Lispe vikhrevi, Pont, 2019

Pont, Adrian C., 2019, Studies on the Australian Muscidae (Diptera). VIII. The genus Lispe Latreille, 1797, Zootaxa 4557 (1), pp. 1-232 : 196-200

Lispe vikhrevi sp. nov.

( Figs 404–409 )

Diagnosis. This species and L. uniseta differ from other Australian Lispe except L. setigena by the presence of a pd seta on hind tibia and an ad on mid tibia; from L. setigena they differ by the presence of only 1+2 dc setae. The male of L. vikhrevi is easily recognised by remarkable modifications on the mid leg: the enlarged and flattened tarsomeres 1 and 2, and the enlarged, flattened and blade-like setae on these tarsomeres and on the tibia ( Fig. 406 ).

Etymology. This species is named for Dr Nikita E. Vikhrev (ZMUM) in recognition of his outstanding work on the genus Lispe .

Type Material Examined. Holotype ♂. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Mimmigarra Station , 23.x.1941, K.R. Norris ( ANIC) . Paratypes 13♂ 8♀. Western Australia: Boddington, Hotham River , 32.48S 116.28E, pools below dam, 12.xii.1991, A.G. Irwin , 1♂ ( WAM); Margaret River , Malaise trap, 23.xii.1970, G.A. Holloway & H. Hughes , 1♂ 2♀ ( AMS); data as for holotype , 5♂ 5♀ ( ANIC); Walyunga National Park, 35 miles NW of Perth, Malaise trap, 7.i.1971, G.A. Holloway , 1♂ 1♀ ( AMS); Yanchep , 32 miles N of Perth, 1–7.i.1936, R.E.Turner , 1♂ ( BMNH). Victoria: Tatyoon , 23.i.1973, E.A. Fonseca , 4♂ (3 BMNH, 1 OUMNH) .

Additional material (N.E. Vikhrev, pers. comm.): AUSTRALIA: South Australia, Salt Creek , 34.279S 136.168E, 8–9.ii.2013, N. Vikhrev, 2♂ 1♀ ( ZMUM) .

Description ♂ ♀. Head (profile as in L. uniseta , Fig. 394). Ground-colour black. Frons at broadest point 0.40– 0.42, at lunula 0.32 (♂) or 0.34–0.36 (♀), of maximum head-width (frontal view). Fronto-orbital plate yellowishwhite pruinose, brownish above, and subshining at vertex, and also subshining around ocellar tubercle; parafacial and face silvery pruinose, sometimes tinged with yellow; gena and lower half of occiput silvery pruinose, occiput with a large brown patch in upper half. Frontal triangle narrow, yellowish-brown. Parafacial narrow, half width of postpedicel; setulose along whole length. Antenna black, except tip of pedicel and base of postpedicel which are obscurely orange; postpedicel 3.2-3.4 times as long as broad, falling short of mouth-margin by at most 0.43 (♂) or 0.30–0.37 (♀) its length. Arista plumose, the hairing at widest point equal to width of postpedicel. Vibrissa strong. Gena moderate, 0.2 of vertical eye-length; genal setae strong, sparse. Palpus yellow, greatly swollen in apical half.

Thorax. Ground-colour black. Scutum shining black and undusted outside the dc setae; between the dc setae rather densely yellowish-grey dusted, this running from neck to scutellum, sometimes encroaching on to basal corners of scutellum, sometimes extending somewhat beyond the line of the dc, and superimposed on this with a median dark brown vitta running through the acr rows, almost from neck to scutellum. Scutellum subshining from most angles, with some dark dust narrowly at base and along sides. Postpronotal lobe and pleura grey. Anterior spiracle dark brown. Acr setulae in 4 irregular rows at suture. Dc 1+2, prst seta midway between suture and neck or closer to neck; the 2 post setae strong, anterior one closer to suture than to posterior one. 1–2 pprn, inner one short or absent. 0–1+0–1 ia, both setae hair-like or absent. 1+1 sa, both strong. 1 strong and 1 weaker proepisternal setae. 1 strong proepimeral, equal to the strong proepisternal, with 3–4 adjacent setulae. Anepisternum with 1 short setula in upper anterior corner; posterior row with 3 strong and 3 weak setae. 3 strong kepst, lower one equidistant from upper two. Meron bare. Scutellum with disc densely setulose, with a few setulae below level of the strong setae; ventral surface bare.

Legs. Mostly black; trochanters at least partly orange; fore tibia and tarsomeres orange; mid and hind tibiae and, in male, mid tarsomeres 1–4 yellow, tips of tarsomeres black. Fore coxa of ♂ with a long, flattened, pointed seta at tip of posterior edge ( Fig. 405 ). Fore femur bare on av surface; pv row complete, the setae long in apical half; pd row complete. Fore tibia with 1 submedian pv seta, and just basad of it in ♂ with a strong p seta that forms part of a row of 3–5 shorter setae on this surface; with d and pv apical setae, and also with a short av, the p absent. Fore tarsomeres without modifications. Mid femur bare ventrally; 1 a at middle; p preapicals absent. Mid tibia with 1 submedian p, actually shifted to pv in position, and apicad of it with 1 ad, both strong, flattened and blade-like in ♂; with strong d, pd, a, v and pv apicals, the a and pv enlarged and flattened in ♂ ( Fig. 406 ). Mid tarsomeres 1 and 2 of ♂ expanded laterally and hollowed out ventrally, like a shell, with setae on a and p surfaces that are large, flattened and blade-like ( Fig. 406 ); not modified in ♀. Hind coxa without a seta on posterior apical margin. Hind femur in ♂ with 1 pv seta just before middle, almost twice femoral depth, and with a short pv preapical seta; av surface setulose, with 2–3 setulae developed as short setae but much shorter than femoral depth; in ♀ bare ventrally except for a few longish pv setulae near base; ad row complete; 1 pd preapical. Hind tibia with 1 ad, 1 av and 1 pd; d and ad preapical setae, the ad shifted to a; 1 av but no pv apicals. Hind tarsomeres not modified.

Wing. Clear or weakly smoky, especially in ♀ where cell r1 and crossvein dm-cu may be infuscated. Tegula black, basicosta orange. Crossvein r-m placed slightly beyond the point where vein R1 enters costa; dm-cu almost straight, longer than apical section of vein CuA1. Vein M running straight to wing-margin. Calypters white, with creamy to yellow margins. Knob of haltere dark brown.

Abdomen. Ground-colour black. Dust on tergites light grey: syntergite 1+2 mostly dark in ♂, with a little uneven pale dust, more obviously paler dusted in ♀; tergites 3–5 each with a pair of antero-lateral spots that hardly extend on to sides of tergites, and tergites 3–4 each with a weakly indicated dusted vitta on posterior half (as in L. uniseta , Fig. 396). ♂ epandrium matt, black. Sternites 1–5 grey dusted, sternite 5 subshining in ♂. Tergites 3–5 each with a strong lateral discal seta, and tergite 5 with 2 pairs of erect marginals. Sternites 2–5 with only sparse setulae ( Fig. 407 ).

Ƌ terminalia. Hardly different from L. uniseta . Epandrium only narrowly separated from tergite 5 by a narrow syntergosternite 8, which has 2 spiracles; strongly produced ventrally ( Fig. 408 ). Tergite 6 and sternite 6 absent. Surstylus absent, i.e. fused to epandrium without trace ( Fig. 408 ). Cercal plate only narrowly divided ventrally ( Fig. 409 ). Hypandrium attached at two points: to a rod originating from wall of epandrium close to upper outer edge of cercal plate; and directly to a protuberance at lower anterior corner of epandrium. Phallic complex (as in L. uniseta , Fig. 400): hypandrium narrow, branching posteriorly, the upper branch forming a bridge over base of phallapodeme, the lower branch meeting postgonite; praegonite absent, postgonite long, curved; phallapodeme connected to hypandrium by a pair of bridges; phallus broadly triangular, short, simple, strongly sclerotised, juxta withdrawn, without spinules, without flanking processes.

♀ ovipositor. Hardly differing from that of L. uniseta (see Figs 401–403 ). Tergite 6 divided dorsally, weakly sclerotised medially; tergite 7 complete; tergite 8 divided dorsally, each half displaced laterally, with a saucer-like depression on lower posterior part. Sternites 6 and 7 each represented by several setae and bristle-dots; sternite 8 represented by 2 small plates concealed in the invaginated membrane beneath the tip of segment 8. Epiproct Vshaped, with 1 long seta, connected to the cercus. Hypoproct large, extended posteriorly, with several stout spines at apex. Cercus plate-like, subtriangular, with several spinose setae posteriorly. 3 spermathecae.

Measurements. Wing-length, 3.0–4.0 mm (♂), 4.5–5.0 mm (♀). Body-length, 5.0– 5.5 mm (♂), 5.5–6.0 mm (♀).

Biology. Adults have been collected around a salt creek.

Distribution. Known only from Australia (WA, V, SA).

Figures

FIGURE 404. Lispe vikhrevi sp. nov., ♂ habitus (holotype).

FIGURES 405–407. Lispe vikhrevi sp. nov., ♂. 405. Fore coxa, lateral view. 406. Mid tibia and tarsomeres, dorsal view. 407. Sternites 1–5. (Paratype from V, Tatyoon.)

FIGURE 408–409. Lispe vikhrevi sp. nov., ♂. 408. Hypopygium, lateral view. 409. Cercal plate, dorsal view. (Paratype from V, Tatyoon.)

FIGURES 401–403. Lispe uniseta Malloch, ♀ ovipositor. 401. Dorsal view. 402 Ventral view. 403. Lateral view. (NSW, 40 km N of Walgett.)