Manestella fumosa, Winterton, Shaun L. & Lambkin, Christine L., 2012

Winterton, Shaun L. & Lambkin, Christine L., 2012, New Australian stiletto flies: revision of Manestella Metz and description of Medomega gen. n. (Diptera, Therevidae, Agapophytinae), ZooKeys 240, pp. 1-119 : 10-11

Manestella fumosa sp. n. Figs 6 F–J 26272829

Type material.

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: W of Norseman, Eucalyptus woodland, dry gully to salt lake, Malaise trap, C. Lambkin et al., ANIC bulk sample 2184, 1-17.xi.2003 271m [-32.186, 121.721] (WAM).

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 2 males, 2 females, W of Norseman, Eucalyptus woodland, dry gully to salt lake, Malaise trap, C. Lambkin et al., ANIC bulk sample 2184, 1-17.xi.2003 271m [-32.186, 121.721] (ANIC, CAS).

Diagnosis.

Wing uniform infuscate; male frontal setae minute; male frons flat in profile; two rows of postocular setae adjacent to ocellar tubercle in male; femora brown; male abdomen without silver velutum; acute triangular ventromedial projection present on gonocoxites; gonocoxites without velutum patch; female frontal markings as irregular brown quadrangle dorsally and brown band above antennae.

Description.

Body length= 3.0-4.0 mm (male), 4.0 mm (female). Head. Frontal pubescence silver-grey with dark brown markings, profile flat, lower frontal markings as small brown spot medially, suffused with light brown above antennae (male), or irregular brown quadrangle dorsally and brown band above antennae (female); male frontal vestiture with patch of short setae above antenna, shorter than setae on scape, female frontal vestiture with short to moderate length setae, frontal setae dark; male frons width at narrowest point narrower than anterior ocellus but not contiguous; male postocular setae as two or more rows immediately laterad of ocellar tubercle (rows well defined); postocular setae black, occipital pubescence grey, triangular marking medially (narrow); genal setae pale; antennal scape shorter than flagellum, scape vestiture as numerous large dark setae; flagellum orange-brown. Thorax. Scutal pubescence grey with extensive brown markings, vestiture scattered dark setae, denser anteriorly, scutal markings as two dark medial stripes anteriorly, joining posteriorly, lateral markings broken to tessellate; scutal macrosetae dark; pleuron with silver-grey pubescence; katatergite setae white; anepisternum with brown marking dorsally; coxae dark, overlain with silver-grey pubescence, setae mostly pale; femora dark brown with short dark setae admixed with longer pale setae; tibiae yellow, dark grey-brown apically; tarsi dark yellow with brown apices; terminal segments completely dark; wing uniform smoky infuscate (slightly darker anteriorly); scutal chaetotaxy (pairs): np, 3; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 5-6; sc, 1. Abdomen. Male abdomen base colour dark brown dorsally, grey pubescent laterally, without silver velutum dorsally, vestiture as short dark setae dorsally, longer pale setae laterally; terminalia brown to dark yellow; female abdominal markings with tergites dark brown dorsally, grey laterally, intersegmental membrane pale coloured, well defined. Male genitalia. Gonocoxite with acute triangular ventromedial process; gonocoxite relatively elongate posterolaterally, narrowed distally, velutum patch absent; ejaculatory apodeme greatly enlarged.

Comments.

Manestella fumosa sp. n. is a distinctive western species with uniform smoky wings, flat male frons with setae reduced, two rows of postocular macrosetae, male gonocoxites with velutum patch absent and triangular ventromedial process present (Figs 6H (arrowed), 29).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the Latin fumus, smoke; referring to the dark infuscate wings.