Medomega nebrias, 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 : 25

Medomega nebrias sp. n. Figs 939495969798

Type material.

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Warrumbungle N.P., Wambelong Creek, 31°19.377'S, 149°01.652'E [-31.322, 149.027], 595m, 13. iii– 8.iv.2008, S. L. Winterton, J. S. Bartlett, D. J. Tree, Malaise across [dry] creek bed (AMS).

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 10 males, 5 females, Warrumbungle N.P., Wambelong Creek, 31°19.377'S, 149°01.652'E [-31.322, 149.027], 595m, 13. iii– 8.iv.2008, S. L. Winterton, J. S. Bartlett, D. J. Tree, Malaise across [dry] creek bed (CAS, CSCA, QM)

Diagnosis.

Wing dark brown with white fenestration; most head and body macrosetae black, coxal macrosetae white; scutum with broad medial stripe and irregular tessellate pattern laterally; scape yellow with sparse grey pubescence; posterior surface of mid coxa without setae; abdomen with sparse, silver pubescence admixed with sparse, erect pale setae (darker posteriorly).

Description.

Body length= 6.6-7.5 mm (male), 7.0-8.0 mm (female). Head. Frontal pubescence silver-grey with pale brown markings, small brown spot medially, suffuse light brown above antennae and along upper eye margin, female with additional brown quadrangle dorsally, incorporating ocellar tubercle; frontal profile flat; sparse, elongate patch of dark setae parallel to eye margin, male frons width at narrowest point slightly wider than ocellar tubercle; two rows of black postocular setae; occipital pubescence grey, narrow triangular marking medially; parafacial and genal setae dark (lighter posteriorly); antennal scape equal to flagellum length, yellow with grey pubescence, dark setae dorsally, pale ventrally and laterally; flagellum orange-yellow, darker patch dorsally, style dark. Thorax. Scutal pubescence grey with brown markings, broad medial stripe anteriorly, narrowed posteriorly, irregular tessellate pattern laterally, scattered short, black setae, longer and paler posteriorly; scutal macrosetae black; pleuron with silver-grey pubescence; katatergite with admixed white and black setae; anepisternum with grey-brown marking dorsally; coxae dark, overlain with silver-grey pubescence, setae white; mid coxa without setae on posterior surface; femora dark brown with grey pubescence, yellow patch midway and apically on mid and hind femora, short dark setae admixed with longer pale setae; tibiae yellow, dark brown bands apically and basally; tarsi dark brown, first and second segments yellow basally; wing dark brown fenestrate, fenestrations white, dappled with one per cell; scutal chaetotaxy (pairs): np, 3; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 3; sc, 1. Abdomen. Male abdomen base colour dark brown dorsally, grey pubescent laterally, without dense silver velutum on tergites, elongate pale setae, denser laterally, female abdomen dark brown, grey pubescent laterally, female intersegmental membrane distinctly pale on segments 2-3, setae uniform short and dark; terminalia orange to dark yellow (brown suffusion in male). Male genitalia. Epandrium quadrangular; gonocoxites separate medially without medial atrium, joined anteriorly by band-like hypandrium, extensive velutum ventrally; gonostylus not forked; outer gonocoxal process triangular; distiphallus relatively short and straight; dorsal apodeme length subequal to ventral apodeme.

Comments.

Medomega nebrias sp. n. is a relatively robust species known from Warrumbungle National Park in New South Wales. The wing and scutal markings suggest a close relationship with Medomega bailmeup sp. n.

Etymology.

The species epithet is from the Greek, nebros, dappled, spotted like a fawn; referring to the wing markings.