Protomiltogramma plebeia Malloch, 1930

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 : 24-26

Protomiltogramma plebeia Malloch

( Figs 10 , 16A–D )

Protomiltogramma plebeia Malloch, 1930: 446 . Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other Australian Protomiltogramma through the combination of: abdomen entirely orange-red except for a black median spot on T1+2–T5 (appearing as a broad stripe) and the absence of median marginal setae on T3.

Type material examined. ♂, Sydney , NSW, Australia, 15.i.1923, no collector indicated ( ANIC) [holotype of P. plebeia ] .

Other material examined. See Table 2.

Redescription. Body length: 7–10 mm (n = 30).

Male. Head ( Fig. 10B, D, G ). Frontal vitta yellow-brown, 0.15 of head width at anterior ocellus height; frontoorbital plate with white microtomentum, changing to gold at height of anterior ocellus; 2 proclinate FO setae, a patch of reclinate FO setae, slightly weaker than proclinate FO setae; ocellar setae weaker than reclinate FO setae; 13–14 frontal setae; 3rd aristomere orange-brown on basal 0.5, black on distal 0.5, thickened on basal 0.5, fine and hairlike on distal 0.5, slightly shorter than 1st flagellomere; 1st flagellomere yellow-brown and 3x pedicel length; pedicel setose, with a single strong seta and multiple weak setulae; scape without setae; parafacial plate with white microtomentum, width 0.75 of distance between antennal insertion and eye margin; gena and postgena grey with black setae; genal groove and facial ridge slightly darker than parafacial plate; vibrissa located midway between tip of 1st flagellomere and lower facial margin; 1–2 supra-vibrissal setae.

Thorax ( Fig. 10A, C ). Dorsum grey with some silver microtomentum in anterior 0.1; a major median, two major lateral and two minor lateral stripes (mediad to major lateral stripes and approximately half 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 strong setae; proepisternum bare; katepisternal setae 1+2, numerous weaker setae covering entire katepisternum. Legs: black; fore-tarsal claws equal to length of tarsomere 5; pulvilli 0.5 length of tarsal claws; mid tibia with 1 AD, 1 PD, 1 P and 1 V setae. Wing ( Fig. 10F ): fumose from base until dm-cu crossvein and not reaching vein M (faint in some specimens; rarely hyaline); tegula dark brown; basicosta yellow-brown; dorsal surface of vein R 1 bare, R 4+5 with a patch of setae basally.

Abdomen ( Fig. 10A, C, E ). Orange-red with silver microtomentum on anterior margins of T3–5 (occupying approximately 0.2 of each tergite); dark median stripe dorsally from T3–T5; T4 with darker ground colour matching median stripe; backward and up-curved setae on T5 well developed; T4 with setae on entire margin; backward and up-curved setae on T5 present. Terminalia ( Fig. 16A–D ): cercus (lateral view) straight and swollen on basal 0.2, dorsal surface densely setose; cerci (posterior view) bent away from one another, fused along basal 0.2 then separate; surstylus (lateral view) slightly shorter than cercus, 2x maximum cercus width in lateral view, triangular, narrowing to a point at apex; surstyli (posterior view) curved slightly inwards towards cerci; acrophallus thin and needle-like, approximately of same length as cercus.

Female. As male but with hyaline wings and without backward and up-curved setae on T5.

Biology. Males were collected while perching on sticks and rocks on loose sandy trails. Females were also collected in similar situations, but showed a preference for perching near the entrances of insect nests constructed in the ground (primarily hymenopteran). Male specimens were also collected while congregating on hilltops.

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

Remarks. The degree of darkness of the wing pattern in males varies greatly; some males with hyaline wings have been observed. The first instar larva of this species was described in Szpila et al. (2021).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Protomiltogramma plebeia Malloch, male, Kalbarri National Park, NT, 17.xii.2015, N.P. Johnston, J.F. Wallman and K. Szpila (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 16. Protomiltogramma spp. male terminalia. A–D. Protomiltogramma plebeia Malloch. E–H. Protomiltogramma popularis sp. n. I–L. Protomiltogramma rubra sp. n. M–P. Protomiltogramma subtilis sp. n. Abbreviations: c = cercus, s = surstylus and p = acrophallus. Scale bars = 100 µm.