Molophilus (Molophilus) serricauda Billingham & Theischinger

Billingham, Zacariah D., Theischinger, Gunther & Levesque-Beaudin, Valerie, 2023, Two new species of crane fly (Diptera: Limoniidae) from Tasmania, Australia, Zootaxa 5256 (1), pp. 77-83 : 81-82

Molophilus (Molophilus) serricauda Billingham & Theischinger sp. nov.

( Fig. 6 )

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A2B00373-88C4-4939-B689-20C93F034B2F

Type material. HOLOTYPE male, Australia, Tasmania, Huon Valley, Warra long term ecological research site (- 43.095°S, 146.654°E), 29 July 2014, Tim Wardlaw, AM (K.394952; BOLD Process ID: GMATG068-15 ), BIN ADC2757 . PARATYPES: male, same locality as holotype, 1 July 2014, Tim Wardlaw, BIOUG ( GMATE659- 15 ), BIN ADC5522; 2 males, same locality as holotype, 15 July 2014, Tim Wardlaw, BIOUG ( GMATF022- 15 , GMATF297-15 ), BINs ADC5340, ADC5522; 3 males, same data as holotype, BIOUG ( GMATG266-15 , GMATG264-15 , GMATG092-15 ), BINs ADC2757, ADC3379, ADC5340; male, same locality as holotype, 12 Aug 2014, Tim Wardlaw, BIOUG ( GMATH246-15 ), BIN ADC5522; male, same locality as holotype, 26 Aug 2014, Tim Wardlaw, BIOUG ( GMATI435-15 ), BIN ADC2757 .

Diagnosis. Tergite 9 with dorsal lobe bearing strongly sclerotised serrate caudal process. Gonocoxite with ventral lobe well developed and terminating as a hooked stout beak. Inner gonostylus straight, sharply tipped; outer gonostylus with apex forked into two prongs. Parameres fused, oval shaped.

Description. Male. Body length 2.8–3.5 mm, wing length 4.2 mm, antenna missing. Alcohol preservation and DNA extraction methods have significantly altered colouration in all available specimens, as such no description of body or wing patterning can be given. In the natural state specimens are likely light brown or yellowish-white.

Wing. Venation typical for the genus.

Hypopygium ( Fig. 6 ). Tergite 9 basally narrow, medial portion extended into large, flattened projection. Posterolateral margins of projection rounded, separated by concave V-notch bearing strongly sclerotised caudal process ( Fig. 6 : cp), the latter armed with acute spines.

Gonocoxite with dorsal lobe small, medial lobe not prominent and ventral lobe well developed, apically armed with a hook-shaped medially directed beak. Inner gonostylus of moderate length, straight, narrowing from about midlength into a sharply tipped blade. Outer gonostylus largely parallel sided, with apex forked into two prongs, the outer prong larger than the inner. Aedeagus long and thin, extending almost to tip of the ventral lobe of the gonocoxite, parameres fused, oval shaped.

Female. Not studied.

Etymology. This species is named with reference to the prominent serrate process on the caudal margin of t9.

Remarks. M. (M.) serricauda Billingham & Theischinger sp. nov. is placed in the M. (M.) plagiatus Alexander, 1922 species group of Theischinger (1988), possessing fused parameres and apically beaked ventral lobe of the gonocoxite. It is not particularly similar to any other Australian members of the species group and is readily distinguished by the prominent serrate caudal process arising on the posterior margin of tergite 9. Molophilus (M.) danielsi Theischinger, 1988 has the tip of the parameres extended into a serrate point which may give it a similar appearance to M. (M.) serricauda , however the extended structure is clearly separate from the margin of t9.

COI barcode sequences clustered to four different BINs with p-distances between individuals ranging from 0.02–0.04. The specimens examined are, however, considered to represent a single species as they are from the same locality and there are no discernable morphological differences between individuals.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Molophilus (Molophilus) serricauda Billingham & Theischinger sp. nov. male, hypopygium, ventral view, with parameres inset.