Sidarena flavipalpa, Irwin, Michael E. & Winterton, Shaun L., 2016

Irwin, Michael E. & Winterton, Shaun L., 2016, New genera of Australian stiletto flies (Diptera, Therevidae), ZooKeys 618, pp. 97-128 : 103-104

Taxon classification Animalia Diptera Therevidae

Sidarena flavipalpa sp. n. Figs 7, 8, 9

Type material.

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Beaudesert, 14.vii.1953, K.R.N., in cop. (CSCA) (MEI028781).

Paratype. AUSTRALIA: Queensland: female, same data and mounted with holotype (CSCA) (MEI028782).

Diagnosis.

Medium sized fly with light brownish-grey coloured thorax; abdomen base colour dark brown; scutum brown with light grey dorsocentral stripes; occiput overlain with tan-grey pubescence; wing slightly infuscate, darker along wing veins.

Description.

Body length. 6.5 mm (male), 7.0 mm (female). Head. Light brown-tannish grey pubescent; frons darker along eye margin (as a spot in female), admixed with sparse dark setae, especially above antennal socket; occiput convex with dark postocular setae not arranged in rows in either sex, setae of similar length in both sexes, dark setae extending onto gena where they are admixed with paler setae; antennal scape longer than pedicel and flagellum combined, distinctly thicker; scape yellow with brownish suffusion laterally, numerous robust dark setae laterally; pedicel brownish with dark setae; flagellum brown, conical, darker apically; mouthparts yellow with white setae. Thorax. Scutum with extensive dark brown matte pubescence, orange pubescence laterally and on postpronotal lobe, distinct light grey dorsocentral stripes along entire scutum length; scutal pile very fine and sparse; scutellum yellow with sparse grey pubescence; pleuron tan-grey pubescent with fine white setae confined to anepisternum and katatergite. Coxae yellow, overlain with grey pubescence; legs entirely yellow with black macrosetae; chaetotaxy: np, 4; sa, 2; pa, 1; dc, 4; sc, 1; wing hyaline with brownish tint. Abdomen. Tergites dark brown to black with yellow laterally, sternites yellow; all segments with sparse short setae, lateral setae white in male, especially on anterior segments. Male terminalia. (Fig. 9) Epandrium longer than wide, with medium length black setae over entire surface; hypoproct rounded apically; gonocoxite ovate, outer gonocoxal process elongate and rounded, reaching half the distance to the tip of the inner gonocoxal process; inner gonocoxal process slightly spatulate at apex, extending to tip of gonostylus; gonostylus with a brush of light brown setae along inner surface; gonocoxite with elongate dark brown setae on lateral surface, denser over area ventrad of outer gonocoxal process; aedeagus typical of other species in the genus. Female terminalia. Short white setae dorsally on 4/5ths of tergite 8; tergite 8 longer than broad; sternite 8 setose surface thinly sclerotized, ovoid in shape, narrower posteriorly; six acanthophorite A1 setae strong, 11 longer, thinner A2 setae directed ventrally.

Comments.

Sidarena flavipalpa sp. n. is the only species of the genus found in eastern Australia. The species is only known from a pair collected in copula, and mounted together on the same pin; the holotype is the male, while the female is the paratype. This species is also distinctive by the scutal pubescent pattern, which is different from other species in the genus.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition derived from combining the Latin adjective flavus, meaning yellow, and noun palpus, meaning feeler, referring to the colour of the palpi.