Cydistomyia nigropicta (Macquart)

Mackerras, I. M., Spratt, D. M. & Yeates, D. K., 2008, Revision of the horse fly genera Lissimas and Cydistomyia (Diptera: Tabanidae: Diachlorini) of Australia, Zootaxa 1886 (1), pp. 1-80 : 37-38

Cydistomyia nigropicta (Macquart)

( Figs. 3 , 27 )

* Tabanus nigropictus Macquart, 1855: 44 ; Froggatt 1911: 8, 15, 1915: 8, 16; Hardy 1939: 42 (erroneously as syn. palmensis Ferguson & Hill ), 1944: 84 ( nigropictus Froggatt, 1915 , nec Macquart, as syn. of sanguinarius Bigot ); Chainey 1990 (types). Type female, ‘de l’Inde’ (error; cf. Daniels 1989: 287) (BMNH).

Cydistomyia nigropicta ; Mackerras 1959: 166; Daniels 1989: 287; Bickel & Elliot, 1998 -2005: 4.

* Atylotus sanguinarius Bigot, 1892: 675 ; Froggatt 1911: 6, 16, 1915: 7, 17; Ricardo 1915 a: 287 (?syn. of nigropictus Macq. ), 1917: 221; Taylor 1918: 65, 1919: 64; Ferguson 1916a: 206, 1920: 132, 1921a: 373; Ferguson & Henry 1920: 844; Surcouf 1921: 83; Hardy 1939: 42 (misspelt sanguineus), 1944: 84. (All as Tabanus ). Mackerras 1959: 166, (syn. of nigropictus Macq. )); Chainey 1990: 305 (4 syntypes, females) Australia (BMNH).

Other material examined. 267 ♀, 11 ♂.

Diagnosis. A large, bright, slightly reddish brown species, with bright orange antennae, yellowish brown legs, and wings tinged with yellowish brown. To be distinguished from C. hyperythrea by conspicuous dark callus on narrower frons, longer antennae with longer antennal style, pronounced sub-basal dorsal angle and small apical ventral swelling on basal plate, and less dense black hairs on palpi. To be distinguished from C. avida by larger size, somewhat darker colouration, fainter markings on wings, and abovementioned features of basal plate. Length 17–20 mm.

Female. Head. Eyes in life green, bare, (fine sparse hairs just visible at 35X magnification). Frons parallel, index 5.1–6.6, with yellowish fawn tomentum along eyes, more brownish in centre, with short ocellar tubercle barely perceptible; callus shiny, brown, about three-quarters width of frons at base, oblong, with extension to a little beyond middle of frons. Subcallus creamy, with inconspicuous brown hairs; parafacials and face creamy to yellowish cream, with short cream hairs; beard yellowish cream. Antennal scape and pedicel brown, with some greyish overlay, hairs mainly black; flagellum bright orange-brown, little if any darker towards tip of style, basal plate with prominent sub-basal dorsal angle and gentle ventral swelling towards apex. Palpi yellowish fawn, with yellowish cream hairs and some short black ones.

Thorax. Scutum and scutellum brown with fawn tint, especially anteriorly and laterally, with short erect black and appressed creamy hairs. Pleura grey to light fawn, with cream to white hairs.

Legs. Bright yellowish brown, femora and tarsi a little darker; hairs mainly brown to golden brown.

Wings. Greyish, costal cell yellowish brown; faint yellowish brown suffusion along radial veins and those bordering basal cells.

Abdomen. Bright brown, often with slight yellowish hue, darkening somewhat towards tip, with indications of paler apical margins on tergites 2–4; hairs on disc black, inconspicuous creamy yellow median patches on apical margins, cream to yellowish cream along lateral margins. Venter brown, with black hairs, apices of sternites with narrow cream band bearing creamy white hairs.

Male. Similar to female but more hairy, slightly smaller, with paler brown abdomen and legs, particularly tarsi which are not darkened. Eyes bare, meeting over most of length of frons, swollen, upper facets enlarged, reddish brown, contrasting with darker small lower and posterior ones. Ocellar tubercle not observed. Palpi sub-cylindrical, tapering, bluntly rounded distally, greyish brown, hairs predominantly black with a few creamy white ones.

Distribution. From central QLD through SE coastal areas, NE NSW and S to the Sydney region. QLD: Captain’s Ck via Miriam Vale, Oct., A.L. Dyce; Kroombit Tops, 45 km SSW Calliope; Bundaberg, May, R.J. Tomlins; Fraser Is., Jan., M. Dick and P. Hunt, H.A. Standfast, Feb., biting, M.J. Mackerras, Mar., A.L. Dyce; Eurong Beach, Fraser Is., Dec., I.F.B. Common; Lake Boeminger Fraser Is., Nov., A. Slater and G. Thompson; near Coalstoun Lakes, SW of Biggenden, Dec., H. Frauca; Tin Can Bay, Jan., H.A. Standfast; Cooloola, Mar., E. Dahms, S. Johnston, Aug., A. Wright; Cooloola State Forest via Gympie, Dec., R.I. Storey; Cooloola Nat Pk, Apr.; Noosa Heads, biting, Feb., D.M. Spratt, Mar., H.A. Standfast; Noosa Nat. Pk., Nov., Mar., E.N. Marks, biting; Brown's Ck, Eumundi; Nambour, Mar., H.A. Standfast; Kilcoy, Dec., Jan., H. Hacker; Woombye, Dec., D.H. Colless; Buderim Mt, biting, Dec., E.N. Marks, Apr., H. Hacker; Mooloolabah, Apr., E.N. Marks; Montville, C. Deane; Caloundra, Jan., H. Hacker; Conondale Nat. Pk., Feb., J. and A. Skevington; Woodford, Nov.; Camp Mt 20 km NW Brisbane, Dec.; Mt Glorious, Jan., I.M. Mackerras, Feb., D.M. Spratt; Upper Cedar Ck, Jan., I.M. Mackerras; Samford, Nov., R. Domrow, Mar., H. Hacker; Highvale, 22 km W of Brisbane, Dec., R. Strautman; Mt Nebo, Dec., E.H. Derrick, Feb., P. Haycock; Brisbane, Nov., T. Brooks, Mar., H. Hacker; Indooroopilly, Dec. D.S. Kettle; Scrub Creek Road Brisbane Forest Park, Jan., C.L. and J.D. Lambkin; North Stradbroke Is., Jan., S.G. Wright; Stradbroke Is., Nov., J. O'Hagan, Dec.–Jan., H. Hacker, J. and A. Skevington and D. Reeves, Mar., D.M. Spratt; Mt Cotton, Dec., C.J. Burwell; Greenbank, Nov., H.A. Standfast; Kholo, nr Ipswich, Dec., M. Colbo; Mt Tamborine, L. Pottinger, Dec., H. Hacker, Mar., biting, I.M. and M.J. Mackerras, May, J.W. Davidson; Nerang, Oct.; Canungra, Feb., J. Wylie, H.A. Standfast; Canungra Ck, Jan., G.B. Monteith; “Glen Witheren” nr Canungra, Dec., Jan., G.B. Monteith; Upper Coomera R., nr Canungra, biting, I.M. and M.J. Mackerras; 5 km S Canungra, Jan., Feb., G.B. Monteith; Binna Burra, biting, Dec., I.M. and M.J. Mackerras, Feb., J.T. Brooks, M.J. Mackerras; Mt. Tamborine; Springbrook, biting, Feb., E.N. Marks; Nerang R., nr Springbrook, Dec., T.G. Campbell; Lamington Nat. Pk., Jan., H.J. Carter, O.W. Tiegs, Feb., F.A. Perkins; Tallebudgera Valley, Dec., Jan., D. Cook, G.B. Monteith and G. Thompson; Yalla, Jan. NSW: Acacia Plateau, Dec., J.W. Davidson; Tooloom Scrub, nr Urbenville, Dec., I.M. and M.J. Mackerras, Jan., H. Hacker; Brunswick Heads, Feb., D.E. Havenstein; Bangalow, Nov., Marr; 11 km W of Rosebank, 518 m, Nov., I.F.B. Common and M.S. Upton; Eltham, Dec., C.E. Chadwick; Richmond R., W.W. Froggatt; Lismore, in cowbails, Tregeagle, Dec., D.K. Yeates, Mar., W.W. Froggatt; Bald Rock Nat. Pk., Dec., DK. Yeates; 2 km NE by E. of Rous Hill, Nov., I.F.B. Common and E.P. Edwards; Washpool Nat. Pk., Jan., J. and A. Skevington; Summit Mtn, Gibraltar Ra Nat. Pk., Dec., D.K. Yeates and C. Palmer; Clarence R.; Grafton; Feb., A.J. Nicholson; 14 km SE of Grafton, Dec., P. Carne, E. Britton; 32 km S of Grafton, Nov., E.J. Reye; Styx R., Dec., E.F. Riek; Glenreagh, Jan.–Feb.; Bark Hut, 14 km W of Woolgoolga, Feb., T.G. Campbell; Dorrigo Nat. Pk. via Dorrigo, Jan., T. Weir; 11 km SE of Dorrigo, Feb., L. Chinnick and Lewis; Dorrigo Scrub, Jan., J. Bancroft and I.M. Mackerras; Dorrigo, Jan., B.K. Cantrell; Meldrum, Mar., New England Nat. Pk. via Ebor, Jan., T. Weir; Raven; 3 km W of Bonville, Jan., N. Roffey and Mitchell; Boambee, Jan., K.R. Norris; 8 km W of Boambee, Mar., K.L. Taylor; Point Lookout, nr Ebor, Dec., I.M. and M.J. Mackerras; N of Middle Head, nr Macksville, Nov.; T.G. Campbell; Port Macquarie, Jan., M.F. Day; Wauchope, Goodacre; Hastings R., Nov., E.J. Reye; Kew, Jan.; Kendall, Jan.–Mar.; Kundibakh, C. Dennes; Myall Lakes, Nov., Le Soeuf; Eccleston, Mar., J. Hopson; Kurrajong, Feb.; Leura; Asquith, pupa which emerges in Nov., A.L. Dyce; Epping, larva which emerges in Nov., Oct., F.H. Taylor; Illawarra.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Habitus images 1. Cydistomyia casuarinae (English, Mackerras & Dyce) wing length 11 mm. 2. Cydistomyia cyanea (Wiedemann) wing 12 mm. 3. Cydistomyia nigropicta (Macquart) wing: 18 mm. 4. Cydistomyia doddi (Taylor) wing 13.5 mm. 5. Cydistomyia magnetica (Ferguson & Hill) wing: 14 mm. 6. Cydistomyia alternata (Ferguson & Hill). 7. Cydistomyia victoriensis (Ricardo) wing: 16mm. 8. Cydistomyia rivularis (Ferguson & Hill) wing: 9mm.

FIGURES 25–27. 25. Cydistomyia sabulosus Mackerras & Spratt, sp. nov. frons, palp, antenna. 26. Cydistomyia monteithi Mackerras & Spratt, sp. nov. frons, palp, antenna. 27. Cydistomyia nigropicta (Macquart) frons, palp, antenna, female terminalia, sternite 8, spermathecal bulb.