Molophilus (Molophilus) tarra, Billingham & Theischinger, 2018

Billingham, Zacariah D. & Theischinger, Günther, 2018, Three new species of Crane Fly from Australia (Diptera: Tipuloidea), Linzer biologische Beiträge 50 (1), pp. 321-332 : 326-327

Molophilus (Molophilus) tarra nov.sp. (Figs 9, 10)

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype ♂: Victoria, Tarra Bulga National Park, Macks Creek by Bulga picnic area (38.4252°S, 146.5716°E), 7-ii-2014, Z. Billingham ; NMV (MVT22306). Paratypes: 2♂♂: same data as Holotype ; NMV (MVT22307, MVT22308), 1♂: Victoria, Tarra Bulga National Park, Tarra Valley Picnic ground (38.4470°S, 146.5388°E), 8-ii-2014, Z. Billingham ; NMV (MVT22309) .

D e s c r i p t i o n

Male (Fig. 9)

H e a d. Pale whitish yellow. Antennal pedicel and scape pale whitish yellow, antennal flagellum and palpus greyish brown

T h o r a x. Pronotum whitish. Prescutum, scutum, scutellum and mediotergite pale whitish yellow. Cervical sclerite and pleurites pale whitish yellow. Coxae, trochanters, femora and tibiae pale whitish yellow, tarsi greyish brown.

W i n g. Hyaline with veins pale yellowish brown. Halter with stem pale whitish yellow, knob white.

A b d o m e n. All segments pale whitish yellow.

G e n i t a l i a ( Fig. 10 ). Hypopygium pale whitish yellow with dorsal lobe of segment 9 quadrate, caudal margin broadly U shaped. Gonocoxite with dorso-lateral lobe very small, medial lobe not prominent and ventral lobe large, largely parallel sided and apically strongly bowed mediad, ending in a blunt beak. Inner gonostylus long, straight and blade like, a short curved subapical spike on the lateral face. Outer gonostylus largely parallel sided, with apex forked into two subequal prongs. Aedeagus long and thin; parameres oval to truncate.

D i m e n s i o n s. Wing length 4.5 mm; body length (excluding antennae) 4.3 mm.

Female unknown.

E t y m o l o g y. This species is named after the Tarra-Bulga National Park which contains the type localities; to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Figures

Fig. 10: Molophilus (Molophilus) tarra nov.sp., male hypopygium, ventral view. Abbreviations as used in figure: ae, aedeagus; ge, gonocoxite; ig, inner gonostylus; og, outer gonostylus; t9, tergite 9.