Anabarhynchus lyncurium Ferguson

Ferguson, David J., Lambkin, Christine L. & Yeates, David K., 2014, Eight new species of Australian stiletto flies in the genus Anabarhynchus Macquart (Diptera: Therevidae) from South East Queensland, Zootaxa 3802 (4), pp. 553-582 : 567-571

Anabarhynchus lyncurium Ferguson sp. n.

( Figs 14 , 15 , 16 )

Type material. Holotype: Male. AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Scrub Rd, Brisbane Forest Park, 27°25'06"S, 153°50'14"E, Malaise Trap 1, in creek bed, 24.X.1997, S. Winterton, N. Power, D. White, (QM_T:185513) (QM). Condition: ex-alcohol, pinned dorsally on stainless steel with scutum cracked, left flagellum missing, left middle and hind leg missing.

Paratypes: 1 male, 15 females. AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 1♂ same as holotype; 13♀ same as holotype; 2♀ same as holotype, except GPS: 27°25'05"S 153°50'13"E, open Eucalypt forest, Malaise trap 2, (QM_T:185514-29) (QM).

Diagnosis. Frons raised, brownish grey; frontal pile short; scutum grey to brownish grey with indistinct stripes; katepisternum and prosternal furrow without pile; body pile yellowish; fore femur 3-5 pd; middle femur 1 pd, 1-2 pv; hind femur 1-2 av; basal third of fore femur dark grey, apical two-third yellow-brown; middle and hind femur yellow-brown; tergites posterolaterally yellow-brown, sternite yellow-brown.

Description. Male. Body length: 7.5 mm. Wing length: 7 mm. ( Figs 14–16 ). Head. Frons raised, width 3.2 × ocellus width; ocellar tubercle flat; face and lower frons slightly protruding; parafacial yellowish brown; area lateral to antenna grey with single weak black seta on each side (only in holotype and one female paratype), lower frons grey, mid-frons with irregular large brown mark near eye margin broadening towards mid-line, leaving central line grey; upper frons brownish grey tinged yellow; frontal pile black and erect in 2 rows, lower frons setae 3/4 length of f1. Scape length 3.2 × pedicel length; scape and pedicel grey; f1 dark grey with a few short black setae dorsally on basal quarter; f2 and f3 grey, combined length one-third length of 1st. Occiput convex, grey pubescence; several indistinct rows of black macrosetae, 46–48 each side; postocciput to gena grey pubescence with long pale yellow hair-like pile. Palp yellow with pale yellow pile; labellum grey; prementum setae black. Thorax. Scutal chaetotaxy black (pairs): np, 5; sa, 2; pa, 1; dc, 2; sc, 2. Scutum with thin brown medial line within broader dark grey stripe, margined by narrow pale grey vittae. Katepisternum and prosternal furrow without pile; pleura grey; coxae grey with long yellowish pile admixed with black macrosetae. Wing. Hyaline with brownish grey infuscation, dark brown veins, stigma brown; costal cells yellow-brown, costal setae beyond humeral cross-vein biserially arranged. Haltere. Pedicel brownish; knob ventrally dirty white, dorsally brown. Legs. Fore femur 4–5 pd with a few weaker, on apical half; middle femur 1 pd, 1 pv weak and at middle; hind femur with 2 av macrosetae.

Fore femur dark grey along the dorsally and ventrally basal third, the basal lateral and apical two-third yellowbrown with thin yellowish pubescence; middle and hind femora yellow-brown with thin yellowish grey pubescence; all femora with sparse pale pile admixed with small black setae. All tibia and tarsi yellow-brown, apically darker. Abdomen. Integument yellow-brown, dark brown dorsomedially; tergites 2–4 anterior bands blackish brown, band width reducing on later segments, covered with short, dark, appressed setae, posterolaterally yellow-brown with thin yellowish grey pubescence, sparsely covered with erect yellowish pile; tergite 2 apical band bright yellowish white; sternites 2–7 yellow-brown, sparsely covered with erect, pale, setae; sternite 2 apical band yellowish white. Terminalia. (QM_T:185515): Epandrium ( Fig. 16 A): almost twice as wide as long (measured along mid-line and between widest points when viewed dorsally), narrowing slightly posteriorly. Gonocoxite ( Fig. 16 B): onion-shaped when viewed ventrally, with black macrosetae on posterolateral margin, joined along hypandrium, middle posterolateral edge with rounded lobelike outer gonocoxal process, half-length of inner gonocoxal process, an additional smaller lobe positioned close to ventromedial plane. Gonocoxal apodeme extends beyond anterior margin. Inner gonocoxal process directed laterally and ventrally at base, curved medially inward with 8 strong black setae on apex. Gonostylus directed dorsally with dorsal ridge, small tooth medially, pale elongate setae on dorsal ridge and inner surface, sub-apical dorsal edge slightly serrated, apical end rounded, reflexed dorsally with lateral projection. Ventral lobe triangular of equal length to the additional smaller lobe positioned close to ventromedial plane. Aedeagus ( Figs 16 C, D): distiphallus tapered and curved ventrally; parameral sheath darkly sclerotised; dorsal apodeme of parameral sheath broadly triangular, sub-apical lateral edge with a ventrally directed pointed projection; ventral apodeme anteriorly broad and flat with the apical margin slightly bilobed; lateral ejaculatory apodeme narrow, band-like; ejaculatory apodeme with lateral apical lobes.

Variation. Pile colouration ranges from pale yellow to orange. Occipital macrosetae 46–50 each side. Scutum colour ranges from grey to brown-grey. Fore femur 3–5 pd; middle femur 1 pd, 1–2 pv; hind femur 1–2 av. Dark brown area of the basal fore femur is variable. Male, body length: 7.5 mm; wing length: 8 mm; frons width 2.81 × anterior ocellus width. Female, body length: 8–9 mm; wing length: 8–9 mm; frons width 4.6-5.6 × ocellar. Paratype female (QM_T:185514): Sternite 8 ( Fig. 16 F): anterior edge flat; posterior half with broad, depressed area; clumps of long black setae directed posteriorly anterior to depressed area, shorter setae directed anteriorly along lateral edges, weak setae laterally directed along sternite edge in posterior half; posteriorly tapered to a narrow bilobed apex. Furca ( Fig. 16 E): frame elliptical with broad, sclerotized, lobed internal struts anteriorly directed; anterior beam weak, supporting a pair of broad, anterolateral lobes; anteroventral lobe connected to the anterior beam by two medial connections.

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘ lyncurium ’ Latin for amber, a yellow stone or an amber-like substance, refers to the yellowish amber coloration of the legs, abdomen, and thoracic pile.

Comments. Known from 16 specimens collected from Brisbane Forest Park, Queensland, from September to November.

Anabarhynchus lyncurium sp. n. keys to A. occidentalis Lyneborg in couplet 65 in Lyneborg (2001). It is readily separated from A. occidentalis which has fore femur yellow-brown with a dark brown dorsal surface, the middle and hind femora yellow-brown with a dark mark on the sub-apical dorsal surface, the middle femur without pd macrosetae; anterior bands on tergites black, posteroventrally grey; and sternites grey. Anabarhynchus lyncurium sp. n. has femora that are all yellow-brown, middle femur with a pd macroseta, tergites anterior bands dark brown and posteroventrally yellowish amber, and sternites are yellowish amber.

The holotype and a single female paratype (GM_T:185515) have a single weak black seta in the area lateral to the antenna.

Anabarhynchus lyncurium sp. n. appears to be most closely aligned to species to Lyneborg’s montanus species-group.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Anabarhynchus lyncurium sp. n., holotype male, (QM _ T: 185513): lateral view. Scale line = 2 mm.

FIGURE 15. Anabarhynchus lyncurium sp. n., holotype male, (QM _ T: 185513): oblique view. Scale line = 2 mm.

FIGURE 16. Anabarhynchus lyncurium sp. n., paratype male terminalia (QM _ T: 185513): A, epandrium, left dorsal view, right ventral view; B, gonocoxite left dorsal view, right ventral view; C, aedeagus, dorsal view; D, aedeagus, lateral view; paratype female (QM Reg. No. T 185514): E, furca; F, female sternite 8, ventral surface. Scale line = 0.5 mm.