Rhabdomastix (Rhabdomastix)

Theischinger, Günther, Billingham, Zacariah D., Martin, John & Growns, Ivor, 2019, The genus Rhabdomastix Skuse in Australia (Diptera: Tipuloidea: Limoniidae), Zootaxa 4661 (1), pp. 65-100 : 98-99

Key to the Australian species of Rhabdomastix (Rhabdomastix)

(working probably only for males)

1. Wing membrane without distinct dark patches except some darkening in the pterostigma area; vein A 2 straight, slightly curved or sinuous ( Figs. 60–65 )................................................................................ 2

- Wing membrane with distinct dark patches in costal, subcostal, radial and anal space; vein A 2 distinctly sinuous ( Figs. 69–72 ) ................................................................................................... 8

2. Cross-vein m-m lacking, leaving discoidal cell open ( Fig. 60 ); segment 9 a closed ring (with narrow dorsal bridge)................................................................................................... R. ponticulus

- Cross-vein m-m present, discoidal cell closed ( Figs. 61–65 ); segment 9 dorsally interrupted.......................... 3

3. Anal angle indistinct, hardly developed ( Fig. 61 )................................................. R. ostensackeni

- Anal angle distinctly developed ( Figs. 62–65 )............................................................... 4

- Vein R 3 almost vertical to slightly oblique, veins R 4 and R 5 apically diverging ( Figs. 63–65 ).......................... 5

5. Wing length> 5 mm; vein A 2 long, evenly sinuous, mostly ending well beyond level origin of Rs ( Fig. 63 )......... R. nivalis

- Wing length <5 mm: vein A 2 shorter, straight, curved or slightly sinuous, ending very close to or well before level origin of Rs ( Figs. 64, 65 )......................................................................................... 6

6. Vein A 2 largely almost straight or slightly sinuous, then arching/bending to end almost perpendicular or steep to wing margin close to level origin of Rs, making cell A 2 substantial ( Fig. 64 ); antenna very short (markedly shorter than 1 mm) ( Fig. 66 )............................................................................................ R. borroloola

- Vein A 2 slightly sinuous, ending well before level origin of Rs, making cell A 2 moderate in size ( Fig. 65 ); antennae longer (at least 1 mm to more than 2 mm) ( Figs. 67, 68 )............................................................... 7

7. Antennae at least 2 mm long, with very long, strongly developed pubescence ( Fig. 67 )....................... R. hirsuta

- Antennae about 1 mm long with less strongly developed pubescence ( Fig. 68 )........................ R. dobrotworskyi

8. Cell dm not produced along vein M 1+2 ( Fig. 69 ).................................................... R. wilsoniana

- Cell dm produced along vein M 1+2 ( Figs. 70–72 )............................................................. 9

9. No dark patch between level origin of Rs and cord level ( Fig. 70 )..................................... R. collessiana

- A dark patch between level origin of Rs and cord level ( Figs. 71, 72 )........................................... 10

10. Thorax vividly patterned dark brown and yellow ( Fig. 73 )................................................ R. rosae

- Thorax more or less uniformly dark ( Fig. 74 )..................................................... R. tonnoirana

Figures

FIGURES 60–74. Rhabdomastix spp., key characters. 60–65: wing; 60: R. ponticulus; 61: R. ostensackeni; 62: R. dooragana; 63: R. nivalis; 64: R. borroloola; 65: R. hirsuta; 66–68: antennae; 66: R. borroloola; 67: R. hirsuta; 68: R. dobrotworskyi; 69–72: wing; 69: R. wilsoniana; 70: R. collessiana; 71: R. rosae; 72: R. tonnoirana; 73, 74: head and thorax, lateral; 73: R. rosae; 74: R. tonnoirana.