Megaselia sullivani, DISNEY, 2003

DISNEY, R. H. L., 2003, Tasmanian Phoridae (Diptera) and some additional Australasian species, Journal of Natural History 37 (5), pp. 505-639 : 585-586

Megaselia sullivani sp. nov.

(figure 42)

Material

H  : male, Tasmania, Fern Tree, near Hobart, Grays Road , at window of builder’s shed, 22 September 1998 ( R. H. L. Disney —25-28) ( TMH).

P    : male, Tasmania, Mount Field National Park, Russell Falls , 26 December 1991 ( RHLD —25-5) ( UMZC).

Etymology Named after Anthony Sullivan, friend of the Climie family.

Diagnosis

The combination of two bristles and two small hairs on scutellum; bare mesopleuron; costal index <0.4; forked vein 3; and brown halteres; take this species to couplets 13 and 14 on p. 93 of Borgmeier’s (1967b) keys. The brownish yellow palps and shorter costa distinguish it from M. cochlophila Borgmeier. The forward deflection of the apical quarter of vein 4 distinguish it from M. lucida Bridarolli. Costal section 1 being clearly longer than sections 2+3 will distinguish it from M. minutissima (Brues) and the hypopygium distinguishes it from M. patellipyga Borgmeier. The species most closely resembles M. gregaria (see above), apart from the epandrium. The subsequently described M. tamilnaduensis Disney also runs to these couplets, but differs in lacking the posterolateral process of the left side of the epandrium and having a shorter anal tube. No differentiated anterodorsal hairs on hind tibia; the straight vein Sc not reaching R; only two bristles on notopleuron; 1

posterolateral process of left side of epandrium with three points; labella densely spinose below.

Male

Frons brown, broader than long, with fine but not very dense microsetae, and 98–108 hairs. Upper supra-antennal bristles 1.5–2× as long as lower pair and nearly twice as far apart. Antials about level with upper SAs and about midway between them and anterolaterals, which are clearly higher on frons. Bristles of middle row almost equally spaced in a nearly straight transverse row. Three bristles on cheek and three stronger ones on jowl. Third antennal segment brown and without SPS vesicles. Palps with six or seven bristles, of which three most apical are clearly longer than greatest breadth of palp, and with as many fine hairs. Pale brown, subtriangular labrum with greatest breadth 0.8–0.9× that of third antennal segment. Pale yellowish brown labium with numerous small spinules below labella and with those in apicolateral positions flattened in section (as in M. gregaria — figure 22). Thorax brown. Abdominal tergites brown with minute sparse hairs, which are a little longer at rear of T 6. Venter brownish grey with hairs below segments 3–6 and on flanks at rear of 6. Hypopygium, including anal tube, brown and as figure 42. Right side of epandrium without posterolateral process. Hypandrium without posterior lobes; but with a pair of strong, bristle-like hairs (figure 42), which are longer than those of M. gregaria (figure 21B). Legs yellowish brown to brown. Front basitarsus 5–6×as long as broad. Only segments 1–4 with a near-dorsal hair palisade. Segment 5 a little longer than 4. Near-dorsal hair palisade of mid tibia extends only 0.6× its length at most. Hairs below basal half of hind femur longer than those of anteroventral row of outer half. About 14 differentiated posterodorsal hairs on hind tibia, but those of upper half are fine. Wings 1.4–1.6 mm long. Costal index 0.33–0.35. Costal ratios 3.1–4.1:1.0–1.2:1. Costal cilia 0.08 mm long. A well-developed hair at base of vein 3 and two small bristles on axillary ridge, the outer being clearly longer. Veins brown and membrane tinged brownish grey.