Acupalpa minutoides, Shaun L., Winterton, 2011

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 : 47

Acupalpa minutoides sp. n. Fig. 15

Type material.

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Geraldton, Drummond’s Cove, [-28.767, 114.617], 29.ix.1972, N. McFarland (MEI021412) (ANIC). Paratypes. Western Australia: male, Geraldton, Drummond’s Cove, [-28.767, 114.617], 29.ix.1972, N. McFarland, on Calandrinia flowers (MEI029995) (CSCA); male, Geraldton, Drummond’s Cove, [-28.767, 114.617], 18.ix.1972, N. McFarland, on Calandrinia flowers (MEI021411) (CSCA).

Diagnosis.

Very small sized species; setae on coxae black; flagellum greatly elongate; scape relatively short; frons slightly wider than width of ocellar tubercle; wing veins M1 and M2 fused and petiolate basally from discal cell; tibia pale basally; two notopleural setae; abdomen dark, velutum absent.

Description.

Body length= 3.0-4.0 mm. Head. Frons wider than ocellar tubercle, profile rounded, level with eye, pubescence sparse silver-grey; frontal vestiture glabrous with minute setae laterally, texture smooth; lower frons and face shape broadly rounded, expansive; face vestiture glabrous; gena with pale setae; parafacia overlain with silver pubescence; mouthparts elongate, projecting anteriorly; palpus brown-black; occiput overlain with sparse, silver-grey pubescence; antennal base flat; antennal length longer than head; scape black, length much shorter than flagellum, with sparse black setae; flagellum black or brown, base of flagellum without setae. Thorax. Scutum glossy black-brown with sparse grey pubescence and small brown setae; scutellum overlain with dense matt black pubescence; pleuron glossy black-brown with longitudinal stripe of silver velutum; wing markings dark banded infuscate; haltere knob orange-yellow; coxae brown, overlain with dense pubescence and dark setae; femora brown to black; tibia black, yellow-orange basally; tarsi brown. Scutal chaetotaxy (macrosetae pairs): np, 2, sa, 1, pa, 1, dc, 2, sc, 1. Abdomen. Colouration brown, tergites 2-4 with bronze pubescence, silver velutum absent; terminalia dark.

Comments.

See comments under Acupalpa minuta sp. n. This species is known only from three male specimens from Western Australia.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the L. minutus, small, little; -oides, like, referring to the similarity of this species to Acupalpa minuta sp. n.