Apotropina exquisita (Malloch, 1940)

Fig. 13A-D

Lasiopleura (Lasiopleura) exquisita Malloch, 1940: 270.

Type locality and distribution.

Australia: Western Australia (Geraldton).

Examined material.

Holotype ♂ Label transcription: "Australian Museum, K 359226; Geraldton, W.A., 5. Sept. 1926., E.W. Ferguson; HOLOTYPE, Lasiopleura exquisita Mall.; Lasiopleura exquisita Type, det. JRMALLOCH; SPHTM Coll."; 28°46'S, 114°37'E. Deposited in the AMRI.

Taxonomic notes.

Apotropina exquisita belongs to a group of described species (including A. ornatipennis, A. proxima, and A. raymenti) that have dark bodies with shiny tomentosity, wings with distinct dark patterning covering at least the medial region from costal margin to beyond R2+3 vein, and usually shiny-white alula. Apotropina exquisita can be distinguished from other species in this group with the following combination of characters: short capitate proboscis, with more than two distal tarsal segments dark, pleuron not completely whitish tomentose, wing with completely dark venation especially basally, and femora dark with extreme apices yellow (Fig. 13A-C). This species is only known from female specimens, male morphology unknown. However, there is evidence that species in this group may have sexually dimorphic color patterns (see Fig. 1) where males may have more prominent patterns than females. Chaetotaxy as observed: 1 vibrissa; 2 weak proclinate interfrontal setae; 2 postpronotal setae; 2 scapular setae; 1+1 notopleural setae; short weak biseriate acrostichal row only in medial region of scutum; 1+3 dorsocentral setae; 1+1 supra-alar setae; postalar and intrapostalar setae present; scutellum with 1 discal setula; katepisternal seta missing/indistinct. Original description in Suppl. material 1.