Calliphora nigribasis Macquart 1851

Calliphora nigribasis Macquart, 1851

Figs. 2, 7, 12, 13, 20, 21, 30–32, 38, 42, 46

Calliphora nigribasis Macquart, 1851: 215; Shannon, 1926: 134; Mariluis and Peris, 1985: 82; Peris and Gonzalez-Mora, 1989: 185.

Calliphora peruviana: Hall, 1948: 301, plate 27 (figs. J, K) (in part; description of “ peruviana ” is that of a Neotropical Calliphora species whereas the figures show the male genitalia of C. loewi; see below under Type information); James, 1970: 12; Baumgartner and Greenberg, 1985: 583. The true C. peruviana Robineau-Desvoidy is treated here as a Lucilia species; see Appendix for details.

Calliphora peruviana: James, 1970: 12 (misidentification).

Calliphora nigra Mello, 1974: 59, n. syn.

Calliphora calcedoniae Mariluis, 1978: 51; Mariluis and Peris, 1985: 82 (synonymized with C. nigribasis).

Calliphora antojuanae Mariluis, 1982: 32, n. syn.

Type information. Calliphora nigribasis Macquart (1851: 215) was described from one or more males from “Columbie”. James P. Dear examined the single male in MNHN and recorded the label data as “ Colombie Parzudacki 1842” (from Dear’s unpublished notes on the “ holotype ”; further details are given in Nomenclatural Summary in Appendix). Type not examined. Hall (1948: 301) erred in citing two syntypes in MNHN, a male and a female (the nominal species was described from the male sex only) and in reporting Mexico as the type locality given on the labels. My concept of this species follows that of Shannon (1926), Mariluis and Peris (1985), and Peris and Gonzalez-Mora (1989).

Calliphora nigra Mello (1974: 59) was described from two males and one female from Sur de Saraguro, Ecuador (including the male holotype and female allotype), and two females from a nearby location in Ecuador. Mello recognized the specimens as close to “ C. peruviana R.-D.”, but he did not examine type material. He relied instead on Hall’s (1948) figures (plate 27, figs. J, K) of the genitalia of “ C. peruviana ” to conclude that his specimens were a different species. Hall’s (1948: 301) description of “ C. peruviana ” is that of a Neotropical Calliphora species, but his figures are not those of the true C. peruviana (which is a Lucilia species, see Appendix). Neither are they C. nigribasis, which Hall treated as a synonym of C. peruviana. They appear to be the Holarctic species C. loewi Enderlein, 1903, which Hall recognized as a valid species under the name C. morticia Shannon, 1923 (misspelled as “ mortica ” by Hall). Calliphora morticia was synonymized with C. loewi by Rognes (1991) and the latter was treated as a valid North American species by Whitworth (2006). The genitalia in Mello’s figures of C. nigra closely resemble the genitalia of C. nigribasis figured herein (Figs. 12, 13), and on this basis I consider C. nigra a synonym of C. nigribasis, new synonymy.

Calliphora antojuanae Mariluis (1982: 32) was described from a female holotype and two female paratypes from Pampa de Achala, near Cordoba, Argentina. The ovipositor sclerites of C. antojuanae shown in Mariluis’ figures are very similar to those of C. nigribasis illustrated herein (Figs. 12, 13) and on this basis I consider C. antojuanae a synonym of C. nigribasis, new synonymy.

Diagnosis. Known primarily from high elevations in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Baumgartner and Greenberg (1985) recorded a specimen from 5008m. A specimen collected in Peru listed as found at 400ft may be an error. Calliphora nigribasis can be separated from C. lopesi, the only similar species in the region, as follows: C. nigribasis usually with black genal groove versus orange in C. lopesi; rim of lower calypter and fringe reddish brown to brown versus white; male frons 0.102 (0.09–0.12/5) of head width versus 0.066 (0.06– 0.07/5); frons broader than first flagellomere versus narrower; surstylus and cercus shorter and broader versus longer and more slender; ST5 of male very broad (Fig. 38) versus normal width (Fig. 37).

Description. Lower parafacial usually reddish; upper parafacial, genal dilation, genal groove and frontoorbital plate usually brown to black with silvery microtomentum; upper parafacial with a more or less distinct changeable spot; frontal vitta reddish to reddish brown; pedicel brown, apical edge orange, first flagellomere brown, basal portion reddish; occiput with a weak row of dark setae below strong postocular row, remainder of occiput with pale, silvery setae which can be seen just above the postgena; ocellar triangle medium in size, anterior ocellus usually slightly larger than posterior ocelli; facial ridge with row of strong supravibrissal setae on facial ridge ascending about 2/3 of way to antennal base; only two postsutural intra-alar setae; anterior and posterior thoracic spiracles brown; upper and lower calypters brown with brown to reddish brown fringe. Body length, males 9– 10mm, females slightly longer, 10–12mm.

Male. Frons broad, 0.102 (0.09–0.12/5) of head width at narrowest, clearly broader than width of first flagellomere; 1.5 (1.4–1.8/5) of first flagellomere; parafacial at narrowest 1.2 (1.0–1.3/5) of frons; 1.9 (1.7–1.9/5) of first flagellomere; gena to eye ratio 0.55 (0.50–0.58); frontal setae long and dark, ascending to just below median ocellus; fronto-orbital plates broad, almost meeting just anterior to ocellar triangle; upper parafacial with a changeable spot. Surstylus in lateral view short and relatively broad (Fig. 12), cercus in posterior view broad and slightly shorter than surstylus (Fig. 13). Phallus, hypandrium, pre- and postgonite, and ejaculatory sclerite as in Figs. 20, 21, 30–32. Sternites 3 and 4 slightly expanded, ST5 (Fig. 38) about twice the width of other species, except for C. maestrica (Whitworth 2010, fig. 16).

Female. Frons 0.34 (0.32–0.36/5) of head width at narrowest; 5.4 (4.8–5.8/5) of first flagellomere; parafacial at narrowest 0.44 (0.40–.47/5) of frons; 2.3 (2.1–2.5/5) of first flagellomere; gena to eye ratio 0.65 (0.62–0.68/5). A changeable spot midway on fronto-orbital plate and another on upper parafacial. T5 sometimes with a notch on the rear margin, but no incision. Ovipositor and spermathecae as in Figs. 42, 46.

Specimens examined. 60 males, 25 females. Argentina (3 males): 1 male, Catamarca Province, Sierra de Ambro, 13 km nw Chumbica, 28°50'00''S 66°24'46''W, 700m, June 15, 1999, M.E. Erwin, F.D. Parker (USU); 1 male, Catamarca, Cuesta Totoral, 1300m, Nov. 27, 1968, L.E. Peña (CNC); 1 male, same data, except 6 km N. Aconquija, 1700m, Oct. 2, 1968. Bolivia (35 males): 2 males, El Limbo, Chapare Province, 65°36'W 17°07'S, 2200m, Nov. 1963, F. Steinbach (CNC); 1 male, same data, except Nov.–Dec., 1964; 2 males, same data, except Jan., 1964; 1 male, Chipiriri, Sept., 1962, T. Steinback (CNC); 1 male, Chapare Yungas, Feb. 1–3, 1976, 2200m, L.E. Peña (CNC); 1 male, Sillutincata, Yungas de La Paz, Jan. 20, 21, 1976, 2200–3000m, L.E. Peña (CNC); 1 male, Siberia W. Comarapa,. Coch., Feb. 18, 19, 1976, 2500–2900m, L E. Peña (CNC); 1 male Crystal Mayo, May, 1963, no collector (CNC); 3 males, Paracti, Chapare, 2200m, Feb. 1–4, 1976, L.E. Peña (CNC) 1 male, Chapare Province, M. Grunbaum, purchased 1966 (NHMLA); 1 male, 50 km w Chuliman, Nov. 26, 1951, Ross and Michelbacher (WSU); 1 male, Cochabamaba Department, El Limbo, Nov.,1962, F.H. Walz (WSUP); 4 males, La Paz Department, La Paz, Oct. 4, 1972, G.E. Bohart (USU); 1 male, Cochabamba Chapare, Villa Tunari; Cochabama Road, km 365, Dec. 9, 1996, 1800m, G. & M. Wood; 1 male, same data except km 396, Dec. 10, 1996, 2750m (CNC). Colombia (4 males, 3 females): 1 male, Bogota, B. Guevara Coll. (USNM); 2 males, Bogota, Feb.-Apr., 1915, Dr. A. Balfour, 1915-298; 1 male, 2 females, Villavicencio, Guatiquia Riv., 400ft, Nov-Dec., 1914 (BMNH); 1 female, D. Balfour, ex. Wellcome Coll., B.M. 1990-107 (BMNH). Ecuador (7 males, 13 females): 1 male, 1 female, Napo, 43 km, W. Baeza, 3500m, March 4–7, 1976, G.E. Shewell (CNC); 2 males, Tarqui, Azuay, 2800m, March 16, 1965, L. Peña (CNC); 1 female, Pichincha, 0°26'S 70°40'W, April 4, 1976, G.&M. Wood (CNC); 1 female, km 52, S. of Cuenca, 3250m, March 21, 1965, L. Peña (CNC); 3 females, San Isidro, Carchi, 2500m, June 23, 1965, L. Peña (CNC); 4 females, Cerro Tinajillas, Azuay, March 18–21, 1965, 1965, 3100m, L. Peña (CNC); 1 female, Pichincha province, Latacunga, Machachi, 3400m, May 12, 1976, flight trap, G.B. Fairchild (FSCA); 3 males, 2 females, Napo, 8.5 km E. Papallacta, March 29, 1983, G.& M. Wood; 1 male, same data except March 26, 1983, 8.7 km E. of Papallacta (CNC). Peru (10 males, 9 females): 1 male, Acolla District, cerca Jauja, 3460m, June, 1948, F. Blancas (WSUP); 1 male, Arequipa Department, Arequipa, 2500m, July 17, 1980, M. Szyska, B. Greenberg (BG); 1 male, Huanuco Department, 10 miles sw Las Palmas, 1000m, Sept, 17, 1954, E.I. Schlinger, E.S. Ross (WSUP); 1 female, Huarochiri Province, Chicla, March 9, 1977, B. Greenberg (BG); Junin Department; 1 male, Chuquisaca, June 21, 1980, D. Baumgartner, B. Greenberg (BG); 1 female, Huasahuasi, June 16, 1980, 2750m, fish and liver bait, B. Greenberg (BG); 2 males, 2 females, Junín Department, La Oroya, Dec. 12, 1979, M. Szyska (GB); 2 females, Palca, 2739m, June 17, 1980, D. Goodwin, B. Greenberg (BG); 2 males, 1 female, Queropuquio, 4177m, June 20, 1980, M. Szyska (BG); 1 female, Lima Department, Tambo de Viso, 2652m, Dec., 1981, D. Baumgartner (TAMU); 1 male, Lima Department, Matucana, June–July, 1913, 7300ft, C.T. Brues (USNM); 1 male, Tarma Province, Dec. 14, 1977 (BG), 1 female, Tincocha, Aug., 1911, Yale Peruvian Expedition (USNM). Venezuela: 1 male, Caracas, Sheraton Humboldt Hotel, Dec. 9, 1970, J.W. Boyes (CNC).

Distribution. Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru. Baumgartner and Greenberg (1985) listed this species from these countries (as C. peruviana) as well as from Mexico and Costa Rica (Fig. 2). Calliphora nigribasis does not occur in the latter two countries; records of this species from those areas are likely based on misidentified C. irazuana or C. triseta. Baumgartner and Greenberg (1985) commented that in Peru C. nigribasis is eurythermal, occurring over a wide range of habitats from low montane to snowy upper areas above 1300m on eastern slopes and above 2650m on western slopes. They also reported a specimen taken at 5008m. They considered C. nigribasis hemisynanthropic, and found it around man as well as in remote undeveloped areas.

Discussion. The external features of this species can overlap with those of C. irazuana in the key, see discussion under C. irazuana. Normally the strong third postsutural intra-alar seta in C. triseta and distinct male genitalia will readily separate them.

Hall (1948) used C. peruviana Robineau-Desvoidy as the valid name for this species. Later, Mariluis and Peris (1985: 82) used C. nigribasis as the valid name, rejecting the former use of Robineau-Desvoidy’s name C. peruviana. The identity of C. peruviana is discussed in detail in the Appendix. Macquart (1851: 216) also described a Calliphora peruviana. It is not a Calliphora, it is Neta chilensis (Walker, 1837) (see Appendix).