Molophilus (Molophilus) sinuostylus, Billingham & Theischinger, 2022

Billingham, Zacariah D. & Theischinger, Gunther, 2022, New and Poorly Known Species of Crane Flies (Diptera: Limoniidae) from New South Wales, Australia, Records of the Australian Museum (Rec. Aust. Mus.) 74 (1), pp. 19-40 : 24-25

Molophilus (Molophilus) sinuostylus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F183F286-1A04-4040-B33E-4F967A5C82C3

Figs 10–11

Holotype ♂, Australia, New South Wales, Barrington Tops, Little Murray Creek by Copperhead Crossing Track (31.982 °S 151.458°E), 13 Nov 2018, Z. Billingham & G. Theischinger, AM (K.394959).

Female. Size and coloration much the same as in male. Ovipositor ( Fig 9 ) with tenth tergite short, stout, when viewed dorsally about as wide as long, with a short, rounded projection on dorsal surface before articulation with cerci. Cerci fused at base and forming a ventral concave area densely lined with short spinules. Beyond fused area cercus very short and strongly curving dorsad, tip sharply pointed. Sternite 9 short, with a membranous area along the dorsal edge. Hypogynial valve becoming membranous at about ⅔ its length, the tip rounded and fleshy, reaching about ½ the length of the cercus.

Discussion. The highly modified ovipositor seen in M. (M.) opulus with short, stout tenth tergite and short, strongly curved cercus with basal fused area is shared with the closely related species M. (M.) vividus Alexander, 1931 . However, in M. (M.) vividus the apex of the hypogynial valve reaches the full length of the cercus, while in M. (M.) opulus it extends only about ½ the length. This modified form of ovipositor is likely also shared with two other presumedly closely related species known only from northern Queensland, M. (M.) mjobergi Alexander, 1927 and M. (M.) mediolobatus Billingham & Theischinger, 2019 , although females are not known for these two species.

Description ♂ (♀ unknown).

Head ( Fig. 10 ): dark greyish brown, with prominent pale yellow areas at the dorsal and ventral margins of the orbit, antenna and palpus paler brownish grey.Antenna of moderate length, extending back to mediotergite.

Thorax. Pronotum with dorsal angle pale yellow to white, otherwise dark greyish brown. Prescutum and mediotergite dark greyish brown. Scutum dark greyish brown with posterior margins of scutal lobes pale yellowish brown. Scutellum largely pale yellowish brown. Paratergite pale yellow to white, in combination with pale dorsal angle of pronotum forming a distinct pale stripe between terga and pleura. Cervical sclerite, propleuron and majority of pleurites dark brown, meron and metepisternum paler brown. Coxae, trochanters and basal ⅓ of femora pale brownish yellow, remainder of femora dark greyish brown. Tibiae and tarsi dark greyish brown. Wing pale grey with veins darker grey. Halter with stem and knob whitish.

Abdomen: greyish brown.

Terminalia ( Fig. 11 ). Hypopygium brownish yellow, lobe of tergite 9 rather long, rectangular. Gonocoxite with long slender lateral lobe, ventral lobe of similar length, wider, and apically bluntly rounded, medial lobe short and rounded. Inner gonostylus long, sinuous, curving strongly laterally towards the apex, with a strong apical spine arising from within a membranous sheath. Outer gonostylus a straight rod, somewhat wider than inner gonostylus, narrowed at ⅔ length then widening again to form a broadly rounded, minutely serrate apex.Aedeagus short, moderately wide and conical. Parameres fused, quadrate.

Dimensions. Body length 5.3 mm, wing length 5.5 mm.

Etymology. This species is named with reference to the distinct sinuous form of the inner gonostylus.

Discussion. Molophilus (M.) sinuostylus is allied to a group of five morphologically similar species including M. (M.) difficilis Alexander, 1927 , M. (M.) exsertus Alexander, 1927 , M. (M.) spiculistylatus Alexander, 1930 , M. (M.) insertus Theischinger, 1992 and M. (M.) breeae Billingham & Theischinger, 2018 . Of these species M. (M.) sinuostylus most closely resembles M. (M.) difficilis , both possessing a sinuous inner gonostylus and short and rounded medial lobe of the gonocoxite, while the remaining species have a straight inner gonostylus and a sharply pointed or hooked medial lobe. Molophilus (M.) sinuostylus is readily distinguished from M. (M.) difficilis by the length of the apical spine of the inner gonostylus, which is nearly ⅓ the length of the gonostylus in M. (M.) difficilis , while in M. (M.) sinuostylus the apical spine is barely ⅕ the length of the gonostylus, and by the apex of the outer gonostylus, which is smooth in M. (M.) difficilis and minutely serrate in M. (M.) sinuostylus .

Figures

Figure 9. Molophilus (Molophilus) opulus, female, ovipositor, lateral.

Figures 10–11. Molophilus (Molophilus) sinuostylus sp. nov., male. (10) head colouration, dorsal; (11) hypopygium, ventral view.