Paratissa neotropica Mathis 1993

Paratissa neotropica Mathis

Paratissa neotropica Mathis, 1993a:34.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—BELIZE. Belize District: Light house Reef: Half Moon Cay (17°12′N, 87°31′W), Apr 1993, W.N. Mathis (13, 5). Stann Creek District: Carrie Bow Cay, 15 Jan–30 Jul 1984–1990, R.A. Faitoute, C. Feller, D. Mathis, W.N. Mathis, P.J. Spangler, H.B. Williams (98, 50; USNM). Glover's Reef (Long Cay, Southwest Cay), Jul 1989, W.N. Mathis (3, 4).

DISTRIBUTION.—Neotropical: Belize, Mexico (QNR), West Indies (Anguilla, Grand Cayman, St. Martin).

NATURAL HISTORY.—This is one of the most abundant shore flies occurring on the Belizean cays. The species is found in the littoral zone, especially where organic debris, usually algae and sea grass, has accumulated, and I found specimens to be most abundant on Turbinaria that had washed ashore on the west and north shores of Carrie Bow Cay.

DIAGNOSIS.—I can distinguish this species from congeners only by reference to characters of the male terminalia (Figures 194–198), especially the shape of the surstylus. The surstylus, from the posterior view, has the ventromedial angle that is acutely pointed; and the ventral spur is long, narrow, and has an oblique, ventromedial orientation.