Helosciomyza macalpinei Steyskal

McAlpine, David K., 2012, Notes and Descriptions of Australian Helosciomyzidae or Comb-winged flies (Diptera: Schizophora), Records of the Australian Museum 64 (1), pp. 51-70 : 67-68

Helosciomyza macalpinei Steyskal

Figs 6, 7 , 26

Helosciomyza macalpinei Steyskal , in Steyskal & Knutson, 1979: 737–738, fig. 23,?fig. 24; Barnes, 1981: 57, figs 15, 16.

Type material (re-examined D.K.M.). Holotype ♂. New South Wales: Clyde Mountain, near Braidwood , 2400 ft. [c. 730 m], 25.ii.1961, D.K.M. ( AM K264247 ) . Allotype ♀. Same data as holotype ( AM) . Paratypes. 3♂♂, 2♀♀, same data as holotype .

The above specimens have been correctly determined and listed by Steyskal (1979: 738). Otherwise the published list is unreliable, as some given localities do not apply to H. macalpinei (e.g., Careel Bay and Otford), and specimens from Mount Wilson, appropriately labelled by Steyskal as paratypes of H. macalpinei , are not mentioned.

Other material (all checked by D.K.M.; localities only given). New South Wales: Wright’s Lookout, New England National Park ( AM); Mount Wilson ( AM); below Govett’s Leap, near Blackheath ( AM); Katoomba ( AM); Wentworth Falls ( AM); Deep Creek, near Narrabeen ( ANIC); Rutherford Creek, Brown Mountain, Nimmitabel district ( ANIC).

Distribution. New South Wales: mainly cool, mountainous localities in north and south; single authentic record for coastal lowlands (Deep Creek).

Notes

Males of H. macalpinei are distinguishable from those of other species of the fuscinevris group with largely infuscated antennal segment 3 and no hypopleural setulae by the shape of the surstylus ( Fig. 26 ). Usually the proepimeral bristle is absent, but in the holotype of H. macalpinei a very small such bristle is present on the left side only. Usually the fore femur has an elongate dark grey posterodorsal mark before midlength which is well separated from the subapical posterior dark mark, and the often concealed anterior surface has a broad brown basal zone, which is generally separate from the brown distal zone. Helosciomyza australica appears to be consistently without any brown zone on the basal half of the fore femur. Coloration of the fore femur in H. obliqua is variable; some specimens approach the condition seen in H. macalpinei , but the two dark marks on the fore femur, as seen in posterior view, are generally less strongly differentiated, and a small proepisternal bristle is generally present, at least in the limited available material. However, certain identification of some female specimens is not achievable.

Figures

Figures 6, 7. Helosciomyza macalpinei, distal part of fore tarsus. (6) male. (7) female to same scale.

Figures 19–26.(19) Helosciomyza steyskali, protandrogram.(20) H.australica, epandrium and associated structures, posterior view, semi diagrammatic, setulae omitted. (21) H. neboissi (Pelion), left surstylus, outer view, scale = 0.2 mm. (22). H. australica (Picton Lakes), left surstylus, outer view. (23). H. steyskali (Boyd River), left surstylus, outer view. (24). H. obliqua (Mount Donna Buang), left surstylus, outer view. (25). H. driesseni (holotype), left surstylus, outer view. (26). H. macalpinei (holotype), left surstylus, outer view. Figs 21–26 all to same scale. c, cercus; ep, epandrium; pbf, posterobasal foot of surstylus; ss, surstylus; s5–s8, sternites 5 to 8; t5, t6, tergites 5 and 6.