Delhi Sands flower-loving fly

Species of insect

The Delhi Sands flower loving fly (Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis) is a subspecies of flower loving fly, a member of the genus Rhaphiomidas in the Mydidae family. It was the first fly added to the Endangered Species List in the United States. This subspecies is restricted to the Delhi Sand Dunes formation, an area of ancient inland dunes in Southern California. Originally, the habitat area consisted of about 40 square miles (104 km2). However, only a few hundred acres, or about 2% of the original habitat area, remain undeveloped. The rest largely now form much or all of the foundation on which the towns of Colton, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Rialto, and Ontario, California are built. Adult R. t. abdominalis flies are only active for a few weeks each year, feeding on flowers in June, July, August and September. Residential and commercial development, agricultural conversion, sand mining, invasion by exotic species, dumping of cow manure and trash, and off road vehicle use have resulted in significant loss and modification of the species' native habitat. Estimates are that over 97% of the original habitat is already gone, and only a portion of what remains is suitable habitat for these flies. The species was emergency listed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on September 23, 1993, which has been an extremely contentious listing ever since. Political officials and news services from the region have repeatedly decried this fly as a disease carrying pest, despite documentation that it is not. There have been repeated attempts by local officials to have the species de listed. For example, Congressman Joe Baca proposed removing the Delhi Sands flower loving fly off the Endangered Species List to encourage development. There are an estimated 5–10 more species of insects endemic to the Delhi Sands formation, including newly discovered and still unnamed species of scarab beetle, sand roach, and Jerusalem cricket.

The Delhi Sands flower loving fly is a large insect in the Dipteran family Mydidae. It has an elongate body, much like that of a robber fly (Asilidae), but unlike asilids, it has a long tubular proboscis (mouthparts) that may be used, as in butterflies, for extracting nectar from flowers. The Delhi Sands flower loving fly is approximately 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) long, orange brown in color, and has dark brown oval spots on the upper surface of the abdomen. This animal is a strong fast flier, and, like a hummingbird, is capable of stationary, hovering flight. The genus Rhaphiomidas formerly was considered to be a member of the fly family Apioceridae. However, recent taxonomic studies of the insect order Diptera indicate that it belongs in the family Mydidae. The distribution of Rhaphiomidas and the three related genera is unusual and indicates the group has great geological antiquity. The latter three genera are each found in South Africa, Chile, and Australia. This southern hemisphere distribution strongly indicates that the origin of these groups lies with a common ancestor that inhabited the southern landmass known as Gondwana before its breakup, caused by continental drift during the Mesozoic era more than 100 million years ago. Rhaphiomidas is a North American genus of 19 species and 5 subspecies, which inhabit arid regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. At least one species, the Acton flower loving fly (Rhaphiomidas acton) is an important pollinator of the Santa Ana woolly star (Eriastrum densifolium ssp. sanctorum), a federally endangered plant (52 Federal Register 36265). Rhaphiomidas terminatus consists of two subspecies, the El Segundo flower loving fly (Rhaphiomidas terminatus terminatus) and the Delhi Sands flower loving fly (Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis) (figure 1). Specimens of R. terminatus were misidentified as Rhaphiomidas episcopus by D. W. Coquillett (1891) from Los Angeles, California. Townsend (1895) referred to these specimens as Rhaphiomidas mellifex. Cazier (1941) noted that both identifications were in error and used the specimens collected by Coquillett to describe R. terminatus as a new species. Later in the same publication, the Delhi Sands flower loving fly was described as Rhaphiomidas abdominalis, based on an adult male collected in August 1888 in Colton, California. In 1941, when both R. terminatus and R. abdominalis were described, Cazier had only two specimens of each taxon available for examination, and these individuals appeared to represent distinct species. However, when the genus was revised (Cazier 1985), it was determined that abdominalis is a subspecies of R. terminatus, based on abdominal spot patterns and other morphological characters. Historically restricted to the El Segundo dunes and associated habitats, Rhaphiomidas terminatus terminatus is presumed extinct; thus, Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis is the only existing representative of this species. A complete description and illustration of this subspecies can be found in Cazier (1985). Based on this and other observations, it appears that the pupae are located underground. Rogers and Mattom (1993) found a large number of the pupal cases of three desert species of Rhaphiomidas. Adults have not been observed to fly during cloudy, overcast, or rainy conditions. The animals rarely fly during windy or breezy conditions, which typically occur in the afternoon. However, during these periods they have been located by disturbing the vegetation where they are perching. Ovipositing has only been observed from mid to late afternoon, between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm, when temperatures start to cool.

Delhi Sands flower loving flies have rarely been observed taking nectar and have not been seen taking other fluids. The nectaring events have been brief, on the order of 2–10 seconds, and have all been restricted to flowers of the California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum). The only other flowers available during the flight time are croton (Croton californicus) and telegraphweed (Heterotheca grandiflora), but visitations to these plants have not been noted. The larvae of the Delhi Sands flower loving fly and two other Rhaphiomidas species were held in captivity by Rogers and Mattoni. The Delhi series soils are a biologically sensitive and very rare environment, and are inhabited by a number of plant and animal species of special concern. The region, also known as the Colton Dunes, is the largest inland sand dune formation in southern California, exclusive of the desert. The vegetation of these dunes has been defined as the Desert Sand verbena series in Sawyer and Keeler Wolf. Plants on the Colton Dunes include California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), California croton (Croton californicus), deerweed (Acmispon glaber), and California evening primrose (Oenothera californica). The habitat supports several plants and animals of limited distribution, including the legless lizard (Anniella pulchra), Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum blainviliii), Delhi Sands metalmark butterfly, Delhi Sands Jerusalem cricket, Apiocera convergens, Delhi Sands sandroach and, potentially, Pringle's monardella (Monardella pringlei). Much of the Colton Dunes area has been used for agriculture, chiefly grapes and citrus since the 1800s. More recently, nearly all the remaining area has been used for dairies, housing tracts, and commercial/industrial sites. Most of the remaining area with restoration potential is degraded to some degree. The present distribution of the Delhi Sands flower loving fly represents less than 2% of its former range; the habitat existing today is approximately half of what existed in 1975. Before European settlement, the Delhi Sands flower loving fly likely occurred throughout much or all of the Colton Dunes in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California, an assumption that is based on the animal's biology and records of museum specimens of the Delhi Sands flower loving fly, which extend from the eastern margin of the Delhi sand formation in Colton to near its western limit in Mira Loma.

The human population of California experienced especially rapid growth during the 1960s and 1970s, and it continues to grow beyond the 30 million mark. A significant portion of this growth has occurred in the San Bernardino County area. The western third of Riverside County currently contains approximately 800,000 people, which is predicted to increase to 1.4 million by 2010. Historically, lands in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties containing Delhi series soil have been used for agriculture. Current land altering activities in this area that adversely affect the Delhi Sands flower loving fly include surface mining for sand, and residential and commercial development. Unauthorized collecting of the Delhi Sands flower loving fly by insect collectors is a threat to the species. Critical Habitat was not designated because of the danger posed by insect collectors. Since the animal was listed, construction of a hospital, commercial development, and dumping of cow manure and other trash have eliminated populations and restorable habitat.

Tons of cow manure from local dairies have been dumped on several sites containing restorable habitat for the Delhi Sands flower loving fly, often apparently without permission of the landowners. The manure smothers the animals, plants, and habitat where it is dumped. The manure also provides high levels of nutrients for invasive exotic plants, such as cheeseweed (Malva parviflora). The organic matter and nutrients can only be removed at large expense over a long time period. Restoration of manured sites, although possible, is of the lowest priority, even though manured sites under powerline rights of way would otherwise provide ideal habitat.]] Areas known to be inhabited by the Delhi Sands flower loving fly or areas that contain restorable habitat for the animal have been grouped into three Recovery Units based on geographic proximity, similarity of habitat, and potential genetic exchange. These three recovery units are: Ontario Recovery Unit, Jurupa Recovery Unit, and Colton Recovery Unit. Each recovery unit includes occupied habitat containing one or more populations of the Delhi Sands flower loving fly and/or restorable habitat for at least one population. The occupied and restorable habitat in the recovery units includes only those areas that contain Delhi Series soils. The distribution of historical records suggests that the fly occurred extensively throughout these three units. Note that the recovery units do not include residential and commercial development, nor areas that have otherwise been permanently altered by human actions.