Moth flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the Florida Keys with description of a new Alepia species

Abstract

Trichomyia wirthi Quate, Psychoda elegans Kincaid, Psychoda rarotongensis Satchell, Tinearia alternicula (Quate), Philosepedon helicis (Dyar), Clogmia albipunctata (Williston), Australopericoma caudata (Satchell), Neoarisemus spec., and Telmatoscopus spec., have been collected on some Florida Keys islands (U.S.A.). Most are either widespread euryecious taxa, or their closest relatives occur in the Caribbean, in Central America, or in South America. Furthermore, a new species Alepia symmetrica spec. nov., and its putative larva are described from Vaca Key; the larva was found in a bromeliad. Because larvae may have been imported within the plants from somewhere in the tropics the question remains whether it is a native species.