Phrudoneura maculata Meuffels & Grootaert

Bickel, Daniel J., 2013, Phrudoneura (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Australia and Melanesia, Zootaxa 3680 (1) : -

Phrudoneura maculata Meuffels & Grootaert

( Figs 6 a–b)

Phrudoneura maculata Meuffels & Grootaert, 2002: 72 .

Type material. The male holotype and main type series were collected at Rivière Bleue, with female paratypes from Vallée de la Quinné and Col d’Amieu, New Caledonia ( MNHN, not seen).

Additional material. NEW CALEDONIA: 6 3, 2 Ƥ, Mt Koghis, 500–550 m, Malaise trap, 27.X.1967, 15.II.1963, 30.XI.1963, Straatman ( BPBM); Ƥ, Plateau de Dogny, 20.XI.1958, Straatman ( BPBM); Ƥ, Pic du Pin, site 2, 22°14'S 166°50'E, 280 m, 25–26.XI.2004, Burwell & Wright, yellow pan ( QMB 11789); 2 3, Pic du Grand Kaori, site 1, 22°17'S 166°53'E, 250m, rainforest, 22–23.XI.2004, yellow pans, Burwell &Wright, ( QMB 11760); 3, Prov. Sud, Mt Koghis, 750 m, 22°11'S 165°51'E, 29.XI.2000, Monteith, pyrethin spray on logs ( QMB 9944); 2 3, Mt Mandjélia, summit, 20.397ºS, 164.528ºE, 780 m, yellow pans, 10–11.XII.2004, Monteith ( QMB 11994); 3, Forêt Nord 22°19'S 166°55'E, site 2, 2–3.XII.2004 Burwell & Wright ( QMB 11826): 2 3, Mt Koghis, 800 m, 1– 6.IX.1972, McAlpine CNC); 3, Mt Koghis, 3500 m, 13–14.VII.1995, yellow pans, Sinclair ( CNC); 3, Rivière Bleue, 20–21.VII.1995, yellow pans, Sinclair ( CNC); 3, Chutes de Madelaine, 22.226ºS 66.854ºE, Malaise trap, 28.X.2000, Skevington ( CNC); 2 3, 2 Ƥ, Col d’Amieu, Table Unio Rd., 18–19.VII. 1995, 800 m, dry rainforest, yellow pans, Sinclair ( CNC); 10 3, 4 Ƥ, Mt Panié, 300--500 m, 5.VI.1996, M. Moulds ( AMS); Ƥ, Mt Panié trail, 360 m, 10–13.XII.1990, yellow pans, Bickel ( AMS); 2 3, Prov. Nord, Aoupinié, 21º10'S 165º11'E, 714 m, yellow pan, 2–3.XI.2001, Moulds ( AMS).

Remarks. Phrudoneura maculata is a distinctive species found throughout much of Grande Terre. Its colour pattern is somewhat variable, even at the same locale. The basic pattern ( Fig. 6 a) has the mesonotum mostly brown to dark brown a yellowish scutellum, a shining ivory-coloured pruinosity over the notopleuron, and just ventrad with a broad dark brown stripe across the pleura. In most specimens the distal abdominal terga 4–6 are yellow with the anterior terga mostly dark brown.

However, there is a distinct colour variation or yellow form ( Fig. 6 b) in the mountains of Province Nord, where the mesonotum is mostly yellowish with a dark brown ac stripe, the scutellum is yellow, but the pleura are similar to the widespread dark form. Here the abdomen is mostly yellow. This variation is found characteristically on Mt Mandjélia from 580 m to 720 m. On Mt Panié, the yellow form is found at 300 m and 700 m, while the more widespread dark form was found at 350 m and 500 m. Because of the variation in the colour patterns and the gradations between them, I regard all these variants as conspecific.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Phrudoneura maculata Meuffels & Grootaert; a. male habitus, left lateral; b. male habitus, left lateral (Mt Mandjélia colour variant). P. adusta sp. nov.; c. male habitus, left lateral. P. hibernalis sp. nov.; d. male habitus, left lateral.