Cydistomyia atmophora (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 : 66-68

Cydistomyia atmophora (Taylor)

( Fig. 46 )

* Tabanus atmophorus Taylor, 1919: 59, 1926: 194 . Type female, from Kuranda, north Qld, F.P. Dodd (ANIC). Cydistomyia atmophora ; Mackerras 1959: 168; Daniels, 1989: 286; Bickel & Elliot, 1998 -2005: 2.

Other material examined. 22 ♀.

Diagnosis. A medium-sized species (length 10–12 mm) distinguished from C. musgravii and C. rivularis by much darker blackish brown legs; darker antennal scape and pedicel; darker palps; dark shiny distinctly banded abdominal venter, with 3rd and subsequent sternites generally black and with black hairs basally and yellowish cream to ashy white hairs apically; and predominantly pale 2nd sternite, somewhat darkened in centre. Frons narrow, index 3.4–3.9, like C. musgravii , but callus more oblong with irregular but fairly wide tapering extension to above middle of frons; ocellar tubercle flat, shiny, ocelli not detectable. Vein sc with continuous row of setulae above. C. atmophora is similar to innubilus in colouration, presence of conspicuous ocellar tubercle and a sharply angulate vein R 4. It is distinguished from C. innubilus by banded eyes, shape of callus, narrower frons and narrower basal plate on antennal flagellum.

Cydistomyia atmophora is known only from northern Queensland.

Female. Head. Eyes in life reddish brown, with narrow bright green or blue-green oblique band at level of callus, bare (fine hairs visible at 35X magnification). Frons narrow, index 3.4–3.9, with variegated grey and fawn tomentum, pale grey along eye margins, with scattered relatively long black hairs; vertex not hollow, vertical triangle greyish; ocellar tubercle flat, shiny, ocelli not detectable; callus shiny, black, bulging, full width of frons at base, more oblong than pyriform or rounded, with irregular but fairly wide tapering extension to above middle of frons. Subcallus smooth with ashy grey tomentum, without hairs; parafacials and face with ashy grey tomentum and few black hairs; beard greyish white. Antennal scape about as wide as long, dark grey with dense long black hairs, pedicel cup-shaped, dark grey with dense long black hairs, with short dorsal prolongation, basal plate brown, without ventral bulge and with minute dorsal angle posteriorly, contrasting with dark brownish black style. Palpi dark grey with dense black hairs.

Thorax. Scutum greyish black, with indistinct greyish dorsocentral vittae and paler lateral margins, interrupted by short brown stripe above wing root; hairs black and yellowish cream, latter particularly conspicuous in front of scutellum. Scutellum greyish black; hairs as on scutum. Pleura pale grey, with relatively dense greyish white hairs, except for mixture of dark ones on upper mesopleural convexity.

Legs. Blackish brown, femora grey with long white hairs, tibiae darkening to blackish brown with black hairs; tarsi black with black hairs.

Wings. Greyish, costal cell not darkened, stigma pale brown, fairly conspicuous, veins brown; vein sc with continuous row of setulae above.

Abdomen. Black with black hairs; broad well-defined pale grey, creamy haired apical bands on tergites 2–6, not widening to form median triangles, barely discernible on 1 st tergite; extreme lateral margins of tergites 1–4 paler, with creamy white hairs. Venter dark, shiny, distinctly banded, with 3 rd and subsequent sternites generally black and with black hairs basally and yellowish cream to ashy white hairs apically, with 2 nd sternite predominantly pale and somewhat darkened in centre.

Distribution. From Cape York Peninsula to S of Bundaberg QLD. QLD: Jardine R., Cape York Penninsula, Oct., M.S. and B.J. Moulds; Cockatoo Ck, 17 km NW of Heathlands High School, Cape York Penninsula, Mar., G. Daniels and M.A. Schneider; Gunshot Ck, 13 km NW of Heathlands HS, Mar., G. Daniels and M.A. Schneider; Heathlands High School, Mar., G. Daniels and M.A. Schneider; Bertie Ck, 1 km S of Heathlands HS, Mar., G. Daniels and M.A. Schneider; 1 km SE of Heathlands HS, Mar., G. Daniels and M.A. Schneider;; Lockhart R., Rev. Flint; Mackay, Feb.; Archer R. crossing, Apr., G. and A. Daniels; 20 km W of Fairview (W of Cooktown), Apr., G. and A. Daniels; Proserpine Airport, Feb., I.M. Mackerras; Keneffs Lookout, Mt. Moffat Section, Carnarvon Nat. Pk., Sept., D.K. Yeates.

Figures

FIGURES 46–48. 46. Cydistomyia atmophora (Taylor) frons, palp, antenna, female terminalia, sternite 8. 47. Cydistomyia silviformis (Taylor) frons, palp, antenna. 48. Cydistomyia innubilus Mackerras & Spratt, sp. nov. frons, palp, antenna, female terminalia, sternite 8, spermathecal bulb.