Molophilus (Molophilus) globostylus, 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 : 23

Molophilus (Molophilus) globostylus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0BBBAA3F-2671-42C6-B7AD-8600F8BA3796

Figs 7–8

Holotype ♂, Australia, New South Wales, Gloucester Tops, Tributary of Gloucester River off Gloucester Falls Walking Track (32.098°S 151.597°E), 11 Nov 2018, Z. Billingham & G. Theischinger, AM (K.394957) . Paratype 1♂, Australia, New South Wales, Tomalla, Pheasant Creek off Pheasant Creek Rd (31.884°S 151.477°E), 12 Nov 2018, Z. Billingham & G. Theischinger, AM (K.394958).

Description ♂ (♀ unknown).

Head ( Fig. 7 ): golden yellow, vertex with prominent dark greyish brown triangular marking, antennal pedicel and scape pale whitish yellow, antennal flagellum with basal segments pale whitish yellow, terminal segments darkening to greyish brown, palpus dark greyish brown. Antenna of moderate length, extending back to the transverse suture.

Thorax. Pronotum with dorsal angle pale yellow to white, otherwise golden yellow. Prescutum and scutum golden brown, the posterior margins of scutal lobes pale yellowish brown. Scutellum and mediotergite largely golden yellow, each with darker golden brown central area. Paratergite bright white, in combination with pale dorsal angle of pronotum forming a distinct pale stripe between terga and pleura. Cervical sclerite, propleuron and pleurites golden yellow. Forecoxa golden yellow, meso- and metacoxa and trochanters pale whitish yellow. Basal ⅓ of femora pale golden yellow, remainder darkening to greyish brown. Tibiae and tarsi dark greyish brown. Wing pale grey tinged with yellow, veins yellowish brown. Halter with stem and knob whitish yellow.

Abdomen: greyish brown.

Terminalia ( Fig. 8 ). Hypopygium golden yellow, lobe of tergite 9 rather long, narrowly trapezoidal. Gonocoxite with moderately sized, apically bluntly rounded, ventral lobe, dorsal and medial lobes rather small. Outer gonostylus a short rod terminating in bifurcate subequal spines, bearing on its dorsal surface a large swollen globe-shaped appendage. Inner gonostylus long, heavily sclerotized and terminating in an acute spine, strongly bent at about half its length to project caudad behind the globe-like appendage of the outer gonostylus. Aedeagus long and narrow. Parameres fused, poorly developed.

Dimensions. Body length 4.7 mm, wing length 4.9 mm.

Etymology. This species is named with reference to the prominent globe-shaped appendage of the outer gonostylus.

Discussion. Molophilus (M.) globostylus is allied to a large group of morphologically similar species around M. (M.) capitatus Alexander, 1927 and M. (M.) auriculifer Theischinger, 1988 (see Theischinger 1992 for more details on these species), and most closely resembles M. (M.) sigma Alexander, 1927 . Molophilus (M.) globostylus is readily distinguished from all similar species by the bifurcate outer gonostylus with its large globe-shaped dorsal appendage.

Figures

Figures 7–8. Molophilus (Molophilus) globostylus sp. nov., male. (7) head colouration, dorsal; (8) hypopygium, ventral view.