Apiocera evansi Yeates

Yeates, David K. & Oberprieler, Stefanie K., 2013, Review of the Australian Apiocera minor Norris species-group (Diptera: Apioceridae) with a revised key to species, Zootaxa 3680 (1), pp. 195-209 : 203-204

Apiocera evansi Yeates sp. n.

( Figs. 8 , 15 , 20 )

Material examined. H olotype: male, W. Australia, 24 mi. N Carnarvon 5–6 Oct. 1969, H.E. Evans Biological note note AM17 ( ANIC, database no. 29029527). Condition good.

Measurements (holotype): 14 mm long (tip of antennae to tip of abdomen), head 2.5 mm wide.

Paratypes: 6 males, 23 females, same data as holotype. Biological notes AM14, AM15B, AM17, A15, A22, A23, A24, A25. ( ANIC, database nos. 29029498, 29029501, 29029502, 29029503, 29029504, 29029505, 29029506, 29029507, 29029508, 29029509, 29029510, 29029511, 29029512, 29029513, 29029514, 29029515, 29029516, 29029517, 29029518, 29029519, 29029520, 29029521, 29029522, 29029523, 29029524, 29029525, 29029526, 29029528, 29029529).

Other material. Western Australia: 10 W Mullewa , 2 females ( ANIC database nos. 29029532, 29029535); 5km E Miaboolya Beach Carnarvon, 1 female ( ANIC database nos. 29029530); Lochada, 6km SE Boiada Camp, 29.246ºS., 116.543ºE., 1 male ( ANIC database nos. 29029561); Beach W of Warroora HS 23°29’10”S 113°46’15”E, 3 Sept 1997, T.F. Houston & P. Mathiasen, TFH 941-1, on flowers of Pileanthus limacus , 1 x female ( WAM no. 83068).

Diagnosis. A small, elongate, brown species. Proboscis 1.0 x length of fore tibia, flagellum 4 x longer than maximum width, costa ending at M veins, vein M3+CuA1 absent, M2 present, becoming pale towards wing margin. Abdomen with a prominent median dark brown stripe and two lateral light brown stripes.

Description. Head. Pruinescence silver except on vertex light brown. Hairs white except on vertex light brown, and some dark brown hairs admixed on postcranium. Scape and pedicel with ground colour dark brown and with erect brown hairs. Palps 2-segmented, elongate with spatulate apex and brown hairs. Flagellum dark brown, elongate, length 4 x greatest width (at base). Proboscis (excluding labellum) 1.0 x length of fore tibia.

Thorax. Integument dark brown-black, pruinescence and hairs white on pleuron. Scutum and scutellum with dark brown ground colour, very large dark brown macrosetae around margins. Group of thick dark brown hairs on postpronotal lobes, admixed with longer white hairs. Scutum and scutellum with short light brown hairs. Scutum pruinescence with a distinctive pattern of silver-light grey with a pair of longitudinal bands of brown pruinescence on either side of midline, one band in line with the postpronotal lobe, the other pair either side of the midline. The outer darker stripe of pruinescence is broken twice, once on the supra alar area, the other just behind the postpronotal lobes. The scutellum has silver pruinescence around the margin, brown centrally. Legs with dark brown integumental colour, white pruinescence, and indistinct rows of large spines on femur and tibia, white hairs on femora. Most of the spines are dark brown, some on the ventral face of the femur and tibia are light brown.

Wings ( Fig. 8 ). Costa ending at the M veins, M3+CuA1 absent. Cell m3 present, small.

Abdomen ( Fig. 15 ). Short brown hairs on all segments, a tuft of longer brown and white hairs admixed on the sides of tergite 1. Pruinescence on abdomen giving a pronounced, longitudinal light brown and dark brown striping. A central dark brown pruinescent stripe, and a lateral stripe on each side. Venter with short dark brown hairs and silver pruinescence.

Genitalia. Fig. 20 . Male, with divided epandrium, hypandrium very large, elongate with rounded apex free and not fused to gonocoxae. Gonocoxites not fused in midline. Aedeagal sheath short and blunt, gonostyli with apex hooked and curved ventrally, apex simple, without spines. Gonocoxa with additional sclerotized and articulated lobe at the level of the apex of the aedeagus.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Howard Ensign Evans, the collector of the type series, and one of the most acclaimed entomologists of the 20th century.

Comments. Only known from the region of Carnarvon WA, during September, October and November.

Distribution. Western Australia: Carnarvon, Mullewa and Lochada ( Fig. 24 ); September–November.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 12. Right wings of some Apiocera spp. 7, A. newmani; 8, A. evansi sp. n.; 9, A. rieki sp. n.; 10, A. collessi sp. n.; 11, A. mullewa sp. n.; 12, A. microeremia sp. n..

FIGURES 13 – 17. Abdomens of some Apiocera spp. 13, A. mackerrasi; 14, A. newmani; 15, A. evansi sp. n.; 16. A. collessi sp. n.; 17, A. microeremia sp. n..

FIGURES 18 – 23. Male genitalia of some Apiocera spp. 18, A. cerata; 19, A. minor; 20, A. evansi sp. n.; 21, A. rieki sp. n.; 22, A. collessi sp. n.; 23, A. microeremia sp. n.

FIGURES 24 – 25. Known distributions of some Apiocera spp: 24, A. minor, A. mackerrasi, A. evansi sp. n., A. collessi sp. n., A. mullewa sp. n., A. microeremia sp. n.; 25, A. australis, A. cerata, A. newmani, A. macrocerata sp. n., A. rieki sp. n., A. vespera.