Acupalpa minuta sp. n. Fig. 14

Type material.

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Kalbarri, [-27.717, 114.167], 23.ix.1974, N. McFarland (MEI021410) (ANIC).

Diagnosis.

Very small sized species; setae on coxae pale; flagellum greatly elongate; scape relatively short; frons equal to width of ocellar tubercle; tibia dark; two notopleural setae; abdomen dark, velutum absent.

Description.

Body length= 3.0 mm. Head. Frons wider than ocellar tubercle, profile rounded, level with eye, pubescence sparse silver-grey; frontal vestiture glabrous, texture smooth; lower frons and face broadly rounded, expansive; face vestiture glabrous; gena with pale setae; parafacia overlain with silver pubescence; mouthparts elongate, projecting anteriorly; palpus brown-black; occiput overlain with sparse, silver-grey pubescence; antennal base flat; antennal length longer than head; scape colour black, length much shorter than flagellum, with sparse black setae; flagellum colour brown, base of flagellum without setae. Thorax. Scutum glossy black-brown with sparse grey pubescence and small brown setae; scutellum overlain with dense matt black pubescence; pleuron glossy black-brown with longitudinal stripe of silver velutum; wing markings dark banded infuscate; haltere knob orange-yellow; coxae brown, overlain with dense pubescence and pale setae; femora brown to black; tibia brown; tarsi brown. Scutal chaetotaxy (macrosetae pairs): np, 2; sa, 1; pa, 1; dc, 3, sc, 1. Abdomen. Colouration brown, tergites 2-4 with bronze pubescence, silver velutum absent; terminalia dark.

Comments.

Acupalpa minuta sp. n. is closely related to Acupalpa minutoides sp. n., sharing characteristics such as very small size, two notopleural setae and an antenna with a short scape and a greatly elongate flagellum. It can be differentiated based on the colour of the setae on the coxae and by the width of the frons. This species is known only from a single male individual from Western Australia.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the L. minutus, small, little, referring to the diminutive body size.