Apiocera macrocerata Ye

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 : 199

Apiocera macrocerata Ye a te s s p. n.

( Fig. 3 )

Material examined. Holotype: male, W Australia, 24.11°S 134.01°E 56 km S by E of Alice Springs, NT, 24 Sept. 1978, J.C. Cardale. ( ANIC, database no. 29029499).

Measurements (holotype): 12 mm long (from frons to tip of abdomen), head 2.2 mm wide.

Paratype: male, 24.53°S 133.12°E 27 km S of Mt Breaden NT 22 Sept. 1978 J.C. Cardale. ( ANIC, database no. 29029500).

Condition. Both the holotype and paratype appear to be greasy, obscuring the integument colour. The head of the holotype has been affixed to the specimen with glue during this study.

Diagnosis. A small dark species. Proboscis 0.9 x length of fore tibia, flagellum extremely long, 5 x longer than wide. Costa ending at M veins, vein M3+CuA1 absent, M2 present.

Description. Head. Integument colour black. Pruinescence not visible because of specimen condition. Hairs white except on vertex light brown, and some thick black hairs admixed on postcranium. Scape and pedicel with ground colour dark brown, with erect brown hairs and shorter white hairs admixed on ventral surface. Palps 2- segmented, elongate with spatulate apex and white hairs. Flagellum dark brown, elongate, length 5 x greatest width (at base). Proboscis (excluding labellum) 0.9 x length of fore tibia.

Thorax. Integument dark brown-black, pruinescence and hairs white on pleurae, hairs on scutum and scutellum light brown, with stronger dark brown bristles on postpronotal lobes, lateral margins of scutum and posterior margin of scutellum, with some also just anterior to scuto-scutellar suture. Pruinescence not visible due to condition of specimens. Legs with dark brown integumental colour, grey pruinescence, and indistinct rows of large black spines on femur and tibia, white hairs on femora.

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

Abdomen. All segments with white hairs, longer on sternites. Short brown hairs admixed with white hairs on all segments, a tuft of longer brown and white hairs admixed on the sides of tergite 1. Pruinescence on abdomen not visible due to the condition of the specimens. Genital capsule with short brown hairs.

Genitalia. Not examined.

Etymology. This species name is derived from the extremely long flagellum.

Distribution. Northern Territory: South-eastern Alice Springs and South of Mt Breaden ( Fig. 25 ); September.

Figures

FIGURES 3, 4. Apiocera minor group, habitus, dorsal view: 3, A. macrocerata sp. n., holotype (ANIC, database no. 29 - 029499); 4, A. mullewa sp. n., holotype (ANIC, database no. 29 - 029456).

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.