large, occupying most or all of P2. T1 with fine, long setae. T2–6 with medium length or short setulae. T1–6 dark brown or black with white microtrichosity: connection between T1–2, posterior corners of T2 and anterior margin of T3 usually densely microtrichose, T4–6 usually with indistinct, sparse microtrichosity. Male genital fork and epandrium dark brown or black with white or pale microtrichosity. Basiphallus usually small, crescent-shaped (wider posterodorsally, narrower anteroventrally) or frame-like (Fig. 71B). Basal distiphallus variable; usually very short (1–2× length of phallic bulb) or short (> half epandrial length) in Scipopus s. str., short or long (= epandrial length) in S. (Parascipopus) and long in S. (Phaeopterina). Distal distiphallus variable; often long and whip-like in Scipopus s. str., and long, short or absent in S. (Parascipopus) and S. (Phaeopterina). Phallic bulb ranging from very short and approximately spherical (as in many species of Scipopus s. str.) (Fig. 20D), to enlarged, irregular and elongate (as in many species of S. (Phaeopterina )) (Fig. 47D). Epandrium usually elongate (length 2.0 × height) in Scipopus s. str. (Fig. 20D), elongate or stout in S. (Parascipopus) and usually stout (length ≈ height) in S. (Phaeopterina) (Fig. 62E). Ejaculatory apodeme highly variable (small or large) within each genus. Bursa copulatrix broad and rugose with a small, claw-like ventral receptacle (Fig. 24E). Spermathecal duct arrangement variable; single duct arises from paired duct in Scipopus s. str. (Fig. 7B), from common or paired duct in S. (Parascipopus) (Fig. 45C), and independently from bursa (Fig. 47E) or from paired or smooth common duct in S. (Phaeopterina) (Fig. 61C). Duct width and length highly variable. Spermathecae (usually 2 +1, occasionally 2+ 2) with shape and size highly variable; spherical, ovoid, elongate, cup-like or sinuate, with or without tubercles. Key to species of Scipopus Enderlein, 1922 1. Anepisternum mostly white microtrichose on anterior ¼ to ¾, ventral corner sometimes brown microtrichose; at minimum, posterior ¼ mostly brown microtrichose (Figs 7E, 16) ........................ ............................................................................................2 (Scipopus (Scipopus) Enderlein, 1922) – Anepisternum entirely white microtrichose (at most with small bare spot on anterior margin) (Fig. 47A) ....................................................................................................................................... 17 2. Clypeus entirely white microtrichose (Fig. 13A). Female cervical sclerite strongly convex on anterior half (Fig. 13C). Fore tarsomere 1 white. Epicephalon shiny, clearly delineated (Fig. 13C) .............. .......................... Scipopus (Scipopus) chalybeus Hennig, 1934 (Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador) – Clypeus bare medially, white microtrichose posterolaterally (Fig. 15A). Female cervical sclerite flat or weakly convex. Fore tarsomere 1 white or dark brown or black. Epicephalon dull or shiny, clearly or poorly delineated .......................................................................................................................... 3 3. Posterolateral portions of paracephalon with strongly convex projections (Fig. 29C) .................... 4 – Posterolateral portions of paracephalon with at most indistinct bumps (Fig. 22H) ......................... 5 4. Fore and hind tarsomere 1 at least partially white. Epicephalon dull, orange, microtrichose (Fig. 29C). Fine setae on T1 entirely white ............ Scipopus (Scipopus) planus sp. nov. (Bolivia, Brazil, Peru) – Fore and hind tarsomere 1 dark brown or black. Epicephalon dull, microtrichose, brown and/or orange (Fig. 15C). Fine setae on T1 mostly dark brown or black ...................................................... ................................................. Scipopus (Scipopus) convexus sp. nov. (Northwest South America) 5. Fore and hind tarsomere 1 dark brown or black dorsally; ventrally dark brown or with whitish or golden fringe (Fig. 32) ...................................................................................................................... 6 – Fore and hind tarsomere 1 at least partially white or pale yellow dorsally; ventrally white, dark brown or black (Fig. 9A) ................................................................................................................ 10 6. Orbital plate entirely dull, microtrichose, without anterior shiny patch (Fig. 8A). Scutum with anteromedian pale brown vitta flanked by blue sheen (Fig. 10E) ...................................................... ..................................... Scipopus (Scipopus) calocephalus (Bigot, 1886) (Costa Rica to Colombia) – Orbital plate dull, microtrichose posteriorly, with anterior shiny patch (Fig. 11C). Scutum with indistinct silvery or pale brown, or blue median vittae or entirety of scutum with blue sheen (Figs 11C, 20C, 28B) .......................................................................................................................................... 7 7. Epicephalon dull, orange, microtrichose (Fig. 20C) .........

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