Bradysia conjuncta ( Skuse, 1890 ) Skuse, 1890

Broadley, Adam, Kauschke, Ellen & Mohrig, Werner, 2016, Revision of the types of male Sciaridae (Diptera) described from Australia by F. A. A. Skuse, Zootaxa 4193 (3), pp. 401-450 : 416-419

Bradysia conjuncta ( Skuse, 1890) comb. n.

( Fig. 10 A‒F)

Sciara conjuncta Skuse, 1890 [ Skuse (1890): 403 ‒404].

Type locality. Australia, New South Wales, Woronora.

Lectotype (here designated): Male. Slide bears original label data verbatim ‘ Sciara conjuncta / Ƌ (ink) TYPE./ F. A. A. Skuse’ (print), ‘Woronora/ Sept. SK.’ (ink). Mounted in Canada balsam Dec. 2015. ( ANIC; Slide No. 010).

Paralectotypes. 1 male, same locality data ( PWMP) ; 4 males, same data (not studied) ; 5 males missing.

Remarks. The original description states “ Hab.—Woronora, N.S.W. (Skuse). Eleven specimens in September.”

Preservation. Well preserved in all details.

= Sciara serenipennis Skuse, 1890 syn. n. [ Skuse (1890): 402 ‒403].

Type locality. Australia, New South Wales, Mount Kosciuszko.

Holotype: Male. Original label data verbatim ‘ Sc. serenipennis / Ƌ (ink) TYPE./ F. A. A. Skuse’ (print), ‘ K36719 / Sciara serenipennis, Sk. / Mount Kosciusco’ (ink), ‘ Kosciusko / NSW / Helms III 89 ’ (ink). Mounted in Canada balsam Dec. 2015. (AM; Slide No. 054).

Remarks. Original description states “ Hab.—Mount Kosciusko, N.S.W., 5000 ft. (Helms); in Coll. Australian Mus. March.”

Preservation. Head and thorax lost.

Additional description. Male. Head. Dark brown. Eye bridge 3 facets wide. Antenna brown, necks short, brownish; 4th flagellomere with l/w-index of 2.5, with dense, pale hairs, shorter than the width of the basal node; palpus 3-segmented, basal segment with deep sensory pit and 1 bristle (sometimes 2). Thorax. Dark brown, scutum with rather long and dark dorsocentral as well as a few lateral bristles; scutellum with 2 long marginal bristles; postpronotum bare. Wing pale; R1 = 2/3 R; R5 with dorsal macrotrichia only; C = 2/3 w; y somewhat shorter than x, without macrotrichia; posterior veins weak, without macrotrichia. Haltere short, brown. Legs dark brown; fore tibia with a broad comb (somewhat wavy) of pale bristles; spurs of middle and hind tibia equal in size, thin, somewhat longer than the width of tibia at apex; claws without teeth. Abdomen. Dark brown, with sparse, rather short brownish hairs. Hypopygium dark brown, with broad v-shaped ventral base, without lobe or bristle patch; gonocoxites with fine and rather short hairs on the inner ventral margin, on ventral apex with 2 strong megasetae ( Fig. 10 D); gonostylus weakly bulbous, without apical tooth, with 6‒7 short apical/subapical spines among the dense hairs of the apex; tegmen small, wider than long, truncate apically, with large area of teeth and with short ventral parameral apodeme; aedeagus rather long and robust. Body length: 3.0 mm.

Comments. This species is characterized by a dark body colour; palpus with a sensory pit, a robust gonostylus with 6‒7 short spines among dense bristles at the apex and 1 thick megaseta on the ventral apex of the gonocoxites.

Distribution. Australia (New South Wales).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Bradysia conjuncta (Skuse, 1890). A. Hypopygium; B. Sciara serenipennis Skuse (1890). Hypopygium; C. B. conjuncta (Skuse). Apex of gonostylus; D. Sciara serenipennis Skuse. Megasetae; G – F. B. conjuncta (Skuse). G. Apex of fore tibia; E. Head with basal segments of antennae; F. Mouth part with palpus.