Anagonia loripes, Colless, 2012

Colless, Donald H., 2012, The Froggattimyia-Anagonia Genus Group (Diptera: Tachinidae), Records of the Australian Museum 64 (3), pp. 167-211 : 188-189

Anagonia loripes sp. nov.

Figs 27–29

Types. Holotype male in ANIC no. 29-029362, 23 km SSE of Byrock, NSW, 5 Apr. 1976, DHC (at light); terminalia in tube 2144. Paratypes (all males).— New South Wales: 1 with same data as holotype; Warambul, Royal NP, 12 Dec. 1971, G. Daniels, MV Lamp (AM).— Australian Capital Territory: Blundells, Canberra, 20 Feb. 1934, T. G. Campbell; Black Mtn, light trap, 26 Jan. 1967, IFBC, T.t. 294.— Western Australia: 18 mi W of Mogumber, 13 Apr. 1968, IFBC & MSU, T.t. 354; 19 mi WSW of Carnamah, 16 Apr. 1968, IFBC & MSU, T.t. 336; Kalbarri NP, 54 mi N of Northampton, 19 Apr. 1968, IFBC & MSU; 4 specs.: 18°27'S 123°03'E, 10 km ESE of Broome, 20 Aug. 1976, IFBC, T.t. 2110, 2113, 2121, 2122.— Queensland: Lockerbie, 6–10 Jun. 1969, G. B. Monteith (UQIC).

Male. Very similar to the pale form of A. rufifacies, differing as follows:

Head. Upper occiput with setae behind postocular row more frequently, and more extensively pale. Eye very sparsely or not at all haired.

Abdomen. Tergite 3 with submedian marginal pair of bristles usually finely developed or absent.

Terminalia (Figs 27–29). Cerci in lateral view usually 3–4 times as long as their greatest breadth, bluntly rounded at apex, with anterior margin more or less straight, posterior margin evenly curved; in posterior view separated on about apical ¼, rejoining at the apex, which has a series of small internal teeth; surstyli diagonally truncate, with rounded apex posteriorly, usually distinctly shorter than cerci; epiphallus large, comparable in size with postgonite.

Female. Four females taken at light along with males of A. loripes have very reduced hairing of the eyes, and one has dark tibiae. Otherwise they show no obvious difference from females of A. rufifacies.

Distribution. Most specimens seen came from WA, butACT, NSW, and Qld are also represented.

Biology. Specimens of known provenance are all from light traps.

Notes. Despite the close similarity to A. rufifacies, this is clearly a good species. The differences in male terminalia are striking and consistent. Three males from Mt. Garnet, Queensland, have the apical scutellar setae widely separated and straight, rather than upcurved, but are otherwise typical of the species.

The name is taken from the Latin for “bow-legged”, referring to the posterior view of the cerci.