Protomiltogramma grandis, Johnston & Wallman & Szpila & Pape, 2021

Johnston, Nikolas P., Wallman, James F., Szpila, Krzysztof & Pape, Thomas, 2021, Integrative taxonomy reveals remarkable diversity in Australian Protomiltogramma (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Zootaxa 5043 (1), pp. 1-104 : 13

Protomiltogramma grandis sp. n.

( Figs 4 , 14G–J )

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other Australian Protomiltogramma through the combination of: body length greater than 10 mm, 1st flagellomere 1.50–1.75x pedicel length, 1 + 4–5 katepisternal setae and major median and lateral stripes 3x the width of minor lateral stripes.

Type material. Holotype ♂: Cooloola Creek , Great Sandy National Park, QLD, Australia, 13.i.2017, N.P. John- ston, J.F. Wallman and T. Pape ( ANIC).

Paratypes: 26 ♂ in ANIC, 12 ♂ in QM (see Table 2).

Other material. See Table 2.

Description. Male. Body length: 10–12 mm (n = 10).

Head ( Fig. 4B, D, G ). Frontal vitta yellow-brown, 0.15 of head width at height of anterior ocellus; frontoorbital plate with yellow-white microtomentum; 2 proclinate FO setae, a patch of unordered reclinate FO setae slightly weaker than the proclinate FO setae; ocellar setae weaker than reclinate FO setae; 15–16 frontal setae; 3rd aristomere black, longer than 1st flagellomere, thickened on basal 0.5 then fine and hairlike on distal 0.5; 1st flagellomere orange and 2x pedicel length; pedicel setose with a single strong seta and multiple weak setulae; scape without setae; parafacial plate with white microtomentum, width equal to distance between antennal insertion and eye margin; gena and postgena grey with black and white setae; genal groove and facial ridge yellow-white; vibrissa located midway between the tip of 1st flagellomere and lower facial margin, 1–2 supra-vibrissal setae.

Thorax ( Fig. 4A, C ). Dorsum dark grey with silver microtomentum; a major median, two major lateral and two minor lateral stripes (mediad to major lateral stripes and approximately a third of their width), major lateral stripes ending at anterior margin of scutellum, minor lateral stripes ending just posterior to suture; scutellum with some darkening on lateral margins; notopleuron with two distinct, strong setae; proepisternum bare; katepisternal setae 1+4–5 (as an unordered patch), numerous weaker setae covering entire katepisternum. Legs: black; fore-tarsal claws slightly shorter than tarsomere 5; pulvilli 0.75 of tarsal claw length; 1 mid-tibial AD, 1 mid-tibial anteroventral (AV) and 1 PV seta. Wing ( Fig. 4F ): hyaline; dorsal surface of vein R 1 bare, R 4+5 with a patch of setae basally.

Abdomen ( Fig. 4A, C, D ). Black with silver microtomentum on anterior margins of T3–5 (occupying approximately 0.3 of each tergite); median stripe absent, however, medial decrease in microtomentum gives appearance of stripe, particularly on T3 and T4; setae on entire posterior margin of T3 and T4; backward and up-curved setae present on T5 and weakly developed. Terminalia ( Fig. 14G–J ): cercus (lateral view) short and strongly curved along entire length, entire dorsal surface densely covered with long setae; cerci (posterior view) bent outwards, fused along basal 0.1 then separate; surstylus (lateral view) equal in length to cercus, straight and rectangular; surstyli (posterior view) curved inwards towards cerci; acrophallus thin and needle-like, shorter than cercus, with proximal sclerotisation.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet “ grandis ” [Latin for ‘grand’ or ‘large’], which should be treated as an adjective, refers to this species being the largest and most imposing member of Protomiltogramma known from Australia.

Biology. Males were collected while perching on sticks and rocks on loose sandy trails. Some males were collected on metal fence posts in full sunlight, approximately 1 m off the ground.

Distribution. Australasia— Australia (ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, VIC, WA).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Protomiltogramma grandis sp. n., paratype, male, Great Sandy National Park, QLD, 13.i.2017, N.P. Johnston, J.F. Wallman and T. Pape (ANIC). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, lateral view. C. Habitus, dorsal view. D. Head, dorsal view. E. Abdomen, dorsal view. F. Wing, ventral view. G. Head anterior view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 14. Protomiltogramma spp., male terminalia. A–D. Protomiltogramma cincta Townsend. E–F. Protomiltogramma dalbiensis sp. n. G–J. Protomiltogramma grandis sp. n. K–N. Protomiltogramma incana sp. n. Abbreviations: c = cercus, s = surstylus, p = acrophallus. Scale bars = 100 µm.