Leptodromia bimaculata ( Bezzi, 1904 )

Barros, Luana M., Sinclair, Bradley J., De Freitas-Silva, Rafael A. P. & Ale-Rocha, Rosaly, 2024, Revision of the genus Leptodromia Sinclair & Cumming, 2000 (Diptera: Hybotidae: Ocydromiinae), with the description of six new species, Records of the Australian Museum 76 (3), pp. 133-150 : 137-139

Leptodromia bimaculata ( Bezzi, 1904)

Figs 3–8 , 42

Leptopeza bimaculata Bezzi, 1904: 22 . Type locality: Mt. Victoria, NSW.

Leptopeza bimaculata : White, 1916: 242 [redescription]; Smith, 1989: 388 [catalogue].

Leptodromia bimaculata : Sinclair & Cumming, 2000: 181 [new combination]; Yang et al., 2007: 330 [catalogue].

Diagnosis. Antenna with postpedicel lengthened, with stylus longer than half length of postpedicel. Scutum orange yellow, with (male) or without (female) pair of dark spots on either side of prescutellar depression; pleura yellow, with (male) or without (female) dark spot or marking on anepisternum, not extending to dorsal margin. Hind femur with brown preapical band.Abdomen black, except pale distal margin of syntergite 1+2 and pale spot on the lateroposterior margins of tergites 3–4, without medial stripe.

Description. Male ( Fig. 3 ). Body length: 3.2 mm. Wing length: 3.5 mm ( Fig. 3 ). Head. Ocellar triangle shiny, not protuberant, with 1 pair of ocellar setae proclinate, short and slender. Frons brown with pruinescence on lower half. Face with grey pruinescence. Antenna brown; postpedicel elongate, lanceolate, more than 3 times length of scape and pedicel combined, covered with dense brown microtrichia; arista-like stylus brown, with microtrichia, more than half-length of postpedicel. Proboscis brownish; palpus oval, yellow, covered with dense yellow pruinosity and 1 long, slender yellow seta near middle. Occiput shiny black, with small triangular patch of grey pruinescence behind ocellar triangle; two rows of dark setae: 1 row of postoculars shorter and 1 row of occipital setae with lower setae longer. Thorax. Prosternum narrow (prosternum not fused to proepisternum and not forming precoxal bridge). Antepronotum orange yellow, with row of short, slender yellow setae. Scutum orange yellow, with pair of dark spots on either side of prescutellar depression ( Fig. 4 ). Scutellum yellow; mediotergite yellow, except lateral margin with dark marking above halter. Pleura yellow, anepisternum with dark spot or marking on posterior half, not extending to dorsal margin. Wing ( Fig. 3 ). Broad, membrane hyaline; pterostigma brown, elongated, narrow, situated at apex of cell c. Cell dm more than 3 times longer than wide, M 1 very short, longer than crossvein r-m; M 2 and M 4 reaching wing margin; CuA+CuP evanescent, long, straight, but not reaching wing margin. Halter whitish yellow. Legs. Yellow, except joint of mid and hind femora black; hind femur with dark subapical band ( Figs 3, 5 ); tibiae light brown, apex of hind tibia darker; tarsi darker, brown. Fore femur with anteroventral and posteroventral row of slender setae. Mid femur with 1 long, strong preapical anterodorsal seta; setae of anteroventral row stronger and sparser than setae of posteroventral row. Hind femur with 1 long, strong anterodorsal setae near apex; setae of anteroventral row stronger and sparser that setae of posteroventral row, distal most seta stout. Fore tibia with 1 long, strong posterior seta, proximal to middle. Mid tibia with 2 long, strong anterodorsal setae: 1 near base and 1 near middle; 1 long, strong posterodorsal seta near middle; apex with several long, strong ventral setae. Hind tibia with 2 long, strong anterodorsal setae: 1 near base and 1 near middle. Abdomen ( Figs 3–5 ). Black, except pale distal margin of syntergite 1+2; tergites 3–4 with yellowish, rounded lateral spot. Male terminalia ( Figs 7, 8 ): Hypandrium short, small, slightly narrowing toward apex, with deep concavity in middle on apical margin forming bilobed apex and several short, slender setae. Phallus short, about same length as epandrial lamella; phallic shaft strongly curved near base, cylindrical, without protuberances; apex expanded, cup-like.Articulated distiphallus with long ventral sclerite as long as phallic shaft, with bifid apex; ventral phallic sclerite sickle-shaped, encircling apex of phallic shaft; ejaculatory apodeme one-third length of hypandrium. Epandrial lamella subtriangular, with several short and slender setae on surface, longer on apical margin; right epandrial lamella 1.5 times longer than wide, with several thickened setae on inner margin near cercus; left epandrial lamella 1.5 times longer than wide with slight concavity and expanded section laterodorsally, bearing several thickened setae; dorsal connection between lamellae short and very narrow. Right surstylus longer than left, 3 times longer than wide, apex attenuated; left surstylus shorter than left, strongly bent, with sharp apex; several short, slender setae on both surstyli. Cerci symmetrical short, digitiform-like, weakly sclerotized, covered with short and slender setae. Bacilliform sclerite asymmetrical, with short, slender setae on inner margin. Basal margin of subepandrial sclerite truncate, deeply split forming rounded concavity at middle; hypoproct divided in two small, narrow sclerites. Female ( Figs 5, 6 ). Similar to male except, scutum without pair of dark spots; antepisternum with dark spot or marking. Female terminalia: not dissected.

Notes on type. Holotype ♂: New South Wales, Mt. Victoria, 10.xi.1900, L. Biró ( Bezzi, 1904). All types collected by Biró and studied by Bezzi (1904) were destroyed in the 1956 fire in the Diptera collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum (L. Papp, pers. comm., 1999). A neotype was not designated because there was no exceptional need as there is little doubt in the identity of the species (see Article 75, ICZN, 1999). A male specimen from Mt. Wilson with database number “K 607764” (AMS) is identified as a good representative of this species.

Material examined. Australia. Australian Capital Territory: Black Mtn , 9.x.1979, Z. Liepa (1 ♂ K 607763, AMS) ; Canberra, Black Mtn. , 35°16'S 149°06'E, 1–15. iv.1999, MT, G. Gibson (1 ♀, CNC) . New South Wales: Blue Mtns, below Govetts Leap , 7.xii.1956, D.K. McAlpine (1 ♂, 1 ♀ K 607765, AMS) ; same data except, Mt. Wilson [-33.500, 150.392], 5.xii.1956 (1 ♂, 4 ♀ K 608303, AMS) ; same data except, 23.xi.1982 (1 ♂ K 607764, AMS) ; same data except, xii.1997, R. Meier, D. McAlpine (1 ♂ K 608815, AMS) ; Blue Mtns NP, Blackheath, Grose Gorge , 1.xii.1993, Govett’s Ck [33°38'03"S 150°20'03"E], B.J. Sinclair (1 ♀, CNC) ; Blue Mtns NP, Mt. Wilson , 22.xi.1993, rainfor., Waterfall Ck, B.J. Sinclair (1 ♀, INPA) ; Brown Mtn [36°35'S 149°23'E], 50 km W Bega, 1100 m, 28.i.1984, L. Masner (1 ♂, CNC) ; Clyde Mtn [-35.54, 149.95], nr. Braidwood , 2400 ft, 25.ii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (1 ♀ K 603655, AMS) ; Katoomba [-33.72, 150.31], 21.xii.1950, 20,25. x.1955, 3,15,20,21,29. xii.1956, 23.x.1968, 30.x., 5,13,19,22,28.xi., 5.xii.1960, 15,29.i., 14.xii.1961, 12.x., 6.xi.1962, G.H. Hardy (3 ♂ K 603652, K 607762, K 607731, 20 ♀ K 603638-603651, K 603653, K 603654, K 603657, K 603807, AMS) ; Kosciuszko NP, Sawpit Ck [-36.34, 148.54], 21.i.1987. G.J.A. Holloway (1 ♀ K 603843, AMS) ; Paddy’s R., nr. Marulan , 22.iv.1956, D.K. McAlpine (3 ♂ K 608803, AMS) ; Werrikimbe , 31°15'S 152°14'E, xii.1990, canopy fog, R. Kitching (1 ♀ K 608824, AMS) . Tasmania: Arve R. Picnic Area , 43.1588°S 146.807°E, 24.x.2019, S.J. Grove (1 ♂, 2 ♀, TMAG) ; Franklin R. crossing [-42.215, 146.019], Lyell Hwy, 16.i.1960, D.K. McAlpine (1 ♀ K 603656, AMS) ; Mt. Field NP [42°40'S, 146°42'E], 7.i.1984, L. Masner (1 ♂, CNC) ; Mt. Field NP, nr. Russell Falls [42°40'S, 146°42'E], 13.i.1960, D.K. McAlpine (1 ♂ K 607715, AMS) . Victoria: Fernshaw nr. Healesville [-37.62, 145.60], 12.iv.1963, D.K. McAlpine (1 ♀ K 603845, AMS) ; Grampians NP, Delley’s Dell , 4 km SSW Halls Gap, 37°11'S 142°31'E, 30.xi.1992, Moulds, McEvey, McAlpine (1 ♂ K 608310, AMS) ; Grampians NP, 3 km SW Halls Gap , 30.xi.1992, D.K. McAlpine (1 ♂ K 608312, AMS) ; Warburton [-37.71, 145.74], 19.i.1966, D.K. McAlpine (1 ♀ K 603844, AMS) .

Distribution ( Fig. 42 ). This species is known from southeastern Australia, from northern New South Wales through Victoria at least to the Grampian Mountains, and Tasmania.

Figures

Figure 42. Geographical records of Leptodromia Sinclair & Cumming, 2000.

Figures 3–8. Leptodromia bimaculata (Bezzi, 1904) (3). Male, lateral habitus; (4) Male, dorsal habitus; (5) Female, lateral habitus; (6) Female, scutum, dorsal view; (7) Male terminalia, hypandrium and phallus, ventral view; (8) Male terminalia, dorsal view.Abbreviations: bac scl = bacilliform sclerite; cerc = cercus; distph = distiphalus; ej apod= ejaculatory apodeme; epand = epandrium; hypd = hypandrium; ph = phallus; sur = surstylus.