Dohrniphora perplexa

(Figs 211–212)

Phora divaricata var. perplexa Brues 1904: 350.

Phora perplexa: Brues 1911: 437.

Dohrniphora venusta var. perplexa: Brues 1915: 97.

Dohrniphora perplexa: Borgmeier 1961: 111 (lectotype ♀); 1963: 67, fig. 74.

Lectotype. ♀, USA: Florida: Tick Island, 5.12.[December 5 or May 12?] 1914, C.W. Johnson collection, MCZ type 7681 [LACM ENT 211071] (MCZC; examined).

Recognition. This species is most similar in hind femur structure to D. lugens, which is a much darkercolored species that has a distinctive clear area on the hind femur, which is lacking in D. perplexa. The otherwise similar D. divaricata has a much rounder group of peglike setae.

This is a slightly problematic species because its lectotype is a female. This female could conceivably be of another described species than of the males later assigned to this species by Borgmeier (1963), which include some specimens D. divaricata. We continue the tradition of recognizing males first described by Borgmeier (1963) as D. perplexa, which we feel is a pragmatic course of action given that females are currently largely unrecognizable.

Description. Body length: 2.09–2.56 mm. Head: Frons dark brown, second row of setae concave. Flagellomere 1 round, brown, lighter mediobasally. Palpus of normal size, yellow. Thorax: Scutum light brown. Scutellum brown, with 2 pairs of setae; anterior seta three-quarters length of posterior seta. Pleuron yellowish-brown. Mean costal length 0.52 wing length, range 0.51–0.53. Halter yellow. Legs yellowishbrown. Forecoxa in lateral view yellow. Foretibia with 4 dorsal setae. Foretarsomeres slender, elongate. Midcoxa dark brown. Hind coxa yellowish-brown. Hind coxal lobe yellow, large, rounded, forming median cuplike concavity. Posterior face of hind femur with elongate triple to quadruple (expanding distally) row of peglike setae; more distally with shallow depression (Figs 211–212). Abdomen: Abdominal tergite 1 yellow, with faint brown lateral marking, tergites 2–6 yellow medially and brown laterally, with medial yellow area decreasing in every tergite posteriorly. Venter of abdomen whitish-gray, with few setae, larger on posterior margin of segment 5. Male terminalia with epandrium yellowish-brown, hypandrium brown, and cercus yellow.

Distribution. Eastern USA.

Other material examined. 10♂ specimens from the following localities: USA: Florida: Archbold Biological Station, Blackwater River State Forest, Florida Caverns State Park, Lake Eaton (DEBU, LACM, USNM); Maryland: Plummers Island (USNM); New Jersey: Lakehurst (USNM); Texas: Austin (USNM); Virginia: Falls Church (USNM).