Cydistomyia pseudoardens (Taylor)

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 : 23-26

Cydistomyia pseudoardens (Taylor)

( Figs 9 , 18 )

* Tabanus pseudoardens Taylor, 1913: 66 ; Austen 1914: 265; Ricardo 1915 a: 272, 1917: 219; Ferguson 1916a: 206, 1921a: 372; Surcouf 1921: 80. Type female, N Qld, Kuranda (ANIC).

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

Other material examined. 561 ♀, 11 ♂.

Diagnosis. A medium-sized rather slender brown species, the dark dorsum contrasting (as in C. palmensis ) with much paler colour of pleura and venter. Derived from Papuan stock although not as close to C. lorentzi (Ricardo) as originally believed ( Mackerras 1959). Varying toward C. palmensis from which it is distinguished by features listed under that species; distinguished from C. fergusoni by less ornamented appearance, lack of clear vittae on scutum, and conspicuous pale apical margins and median triangles on abdominal tergites, by absence of ocellar tubercle, narrower frons with paler brown and differently shaped callus not extending full width of frons at base, and more brightly coloured antennae; from C. bancroftae by much paler colouration, particularly on scutum, narrow frons with conspicuous callus, more typically shaped and brightly coloured antennae; and from C. avida by smaller size, more uniformly brown abdominal colouration, less brown suffusion on wings, narrower frons, and characteristic callus and basal plate of antennal flagellum. Length 11–14 mm.

Female. Head. Eyes (relaxed) reddish green in life sometimes greenish, bare, (sparse fine hairs just visible at 35X magnification). Frons narrow, parallel or slightly convergent, index 4.7–6.4, with fawnish brown tomentum, paler along eye margins and with short dark hairs; vertex slightly hollow; vertical triangle greyish brown, with short black hairs; ocellar tubercle irregular, oval, flat, sometimes with three vestigial ocelli; callus dark brown, shiny, distinctly bulging, a little less than width of frons at base, with tapered extension that reaches approximately to middle of frons. Subcallus with fawn grey tomentum, without hairs; parafacials and face with greyish tomentum, with fine black and white hairs; beard creamy white. Antennal scape about one and a half times as long as wide, with small dorsal prolongation, fawn with black hairs; pedicel cup-shaped, with small dorsal prolongation, fawn with black hairs; flagellum elongate, basal plate more robust than palmensis , slightly longer than style, with well-defined almost median dorsal angle, orange-brown, contrasting with blackish style. Palpi fawnish grey, with short black hairs.

Thorax. Scutum and scutellum dull brown, with faintly indicated dorsocentral lines in front of suture, lateral margins greyish, hairs mixed black and creamy white, the latter diffuse. Pleura grey, with white hairs.

Legs. Brown, with black hairs on fore femora, white hairs on others; tarsi blackish brown, with black hairs.

Wings. Lightly suffused with brown; marginal cell and costal half of first submarginal cell darker than others; veins brown; stigma brown.

Abdomen. Brown, darker than scutum but not as chocolate brown as palmensis , generally darker on apical tergites than on tergites 1–3; all tergites with narrow inconspicuous pale apical margins, poorly defined median white-haired apical triangles on tergites 2–5, hairs conspicuous creamy white on narrow grey zone at lateral corners of tergites 2–5, elsewhere hairs black. Venter light brown on 1st and 2nd sternites, darker brown on sternite 3–6, pale grey apical band on sternites 2–6; hairs dark on darker parts, creamy white on paler areas, predominantly black on 7th sternite.

Male. Similar to female but more hairy. Eyes bare (few short fine hairs just visible at 35X magnification), with enlarged reddish brown upper facets contrasting with darker brown small lower and posterior facets. Ocellar tubercle sunken below eyes, ocelli not observed. Palpi light brown, second segment with dark brown and few white hairs. Wing with more brown suffusion, costal and first basal cell darker than others. Flagellum less robust, particularly basal plate, tending towards short dorsal tooth rather than well-defined dorsal angle.

Distribution. From Cape York N QLD SE to Townsville. QLD: Cape York; Packer Creek 4 km SW Portland Roads, Dec., D. K. Yeates; West Claudie R., Dec., G. Daniels and M.A. Schneider; Iron Range, Cape York Peninsula, Nov., G.B. Monteith; Claudie R., Iron Range; Mt Finnigan, Dec.-Jan.; Mt Boolbun South, Nov., G.B. Monteith; Mt Halcyon, Nov., G.B. Monteith; Cape Tribulation, Sept., Oct., Dec., Jan., G.B. Monteith; Sept. Oct. E.N. Marks; Noah Ck 8 km S Cape Tribulation, Sept., Oct., G.B. Monteith; Mossman Gorge, Oct., E. Britton; Port Douglas, C.J. Wild; Mossman Bluff, 5–10 km W Mossman, Dec.-Jan., G.B. Monteith; Mt Windsor Tablelands via Mt Carbine, Dec., E. Schmidt, D. Gibson, Jan., I. Fanning; 2.5 km N Mt Lewis via Julatten, Nov., D.K. Yeates; Mt Lewis, 914 m, Oct., E. Britton, Dec., rainforest, at light., E. Britton and S. Misko; Mt Lewis Road, 16 km from highway, Dec.-Jan., G.B. Monteith; Pretty Beach, Jan., E.C. Dahms; Mt Formartine South, 10 km N Kuranda, Nov., G.B. Monteith and G. Thompson; Kuranda, Nov., H.E. Evans, R.L. Heilscher, F.H. Taylor, Dec., Hale and N.B. Tindale, Jan., P. Ferrar, P. Carne and E. Britton, F.P. Dodd; 7.5 km W Kuranda, Feb., Storey and Halfpapp; Lake Placid, Oct., E. Britton; Cairns, Nov., A.L. Dyce, Jan., P. Carne and E. Britton, on horse, J.F. Illingworth, F.E. Wilson; 13 km along Davies Road via Mareeba, Dec., Storey and Brown; Meringa, Sept., 6 m Goldfinch; Pine Ck, nr Gordonvale, Jan., P. Carne and E. Britton; Mulgrave R., Oct., A.N. Burns; Yungaburra, Jan., P. Ferrar; Lake Barrine, Yungaburra, Jan., P. Ferrar; Gadgarra State Forest, 10 km E Lake Eacham, Dec., Monteith; Bramston Beach, Sept., I.M. Mackerras, Oct., D. Elliott; Forest Rd., Danbulla SF, Nov., D. Gibson, Jan., D. Gibson and E.J. Harris; Bellenden Ker Ra, Oct.- Dec., G.B. Monteith; Atherton, Jan., D. Gibson; Kairi Res. Stn., Atherton, Dec., E.J. Harris; Mt Babinda, Mar., I.M. Mackerras; Russell R., Babinda, Mar., I.M. Mackerras; Bartle Frere, Nov., D. Elliott; Mt Misery Road, Jan.; Onglands Gap, Jan., P. Carne and E. Britton; Innisfail, Nov., P. Ferrar, Fahey, F.H. Taylor; Fisher Ck, Innisfail, Oct., I.M. Mackerras; Ninds Ck, Innisfail, Feb., H.A. Standfast and B. Kay; Gooligan Ck, nr Innisfail, Apr., R. Domrow; Downey Ck 25 km SW Millaa Millaa, Dec., G.B. Monteith and G. Thompson; Mourilyan, Oct., A.L. Dyce; Cowley, nr Innisfail, Nov.; Silkwood, Oct.; Palmerston Nat. Pk., Nov., K.L.S. Harley; Crawford Lookout, Palmerston Nat. Pk., Jan., P. Ferrar, Oct.; Henrietta Ck, Palmerston Nat. Pk., Jan., P. Ferrar; Beatrice R., Oct.-Nov., I.M. Mackerras; Kennedy via Cardwell, Oct., D. Gibson; Cardstone, Jan., P. Carne and E. Britton, Feb., K. Hyde; Dunk Is., Jan., Banfield; Mission Beach, Tully, Sept., R.J. Huppatz and K.L.S. Harley; Palmerston Highway, Tully, Feb., D. Gibson; 8 km E Tully, Feb., P. Ferrar; Tully, Oct.; 40 km W Tully, Mar., I.F.B. Common and M.S. Upton; Upper Boulder Ck via Tully, Oct., G.B. Monteith; South Mission Beach and Tully Mission Beach Roads, Sept., J. and A. Skevington; Gayundah Ck, Hinchinbrook Island, Nov., G.B. Monteith; Little Crystal Ck, Mt Spec, Nov., E.N. Marks, Nov.–Dec., M.J. Mackerras; Townsville, Dec.

Figures

FIGURES 9–12. Antennal flagella: 9. Cydistomyia pseudoardens (Taylor), 10. Cydistomyia bancroftae Mackerras, 11. Cydistomyia improcerus Mackerras & Spratt, sp. nov., 12. Cydistomyia victoriensis (Ricardo).

FIGURES 16–18. 16. Cydistomyia danielsorum Mackerras & Spratt, sp. nov. frons, palp, antenna, female terminalia, sternite 8, spermathecal bulb. 17. Cydistomyia palmensis (Ferguson & Hill) frons, palp, antenna, female terminalia, sternite 8, spermathecal bulb. 18. Cydistomyia pseudoardens (Taylor) frons, palp, antenna, female terminalia, sternite 8, spermathecal bulb.