Protomiltogramma subtilis, 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 : 28-34

Protomiltogramma subtilis sp. n.

( Figs 13 , 16M–P )

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other Australian Protomiltogramma through the combination of: arista dual-coloured, brown on basal 0.5, black on distal 0.5, abdomen with red-brown patch of colour laterally on T1+2 and T3 and 1st flagellomere 2–2.5x pedicel length. Also separated from other Protomiltogramma species based on the male terminalia, with cerci curved and hook-like and with no other modifications (lateral view).

Type material. Holotype ♂: Ormiston Gorge , West MacDonnell National Park, NT, 14.xi.2017, N.P. Johnston, J.F. Wallman and K. Szpila ( ANIC).

Paratypes: 6 ♂ ( ANIC) , 8 ♂ ( QM) (see Table 2) .

Other material. See Table 2.

Description. Male. Body length: 5–7 mm (n = 12).

Head ( Fig. 13B, D, F ). Frontal vitta yellow-brown, 0.1 of head width at height of anterior ocellus; fronto-orbital plate with white microtomentum changing to slightly gold-brown in posterior 0.25; 2 proclinate FO setae, 1 strong reclinate FO seta and a patch of unordered weak reclinate FO setae; ocellar setae weaker than reclinate FO setae; 10–12 frontal setae; 3rd aristomere yellow-orange on basal 0.5, black on distal 0.5; thickened in basal 0.5 then tapered on distal 0.5, same length as 1st flagellomere; 2nd aristomere elongated, 0.2 of 3rd aristomere length; 1st flagellomere yellow-orange and 2.5x pedicel length; pedicel setose, with a single strong seta and multiple weak setulae; scape without setae; parafacial plate with white microtomentum, as wide as maximum width between point of 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; parafacial plate with white setulae on entire surface.

Thorax ( Fig. 13A, 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 half their width), major lateral stripes ending just before anterior margin of scutellum, median stripe ending midway between suture and anterior margin of scutellum, minor lateral stripes ending just posterior to suture; scutellum with darkening on lateral margins; notopleuron with two strong setae; proepisternum bare; katepisternal setae 1+3, numerous weaker setae covering entire katepisternum. Legs: black; fore-tarsal claws slightly shorter than tarsomere 5; pulvilli 0.5 of tarsal claw length; mid tibia with 1 AD and 1 V setae. Wing: hyaline; dorsal surface of vein R 1 bare, R 4+5 with a small patch of setae basally.

Abdomen ( Fig. 13A, C, E ). Black with silver microtomentum on anterior margins of T3–5 (occupying approximately 0.5 of each tergite); lateral areas of T1+2 and T3 red-brown; median stripe weakly present as a medial absence of microtomentum; microtomentum variable depending on viewing angle; backward and up-curved setae on T5 weakly developed. Terminalia ( Fig. 16M–P ): cercus (lateral view) sharply curved, hook-shaped, dorsal surface densely setose; cerci (posterior view) widely separated by a gap greater than width of a cercus, cerci parallel, fused along basal 0.2, separate on distal 0.8; surstylus (lateral view) equal in length to cercus, elongate, with a distinct lobe at 0.5 of length; surstyli (posterior view) curved inwards towards cerci; acrophallus thin, needle-like and 0.75 of length of cercus, with serrated sclerotization on ventral margin.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet “ subtilis ” [Latin for ‘fine’ or ‘delicate’], which should be treated as an adjec- tive, refers to the subtle male terminalia morphology that separates this species from all other Protomiltogramma .

Biology. Males were collected while perching on sticks and rocks on loose sandy trails.

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

Figures

FIGURE 13. Protomiltogramma subtilis sp. n., paratype, male, West McDonnell National Park, NT, 12.xi.2017, 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. 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.