Limnellia maculipennis Malloch

Mathis, Wayne N., Zatwarnicki, Tadeusz & Marris, John W. M., 2004, Review of unreported shore­fly genera of the tribe Scatellini from the New Zealand subregion (Diptera: Ephydridae) with description of three new species, Zootaxa 622, pp. 1-27 : 22-25

Limnellia maculipennis Malloch ( Figs. 28–32 )

Limnellia maculipennis Malloch 1925: 332 .­ Mathis 1989: 648 [Australasian/Oceanian catalog].­ Mathis and Zatwarnicki 1995: 259 [world catalog].

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from congeners by the following characters: Small shore flies, body length 1.55–1.65 mm; generally dark colored, including an infuscate, normally developed wing with numerous white spots.

Description. Head: Head ratio 0.70–0.73; mesofrons with 3 slightly elongate, grayish white spots, 2 immediately laterad of ocellar triangle, one on each side, 3rd anteriad of anterior ocellus, otherwise mesofrons black with some gray microtomentum; fronto­orbits generally concolorous with mesofrons; parafrons charcoal. Antenna black; aristal length slightly more than combined length of first 3 antennal segments. Face mostly subshiny, partially microtomentose, brownish black; antennal grooves partially silvery gray, especially toward venter of groove; peristomal margin partially gray. Eye ratio 0.76–0.78; gena very short; gena­to­eye ratio 0.12–0.13.

Thorax: Mesonotum between acrostichal tracks with a medial, gray stripe, faint anteriorly, becoming more conspicuous posteriorly; with an interrupted stripe laterad of acrostichal track, consisting of 2 presutural spots and 1 postsutural spot; a thin, postsutural stripe laterad of dorsocentral track with a small, presutural spot; postpronotum gray; scutellum darker brown than scutum; apical scutellar setae about 3 x basal pair; posterior notopleural seta at elevated insertion compared to anterior seta. Costal vein ratio 0.18– 0.20; M vein ratio 0.60–0.62; wing generally infuscate with white spots as follows ( Fig. 28 ): cell r1 with 4 spots; cell r2+3 with 4 spots; cell r4+5 with 6 spots, 3rd spot from base wide, at anterior margin, extended only half way across cell, 4th spot linear obliquely angulate across cell, 5th spot small, immediately adjacent to anterior margin, 6th spot apical at posteroapical corner of cell; discal cell with 3 spots, basal spot faint; cell M with 2 spots, basal spot elbowed, anterior portion thicker; cell cua1 with two spots. Halter with knob blackish brown. Legs with femora and tibiae mostly shiny black; tarsi with basal 2 tarsomeres yellowish, apical 3 tarsomeres becoming darker, apical tarsomere blackish brown.

Abdomen: Tergites mostly bare, basal tergites very thinly microtomentose, subshiny to mostly shiny, black. Male terminalia ( Figs. 29–32 ): Epandrium in ventral view ( Fig. 29 ) almost parallel sided, posterior margin broadly rounded, anterior margin with short projections laterally and enclosing surstyli, generally setulose, anterior margin in lateral view ( Fig. 30 ) broadly V­shaped, with a rounded notch toward posterior margin; cerci broadly hemispherical, narrowed dorsally and ventrally, evenly setulose; surstylus ventrally ( Fig. 30 ) as broad, shallow lobes, in lateral view ( Fig. 29 ) L­shaped with wide base and narrowed posterior extension; aedeagus in ventral view ( Fig. 31 ) compact, subrectangular, slightly wider and arched basally, apex broadly V­shaped, in lateral view ( Fig. 32 ) with apex moderately deeply incised, notched sub­basally dorsally, with greatest depth medially; phallapodeme in lateral view ( Fig. 32 ) elongate, almost parallel sided, angulate medially, in ventral view ( Figs. 31 ) T­shaped with T short and dorsal arms elongate and oriented slightly ventrally, medial portion with base flared; gonite in ventral view ( Fig. 32 ) long and narrow, basal 1/3 wider, apical half digitiform, only slightly tapered to rounded apex, in lateral view ( Fig. 31 ) with basal half irregularly subquadrate and with a long, narrow, slightly tapered apical projection.

Type material. The holotype female is labeled “[ Australia.] Sydney 25.9.21 [25 Sep 1921] Health Dept. [date handwritten]/ Limnellia maculipennis Det. J.R. Malloch Type [species name and “ Type ” handwritten; black submarginal border]/ LIMNELLIA MACU­ LIPENNIS MALLOCH HOLOTYPE [red; species name and author handwritten]/ SPHTM Coll. [light blue].” The holotype is double mounted (glued to a small rectangular sheet of celluloid), is in fair condition (left wing glued to celluloid sheet), and is now deposited in the AM.

Specimens examined from New Zealand. NORTH ISLAND. AK: Huia, George’s Stream (bush), Waitakere, 2 Dec 1967, H. A. Oliver (1Ψ; NZAC). WO: Hamilton, McKenzies Bush, Dinsdale (Malaise trap), 31 Oct 1970, H. A. Oliver (1Ψ; NZAC).

SOUTH ISLAND. MC: Christchurch (garden; Malaise trap), 8–10 Dec 1975, P. McGregor (1Ψ; CMNZ).

Distribution. Australasian/Oceanian: Australia (NSW), New Zealand (AK, MC, WO).

Remarks. This species is apparently associated with bush and streams.

Although only females are now available from New Zealand, we have compared our material directly with specimens from southeastern Australia, the type locality, and have determined them to be conspecific.

This species may be adventive to New Zealand, presumably from southeastern Australia. However, lacking basic information on its biology, including a better understanding of its distribution, precludes conclusive assessment.

Figures

FIGURES 27 – 28. Wings of Limnellia species. 27, L. abbreviata (New Zealand. Snares Islands: Sinkhole). 28, L. maculipennis (New Zealand. Hamilton, McKenzies Bush, Dinsdale).

FIGURES 29 – 32. Structures of the male terminalia of Limnellia maculipennis (Australia. Queensland: Woombye (near Nambour )). 29, Epandrium, cerci, and surstylus, ventral view. 30, Ventral margin of epandrium and surstylus, lateral view. 31, Internal genitalic structures (aedeagus (shaded), phallapodeme, and gonite), ventral view. 32, Same, lateral view.