Acraspisoides helviarta, Hill & Winterton, 2004

Hill, Hilary N. & Winterton, Shaun L., 2004, Acraspisoides gen. nov. (Diptera: Therevidae: Agapophytinae): a new genus of stiletto-flies from Australia, Zootaxa 414 (1), pp. 1-15 : 4-7

Acraspisoides helviarta , gen. et sp. nov. ( Figs. 1A–B ; 2A–I )

Type species. Acraspisoides helviarta , sp. nov., by monotypy.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the therevid genus name Acraspisa Kröber ; and the Latin­ oides, resembling, referring to its morphological similarity to Acraspisa . The specific epithet is derived from the Latin­ helvus, yellow; and artus, limb, referring to the yellow colouration of the legs.

Type material: Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Warrumbungles [=Warrumbungle] National Park , Brownes Cr. [creek] nr. Wombelong Cr., 12–16.xii.1995, M.E. Irwin, 31 16’24’’S, 148 57’38’’E, Malaise [trap] nr. cliff overhang at waterhole ( MEI#050798 ) ( ANIC) . Paratypes, AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 2 females, Warrumbungle N.P., Buckleys Ck., 1.7 km N Camp Blackman, 480 m., 2.i.1993, M.E. Irwin ( MEI#025320­1 ) ( IRWC) ; female, Warrumbungle N.P., Buckleys Ck., 1.5 km NE Camp Blackman , 17.xii.1995, M.E. Irwin ( MEI#051080 ) ( IRWC) , 1 male ( MEI#140272 ) , 10 females ( MEI#140273­282 ) Warrumbungle N.P., nr. Woolshed ; 31­x­7.xi. 1997; S.L. Winterton & J.H. Skevington; Malaise trap ( ANIC) .

Diagnosis. Antenna positioned very low on frons; antenna length shorter than head; male frons narrow ( Fig. 1A ), female frons relatively wide ( Fig. 1B ); male and female with multiple, poorly defined rows of postocular setae; palp spatulate apically; pleuron glossy black with horizontal stripe of silver velutum; wing banded, cell m 3 closed; velutum patches on ventral surface of fore femur, and posteroventral surface of hind femur; numerous stiff pale setae along posterior and dorsal surfaces of hind femur; velutum patch on ventral surface of gonocoxite barely evident; aedeagus with large globose bulb ventrally ( Fig. 2C ); female with three spermathecae ( Fig. 2H ); spermathecal sac small, rounded.

Description. Head. Body length: 10.0 mm (male), 8.0–12.0 mm (female). Antennae very low on frons; head slightly longer than high; male eye with dorsal facets large; frons black, covered with sparse gray pruinescence interspersed with short black setae, setae more numerous in female, male frons very narrow dorsally such that eyes almost meet below ocellar tubercle ( Fig. 1A ), frons broadened above antennal tubercle, subtriangular, female frons wider than ocellar tubercle along entire length ( Fig. 1B ); ocellar tubercle black, overlain with sparse gray pruinescence, flattened in female; occiput concave in male, flattened to broadly convex in female, overlain with gray pruinescence, 2–3 poorly defined rows of black postocular setae; gena rounded, gena with sparse, long, dark, setae; mouthparts orange to pale brown, apical segment of palp spatulate; antennae orange to yellow, covered with pale pruinescence, short dark setae on scape, pedicel and base of flagellum; scape darker than rest of antennae in some specimens; flagellum ovoid shaped, longer than scape and pedicel combined, style two­segmented, scape 2.5–3.0x length of pedicel, flagellum conical, 2.0–2.5x length of scape, all segments with short, black setae except distal 4/5 of flagellum.

Thorax. Scutum glossy black with sparse gray pruinescence admixed with dark setae, setae much longer in male; pleuron glossy black, distinct silver longitudinal stripe of velutum running from proepimeron, dorsal half of katepisternum to katepimeron and meron; ventral half of katepisternum and meron overlain with sparse gray pruinescence; fore and mid coxae yellow to pale brown, hind coxae dark brown, all coxae with velvety silver pruinescence (denser on coxa 3) admixed with pale setae; legs dark yellow, male femora 2 and 3 with proximal 1/2–3/4 brown, hind femur and tibia with brown stripe dorsally, setae absent at apex of hind femur; patch of pale velutum on ventral surface of fore femur and posteroventral surface of hind femur; hind femur distinctly longer than fore and mid femora; wing hyaline with distinctive bands, venation dark, cell m 3 closed; haltere black, distal half of knob white; scutal chaetotaxy: np, 4; pa, 1; sa, 1; dc, 3–4 [rarely fewer]; sc, 1.

Abdomen. Glossy black, sparsely overlain with silver­gray pruinescence, brownbronze pruinescence on tergites 1–5, long pale setae laterally on tergites 1–4, longer in male, margin of tergites 2–3 (sometimes 4) with white band, bands more pronounced in male; terminal segments yellow to pale brown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 2A–G ). Epandrium elongate, flattened, narrowed posteriorly; cerci relatively small, ovate ( Fig. 2A ); tergite 8 greatly emarginated medially such that the lateral surfaces are joined by a dorsal bridge, spiracular pore absent, 10–15 short to medium length setae along posterior margin of lateral lobe; sternite 8 broad ( Fig. 2E ), quadrangular, elongate setae along posterior margin; gonocoxites ( Figs 2B, F, G ) elongate and relatively shallow, hypandrium barely distinct, outer gonocoxal processes large and acuminate, not projecting past inner gonocoxal process; inner gonocoxal process narrow, slightly elbowed laterally at midpoint, several apical setae present; gonostylus narrow, setae present on inner surface; ventral lobe very small and acuminate; velutum patch on ventral surface of gonocoxite barely evident; gonocoxal apodemes relatively short; aedeagus ( Figs 2C, D ) with narrow, slightly dorsally recurved distiphallus, ventral surface of parameral sheath with large anteriorly directed globose bulb, dorsal apodeme forked, arcuate in dorsal view; ventral apodeme forked, similar length to dorsal apodeme; lateral ejaculatory apodeme distinct, band­like; ejaculatory apodeme narrow, extending well beyond dorsal and ventral apodemes.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 2H, I ). Acanthophorite (A1) setae large, 6–8 in number; tergite 8 with narrow anterior process; sternite 8 ovate, narrowed posteriorly; furca rectangular in shape with anterolateral processes; accessory glands with separate ducts leading to bursa copulatrix; spermathecal sac single lobed, relatively small and ovate, spermathecal ducts joined to spermathecal sac duct close to bursa copulatrix; spermathecae x3, membraneous, spherical.

Comments. A single species is included in Acraspisoides ; A. helviarta from New South Wales. Acraspisoides can be readily recognized from non­agapophytine genera by the presence of femoral and gonocoxite velutum patches. Acraspisoides appears superficially similar to Acraspisa , with similarities in general body shape, and the shape of the male gonocoxites and aedeagus. It can be distinguished from other genera of Agapophytinae (including Acraspisa ) by the globose ventral lobe on the aedeagus, a characteristic not found in any other species in that subfamily. Both sexes of Acraspisoides have multiple rows of postocular setae, a character shared with Laxotela and some Agapophytus species. The pleural stripe of silver velutum on the thorax is shared with Parapsilocephala and Acraspisa . Acraspisoides has a closed wing cell m 3, which is the most common state in Agapophytinae . This character is shared with all genera in the subfamily except Belonalys and Laxotela . The hind femur is slightly longer than the fore and mid femora in Acraspisoides , a character also shared with Acraspisa and Acatopygia . To identify Acraspisoides the following couplet may be inserted (as triplet 6) into the key to genera of Agapophytinae in Winterton et al. (2001):

6(3). Male with single row of postocular setae; gonocoxites widely separated medially to form atrium; ventral lobe directed medially; velutum patch present on gonocoxites or on membrane across gonocoxal atrium; ventral apodeme of parameral sheath without ventral lobe; scutellum always rounded; body size from 6–15 mm ............. 7

­ Male with single row of postocular setae; gonocoxites not widely separated medially; ventral lobe never directed medially; velutum patch on gonocoxites greatly reduced; ventral apodeme of parameral sheath without ventral lobe; scutellum dorsally acuminate or rounded; body size <8 mm ........................................... Acraspisa

­ Male with multiple rows of postocular setae; gonocoxites not widely separated medially; ventral lobe never directed medially; velutum patch on gonocoxites greatly reduced; ventral apodeme of parameral sheath with large globose ventral lobe; scutellum rounded, not dorsally acuminate; body size = or> 8 mm .................. ................................................................................................ Acraspisoides gen. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Acraspisoides helviarta gen. et sp. nov. (A) head, holotype male, dorsal view. (B) head, female, dorsal view. Scale line = 0.5mm.

FIGURE 2. A. helviarta sp. n., male. (A) Epandrium, dorsal view. (B) Gonocoxite, dorsal view. (C) Aedeagus, lateral view. (D) Same, dorsal view. (E) Sternite 8, ventral view. (F) Gonocoxite, lateral view. (G) Same, ventral view. (H) Female terminalia, dorsal view, tergite 8 partially cut away to show spermathecal sac complex and accessory glands. (I) Sternite 8, ventral view. Scale line = 0.3mm.