Manestella persona, Winterton, Shaun L. & Lambkin, Christine L., 2012

Winterton, Shaun L. & Lambkin, Christine L., 2012, New Australian stiletto flies: revision of Manestella Metz and description of Medomega gen. n. (Diptera, Therevidae, Agapophytinae), ZooKeys 240, pp. 1-119 : 15

Manestella persona sp. n. Figs 34647

Type material.

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Golden Bay, -32.426, 115.771, 19.xi.2008, vegetated dunes, S. L. Winterton, S. D. Gaimari (WAM).

Diagnosis.

Wing dark banded infuscate; male frontal setae similar length to scape setae; frons protruding in profile; two rows of postocular macrosetae adjacent to ocellar tubercle in male; head and thoracic setae relatively elongate; scutellum with two pairs of macrosetae; femora dark brown; male abdomen with dense silver velutum; gonocoxites without ventromedial projection, velutum patch present.

Description.

Body length= 4.0 mm (male). Head. Frontal pubescence silver-grey with dark brown markings, lower frons profile raised around antennal base, frontal markings as brown medial stripe and spot above antennal base; frontal vestiture with small patch of dark, elongate setae above antenna, similar length to scape setae; male frons width at narrowest point narrower than anterior ocellus but not contiguous; male postocular setae as two or more rows immediately laterad of ocellar tubercle, setae black; occipital pubescence grey, triangular marking medially and suffuse brown along postocular ridge; genal setae white, elongate, dense and curved anteriorly; antennal scape equal length to flagellum, scape silver-grey pubescent, densely covered with large, dark setae; flagellum brown, overlain with silver pubescence. Thorax. Scutal pubescence grey with brown markings, numerous relatively long, scattered dark setae, denser anteriorly; markings as two dark medial stripes anteriorly joining posteriorly, lateral stripes broken to tessellate; scutal macrosetae dark; pleuron with silver-grey pubescence; katatergite setae uniformly pale; anepisternum with grey-brown marking dorsally; coxae dark, overlain with silver-grey pubescence, setae mostly pale; femora dark brown, overlain with grey pubescence, short dark setae admixed with longer pale setae; tibiae yellow, dark grey-brown apically; tarsi dark yellow with apices brown; wing dark banded infuscate; vein M3 incomplete, ending before wing margin; scutal chaetotaxy (pairs): np, 3-4; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 6; sc, 2. Abdomen. Male abdomen base colour darkish, obscured by extensive silver velutum on tergites 2-7; vestiture mostly elongate pale setae, denser laterally; terminalia brown. Male genitalia. Gonocoxite without medial process, gonocoxite posterolateral projection relatively elongate, narrowed distally; gonocoxite velutum extensive, distinct.

Comments.

The female of Manestella persona sp. n. is unknown. This western species is closely related to Manestella incompleta sp. n. based on the wing mottling, male frons and gonocoxite shape and incomplete M3 vein. Manestella persona sp. n. can be easily distinguished by the two pairs of scutellar macrosetae and longer scutal macrosetae.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the Latin persona, mask; referring to the brown markings on the frons.