Anagonia conformis, Colless, 2012

Colless, Donald H., 2012, The Froggattimyia-Anagonia Genus Group (Diptera: Tachinidae), Records of the Australian Museum 64 (3), pp. 167-211 : 189-190

Anagonia conformis sp. nov.

Figs 30, 31

Types. Holotype male: Stony Creek, Grampians, Vic., 1100 ft. 13 Nov. 1966, IFBC & MSU; terminalia in tube 292; in ANIC no. 29-029224. Paratypes (all males):— Australian Capital Territory: Black Mtn, light trap, 28 Jan. 1957 and 16 Mar. 1968, IFBC, T.t. 20 and 396; Black Mtn, 31 Jan. 1967 and 21 Mar. 1969, IFBC, T.t. 372 and 2497; Black Mtn, Nov. 1977, B. Selman, ex P. atomaria, T.t. 2210; Canberra, 15 Jan. 1975, L. R. Fox (no. 53); ex Chrysophtharta variicollis; T.t. 3114.— New South Wales: Mt Kosciusko 4700 ft, 16 Apr.

1949, E. F. Riek; T.t. 54.— Victoria: Little Desert, 1953, F. E. Wilson, T.t. 307; Little Desert, 13 mi S of Kiata, 6 Nov. 1966, IFBC & MSU (2 specs, one T.t. 288); 26 mi NNE Orbost, 1300 feet, 6 Nov. 1969, IFBC and MSU (6 specs, T.t. 2431, 397, 403); 1 spec. data as for holotype; Barneys Creek, Grampians, 14 Nov. 1966, IFBC & MSU.— South Australia: 17 mi SE of Mt Gambier, 10 Nov. 1966, IFBC and MSU (2 specs, T.t. 290).— Queensland: 7 mi SW of Mt Garnet, 20 Apr. 1969, IFBC and MSU, 2300 ft. (3 specs, T.t. 374, 375, 408); 16°30'S 144°55'E, Desailly Ck, 10 km NW Mt Carbine, 19 May 1981, DHC; Millstream Falls, W of Ravenshoe, 25 Jun. 1971, E. F. Riek.— Northern Territory: Standley Chasm, 43 km SW of Alice Springs, 11 Oct. 1972, MSU (3 specs, T.t. 2129, 2130, 2137); 6.4 km SSW of Victoria River Downs, 24 Jul. 1973, L. P. Kelsey; 16°34'S 135°41'E, 14 km NW of Cape Crawford, 6 Nov. 1975, MSU, T.t. 464.— Western Australia: 19 mi W of Watheroo, 15 Apr. 1968, IFBC and MSU, T.t. 342; Mt Ragged, 31 Oct. 1977, DHC (at light), T.t. 2227; 34°15'S 116°10'E, Manjimup, 19 Mar. 2001, A. D. Loch, ex Chrysophtharta variicollis larva on Eucalyptus sp, T.t. 2494; 14°19'S 126°49'E, Carson Escarpment, 15 Aug. 1975, IFBC and MSU, T.t. 461; 14°49'E 126°49'E, Carson Escarpment, 9–15 Aug. 1975, IFBC and MSU (9 specs, T.t. 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 2138, 2139, 2142, 2390).

Male. Extremely similar to that of A. rufifacies, with analogous pale form from lower altitudes and warmer climates, and dark form from higher, cooler localities; former with hairing of eye rather less profuse, reclinate upper frontal hairs less erect, and soft hairs of the fronto-orbits rather shorter than in A. rufifacies; both forms with tibiae sometimes completely dark.

Terminalia (Figs 30, 31). Cerci in lateral view rather short and stout, 2–3 times as long as greatest breadth, rather uniformly tapering and digitate, with rounded apex, in posterior view usually distinctly forcipate, without obvious apicointernal teeth; surstyli diagonally truncate anteriorly, from a little longer to a little shorter than cerci; epiphallus large, as in A. loripes.

Female. Females taken at light along with males of A. conformis seem identical with those of A. rufifacies.

Distribution. Known only from all mainland states and territories.

Biology. Two specimens were reared from Paropsis atomaria and Chrysophtharta variicollis. The rest were all taken at light.

Notes. As with the previous species, separation from A. rufifacies is difficult, indeed, not really possible without examining the terminalia. The name is from the Latin for “similar”.