Zelothrix warrumbungles, Irwin, Michael E. & Winterton, Shaun L., 2016

Irwin, Michael E. & Winterton, Shaun L., 2016, New genera of Australian stiletto flies (Diptera, Therevidae), ZooKeys 618, pp. 97-128 : 115-117

Taxon classification Animalia Diptera Therevidae

Zelothrix warrumbungles sp. n. Figs 3, 21, 22, 23

Type material.

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Warrumbungle National Park, 1.7 km N Camp Blackman, Buckleys Creek, [-31.25, 149.002], 480m, 30.x.-14.xi.1997, malaise trap, S. Winterton, J. Skevington. (ANIC) (MEI153269).

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 22 males, 10 females, same data as holotype, (ANIC) (MEI140101, MEI140126, MEI140128, MEI140131, MEI140138, MEI140141, MEI140143, MEI140150, MEI140153, MEI140159, MEI140375-95, MEI153269). Queensland: female, Stanthorpe, [-28.667, 151.917], 10.i.1924, hand netted, F. M. Hull. (CNC) (MEI027295); female, near Stanthorpe, Mount Marlay, [-28.667, 151.933], 1.x.1987, hand netted, D. K. Yeates. (QM) (MEI033880). Victoria: 24.2 km NNE Orbost, [-37.75, 148.5], 5.xi.1969, hand netted, I. F. B. Common. (ANIC) (MEI028778).

Diagnosis.

Forefemur dark brown; male frons predominantly silver pubescent immediately above antennal socket; antenna greater than 1.5x head length.

Description.

Body length. 7.5 mm (male), 8.5 mm (female). Head. (Figs 21-22) Silver-grey pubescent; ocellar tubercle black, raised (prominent in male); frons flat, with only a few black setae above the antennal socket, silver and black pubescent in male, matte black, silver and gold patterned in female; occiput silver-gold pubescent, concave with a single row of black postocular setae dorsally in male, two rows in female; gena silver pubescent admixed with pale setae; parafacial silver in male, silver and matte black in female; palpus narrow, pointed apically, with brown with black setae;. Antennal scape elongate and cylindrical, orange, with erect black setae on all surfaces, slightly thinker than flagellum and length equalling length of combined pedicel and flagellum; flagellum elongate and cylindrical, brown pubescent with distinct angled arista at apex. Thorax. Scutum and scutellum gold-silver pubescent, scutum with three distinct dark brown stripes, medial stripe extending onto scutellum; chaetotaxy: np, 4; sa, 2; pa, 1; dc, 3; sc, 2; pleuron base colour black, overlain with dense greenish-silver pubescence extending onto coxae; thin white hairs on anepisternum and katatergite; femora bright yellow, forefemur mostly with dark brown to black suffusion; tibiae and tarsomeres 1 and 2 dark yellow, brown apically; remaining tarsomeres dark brown; wing distinctly infuscate with extensive mottled pattern; venation dark. Abdomen. Slender, elongate, bright yellow with small dark brown area anteromedially on tergites in male, tergites more extensively dark brown in female and overlain with sparse grey pubescence; sparse thin elongate setae on all segments, mostly pale, but darker dorsomedially and on terminalia. Male Terminalia. (Fig. 23) Epandrium longer than wide, slightly tapered posteriorly, sclerotised posterolaterally, setae sparse, more elongate laterally; cercus relatively small; gonocoxites rounded with short round outer gonocoxal process; hypandrium small and fused to gonocoxites anteriorly; gonocoxal apodemes small and rounded; setae on gonocoxites sparse, elongate and erect, with sparse velutum ventrally on gonocoxite; inner gonocoxal process and gonostylus narrow and curved medially; ventral lobe elongate and rounded apically; dorsal apodeme of parameral sheath ‘T’ -shaped; ventral lobe broad, not forked and projecting beyond dorsal apodeme; distiphallus broad, irregularly shaped dorsally, small spines apically; lateral ejaculatory apodemes narrow and angled posteriorly, basiphallus small. Female terminalia. Similar to the other species in this genus.

Comments.

Zelothrix warrumbungles sp. n. is a distinctive, elegant and abundant species in the type locality during the late summer months, and in some years may be the most commonly encountered species of stiletto fly during this time.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is the unaltered place name Warrumbungles (which is an Aborignal name for this mountain range, meaning "crooked mountains") referring to the mountain range where this species was collected; a noun in apposition.