Zalea minor (D. McAlpine)

McAlpine, D. K., 2007, The Surge Flies (Diptera: Canacidae: Zaleinae) of Australasia and Notes on Tethinid-Canacid Morphology and Relationships, Records of the Australian Museum 59 (1), pp. 27-64 : 57-58

Zalea minor (D. McAlpine)

Figs 16, 26, 33, 49, 76

Zale minor D. McAlpine, 1982: 110–112 , figs 4–9.

Zalea minor (D. McAlpine) .–D. McAlpine, 1985: 82.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE?, New South Wales: Bottle and Glass Rocks, Vaucluse , near Sydney [Nielsen Park, Sydney Harbour], 25.i.1964, D.K.M. ( AM).

Other material (localities only). New South Wales: Wategos Beach, Cape Byron ( AM) ; Broken Head, near Byron Bay ( AM, ANIC, MV) ; Woolgoolga ( AM) ; Smoky Cape, near South West Rocks ( AM) ; Black Head (Haliday’s Point), Taree district ( AM) ; The Ruins, Booti Booti National Park, Forster district ( AM) ; Seal Rocks (headland) ( AM, NZAC, BPB, MCV, ZMC) ; Forrester’s Beach , near Terrigal ( AM) ; Grotto Point , Sydney Harbour ( AM) ; Currarong ( AM) ; Broulee Beach ( ANIC) . Victoria: Walkerville ( AM) ; Bunnarong Cliffs , near Inverloch ( AM) . Tasmania: Binalong Bay , near Saint Helen’s ( AM, TDA) ; Spring Beach , near Orford ( AM) ; Stapleton Beach , near Orford ( AM) ; Tesselated Pavement , Eaglehawk Neck ( AM) ; Gilham’s Beach, Research Bay ( AM, ANIC, TDA) . See also paratype list of D. McAlpine (1982, material from Sydney district ) .

Supplementary description

Thorax. Mid femur of male with inconspicuous posteroventral comb of few short, thick, very blunt bristles beyond midlength, and generally with a separate series of few fine, longer posteroventral bristles mostly before mid-length; that of female without differentiated posteroventral bristles.

Abdomen. Sternite 1 undivided; sternite 2 with deep anterior incision somewhat as in Z. major . Male: hypandrium on each side with compact comb of three long bristles and group of three minute slender setulae, not shown in my previous figure (D. McAlpine, 1982: fig. 8) because of partial concealment by gonites. Female: sternites 2 to 5 narrow; sternite 6 completely or incompletely divided into two sclerites which diverge posteriorly; tergite 7 ( Fig. 76) with lightly sclerotized or almost desclerotized central zone extending only narrowly to posterior margin, which is broadly transverse; paired sclerites of sternite 7 elongate-oval, broadened and more approximated on anterior margins.

Dimensions. In the original description, for “width of hypandrium”, read “width of epandrium”.

Distribution. New South Wales: coasts generally. Victoria: coasts east of Port Phillip. Tasmania: widely distributed on east coast, and probably other coastal districts which have not yet been searched for intertidal flies.

Notes

Zalea minor is the most abundant species of Zalea in New South Wales and Tasmanian habitats. It is distinguished as indicated in the above key.