Sidarena, 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 : 98-99

Taxon classification Animalia Diptera Therevidae

Sidarena gen. n. Figs 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 28B

Type species.

Sidarena macfarlandi sp. n., designated here.

Diagnosis.

Both sexes with eyes widely dichoptic; multiple poorly defined rows of postocular macrosetae present dorsally in both sexes; antennal scape lacking macrosetae along medial surface, scape shorter then head length; flagellum conical, tapering to a terminal arista; parafacial setae absent; one pair of scutellar macrosetae, most other scutal macrosetae variable in number; velutum patches absent on femora and sparsely present ventrally on gonocoxites; single anteroventral seta present apically on hind femur; wing slightly to dark infuscate with maculae, cell m3 open to wing margin; abdomen narrow elongate; male abdomen typically with silver velutum; male genitalia with articulating inner gonocoxal process well developed; outer gonocoxal process well developed and rounded; gonocoxal apodeme short and rounded; gonostylus narrow apically; gonocoxites lacking medial atrium; aedeagus with distiphallus broad apically, not directed ventrally at apex; epandrium shape quadrangular; ventral apodeme of parameral sheath forked. Female tergite 8 with broad anteromedial process; three spermathecae, ducts joining to spermathecal sac duct; spermathecal sac present (Fig. 28B).

Included species.

Sidarena aurantia sp. n., Sidarena flavipalpa sp. n., Sidarena geraldton sp. n., Sidarena hortorum sp. n., Sidarena macfarlandi sp. n., and Sidarena yallingup sp. n.

Comments.

Sidarena gen. n. is mostly endemic to Western Australia and is distinctive in general appearance, with male eyes widely dichoptic, numerous bristles on the occiput and often with grey metallic pubescent stripe medially on the scutum (often adjoining broad matte black-brown pubescent stripes laterally). The presence of these characters alone differentiates this genus from all other genera in the subfamily. Similar genera to Sidarena gen. n. include Squamopygia Kröber, Ectinorhynchus Macquart and Zelothrix gen. n. The new genus can be quickly differentiated from Squamopygia by the much shorter scape (narrowly elongate cylindrical in Squamopygia ), and the wing not distinctly banded (two black bands in Squamopygia ). Sidarena gen. n. is separable from Ectinorhynchus by the absence of a medial atrium in the male gonocoxites (present in Ectinorhynchus ) and separable from Zelothrix gen. n. by a single scutellar macroseta (two macrosetae in Zelothrix gen. n.) and three spermathecae (two in Zelothrix gen. n.). The male genitalia are remarkably uniform throughout the genus. A single species is herein described from Queensland while the remaining species are from Western Australia.

Etymology.

The genus name is derived from the Greek Sideros, meaning iron, referring to the broad metallic-grey stripe typically present on the thorax; and arena, referring to its habit of landing in sandy patches. Gender is feminine.

Key to species of Sidarena gen. n.