Acupalpa albitarsa Mann

Shaun L., Winterton, 2011, Revision of the stiletto fly genera Acupalpa Kroeber and Pipinnipons Winterton (Diptera, Therevidae, Agapophytinae) using cybertaxonomic methods, with a key to Australasian genera, ZooKeys 95, pp. 29-79 : 37-38

Acupalpa albitarsa Mann Fig. 5

Acupalpa albitarsa Mann 1929: 24; Irwin and Lyneborg 1989: 354 [catalogue]; Winterton 2000: 230; Winterton et al. 2001: 210.

Type material.

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Brisbane, 24.ix.1914, H. Hacker [-27.465, 153.017] (MEI029448) [D3282] (QM). Paratypes: AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 4 males, same data as holotype, (MEI108766, 108768, 108770, 108771) (QM).

Diagnosis.

Frons profile rounded above antenna; antenna black, scape sometimes brown; wing irregularly banded; pleuron black; tarsi white with brown to black basitarsus; abdomen with sparse silver velutum on anterior segments (denser in male).

Redescription.

Body length= 7.4-9.7 mm. Head. Frons wider than ocellar tubercle; profile rounded above antenna, pubescence sparse silver-grey; frontal vestiture as minute setae, texture verrucous; face shape broadly rounded, vestiture with dark or pale setae; gena with pale setae; parafacial glabrous; mouthparts elongate and projecting anteriorly, or relatively short; palpus brown-black, acuminate; occiput glabrous, glossy black; antennal base raised; antenna longer than head; scape brown or black, length approximately equal to flagellum, with sparse black setae; flagellum black, base of flagellum with short, dark setae. Thorax. Scutum light grey to black, setal bases glossy black; scutellum overlain with dense, matt-black pubescence; pleuron black, overlain with sparse, silver-grey pubescence; wing markings irregularly banded; haltere knob white; coxae black; femora brown to black; tibia dark, lighter basally; tarsi white with basitarsi dark. Scutal chaetotaxy: np, 3-4; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 2-3; sc, 1. Abdomen. Entirely black, segments 5-8 sometimes orange dorsally; silver velutum dorsally on tergites (1-3), bronze medially; terminalia dark (male) or pale (female).

Comments.

The distinctive tarsal colouration of Acupalpa albitarsa and the closely related Acupalpa yanchep sp. n., separates these species from all other Acupalpa . Acupalpa albitarsa is an eastern species while Acupalpa yanchep sp. n. is western. Females are difficult to distinguish but males differ in the shape of the frons and in general body shape and size. The white patterning of the scutum is less pronounced in this species.