Bonjeania lambkinae, Winterton, Shaun L., 2007

Winterton, Shaun L., 2007, New species of Acraspisoides Hill & Winterton and Bonjeania Irwin & Lyneborg (Diptera: Therevidae: Agapophytinae), with the description of a new genus, Zootaxa 1438, pp. 1-25 : 16-18

Bonjeania lambkinae sp. nov.

( Figure 6 )

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: NEW SOUTH WALES: Tinderry Nature Reserve, Bluebell link track, 13.2 km ENE Michelago, grassy clearing in snow-gums, Malaise, 29.i.2004 – 26.ii.2005, 1200 m, C.L. Lambkin, N. Starick, 35°40’26”S, 149°18’09”E (MEI 165135) ( ANIC).

Other material examined. AUSTRALIA: NEW SOUTH WALES: female, Tinderry Nature Reserve, Intersection East Tinderry & Horse Flat Fire Trail, 13.3 km ENE Michelago, Malaise over dry gully, 26.ii.– 19.iii.2005, 1065 m, C.L. Lambkin, N. Starick, 35°40’51”S, 149°18’26”E (MEI 165136) ( QMBA).

Diagnosis. Head rounded, not protruding anteriorly; frons with small tubercle above antennal bases; scutellum and posterior section of scutum overlain with matte black pubescence; male velutum plaques on posterior margin of abdominal tergites 2–4 (similar to B. clamosis ); male genitalia with greatly elongate gonocoxal apodemes and aedeagus; ejaculatory apodemes greatly enlarged; epandrium bulbous anterolaterally; hypandrium with posteriorly projecting, lateral processes covered with dark setae.

Description. Male. Body length: 9.0 mm.

Head. Frons width equal to width of ocellar tubercle at narrowest point; antennal base positioned low on frons; frons flat, very small tubercle above antennal base, tubercle vertically striated medially; frons and face glossy black; upper frons overlain with brown-silver pubescence sparsely admixed with fine, black setae; frons with silver pubescence around antennal base and as triangular patch along eye margin immediately dorsal of tubercle, pubescence extending ventrally along eye margin; face overlain with silver pubescence; ocellar tubercle slightly raised, black, overlain with bronze pubescence admixed with dark setae, setae longer posteriorly; occiput concave, densely overlain with grey pubescence, bronze dorsally; single row of black, postocular setae dorsally; gena black, overlain with dense, silver-white pubescence admixed with long, white setae; palp and labellum brown with scattered, pale setae; antenna shorter than head, brown; flagellum overlain with sparse, silver-brown pubescence; dark setae on scape, pedicel, and base of flagellum.

Thorax. Scutum overlain with brown pubescence, pale grey pubescent laterally and as a pale, dorsocentral stripe which tapers posteriorly; spot of pale pubescence present at transverse suture; matte black pubescence on posterior half of scutum; scutum covered with fine, dark setae, pale along notopleural margin; scutal macrosetae black; scutellum overlain with matte black pubescence, admixed with dark, elongate setae; pleuron and coxae dark, overlain with silver pubescence except on anepisternum, anepimeron and katatergite; numerous elongate, pale setae on proepisternum, anepisternum, katatergite, dorsal section of katepisternum and anterior surface of coxae; legs brown, fore and mid femora dark yellow on anterior surfaces; dense pale setae on posterior surfaces of femora; wing hyaline with translucent brown spots in anterior cubital cell (cua1) and cell r5; venation brown; haltere stem brown, knob cream; scutal chaetotaxy (pairs): np, 4; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 1; sc, 1.

Abdomen. Glossy dark brown; dorsomedially overlain with bronze-brown pubescence admixed with short, dark setae; elongate, pale setae laterally on all tergites; tergite 1 covered with grey pubescence; posterior margins of tergites 2–4 with silver velutum plaques of dense pubescence; terminalia red-brown with pale setae.

Male genitalia. Epandrium bulbous anteriorly, posterior margin emarginate medially, appearing incised ( Fig. 6 A); cercus elongate, quadrangular; tergite 8 medially emarginate; gonocoxite appearing wedge-shaped in profile ( Fig. 6 B); gonocoxal process barely evident; inner gonocoxal process broadly spatulate, equal length to gonostylus; ventral lobe spatulate, projecting dorsomedially ( Fig. 6 C); medial atrium present; gonocoxal apodeme greatly elongate, much longer than gonocoxites; hypandrium broad with distinctive posterolateral processes covered with dark setae; sternite 8 sub-triangular; aedeagus with distiphallus greatly elongate, slightly recurved dorsally along length; dorsal apodeme of parameral sheath slender, ‘T’-shaped, attached to membranous hypoproct; lateral ejaculatory apodeme and ejaculatory apodeme greatly enlarged; arms of ventral apodeme of aedeagal sheath relatively large.

Female. Body length: 9.0 mm.

Similar to male except: Frons wider than ocellar tubercle at narrowest point, frons not as striated and more sparse pubescence; scutum with matte black pubescence anterolaterally, extending posteriorly to transverse suture a stripe; metallic grey-silver pubescent patch medially on scutum; setae on thorax, legs and abdomen shorter, often darker than in male; abdomen without silver velutum plaques.

Female genitalia. Genitalia not dissected.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a matronym in honour of Christine L. Lambkin, who collected the specimens on which this description is based.

Comments. This species is represented by single male and female specimens. The markings on the female scutum are very distinctive and while overlapping with the male, they are more ornate and complex. Consequently, the female examined here is tentatively identified as B. lambkinae sp. nov. While most of the body pattern and colouration is concordant between the male and female specimens, the large differences in scutal pattern could also suggest that the female is not conspecific with the male type.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Bonjeania lambkinae sp. nov., male genitalia: A, dorsal view; B, same, lateral view; C, gonocoxites and sternite 8, ventral view. Scale line = 0.5 mm.