Ptecticus Loew, 1855

Lessard, Bryan D., Yeates, David K. & Woodley, Norman E., 2020, Review of Australian Sarginae Soldier Fly Genera (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), with First Records of Cephalochrysa, Formosargus and Microchrysa, Records of the Australian Museum 72 (2), pp. 23-43 : 33-36

Genus Ptecticus Loew, 1855

Figs 7–10

Ptecticus Loew, 1855, p. 142 . Type species Sargus testaceus Fabricius, 1805 , “Sierra Leon” [UZMC], by original designation. See Woodley (2001: 208) for full synonymy. Daniels (1979: 565, revision of Australian species).

Diagnosis. Medium to large (length 8–16 mm), slender, yellow to orange brown flies, similar to Sargus , but distinguished by the: antennal scape strongly, more or less triangularly produced into flagellar complex on inner side (e.g., Fig. 10d ); wings with R 2+3 arising proximal to r-m; lower calypter without strap-like lobe; and usually not strongly metallic in colouration (only one species, Ptecticus longipes (Walker, 1861) , new record, is semi-metallic: Figs 7 , 8 ). Regarding the Australian fauna, the genus is most similar to Formosargus , but can be distinguished by the: upper frons converging ventrally in females; face evenly rounded in profile view; wings with M 1 and M 3 well developed, M 4 separated from discal cell at least slightly; and alula large and apically expanded.

Distribution. Northern Queensland ( Fig. 2 ).

Remarks. Rozkošný & de Jong (2003) synonymized the species proposed by Daniels (1979): Ptecticus albitarsus Daniels, 1979: 574 (= quadrifasciatus Walker, 1860 ), Ptecticus amplior Daniels, 1979: 581 (= complens Walker, 1858 ) and P. queenslandicus (= rogans Walker, 1858 ; Daniels, 1979: 580).

Here we present the first Australian records for P. longipes (previously recorded from Indonesia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands) from a series of specimens collected from King Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, Qld (males and females AMS K.453305–K.453309). This is the only Australian species exhibiting semi-metallic colouration, having a deep milky blue thorax and abdomen. It is likely to be confused with Sargus , but can be readily distinguished based on the generic characters.

Little is known regarding the biology of the Australian species, however, Woodley (2001) noted that some species were associated with fallen fruits in the forests of Panama, and decaying piles of grass and compost heaps in the United States of America.

Catalogue of Australian species

Genus Ptecticus Loew, 1855

complens ( Walker, 1858) . Australasian: Australia (Qld), Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Maluku), Papua New Guinea ( Papua New Guinea). Oriental: Indonesia (Sulawesi), Philippines.

Sargus complens Walker, 1858: 81 . HT ♂ (stated ♀) [BMNH]: Indonesia: Maluku, Kepulauan Aru .

Sargus repensans Walker, 1859: 96 . HT ♂ [BMNH]: Indonesia: Sulawesi, Ujung Pandang. Syn. by Mason & Rozkošný (2005 b: 440).

Sargus tarsalis Walker, 1861b: 274 . HT ♀ [BMNH, destroyed]: Indonesia: Maluku, Pulau Bacan. Syn. by Rozkošný & de Jong (2003: 243).

Sargus rufescens Wulp, 1869: 104 . LT ♀ [NHNL(RNH), des Rozkošný & de Jong 2003: 245]: Indonesia: Maluku, Halmahera.

Sargus rubescens .— Bigot, 1891: 280. Incorrect subsequent spelling.

Ptecticus repensans ssp. anneliesae Lindner, 1935: 48 . HT ♀ [location of type unknown]. Indonesia: Sulawesi, Ile-Ile, 500– 800 m. See Mason & Rozkošný (2005 b: 442).

Ptecticus repensans ssp. monticola Lindner, 1935: 48 . ST ♂ [location of type unknown]. Indonesia: Sulawesi, Bantimoeroeng. See Mason & Rozkošný (2005 b: 442).

Ptecticus amplior Daniels, 1979: 581 . HT ♂ [AMS]: Australia: Queensland, Middle Claudie River. Syn. by Rozkošný & de Jong (2003: 243).

longipes ( Walker, 1861a) new distribution. Australasian: Australia (Qld), Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Maluku), Papua New Guinea ( Papua New Guinea).

Sargus longipes Walker, 1861a: 232 . HT ♀ (stated ♂) [BMNH: Figs 7 , 8 ]: Indonesia: Irian Jaya, Dorey. Moved from Sargus to Ptecticus by Woodley (2001: 213). New record for Australia.

Sargus tibialis Walker, 1861b: 273 . HT ♂ [BMNH]: Indonesia: Maluku, Pulau Bacan .

quadrifasciatus ( Walker, 1860) . Australasian: Australia (Qld), Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Maluku), Papua

New Guinea ( Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea). Oriental: Indonesia (Sulawesi).

Sargus quadrifasciatus Walker, 1860: 145 : 145. HT ♂ [BMNH, destroyed]: Indonesia: Maluku, Pulau Ambon.

Ptecticus albitarsis de Meijere, 1913: 319 . HT ♂ [NHNL(ZMAN)]: Indonesia: Irian Jaya, Alkmaar. Ptecticus albitarsus .— Daniels, 1979: 574. Incorrect subsequent spelling.

rogans ( Walker, 1858) . Australasian: Australia (Qld), Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Maluku), Papua New Guinea ( Papua New Guinea). Oriental: India, Philippines. Sargus rogans Walker, 1858: 81 . LT ♀ [BMNH, des. Rozkošný & de Jong 2003: 256; Figs 9 , 10 ]: Indonesia: Maluku, Kepulauan Aru. Plecticus doleschalii Bigot, 1879: 231 . HT ♂ [BMNH]: Indonesia: Irian Jaya, Pulau Misool. Ptecticus doleschallii .— Wulp, 1896: 50. Incorrect subsequent spelling.

Ptecticus doleschalli .— Wulp, 1898: 411. Incorrect subsequent spelling.

Ptecticus queenslandicus Daniels, 1979: 580 . HT ♂ [AMS]: Australia: Qld, Middle Claudie River. Syn. by Rozkošný & de Jong (2003: 255).

Figures

Figure 2. Distribution of the Sarginae from Australia, including the first records of Formosargus James, 1939 and Microchrysa Loew, 1855.ACT, Australian Capital Territory; NSW, New South Wales; NT, Northern Territory; Qld, Queensland; SA, South Australia; Tas, Tasmania; Vic, Victoria; WA, Western Australia.

Figure 7. Ptecticus longipes (Walker, 1861) ♂ (AMS K.453307): (a) dorsum; (b) lateral; (c) head, frontal; (d) head, anterolateral.

Figure 8. Ptecticus longipes (Walker, 1861) ♀ (AMS K.453309): (a) dorsum; (b) lateral; (c) head, frontal; (d) head, anterolateral.

Figure 9. Ptecticus queenslandicus Daniels, 1979 holotype ♂ (= rogans Walker, 1858: syn. Rozkošný & de Jong 2003) (AMS K.70681): (a) dorsum; (b) lateral; (c) head, frontal; (d) head, anterolateral.

Figure 10. Ptecticus queenslandicus Daniels, 1979 paratype ♀ (= rogans Walker,1858:syn. Rozkošný & deJong 2003) (AMS K.364669): (a) dorsum; (b) lateral; (c) head, frontal; (d) head, anterolateral.