Megaselia necscabra, Disney, 2008

Disney, R. H. L., 2008, Six new species of Megaselia Rondani (Diptera: Phoridae) from mainland Australia, Zootaxa 1899 (1), pp. 57-68 : 61-62

Megaselia necscabra sp. nov.

( Figs 6–7 )

In the keys of Borgmeier (1967b) this will run to couplet 10, Lead 2 on page 93, to M. copiosa Borgmeier or to couplet 51, lead 1, on page 89, to M. curticauda Borgmeier. However , both these species have a yellowish abdominal venter. Some specimens of M. scabra and the subsequenly described M. pleurota Disney will run to the same couplets, but both lack a notopleural cleft

The name refers to the resemblance to M. scabra Schmitz.

Male. Frons brown, clearly broader than long, with 80–90 hairs and dense but very fine microsetae. SAs almost equal, the lower pair being only slightly shorter. The antials lower on frons than anterolaterals, and about level with an upper SA and as far from the latter as from an AL bristle. Pre-ocellars closer together than upper SAs and about as far apart as either is from a mediolateral bristle, which is at about the same level on frons. Cheek with 2 bristles and jowl with two longer and more robust ones. The subglobose postpedicels brown (but not dark), with about 20 SPS vesicles. Palps straw yellow, at most a third as broad as postpedicel, with 3 longer and 3 shorter bristles and 4–5 hairs. Labrum pale and about twice as wide as a palp. Labella together about 1.3x as wide as postpedicel, light brown and with very few short spinules below. Thorax brown. Two notopleural bristles and an inconspicuous cleft in front of these ( Fig. 7 ). Mesopleuron bare. Scutellum with an anterior pair of hairs (at most as long as those in middle of scutum) and a posterior pair of bristles. Abdominal tergites brown with hairs mainly towards sides and at rear margins ( Fig. 6 ). Venter greyish brown, and with hairs on segments 3–6 ( Fig. 6 ). Hypopygium brown, with a pale brown anal tube, whitish yellow hypandrial lobes, and as Fig. 6 . The right hypandrial lobe clearly smaller than that of the left. With four rectal papillae. Legs straw yellow apart from light brown hind femora, a brownish tinge to mid femur and tibia and to hind tibia, and brown patch on mid coxa. Fore tarsus with posterodorsal hair palisade on segments 1–4 and 5 a little longer than 4. Dorsal hair palisade of mid tibia extends about three quarters of its length. Hairs below basal half of hind femur longer than those of anteroventral row of outer half. Hind tibia with 7–9 differentiated posterodorsal hairs and spinules of apical combs simple. Wings 0.9–1.0 mm long. Costal index 0.43– 0.44. Costal ratios 2.4: 1.4–1.5: 1. Costal cilia (of section 3) 0.08 mm long. Hair at base of vein 3 well developed (subequal to costal cilia of section 3). With 1–2 axillary bristles shorter than costal cilia. Sc obscure and not reaching R1. Thick veins light brown, thin veins 4–6 dark grey and 7 pale. Membrane tinged brownish grey (evident to naked eye when viewed against a white background). Haltere with whitish yellow knob.

Material. Holotype male, Australia, New South Wales, Tweed Heads, 10 The Quarterdeck , garden, water trap, 4 July 2008, R. H. L. Disney ( AMS, 25–61).

Figures

FIGURES 5–7. Megaselia males: (5) M. maculafemoralis left face of hypopygium; (6) M. necscabra left face of hypopygium; (7) M. necscabra left notopleuron (N = notopleural cleft. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.