Protomiltogramma rubra, Johnston & Wallman & Szpila & Pape, 2021

Johnston, Nikolas P., Wallman, James F., Szpila, Krzysztof & Pape, Thomas, 2021, Integrative taxonomy reveals remarkable diversity in Australian Protomiltogramma (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Zootaxa 5043 (1), pp. 1-104 : 28

Protomiltogramma rubra sp. n.

( Figs 12 , 16I–L )

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other Australian Protomiltogramma through the combination of: abdomen ground colour orange-red, abdomen with distinct dark-brown/black median stripe on T1+2–T5 and median marginal setae on T3.

Type material. Holotype ♂: Gubara walking track, Jabiru, Kakadu National Park, Australia, 8.xi.2017, N.P. Johnston, J.F. Wallman and K. Szpila ( ANIC).

Paratypes: 5 ♂ ( ANIC) , 2 ♂ ( QM) (see Table 2) .

Other material. See Table 2.

Description. Male. Body length: 5–7 mm (n = 6).

Head ( Fig. 12B, D, F ). Frontal vitta yellow-brown, 0.15 of head width at height of anterior ocellus; fronto-orbital plate with white microtomentum; 2 proclinate FO) setae, 1 strong reclinate FO setae and a patch of unordered weak reclinate FO setae; ocellar setae weaker than reclinate FO setae; 10–12 frontal setae; 3 rd aristomere orangebrown on basal 0.5 and black on distal 0.5, thickened on basal 0.5, fine and hairlike on distal 0.5, slightly longer than 1st flagellomere; 1st flagellomere yellow-orange and 2x pedicel length; pedicel setose, with a single strong seta; scape without setae; parafacial plate with white microtomentum, narrower than maximum width between point of antennal insertion and eye margin; gena and postgena grey with black and white setae; genal groove and facial ridge slightly darker than parafacial plate; vibrissa located midway between the tip of 1st flagellomere and lower facial margin; 1–2 supra-vibrissal setae; parafacial plate with white setulae on entire surface.

Thorax ( Fig. 12A, C ). Dorsum with light grey microtomentum; a median, two major lateral and two minor lateral stripes (mediad to major lateral stripes and approximately half their width), major lateral stripes ending just before anterior margin of scutellum, median stripe ending before suture, minor lateral stripes ending just posterior to suture; scutellum with darkening on lateral margins; notopleuron with two strong setae; proepisternum bare; katepisternal setae 1+3, numerous weaker setae covering entire katepisternum. Legs: black; fore-tarsal claws slightly shorter than tarsomere 5; pulvilli 0.5 of tarsal claw length; mid tibia with 1 AD, 1 PD and 1 V setae. Wing: hyaline; dorsal surface of vein R 1 bare, R 4+5 with a small patch of setae basally.

Abdomen ( Fig. 12A, C, E ). Orange-red with light grey microtomentum on anterior margins of T3–5 (occupying approximately 0.5 of each tergite); black median stripe on T3–5; backward and up-curved setae on T5 developed; T3 with median marginal setae; T4–5 with marginal setae along entire posterior margin. Terminalia ( Fig. 16I–L ): cercus (lateral view) weakly curved, dorsal surface with some setae; cerci (posterior view) broad on basal 0.25 then tapering on distal 0.75, fused along basal 0.25 then separate; surstylus (lateral view) 0.75 of cercus length, with single lobe; surstyli (posterior view) curved slightly inwards towards cerci; acrophallus thin and 0.75 of cercus length.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet “ rubra ” [Latin for ‘red’ or ‘reddish’], which should be treated as an adjective, refers to the orange-red ground colour of the entire abdomen of this species.

Biology. Males were collected while perching on sticks and rocks on loose sandy trails.

Distribution. Australasia— Australia (NT, QLD).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Protomiltogramma rubra sp. n., paratype, male, Kakadu National Park, NT, 8.xi.2017, N.P. Johnston, J.F. Wallman and K. Szpila (ANIC). A. Habitus, lateral view. B, Head, lateral view. C. Habitus, dorsal view. D. Head, dorsal view. E. Abdomen, dorsal view. F. Head anterior view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 16. Protomiltogramma spp. male terminalia. A–D. Protomiltogramma plebeia Malloch. E–H. Protomiltogramma popularis sp. n. I–L. Protomiltogramma rubra sp. n. M–P. Protomiltogramma subtilis sp. n. Abbreviations: c = cercus, s = surstylus and p = acrophallus. Scale bars = 100 µm.