Parapterogramma gonitellum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 774B9202-A4C3-4816-BD47-3266E6C0F427

Figs 11– 13, 40E, 42

Etymology

This name refers to the highly reduced male postgonites.

Material examined

Holotype AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; Atherton Tablelands, Lake Eacham, Chambers Lodge; 6–8 Apr. 1999; S.A. Marshall leg.; dung; QMBA debu00163357.

Paratypes AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 3 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; DEBU • 2 ♂♂, 13 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; QMBA • 10 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀; Fitzroy Island, site 2; 16°56′ S, 145°59′ E; 40 m a.s.l.; 19–21 Apr. 1999; G.B. Monteith leg.; transition to rainforest, dung trap; DEBU • 12 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; QMBA • 4 ♂♂, 15 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; site 4; 15 m a.s.l.; QMBA • 3 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; Lake Euramoo; 17°10′ S, 145°36′ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 10–11 Feb. 1999; D.J. Cook leg.; rainforest, dung pitfall; DEBU • 4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; QMBA • 7 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; 3.5 km SE of Malanda; 17°23′ S, 145°36′ E; 760 m a.s.l.; 6–9 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, dung pitfall; DEBU • 8 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; QMBA .

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland: • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Above Mill Creek; 17°30′ S, 145°27′ E; 1030 m a.s.l.; 5–9 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; open forest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Atherton Tablelands, Lake Eacham; 5–8 Apr. 1999; S.A. Marshall leg.; sweep; DEBU • 1 ♀; Baldy Mountain Road, start; 17°21′ S, 145°25′ E; 860 m a.s.l.; 3–6 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; open forest, fish pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♀; 1 km NW of Buchan Point; 16°44′ S, 145°39′ E; 10 m a.s.l.; 3–11 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; open forest, dung pitfall; QMBA • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; fish pitfall; QMBA • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Buchan Point; 16°44′ S, 145°39′ E; 5 m a.s.l.; 11–13 Feb. 1999; G.B. Monteith leg.; rainforest, dung pitfall; QMBA • 3 ♀♀; Cape Tribulation; 10 m a.s.l.; 15 Jul. 1982; S. Peck leg.; rainforest litter, carrion trap; DEBU • 2 ♀♀; Cape Tribulation, 40 km N of Daintree; 10 m a.s.l.; 12–17 Jul. 1982; S. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 3 ♀♀; Cheelonga Creek, Evelyn; 17°31′ S, 145°32′ E; 1080 m a.s.l.; 15–17 Apr. 1999; G.B. and S.R. Monteith leg.; rainforest, dung trap; QMBA • 4 ♀♀; Cooktown, Keatings Gap; 100 m a.s.l.; 28–31 Jun. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, dung trap; DEBU • 2 ♂♂; 4 km S of Hartley’ s Creek 16°41′ S, 145°35′ E; 5 m a.s.l.; 3–11 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; littoral rainforest, dung pitfall; QMBA • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; fish pitfall; QMBA • 8 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus pitfall; QMBA • 2 ♂♂; 1 km SW of Kauri Creek; 17°09′ S, 145°35′ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 10–11 Feb. 1999; D.J. Cook leg.; rainforest, dung pitfall; QMBA • 8 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; 2 km E of Kauri Creek; 17°08′ S, 145°37′ E; 680 m a.s.l.; 10–11 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 2 ♀♀; Kjellberg Road, State Forest boundary; 17°32′ S, 145°35′ E; 920 m a.s.l.; 6–9 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, dung pitfall; QMBA • 6 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus pitfall; QMBA • 7 ♂♂; Kjellberg Road turnoff; 17°32′ S, 145°36′ E; 740 m a.s.l.; 6–9 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 4 ♂♂, 13 ♀♀; Lacey’ s Creek, 10 km SE of El Arish, near Mission Beach; 40 m a.s.l.; 23 Jun.–5 Aug. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, flight intercept trap; DEBU • 5 ♂♂; Maalan State Forest, Ravenshoe Road; 17°35′ S, 145°36′ E; 840 m a.s.l.; 6–9 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂; Mill Creek; 17°30′ S, 145°27′ E; 940 m a.s.l.; 5–9 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; open forest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♀; Mill Creek, above; 17°30′ S, 145°27′ E; 1000 m a.s.l.; 5–9 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; open forest, rotten bait; QMBA • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Millaa-Millaa Falls; 17°30′ S, 145°37′ E; 800 m a.s.l.; 6–9 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 4 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀; Millstream Conservation Park; 17°32′ S, 145°29′ E; 1040 m a.s.l.; 3–5 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; wet sclerophyll, dung trap; QMBA • 3 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; fish pitfall; QMBA • 19 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus trap; QMBA • 1 ♀; Millstream Conservation Park, adjacent; 17°32′ S, 145°29′ E; 1040 m a.s.l.; 4–5 Feb. 1999; G.B. Monteith leg.; open forest, automatic dung trap (day); QMBA • 1 ♂; Millstream Retreat; 17°32′ S, 145°31′ E; 1020 m a.s.l.; 14–17 Apr. 1999; G.B. and S.R. Monteith leg.; wet sclerophyll, fungus trap; QMBA • 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; The Millstream, 10 km NNE of Ravenshoe; 17°32′ S, 145°31′ E; 1040 m a.s.l.; 3–5 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, fish pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; dung trap; QMBA • 2 ♂♂; The Millstream, 10 km NNE of Ravenshoe; 17°32′ S, 145°31′ E; 1040 m a.s.l.; 6 Dec. 1998 – 5 Feb. 1999; Cook and Monteith leg.; rainforest, pitfall trap; QMBA • 2 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; The Millstream, 10 km NNE of Ravenshoe; 17°32′ S, 145°31′ E; 1050 m a.s.l.; 14–17 Apr. 1999; G.B. and S.R. Monteith leg.; wet sclerophyll, dung trap; QMBA • 6 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus trap; QMBA • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Mount Finnigan Slopes, 30 km S of Cooktown; 400 m a.s.l.; 2–5 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; litter and fungi; 1 Jul. 1982; DEBU • 1 ♂; Mount Hugh Nelson, south base; 17°31′ S, 145°33′ E; 1080 m a.s.l.; 7–9 Feb. 1999; G.B. Monteith leg.; rainforest, dung pitfall; QMBA • 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; rotten bait; QMBA • 22 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀; Mount Hypipamee National Park; 11–17 Apr. 1999; S.A. Marshall leg.; dung; DEBU • 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Oak Beach; 16°36′ S, 145°31′ E; 5 m a.s.l.; 3–11 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, fish pitfall; QMBA • 7 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Palmerston National Park, near Innisfail; 360 m a.s.l.; 2–5 Aug. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; carrion trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; 3 km SW of Ravenshoe; 17°38′ S, 145°28′ E; 860 m a.s.l.; 3–5 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; open forest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Ravenshoe, 4 km SSE; 17°39′ S, 145°30′ E; 930 m a.s.l.; 4–6 Feb. 1999; Monteith and leg.; open forest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♀; 7 km NE of Ravenshoe; 17°34′ S, 145°31′ E; 1080 m a.s.l.; 6 Dec. 1998 – 5 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; wet sclerophyll, pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♀; 9 km N of Ravenshoe; 17°32′ S, 145°29′ E; 1060 m a.s.l.; 3–5 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; wet sclerophyll, dung pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; fish pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂; 9.5 km N of Ravenshoe; 17°32′ S, 145°29′ E; 1060 m a.s.l.; 14–17 Apr. 1999; G.B. and S.R. Monteith leg.; wet sclerophyll, dung trap; QMBA • 1 ♀; Rosina Creek, 14 km SE of Millaa Millaa, Palmerston Highway; 720 m a.s.l.; 24 Jun.–2 Aug. 1982; S. Peck leg.; rainforest, flight intercept trap; DEBU • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Shipton’ s Flat; 15°48′ S, 145°14′ E; 220 m a.s.l.; 19–22 Nov. 1998; G.B. Monteith leg.; rainforest, automatic dung trap (day); QMBA • 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀; Sluice Creek; 17°32′ S, 145°32′ E; 1100 m a.s.l.; 14–17 Apr. 1999; G.B. and S.R. Monteith leg.; rainforest, fungus trap; QMBA • 3 ♀♀; Thorton Range, near Daintree; 200 m a.s.l.; 12–18 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; carrion trap; DEBU • 9 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Tolga Scrub; 17°15′ S, 145°29′ E; 760 m a.s.l.; 3–6 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂; Vine Creek, Majors Mountain; 17°41′ S, 145°32′ E; 1060 m a.s.l.; 4–6 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂; 2 km SSE of Wondecla; 17°26′ S, 145°24′ E; 910 m a.s.l.; 3–6 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; open forest, dung pitfall; QMBA • 8 ♂♂, 13 ♀♀; Wonga Beach, 10 km S of Daintree; 15–16 Apr. 1999; S.A. Marshall leg.; low forest, dung; DEBU .

Description

BODY (Fig. 11). Length 1.2–1.5 mm. Head caramel-brown, darkened around lateral and posterior margins, with pale yellow frontal vitta and interfrontal plates, and silvery-gold microtomentum on ocellar triangle, orbital plates and occiput; gena yellow; antenna brown. Frontal width 2.0 × interfrontal height. Eye height 2.5× genal height. Thorax brown, anepimeron with a pale ventral spot. Scutum with pale grey and brown microtomentum forming two dark longitudinal stripes, lateral margins broadly yellow microtomentose, pale M-shaped microtomentose mark at level of posterior dorsocentral bristles; scutellum dark brown with median, grey-brown microtomentose triangle. Anterior dorsocentral bristles separated by 7–8 rows of acrostichal setulae. Legs brown, tibiae proximally paler, tarsi paler. Male mid tibia with a stout apicoventral bristle and two rows of stout ventral setae. Wing (Fig. 40E) pattern strong, anterior edge with a single darker spot below R 1. CS2 0.4 × CS3. R

2+3 gently sinuate, distal curve much stronger than basal curve, angled at ~60° to costa and broadly separated from costa for most of its length; costa extending well beyond apex of R 4+5 (4–5 × costal width). M 1 sometimes extending slightly beyond dm-m; M

4 indistinct beyond dm-m; CuA+CuP short and non-tubular. Halter off-white.

MALE ABDOMEN (Fig. 12). S5 narrow, posteromedially desclerotized with long posterolateral setae. S6 sinuate. Cercus flat, triangular with several enlarged setulae, and widely separated between the pair; subepandrial sclerite semicircular, anteromedially darkened and posteromedially emarginate. Surstylus bilobed, the lobes almost entirely separated: anterior lobe somewhat C-shaped, with a broad basal half and a pointed apical half that curves underneath the basal half and has a small anteroventral tooth, posterior lobe J-shaped, basal part densely setulose, apical part tapered and curled outwards. Postgonite reduced, about half the length of the distiphallus, tapered, slightly sinuate, and usually angled almost perpendicular to distiphallus. Phallapodeme short, stout, sinuate with a large dorsal ‘fin’; basiphallus short and ring-shaped, with a small bulb-like epiphallus bearing a patch of minute setulae. Distiphallus stout: basal part well-sclerotized but frame-like, with a blade-like sclerite along anterior face connected to the broad lateral sclerites by a pair of narrow medial sclerites; apical part with a large membranous scoop-like flap and supported posteroventrally by a large, papillate, membranous extension of the basal part (separate from, but reaching, epiphallus).

FEMALE ABDOMEN (Fig. 13). T6 and T7 well-developed, rectangular and long-setose along posterior margin; T8 split into two large lateral plates, with dense setation along posterior margin. Epiproct membranous, rounded posteriorly and setulose. S6 rectangular; S7 deeply emarginate and long-setose along posterior margin; S8 broadened anteriorly to fit into emargination in S7, long-setose along posterior margin and with a row of four smaller posteromedial setae. Hypoproct rectangular, with developed lateral plates and a membranous, setulose medial part. Spermathecae stout, spherical, and smooth, stem very long and membranous.

Remarks

This is the most frequently collected species of Parapterogramma in Australia and the only species of Parapterogramma with a reduced postgonite and a twisted posterior surstylar lobe. Parapterogramma gonitellum is externally most similar to Pa. magnum sp. nov., from which it differs in having a taller frons (width 2.0× height), concave R 2+3, short and largely non-tubular CuA+CuP, and the costa extending ~4 costal widths beyond R 4+5.