Fidia texana Schaeffer. In 1934

Fidia texana Schaeffer

(Figs. 21, 38, 96; Map 2)

Fidia viticida var. texana Schaeffer 1933: 472 (original description); Blackwelder 1939: 62 (catalog); Schultz 1970: 255 (dissertation, synonymized with F. murina Crotch, not a valid nomenclatural act); Wilcox 1975: 57 (synonymized with F. murina Crotch).

Schaeffer did not state the number of specimens he had before him. Because he gives a single length measurement, it would appear that he had only one specimen. HOLOTYPE (♀, USNM): “N Braunfels, Tex [handwritten], Charles Schaeffer Collection, H. S. Barber Bequest 1950, Fidia viticida texana Schaeffer [white label with red border]”. This specimen is in good condition but the right antenna is missing antennomeres 9–11, the left antennae is missing antennomeres 10–11, and both middle and hind legs are missing.

Fidia texans: Balsbaugh & Hays 1972:73 (faunal treatment; misspelling; as a synonym of F. viticida Walsh).

Fidia texana Schaeffer. Riley et al. 2003:152 (catalog); Clark et al. 2004:103 (host plants).

Description. Males: TL = 6.28–7.48 mm, HW = 2.88–3.48 mm. Females: TL = 6.52–8.08 mm, HW = 3.08– 3.88 mm. Description as for F. confusa with the following exceptions: Color: Entirely dark red-brown to nearly black, less commonly pale red-brown. Penis: In posterior view, sides gently concave near middle, widest at base of apical lobes; apical emargination, broad, shallow, with base slightly convex; apical lobes small, tapered to acutely rounded apex, widely separated. In lateral view, eudorsal surface of declivitous part convex, with postostiolar area slightly projected; apical lobes euventrally directed; euventral surface straight to feebly concave. Sperm guide composed of lower sclerite only. Spermatheca: Basal arm type.

Diagnosis. Large (6.28–8.08 mm.); entirely dark red-brown to nearly black, with dense silvery-white to straw-yellow pubescence; pronotum finely punctate-reticulate. Males with probasitarsus broad for entire length (similar to Fig. 55), not noticeably tapered towards apex; apical emargination of penis broad, shallow, feebly convex basally (Fig. 96); apical lobes of penis small, acute, widely separated. Females with distinct medial fovea on last abdominal sternum (similar to Fig. 66).

Characters to distinguish F. texana from the other two large North American species, F. confusa and F. viticida, are given in the diagnosis under F. confusa.

Distribution (Map 2). Fidia texana occurs in central and east-central Texas, but one specimen was examined from New Mexico, which may be mislabeled.

Specimens Examined (133).

UNITED STATES. NEW MEXICO: State only, no date (INHS:1). TEXAS: Bastrop Co., 1.5 mi. E Bastrop, vi:10:1989 (EGRC:1), Bastrop St. Pk., v:10:1992 (EGRC:3); Bexar Co., S. Antonio, vi:22:95 (USNM:2); Brazos Co., Bryan, v:27:89 (EGRC:10), v:28:89 (AJG:4), v:29:89 (EGRC:5), vi:2:89 (EGRC:18, AJG:2), College Sta., v:4:1964 (TAMU:1), College Sta., Lick Ck. Pk., v:19:92 (EGRC:8), College Station, v:12:1981 (RHT:1), v:18:1943 (TAMU:1), v:23:1933 (TAMU:1), v:28:89 (EGRC:26), vi:18:89 (EGRC:4), vi:19:1982 (EGRC:1, RHT:2), vi:19:89 (EGRC:2), ix:3:1970 (TAMU:1); Burleson Co., Lake Sommerville St. Pk. (north shore), vi:2:89 (EGRC:4, TAMU:4); Colorado Co., Columbus, 16:05 (USNM:2), 22:05 (USNM:2), 11:06 (USNM:2); Fayette Co., Flatonia, 30:4:1881 (USNM:1); Refugio Co., Welder Wildlife Refuge, 17 km NE Sinton, v:17–25:1985 (CMNC:5, TAMU:1); Tarrant Co., county only, vi:17:84 (TAMU:1); Travis Co., Austin BFL, vi:13:1986 (TAMU:1), vi:26:1986 (TAMU:1); Victoria Co., county only, 8:09:28 (SEMC:1), No county: Beaukiss, 5:03:33 (TAMU:4), v:4:33 (AMNH:4), Sealy, vi:16:1956 (CUIC:1); State only, no date (BMNH:1, MCZC:4).

Temporal Data. Collecting dates ranged from 30 April to 3 September.

Natural History. Specimens were collected on " Vitis candicans " (=ambiguous name, probably V. mustangensis Buckley, see Moore [1991]), V. mustangensis, and Vitis sp. all in the Vitaceae. Specimens were also taken in Malaise traps.

Taxonomic History. Schaeffer described this taxon as a variety of F. viticida Walsh. Balsbaugh & Hays (1972) misspelled the name and placed it in synonymy with F. viticida Walsh. Wilcox (1975), following Schultz (1970), who did not publish this part of his dissertation, placed F. texana as a junior synonym of F. murina Crotch (herein renamed F. confusa). Fidia texana is distinct from F. confusa and is a valid species.