Parapterogramma digitisternum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 221C7BB8-0FF6-4993-A123-B3D753951B1C

Figs 8–10, 40D, 42

Etymology

The species name (from the Latin ‘ digitus ’, ‘finger’) refers to the long, finger-like extension of the male S5.

Material examined

Holotype AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; Wonga Beach, 10 km S of Daintree; 15–16 Apr. 1999; S.A. Marshall leg.; low forest, dung; QMBA debu00164317.

Paratypes AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♂, 12 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; DEBU • 2 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; QMBA • 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 • 8 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; QMBA • 5 ♂♂; Fitzroy Island, site 4; 16°56′ S, 145°59′ E; 15 m a.s.l.; 19–21 Apr. 1999; G.B. Monteith leg.; transition to rainforest, dung trap; DEBU • 6 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; QMBA .

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 4 ♀♀; 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, fish pitfall; QMBA • 7 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus pitfall; QMBA • 3 ♀♀; Atherton Tablelands, Lake Eacham, Chambers Lodge; 6–8 Apr. 1999; S.A. Marshall leg.; dung; DEBU • 6 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; 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 • 1 ♀; Cape Tribulation; 10 m a.s.l.; 15 Jul. 1982; S. Peck leg.; rainforest litter, carrion; DEBU • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Cape Tribulation, 40 km N of Daintree; 10 m a.s.l.; 12–15 Jul. 1982; S. Peck leg.; dung trap; DEBU • 6 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 12–17 Jul. 1982; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 2 ♀♀; Cardwell Gap, 15 km N of Ingham; 80 m a.s.l.; 9 Aug. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion; DEBU • 1 ♀; Cooktown, Keatings Gap; 100 m a.s.l.; 28–31 Jun. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion; DEBU • 1 ♂, 10 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; dung trap; DEBU • 4 ♂♂; 1 km SW of Kauri Creek; 17°09′ S, 145°35′ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 10–11 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂; 2 km E of Kauri Creek; 17°08′ S, 145°37′ E; 680 m a.s.l.; 10–11 Feb. 1999; D.J. Cook leg.; rainforest, dung pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀; Kuranda, Kuranda State Forest; 360 m a.s.l.; 27–31 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 1 ♂; Lake Euramoo; 17°10′ S, 145°38′ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 10–11 Feb. 1999; D.J. Cook leg.; rainforest, dung pitfall; QMBA • 3 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; fungus pitfall; QMBA • 7 ♀♀; Mossman Gorge National Park, 6 km SW of Mossman; 50 m a.s.l.; 11–18 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; Mount Finnigan Slopes, 30 km S of Cooktown; 400 m a.s.l.; 2–5 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; broken termite nest; DEBU • 9 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; dung trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 1 Jul. 1982; litter and fungi; DEBU • 3 ♀♀; Noah Creek, 20 km N of Daintree; 4 m a.s.l.; 12–18 Aug. 1982; S. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 4 ♂♂, 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 • 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♀; Palmerston National Park, near Innisfail; 360 m a.s.l.; 2–5 Aug. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; carrion trap; DEBU • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Rex Range; 16°31′ S, 145°23′ E; 90 m a.s.l.; 3–11 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; open forest, fish and fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♀; Rex Range, 12 km S of Mossman; 400 m a.s.l.; 10–18 Jul. 1982; S. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 7 ♀♀; Thorton Range, near Daintree; 200 m a.s.l.; 12–18 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; carrion trap; DEBU .

Description

BODY (Fig. 8). Length 1.1–1.3 mm. Head caramel-brown, darkened around frontal vitta and ocellar triangle; interfrontal plates pale yellow, with silver-gold microtomentum limited to bases of interfrontal and orbital bristles, ocellar triangle, and around inner vertical bristle; gena golden; antenna brown. Frontal width 2.0× interfrontal height. Eye height 2.5× genal height. Thorax brown, anepimeron with a pale posterior spot. Scutum with pale grey and brown microtomentum forming two grey longitudinal stripes, lateral margins broadly yellow and dark brown microtomentose, pale M-shaped microtomentose mark enclosing 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 long apicoventral bristle only. Wing (Fig. 40D) pattern weak. CS2 0.4 × CS3. R 2+3 gently sinuate, angled at ~25° to costa; costa extending well beyond apex of R 4+5 (5–6 × costal width). M 1 indistinct beyond dm-m; M 4 slightly extended beyond dm-m; CuA+CuP short and non-tubular. Halter pale brown.

MALE ABDOMEN (Fig. 9). S5 very narrow and strongly asymmetrical, posteromedially desclerotized with long posterolateral setae in normal corners, but left side extremely elongate and well-sclerotized and right side with a disconnected sclerite running along posterior edge of S5. S6+7 shifted posteriorly, about halfway down the left-side extension of S5. Cercus flat, rectangular with many long setae, medial edges touching each other; subepandrial sclerite ovoid, medially darkened. Surstylus large, bilobed: anterior lobe triangular with a basal constriction and dense setation along posterior edge, posterior lobe stout, triangular (tapered anteriorly, posterior edge truncate) with several apical setulae and a very large claw-like apicoventral seta. Postgonite elongate, curved forwards with a triangular medial extension along anterior edge and a bifurcate apex. Phallapodeme elongate, narrow with a slightly enlarged apex; basiphallus very large, box-like with anteriorly emarginate lateral arms and a triangular, dorsally sinuate epiphallus with a set of 6–7 minute dorsal setulae. Distiphallus stout, largely membranous, made mostly of two rounded flaps and supported by a chair-shaped, sclerotized, dorsomedial frame (anterior part apically bifurcate with a deeply bifurcate posteromedial arm).

FEMALE ABDOMEN (Fig. 10).T6 and T7 well-developed, rectangular and long-setose along posterior margin; T8 split into two large, sparsely setose, lateral plates. Epiproct membranous and microtomentose. S6 and S7 rectangular and long-setose along posterior margin; S8 semicircular, long-setose along posterior margin and with a row of four smaller posteromedial setae. Hypoproct rectangular, largely membranous except for a sclerotized, setulose medial part. Spermathecae stout, spherical, and lightly grooved, stem long and membranous.

Remarks

Parapterogramma digitisternum sp. nov. resembles Pa. pugioformis sp.nov. in having the microtomentum on the orbital plates limited to the bases of the orbital and inner vertical bristles. Parapterogramma digitisternum differs from Pa. pugioformis by its taller frons (width 2.0 × height), more sinuate R 2+3, CuA+CuP well separated from the wing margin, posteromedially simple male S5, blade-like epiphallus, and a more triangular surstylus with a basal constriction.