Apiocera microeremia Yeates

Yeates, David K. & Oberprieler, Stefanie K., 2013, Review of the Australian Apiocera minor Norris species-group (Diptera: Apioceridae) with a revised key to species, Zootaxa 3680 (1), pp. 195-209 : 207

Apiocera microeremia Yeates sp. n.

( Figs. 2 , 12 , 17 , 23 )

Material examined. Holotype: Male, Victoria, 36.55°S 141.03°E, Little Desert National Park, Western Block Elliots Track: 61.5km WSW Nhill, 19–20 Nov. 2002, C. Lambkin, D. Yeates, N. Starick, & J. Recsei. Biological notes: ANIC Bulk Sample #1986 MT. ( ANIC, database no. 29029568). Condition good, pinned out of ethanol from a malaise trap.

Paratypes: 4 males, same data as holotype ( ANIC, database nos. 29029569, 29029570, 29029571, 29029572).

Measurements (holotype): 12 mm long (tip of antennae to tip of abdomen), head 2 mm wide.

Other material. Western Australia: W of Norseman, 37.48ºS., 117.08ºE, 1 male ( ANIC, database no. 29029567). South Australia: 25 SW Iron Knob, 1 male ( ANIC, database no. 29029538).

Diagnosis. A small, black and grey species similar to A. mullewa sp. n. but differing in abdominal pattern. Proboscis 1.0 x length of fore tibia, flagellum 2.4 x longer than maximum width, costa ending at M veins, vein M3+CuA1 present, M2 present, becoming pale towards wing margin. Abdomen black with prominent grey markings on either side of midline as in Fig. 17 , similar to A. collessi sp. n.

Description. Head. Pruinescence silver except on vertex light brown. Hairs white except on vertex light brown, and some dark brown hairs admixed on postcranium. Scape and pedicel with ground colour dark brown and with erect black hairs, some white hairs at base of scape ventrally. Flagellum dark brown, elongate, length 2.4 x greatest width (at base). Palps 2-segmented, elongate with spatulate apex, hairs admixed brown and white, mostly white hairs on 1st segment and ventral parts of second segment. Proboscis (excluding labellum) 1.0 x length of fore tibia.

Thorax. Integument dark brown-black, pruinescence and hairs white on pleurae. Scutum and scutellum with dark brown ground colour, very large black macrosetae around margins. Group of thick dark brown hairs on postpronotal lobes, admixed with longer white hairs. Scutum and scutellum with short light brown hairs. Scutum pruinescence with a distinctive pattern of silver-light grey with a pair of longitudinal bands of brown pruinescence on either side of midline, one band in line with the postpronotal lobes, the other pair either side of the midline. The outer darker stripe of pruinescence is broken twice, once on the supra alar area, the other just behind the postpronotal lobes. The scutellum has silver pruinescence around the margin, brown centrally. Legs with dark brown integumental colour, white pruinescence, and indistinct rows of large dark brown spines on femur and tibia, white hairs on femora.

Wings. Fig. 12 . Costa ending at the M veins, M3+CuA1 present, extending to wing margin (in holotype). Cell m3 present, small.

Abdomen. Fig.17 . Short brown hairs on all segments, a tuft of longer black and white hairs admixed on the sides of tergite 1. Pruinescence on abdomen giving a pronounced black and silver patterning. Pruinescence of abdomen black, with light grey markings on posterolateral margins of tergites 1–3, and light grey markings on anterolateral margins of tergites 4–6, similar to A. collessi sp. n. Venter with short dark brown hairs and silver pruinescence, longer white hairs on sternite 1 and at the base of sternite 2.

Genitalia: Fig. 23 . Male, with divided epandrium, hypandrium very large, elongate with rounded apex free and not fused to gonocoxae. Gonocoxites not fused in midline. Aedeagal sheath short and blunt, gonostyli with apex hooked and curved ventrally, apex simple, without spines. Gonocoxa with additional sclerotized and articulated lobe at the level of the apex of the aedeagus, this lobe furnished with a single, elongate spine directed ventrally. This lobe is also relatively large and flattened with a spatulate tip.

Comments. Quite similar to A. collessi sp. n., except A. microeremia sp. n. has a slightly longer proboscis. In the holotype the vein M3+CuA1 is present and complete, but we have included in the species some specimens collected at the same place and time with this vein distinct but incomplete.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality, Little Desert National Park.

Distribution. Victoria: Nhill; November. Western Australia: W of Norseman; November. South Australia: SW Iron Knob; October ( Fig. 24 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1, 2. Apiocera minor group, proboscises: 1, A. newmani; 2, A. microeremia sp. n. The black dashes indicate how the labium length is measured (see Methods).

FIGURES 7 – 12. Right wings of some Apiocera spp. 7, A. newmani; 8, A. evansi sp. n.; 9, A. rieki sp. n.; 10, A. collessi sp. n.; 11, A. mullewa sp. n.; 12, A. microeremia sp. n..

FIGURES 13 – 17. Abdomens of some Apiocera spp. 13, A. mackerrasi; 14, A. newmani; 15, A. evansi sp. n.; 16. A. collessi sp. n.; 17, A. microeremia sp. n..

FIGURES 18 – 23. Male genitalia of some Apiocera spp. 18, A. cerata; 19, A. minor; 20, A. evansi sp. n.; 21, A. rieki sp. n.; 22, A. collessi sp. n.; 23, A. microeremia sp. n.

FIGURES 24 – 25. Known distributions of some Apiocera spp: 24, A. minor, A. mackerrasi, A. evansi sp. n., A. collessi sp. n., A. mullewa sp. n., A. microeremia sp. n.; 25, A. australis, A. cerata, A. newmani, A. macrocerata sp. n., A. rieki sp. n., A. vespera.