Scaptia (Myioscaptia) lambkinae Lessard

Lessard, Bryan D. & Yeates, David K., 2013, New species of the hairy-eyed horse fly subgenera Scaptia (Myioscaptia) Mackerras, 1955 and Scaptia (Scaptia) Walker, 1850 (Diptera: Tabanidae) from Australia, Zootaxa 3680 (1), pp. 118-129 : 123

Scaptia (Myioscaptia) lambkinae Lessard , sp.n.

( Fig. 3 )

Type material. Holotype female (1), WA, Karijini National Park, Juna Downs Road, Callitris Gorge, 3 km W of Mt Mossenson, at light, 22°48’S 118°26’E (GPS), 18 May 2003, K. Pullen & A. Zwick ( ANIC). Paratype female (1), WA, Mount Meharry summit, hand net, 22°58’50’’S 118°35’18’’E (GPS), 1257 m, 19 May 2003, C. Lambkin, D. Yeates & J. Recsei ( ANIC). Paratype female (1), WA, Pyramid Hill summit, hand net, 21°35’41’’S 117°33’00’’E (GPS), 229 m, 10 May 2003, C. Lambkin, D. Yeates & J. Recsei ( ANIC). Paratype female (1), WA, Summit of Mt Meharry, 22.59°S 118.35°E, 28 June 1984, R.P. McMillan ( WAM #79410).

Diagnosis. A small, dark species superficially similar to Scaptia (Myioscaptia) gibbula (Walker, 1848) , but distinguished as being less hairy, with bright orangey brown flagellum, legs entirely black, scutal vittae less obvious, limited to front of transverse suture only, and abdominal tergites with sparser apical fringes of short black hairs. Length 11 mm.

Female: Length 11 mm. Head. Eyes with dense brown hairs. Frons parallel, slightly diverging, index 2, black with dark brown hairs; ocellar tubercle slightly raised, black. Subcallus dark brown to black, shiny; parafacials black with yellow hairs, becoming brownish towards lower margins; face dark brown to black, shiny with dark brown hairs on each side below antennae. Antennae. 1st and 2nd segments dark brown to black with long black hairs; 3rd segment dark orangey brown, darkening on apical flagellomere. Palpi. 1st segment black, with dense golden yellow hairs; 2nd segment brown, short, rounded and slightly pointed apically, with lateral concavity and very short brown hairs at margins. Beard golden yellow.

Thorax. Scutum and scutellum dark greyish black, shining, without obvious median and dorsocentral lines or lateral margins; hairs on disc grey to dull yellow; scutellum, supra- and postalar tufts conspicuous, mostly dull yellow, occasionally mixed with brown hairs. Pleura dark brown to black, hairs predominately golden yellow, except for anepisternal and katepisternal tufts mixed with dark brown to black.

Legs. Coxa and femora black, tibiae and tarsomeres dark brown, knees pale yellowish brown; hairs on coxa long, mixed dull yellow and brown, long dull yellow on femora, short dense brown on tibiae and tarsomeres.

Wings. Grey, more yellowish and brown towards apical basal cells; stigma brown, subtle; veins brown; R 4 with short appendix; cell R 5 closed on wing margin.

Abdomen. Shining metallic black, unbanded; disc hairs black, with dense golden yellow hairs towards lateral margins of all tergites, hairs black on apical tergite. Venter. Shining black; hairs dense, predominantly golden yellow.

Distribution. Inland central west Western Australia ( Fig. 1 ). This species further extends the known distribution of the subgenus over 700 km NE into central of Western Australia.

Etymology. This specific epithet is in honour of Dr Christine Lambkin who collected several specimens of the species and for consistently providing material for examination.

Figures

FIGURE 1. The distribution of Scaptia (Myioscaptia) Mackerras, 1955 and Scaptia (Scaptia) Walker, 1850 species described in this paper, noting the first records of Scaptia (Myioscaptia) from inland Western Australia. Black locations represent new collection records for the novel species; grey represent previous collection records for the subgenus S. (Myioscaptia).

FIGURE 3. Scaptia (Myioscaptia) lambkinae Lessard, sp. n. Holotype female: (a) dorsum; (b) side; (c) front; (d) profile.