Microphorella viticula, Brooks & Cumming, 2022

Brooks, Scott E. & Cumming, Jeffrey M., 2022, New Australasian Parathalassiinae (Diptera: Dolichopodidae sensu lato), Zootaxa 5188 (6), pp. 521-543 : 541

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.6.2

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BF01B6B4-3415-41A1-86A0-F4B187541A55

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7103654

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/B4BCEB5C-323D-48AF-AE00-604896D7A5EC

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:B4BCEB5C-323D-48AF-AE00-604896D7A5EC

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Microphorella viticula
status

sp. nov.

Microphorella viticula View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 1, 2 View FIGURES 1–4 , 49–55 View FIGURES 49–55 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B4BCEB5C-323D-48AF-AE00-604896D7A5EC

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂ labelled: “ AUST: NSW: Blue Mtns. N.P./ Blackheath, Govetts/ Leap [ca 33°38′S 150°19′E], 4.iv.1994 / B.J. Sinclair / ex. dry scler. creek”; “ HOLOTYPE / Microphorella viticula / Brooks & Cumming [red label]” ( CNC). GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. Males of M. viticula sp. nov. are distinguished from the other known Australasian Microphorella by the following combination of features: body and legs dark brown with black setation ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 49–55 ); palpus dark and narrowly ovate ( Fig. 51 View FIGURES 49–55 ); hypopygium ( Figs 53–55 View FIGURES 49–55 ) with phallus greatly elongated, slender and tightly curled; hypandrium relatively small, slightly wider than epandrial lamellae in lateral view.

Description. Male ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 49–55 ): Body length 1.32 mm, wing length 1.35 mm. Similar to M. bungle sp. nov. except as follows: Head ( Figs 50, 51 View FIGURES 49–55 ): 2 pairs of inclinate fronto-orbitals, posterior pair smaller; postocular setae slightly longer and pale brown; postpedicel 2X longer than wide, with basal half round and distal half narrow; arista-like stylus 1.8X length of postpedicel. Thorax ( Fig. 50 View FIGURES 49–55 ). Legs ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 49–55 ). Wing ( Fig. 52 View FIGURES 49–55 ). Abdomen ( Figs 49, 53–55 View FIGURES 49–55 ): Hypopygium (some details not visible on unique undissected holotype): Left ventral epandrial process longer. Ventral lobe of right surstylus apparently short, with a few apical setae. Hypandrium with posterior margin drawn into short pointed tip projecting dorsally and supporting protruding phallus. Ventral part of left postgonite lobe (medial to base of left ventral epandrial process) apparently developed into large flap-like lobe. Phallus greatly elongated, slender and tightly curled.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. This species is known only from the type locality of Govetts Leap in Blue Mountains National Park, New South Wales, Australia ( Figs 1, 2 View FIGURES 1–4 ).

Etymology. From the Latin viticula , meaning tendril, in reference to the long thin curled phallus of the male.

Remarks. The single holotype male is stated as having been taken in dry sclerophyl habitat near the creek ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES 1–4 ), but was likely collected where the trail crosses the stream (B.J. Sinclair, pers. comm., 2022). Aside from the difference in phallic structure, the hypopygial morphology of M. viticula sp. nov. is very similar to M. bungle sp. nov. and the species appear closely related.

CNC

Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Diptera

Family

Dolichopodidae

Genus

Microphorella

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