Acupalpa notomelas, 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 : 48-49

Acupalpa notomelas sp. n. Figs 3 A–B 16

Type material.

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 22 km W Waroora Homestead [-23.483°, 113.8°], 25.x.1987, sand plain, M. E. Irwin (MEI029510) (ANIC). Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: female, Melaleuca Park, 38 km N Perth [-31.95°, 115.85°], 29.x.1987, M. E. Irwin, E. I. Schlinger (MEI029512) (ANIC); male, Yanchep National Park [-31.517°, 115.683°], 22-26.x.1985, truck trap, A. Dyce, W. Wirth (MEI029514) (ANIC).

Diagnosis.

Frons profile rounded above antenna; mouthparts elongate; antenna dark; scutum dark; pleuron orange ventrally; wing banded; legs dark yellow to orange [fore femur darker]; abdomen black without silver velutum.

Description.

Body length= 6.2-8.0 mm. Head. Frons wider than ocellar tubercle, profile rounded above antenna, glabrous or silver pubescent patches along eye margin [some sparse pubescence dorsally], frontal vestiture as small dark setae, surface texture smooth, face broadly rounded, vestiture as dark or pale setae; gena with pale setae or with dark setae (ventrally); parafacial glabrous; mouthparts elongate, projecting anteriorly; palpus brown-black, narrowly cylindrical; occiput overlain with sparse, silver-grey pubescence, antennal base flat; antennal length approximately equal to head; scape brown, length shorter than flagellum, scape with sparse black setae; flagellum dark, base of flagellum without setae. Thorax. Scutum light grey to glossy black, setal bases glossy black, overlain with faint stripes of grey pubescence; scutellum overlain with dense, matt-black pubescence; pleuron yellow-orange in lower 2/3, upper 1/3 concolourous with scutum, overlain with sparse silver-grey pubescence; wing markings banded infuscate; haltere knob white, dark basally; coxae yellow-orange; femora with darker fore femur, rest yellow-orange; tibia and tarsi dark yellow; fore-basitarsus white, darker basally, 2nd tarsomere white basally, remaining basitarsi yellow-brown. Scutal chaetotaxy: np, 4; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 2; sc, 1. Abdomen. black, silver velutum absent; terminalia pale.

Comments.

Acupalpa notomelas sp. n. is similar to Acupalpa melanophaeos sp. n. and Acupalpa novayamarna sp. n., but can be differentiated based on abdomen colouration. The palpi are very slender and elongate.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the Gr. noto, back; melas black, dark, referring to the scutal colouration.