Acupalpa irwini Winterton

Shaun L., Winterton, 2011, Revision of the stiletto fly genera Acupalpa Kroeber and Pipinnipons Winterton (Diptera, Therevidae, Agapophytinae) using cybertaxonomic methods, with a key to Australasian genera, ZooKeys 95, pp. 29-79 : 44

Acupalpa irwini Winterton Fig. 11

Acupalpa irwini Winterton 2000: 232.

Type material.

Holotype female, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 7.5 km WSW Lake Cronin, 32°23'S, 119°46'E, 19-26.ix.1978, T. F. Houston et al. (MEI029876) (WAM). Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: female, same data as holotype, (MEI029877) (WAM); male, 3 females, 53 km E Hyden nr. Emu Rock, 24-27.x.1985, R. W. Thorpe (MEI029502, 029503, 029504, 029505) (UCDC).

Diagnosis.

Frons profile rounded above antenna; face projecting anteriorly; antenna black; scutum grey to black; pleuron black; wing dark banded; femora brown to black; abdomen black, segments 1-3 orange; abdominal velutum absent.

Redescription.

Body length= 7.0-10.0 mm. Head. Frons wider than ocellar tubercle, profile rounded above antenna, pubescence sparse silver-grey, frontal vesiture small dark setae, surface texture verrucous; face projecting anteriorly, vestiture with dark or pale setae; gena with pale setae; parafacial glabrous or with pale setae; mouthparts elongate, projecting anteriorly; palpus brown-black, narrowly cylindrical; occiput overlain with sparse, silver-grey pubescence; antennal base raised; antennal length approximately equal to head; scape black, length approximately equal to flagellum, scape with pale setae ventrally, shorter dark setae dorsally; flagellum black, base of flagellum with short dark setae. Thorax. Scutum light grey to black, setal bases glossy black; scutellum overlain with dense, matt-black pubescence; pleuron black, overlain with silver-grey pubescence; wing markings dark banded infuscate; haltere knob brown; coxae black; femora brown to black; tibia yellow-orange, darker distally; tarsi black, basitarsi pale, dark distally. Scutal chaetotaxy: np, 4; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 2-3; sc, 1. Abdomen. Segments 1-3 orange, remaining segments black, silver velutum absent; terminalia dark.

Comments.

Acupalpa irwini is a relatively large species differentiated by the characteristic leg and abdomen colouration. This species is known only from the type series collected in Western Australia.