Lispe gracilitarsis, Pont, 2019

Pont, Adrian C., 2019, Studies on the Australian Muscidae (Diptera). VIII. The genus Lispe Latreille, 1797, Zootaxa 4557 (1), pp. 1-232 : 63-67

Lispe gracilitarsis sp. nov.

( Figs 121–136 )

Diagnosis. In the group of species with a seta on posterior apical margin of hind coxa, L. gracilitarsis can be distinguished by the unusual shape of the palpus (as in L. armata , Fig. 109 ) and, in the ♂ sex, by the elongated and attenuated tarsomeres 1–3 on fore leg and the shortened, expanded, black tarsomeres 4–5 on fore and mid legs ( Figs 123–124 ).

Etymology. The species name refers to the slender fore and mid tarsomeres (Latin “gracilis” = “slender”).

Type Material Examined. Holotype ♂. AUSTRALIA: Queensland, Norman River, Karumba , Malaise trap, mangrove—salt marsh boundary, 3–17.xi.1979, W.A.Houston ( QMBA T242447 ) . Paratypes 4♂ 21♀. AUSTRALIA : 3♂ 16♀. Northern Territory: Birraduk Creek , 17 km WSW of Nimbuwah Rock, at light, 4.vi.1973, D.H. Colless , 1♀ ( ANIC); West Island, Edward Pellew Group , 20.iv.1976, D.H. Colless , 1♀ ( ANIC). Queensland: 1 km W of Cooktown , S15.28, E145.15, Malaise trap, 13.v.1981, D.H. Colless 1♀, ( ANIC); Norman River, Karumba , Malaise trap, mangrove—salt marsh boundary, 3–17.xi.1979, W.A. Houston , 1♂ 4♀ ( QDPC) & 1♀ ( BMNH); Normanton , 17.67S 141.08E, 2–4.ii.2013, N. Vikhrev , 1♂ 1♀ ( ZMUM); Prince of Wales I., Torres Strait , 27–30.v.1969, A. Neboiss , 2♀ ( MV); Statton River near Inkerman HS, at light, 29.vii.1982, J.F. Donaldson & J.W. Turner , 1♂ ( QDPC); Townsville , 9.iv.1969, P. Ferrar , 1♀ ( ANIC); the same, 13.iv.1968 , 1♀ ( ANIC); the same, 20.iv.1969 , 1♀ ( BMNH); the same, 29.iv.1969 , 1♀ ( ANIC); Townsville , 7.viii.1929, F.H. Taylor , 1♀ ( ANIC). PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Central Province: Gaba Gaba , beach, 20.v.1984, J.W. Ismay , 1♀ ( OUMNH); National Capital District: Moitaka , Port Moresby, iii.1962, K.R. Norris , 1♀ ( ANIC). INDONESIA: West Papua (Papua province): Merauke env., 8.55S 140.43E, 9–15.xii.2014, N. Vikhrev , 1♂ 3♀ ( ZMUM) .

Additional material (N.E. Vikhrev, pers. comm.): AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Gladstone env., 23.82S 151.15E, 26–27.i.2013, N. Vikhrev, 1♂ ( ZMUM) ; Normanton , 17.67S 141.08E, 2–4.ii.2013, N. Vikhrev, 2♂ 1♀ ( ZMUM) . INDONESIA: West Papua (Papua province): Merauke env., 8.55S 140.43E, 9–15.xii.2014, N. Vikhrev, 4♂ 6♀ ( ZMUM) .

Description ♂ ♀. Head ( Fig. 122 ). Ground-colour black. Frons at broadest point 0.4, at lunula 0.28 (♂) or 0.34 (♀), of maximum head-width (frontal view), but these figures provisional as all three males have the head rather shrivelled. Ocellar setae fine, especially in ♂. Fronto-orbital plate whitish-grey pruinose in ♂, brownish-grey in ♀; parafacial, face, gena and occiput whitish-grey, parafacial often tinged with yellow in ♀. Both orbital setae very strong, lower one outcurved rather than reclinate; frontal setae very short and fine above lowest pair. Frontal triangle in ♂ very broad, whitish-grey pruinose, occupying most of frontal vitta and narrowly separated from fronto-orbital plates; in ♀ brownish-grey dusted, narrow as usual and well separated from fronto-orbital plates. Parafacial narrow, half (♂) to quite (♀) as broad as postpedicel; setulae in 1-2 rows. Scape and pedicel yellow in ♂, mainly darkened in ♀; basal 1/4 of postpedicel in ♂, or extreme base in ♀, orange-yellow, remainder black; postpedicel 3.4 (♂) to 4 (♀) times as long as broad, falling short of mouth-margin by 0.42 (♂) to 0.33 (♀) of its length. Arista plumose, the hairing at widest point 2 (♂) to 2.7 (♀) times width of postpedicel. Vibrissa strong, surrounded by several erect setulae. Gena narrow in ♂, 0.09 of vertical eye-length; broader in ♀, 0.13 of eyelength; genal setae strong and dense. Palpus yellow, strongly dilated almost from base (as in L. armata , Fig.109 ).

Thorax. Ground-colour black. Scutum and scutellum grey dusted in ♂, generally brown in ♀; postpronotal lobe and pleura lighter grey. Scutum in posterior view entirely but slightly unevenly dusted, without darker markings in ♂, in ♀ with weak indications of 3 darker dusted lines, along mid-line and dc rows, and darker outside the dc lines; scutellum with a dark brown spot at tip. Anterior spiracle yellow. Acr setulae in 6–8 irregular rows at suture. Dc 1+3–4, prst and anterior 1–2 post setae short, at most half length of the prsc pair, the anterior prst seta absent. 2 pprn. 1+2 ia, anterior post one fine and weak. 1+1 sa, both strong. 1 strong and 1 weaker proepisternal setae. 1 strong proepimeral, shorter than the strong proepisternal, with 2–4 adjacent setulae. Anepisternum with 1 short seta in upper anterior corner; posterior row with 3 strong and 2 weak setae. 3 strong kepst, arranged in an equilateral triangle. Meron bare below spiracle and above hind coxa. Scutellum with disc densely setulose, sides and ventral surface bare.

Legs. Coxae and trochanters black; femora black, extreme tips (knees) yellow; tibiae yellow in ♂, more or less conspicuously darkened in apical part, mostly darkened in ♀ and only partly orange-yellow; in ♂ tarsomeres 1–3 yellow, though partly infuscated on hind leg, and tarsomeres 4–5 black on all legs, all tarsomeres black in ♀. Fore coxa bare behind. Fore femur with a row of short av spinules; pv row complete, the setae much longer than femoral depth and interspersed with shorter setae and spinules; pd row complete, sparse and fine. Fore tibia with 1 strong submedian pv; with strong d, p and pv apical setae, the d placed well before tip of tibia. Fore tarsomeres 1–3 elongated and compressed, appearing blade-like in dorsal view, and tarsomeres 4–5 broadly expanded and flattened ( Fig. 123 ); without modifications in ♀. Mid femur in ♂ in basal half with a few short pv, not as long as femoral depth, and a short av at middle; in ♀ with a row of spinules on av surface, beginning at basal third with 1–2 short setae and becoming progressively shorter, the pv setae longer than in ♂, about 4 setae that are longer than femoral depth, continued after basal half as a row of spinules; basal half also with a row of short strong a setae; 2 p preapicals. Mid tibia with 1 strong pd; with strong a, p, av and pv apicals, and a stronger ad placed well before apex. Mid tarsosmeres 4–5 short, flattened and expanded in ♂ ( Fig. 124 ), without modifications in ♀. Hind coxa with a seta on posterior apical margin. Hind femur with 1–2 av setae, one just beyond middle and sometimes one before apex, and 3–4 similar setae in basal half of pv surface, apical half of av and pv surfaces in ♀ with the setulae tending to be rather spinulose; ad row complete; 1 d preapical. Hind tibia with 1 ad and 1 av; d and ad preapical setae strong and erect, the d well before apex; with av and pv apicals. Hind tarsomeres not modified.

Wing. Clear. Tegula and basicosta orange-yellow, dark in some ♀♀. Crossvein r-m placed slightly apicad of the point where vein R1 enters costa; dm-cu straight, longer than apical section of vein CuA1. Vein M running straight to wing-margin. Calypters white. Knob of haltere orange to brown.

Abdomen. Ground-colour black. Syntergite 1+2 and tergites 3–5 not modified in shape; sternites 1–5 without modifications except for sternite 5 in ♂ which has a pair of apical antler-like processes, bifid apically ( Figs 128– 129 ). Dust on tergites light grey, giving a pattern of dusted bands and spots on dorsum ( Fig. 125 ), the dark colour extending on to sides, narrowly on syntergite 1+2 and tergites 3 and 4 but broadly on tergite 5 where there is little grey dust evident on sides, pale dusting slightly less extensive in ♀ than in ♂, but variable in extent on tergite 5 ( Figs 125–127 ). ♂ epandrium partly grey dusted. ♀ ovipositor with exposed tergites dusted grey to brownish-grey. Sternites 1–5 dull grey to brownish-grey dusted, but sternite 5 of ♂ shining. Setae only present on tergite 5, ♂ with 1 pair each of median and lateral discals, often placed close to fore-margin, and 3 pairs of erect marginals, sometimes with an additional pair in ♀. ♂ sternites 2–4 with sparse setulae.

Ƌ terminalia. Epandrium separated from tergite 5 by syntergosternite 8, which has 2 spiracles; with 2 pairs of large setae; produced lobe-like ventrally. Tergite 6 absent. Sternite 6 large, rather elaborate, symmetrical, withdrawn beneath sternite 5 ( Fig. 128 ). Surstylus absent, i.e. fused to epandrium without trace ( Fig. 130 ). Cercal plate deeply divided dorsally and ventrally ( Fig. 131 ). Hypandrium attached at two points: to a rod originating from wall of epandrium close to upper outer edge of cercal plate; and via an apparent praegonite to lower anterior corner of epandrium. Phallic complex ( Figs 132–133 ): hypandrium with a pair of long finger-like processes at posterior end; praegonite and postgonite present; phallapodeme long but normal in structure; phallus long, tubular, simple, juxta large, without spinules; basal part flanked on each side by three short finger-like processes, the outer one bifid.

♀ ovipositor ( Figs 134–136 ). Tergites 6 and 7 complete; tergite 8 divided dorsally, each half displaced laterally by the large epiproct, setose on posterior margin. Sternite 6 reduced to 2 small weakly-sclerotised plates; sternite 7 absent or represented by a bristle-dot, suppressed by the edges of the very large tergite 7 which almost meet ventrally; sternite 8 represented by 2 large plates, partly concealed beneath tergite 8. Epiproct large, with 1 seta. Hypoproct large, extended posteriorly, with several stout spines at apex. Cercus unusually broad, plate-like, with a few spines on posterior dorsal edge. 3 spermathecae.

Measurements. Wing-length, 4.0– 4.5 mm (♂), 4.5–5.5 mm (♀). Body-length, 6.0– 6.5 mm (♂), 6.0–7.0 mm (♀).

Biology. Adults have been collected on the seashore, in salt marshes and among mangroves.

Distribution. Known from Australia (NT, Q), Papua New Guinea and Indonesia (West Papua).

Figures

FIGURE 121. Lispe gracilitarsis sp. nov., ♂ habitus (paratype from Q, Statton River near Inkerman HS).

FIGURES 122–124. Lispe gracilitarsis sp. nov. 122. ♂ head, lateral view. 123. ♂ fore tarsomeres, dorsal view. 124. ♂ mid tarsomeres, dorsal view. d—dorsal, p—posterior, pv—posteroventral. (Paratype from Q, Statton River near Inkerman HS.)

FIGURES 125–129. Lispe gracilitarsis sp. nov. 125. ♂ abdomen, dorsal view. 126–127. ♀ tergite 5, dorsal view. 128. ♂ sternites 1–5. 129. Process on ♂ sternite 5, lateral view. (125, paratype from Q, Statton River near Inkerman HS; 126, paratype from Q, Townsville; 127–129, paratype from Q, Norman River.)

FIGURES 130–131. Lispe gracilitarsis sp. nov., ♂ terminalia. 130. Hypopygium, lateral view. 131. Cercal plate, dorsal view. (Paratype from Q, Norman River.)

FIGURES 132–133. Lispe gracilitarsis sp. nov., ♂ phallic complex. 132. Lateral view. 133. Ventral view. a—praegonite, bpostgonite, c– hypandrial process. (Paratype from Q, Norman River.)

FIGURES 134–135. Lispe gracilitarsis sp. nov., ♀ ovipositor. 134. Ventral view. 135. Dorsal view. ep—epiproct, st—sternite, t—tergite. (Paratype from Q, Townsville.)

FIGURE 136. Lispe gracilitarsis sp. nov., ♀ ovipositor, lateral view. c—cercus, ep—epiproct, hp—hypoproct, st—sternite, t—tergite. (Paratype from Q, Townsville.)

FIGURES 108–111. Lispe armata Malloch, ♂. 108. Frons. 109. Palpus. 110. Fore leg, posterior view. 111. Apical half of wing. ad—anterodorsal, d—dorsal, pd—posterodorsal, pv—posteroventral. (109, NSW, Towra Point, Botany Bay; others NSW, Careel Bay.)