Tomosvaryella latipoda Földvari, Skevington & Motamedinia, 2023

Motamedinia, Behnam, Földvari, Mihaly, Skevington, Jeffrey H. & Kelso, Scott, 2023, Revision of Australian Tomosvaryella Aczél (Diptera: Pipunculidae) with description of 100 new species, Zootaxa 5599 (1), pp. 1-271 : 120-122

Tomosvaryella latipoda Földvari, Skevington & Motamedinia sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:95AB7B27-544B-417D-A861-0C3C0431CE30

Figs 53A–E , 127 , 151A

Diagnosis: This species can be recognized by a distinct ventrobasal protuberance on the hind femur ( Fig. 151A ); broadened surstyli and tapering in basal third with patch of bristles in its medial in dorsal view ( Fig. 53A ); subepandrial sclerite covered with transverse streaks in ventral view; gonopods flat, right one with a lobe extended towards surstyli ( Fig. 53B ); phallic guide with three to five spines dorsally before apex.

Description: MALE: Body length: 2.3–2.6 mm. Head. Flagellum acuminate; yellow-brown. Face silvery pollinose. Frons, upper part shining black, lower part silvery pollinose; eyes touching for distance equal to 1–1.5 times ocellar triangle. Occiput silvery pollinose, slightly less so on upper half. Thorax. Postpronotum pale brown, with 2–3 whitish bristles. Mesonotum (viewed obliquely from front) subshining black, anterior part silvery pollinose; also silvery from the side. Scutellum gray pollinose, without bristles. Dorsocentral bristles weakly developed, pale, somewhat longer on frontal part. Halter, knob pale, stem dark black. Legs. Trochanters and base of femora brown, femora dark brown, shining ventrally (hind femur also posteriorly), knees, basal 1/6 of tibiae, tarsal segments yellow (otherwise brown), last segment dorsally brown. Fore femur with two distinct ventrobasal spines, mid femur with 4–6 very short, black ventroapical spines; no spines on hind femur, only 3–4 flattened thick bristles on keel. Hind femur with a distinct ventrobasal protuberance bearing three to six spines ( Fig. 151A ). Hind trochanter smooth with 4–5 indistinct dark bristles on ventral side. Subapical (distal) spines on first four tibiae absent. Hind metatarsus slightly flattened, first tarsomere longer than 2–4 combined. Pulvilli slightly shorter than last tarsal segment. Wing. Length: 2.6–2.7 mm. Upper side of basal costal cell with one long distinct bristle. Fourth costal section 2.5–3 times as long as third costal section. Cross-vein r-m at middle of discal cell. Setulae on tegula absent. Abdomen. Viewed obliquely from front tergites brownish pollinose, hind margin silvery gray on tergite 1, sides completely silvery on tergites 4 and 5. Dispersed short dark bristles absent. Lateral bristles on first tergite: 2–3, pale brown, as long as width of hind femur at base. Postabdomen in dorsal view: T6, S7 invisible; T5 as long as ST8. Genitalia without dissection: ST8 appears large, mainly dark brown and forming a right-angle corner (90 degrees) in lateral view at the lower end of membranous area; membranous area slit-like, vertical, distal part of epandrium paler and surstylus tips whitish, surstyli relatively small. Genitalia. Genital capsule in dorsal view: epandrium brown, surstyli light brown. Epandrium wider than long (MLE:MWE = 0.9), ca. 0.5 times as long as ST8, cerci symmetrically placed, small; ST8 with slit-like membranous area. Genital capsule in dorsal view: surstyli, both surstyli broadened at base, pointing tips at its apical inner corner, medially covered with patch of long bristles ( Fig. 53A ). Genital capsule in ventral view: Subepandrial sclerite covered with transverse streaks; gonopods asymmetrical and flat with right gonopod bearing a lobe pointing towards surstyli, phallic guide with a membranous projection to the side ( Fig. 53B ); phallus trifid, branches short ( Fig. 53B ). Genital capsule in lateral view: both surstyli broadened in basal two thirds, tapering in apical third ( Fig. 53D–E ). Phallic guide with three to five spines dorsally before apex, phallus with three ejaculatory ducts; ejaculatory apodeme flat, sperm pump elongated, linear ( Fig. 53C ).

FEMALE: Unknown.

Etymology: From the Latin latus, broad or wide, in reference to the flattened gonopods of the male genitalia.

Examined material: HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: Victoria: Wyperfeld NP, East Lookout , 35°36’S, 142°7’E, 21.x.2014, J.H., A.W., & A.M. Skevington, A.D. Young, A. Wyatt, & S. Namek, CNC373275 (1♂, QM) ; PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Victoria: Wyperfeld NP, East Lookout , 35°36’S, 142°7’E, 22.x.2014, J.H., A.W., & A.M. Skevington, A.D. Young, A. Wyatt, & S. Namek, CNC373438 (1♂, CNC) ; South Australia: vehicle net between Wynbring Rocks RS & Malbooma RS, 30°33’S, 133°32’E, 2.x.1988, J.A. Forrest, JSS8819 (1♂, SAM) ; New South Wales: Culgoa National Park, 8km West-Northwest Cawwell Homestead, Diemunga Lagoon , 29°3’S, 146°60’E, Coolibah, 30.i–18.v.2010, C. Lambkin, R . Olsen & B. Shieban, Malaise trap, CNC575145–6 (2♂, QM) ; Culgoa National Park, 8km West-Northwest of Cawwell Homestead, Diemunga Lagoon , 29°3’S, 146°1’E, 136m, Coolibah, 21.xii.2009 – 30.i.2010, B. Schiebaan, Malaise trap, CNC574747–8 , CNC574753–4 (4♂, QM) ; Northern Territory: 56 km S by E of Alice Springs , 23°42’S, 133°53’E, 3.x.1978, D.H. Colless, Malaise trap, JSS9250 (1♂, ANIC) ; 4.x.1978, D.H. Colless, Malaise trap, JSS9251 (1♂, ANIC) ; Queensland: 15.1km Southwest of Currawinya National Park Headquarters , 28°55’S, 144°26’E, 131m, Eremophila scrub, 18.ii–4.iii.2009, A. Townsend & J. Burke, Malaise trap, CNC574711 (1♂, QM) ; 204 km west Windorah , 25°42’S, 140°53’E, Malaise in dry creek bed, 4.ix.1997, S. Winterton, J. & A. Skevington, JSS8339 (1♂, QM) ; Carbrook, Logan River Delta , 27°40’S, 153°15’E, mangrove, 25.x.2002, M. Földvari, JSS13226 (1♂, HNHM) ; Culgoa Floodplain National Park , 11.8km N Headquarters, 28°54’S, 147°8’E, 151m, Brigalow Black box, 17.xii.2009 – 20.i.2010, C. Kelly & A. Coward, Malaise trap, CNC574517 (1♂, QM) ; Currawinya National Park , 15.1km Southwest of Headquarters, 28°55’S, 144°26’E, 131m, Eremophila , 12–26.ix.2008, Lambkin, Starick & Townsend, Malaise trap, CNC574664 (1♂, QM) ; Port Douglas , North Queensland, 16°29’S, 145°28’E, 9.vii.1971, Z. Liepa, JSS9207 (1♂, ANIC) ; Western Australia: ~ 3km N. of Denham , 25°55’S, 113°32’E, hilltop, 12. XII .1999, J. Skevington, CNC944146 (1♂, CNC) .

Distribution: Australia (New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia) ( Fig. 127 ).

Notes: This is a widespread species that has been captured hilltopping. Most specimens have been collected in mallee and other scrubby desert areas but two have been collected in very unexpected habitats. The specimen from Carbrook was in mangroves and the Port Douglas specimen would have most likely been in mangroves or coastal rainforest. These unusual outliers are morphologically consistent with the other specimens and we believe that they are the same species. To test this, we need fresh specimens from these areas that we can obtain DNA from. This species is closest to Tomosvaryella pterygia sp. nov., see the notes under the latter.

Figures

FIGURE 53. Male genitalia of Tomosvaryella latipoda sp. nov. (JSS13226, HNHM) A) dorsal view, B) ventral view, C) ejaculatory apodeme, D, E) lateral view.

FIGURE 127. Distribution of Tomosvaryella latipoda sp. nov., T. leipoa sp. nov., T. lophia sp. nov. in Australia.

FIGURE 151. Hind legs of Tomosvaryella species in lateral view A) T. latipoda sp. nov., paratype (CNC574664, QM), B) T. novaezealandiae (CNC373449, QM), C) fore tarsus of T. ansa sp. nov., holotype (JSS591870, QM) in dorsal view, D) hind tarsus of T. ansa sp. nov., paratype (JSS591870, QM) in dorsal view, E) hind tarsus of T. planca sp. nov., paratype (JSS8585, QM) in dorsal view, F) compound eye of T. acuminata sp. nov., holotype (JSS9254, ANIC) in lateral view.