Pipinnipons sphecoda, Shaun L., Winterton, 2011

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 : 59-60

Pipinnipons sphecoda sp. n. Fig. 29

Type material.

Holotypefemale,AUSTRALIA: Tasmania: Claytons [-43.383°, 146.133°], Jan.1991, E. D. Edwards, E. S. Nielsen (MEI027583) (ANIC). Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: Tasmania: female, Lake St. Clair, [-42.067°, 146.167°], 25.i.1949, E. F. Riek (MEI027585) (ANIC); female, 10 km ENE Nunamara [-41.367°, 147.4°], 12.i.- 7.ii.1983, malaise trap, I. D. Naumann, J. C. Cardale (MEI027586) (ANIC).

Diagnosis.

Wing with yellow and black irregular banding; pleuron black; femora and tibia yellow, sometimes with dark suffusion midway along femur; abdomen black, bright yellow-orange markings on tergites 1-4 and 7-8.

Description.

Body length= 10.0-14.0 mm. Head. Frons wider than ocellar tubercle, profile slightly transversely concave above antennae, pubescence absent, frontal vestiture as minute setae, surface texture as irregular longitudinal striations and transverse striations; gena with dark setae; parafacial overlain with silver pubescence; palpus yellow-orange; occiput glabrous, glossy black; antennal base raised; antennal length approximately equal to head; scape yellow, shorter than flagellum, scape with sparse black setae; flagellum yellow, base of flagellum with short dark setae. Thorax. Scutum glossy black, overlain with sparse yellow setae, sparse grey pubescence laterally; scutellum overlain with dense, matt-black pubescence; pleuron black, overlain with sparse silver-grey pubescence; wing with dark band midway, pale yellow suffusion basally and in discal area; haltere knob white to yellow; coxae black, overlain with silver pubescence; femora yellow-orange, sometimes with dark patch midway; tibia yellow-orange; tarsi yellow, fore leg with basitarsus and second tarsomere white, rest of tarsomeres dark. Scutal chaetotaxy: np, 4-5; sa, 1; pa, 2; dc, 1; sc, 1. Abdomen. Black, bright yellow-orange markings on tergites 1-4 and 7-8; terminalia pale.

Comments.

Pipinnipons sphecoda sp. n. is a relatively large, apparently wasp-mimicking species known only from female specimens collected from various sites in Tasmania. The dramatic colouration of species makes it quite unlike any other stiletto fly species.

Etymology.

The species epithet is derived from the Gr. sphekodos, wasp-like.