Rhabdomastix (Rhabdomastix) tonnoirana Alexander, 1934

Theischinger, Günther, Billingham, Zacariah D., Martin, John & Growns, Ivor, 2019, The genus Rhabdomastix Skuse in Australia (Diptera: Tipuloidea: Limoniidae), Zootaxa 4661 (1), pp. 65-100 : 90-93

Rhabdomastix (Rhabdomastix) tonnoirana Alexander

( Figs. 45–51 )

Rhabdomastix tonnoirana Alexander, 1934: 263 .

Material examined. Holotype ♀: Cotter River , October 26, 1930, A.L. Tonnoir ( AC) ( Fig. 48 ). New South Wales: 1 ♂, 13 km ESE of Braidwood, 22–xi–1972, K.R. Norris (AN IC) ; 1 ♀, Doprrigo N. P., 19–ii–1967, at light, C.W. Frazier ( ANIC) ; 2 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀, Kiandra, 2100 ft, 8–xii–1984, N. Dobrotworsky ; 1 ♀, Mt Dromedary , 9–10–xi–1985, G. Theischinger ( AM) ; 3 ♀, Mt Kaputar , 600 m, 29–i–1985, G. Hangay ( AM) ; 1 ♂, 13 ♀♀, Mt Kaputar , Bukana Ck, 27–xi–1984. G. Hangay ( AM) ; 1 ♂, Upper Allyn River , 10–x–1976, G. Theischinger ( AM) ; 1 ♀, Wilson River Re- serve, 15 km NW Bellangry, 244 m, 7–xii–1986, G. Theischinger ( AM). Victoria : 1 ♂, Dargo River off Bridge Rd , 37.462474°S / 147.252569°E, 03–xii–2012, Z. Billingham ( ZB) ; 1 ♂, Dartmouth Survey , Dart-Mitta River , locality L, 4–iii–1973 ( MV) ; 1 ♀, Deddick River , ½ km above Snowy River junction ( MV) ; 1 ♀, King River , Jan. 1991, G. Theischinger ( AM) ; 1 ♀, Mitchell River , nr Tabberaberra , 2–i–1975 and 3 ♀♀, same locality, 2–i–1976 ( MV) ; Omeo ( AC) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Snowy River, 5 km below Deddick Crossing River junction ( MV) ; 2 ♂♂, Suggan Buggan River off Snowy River Rd , 36.952128°S / 148.325066°E, 12–ii–2015, Z. Billingham ( ZB) ; 1♀, Taggerty River , 4 km E of Marysville, 26–xii–1974, Neboiss ( MV) ; Tambo Crossing ( AC) ; 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Tambo River at Blackfellows Flat , 37.058092°S / 147.827985°E, 29–xi–2011, Z. Billingham ( ZB) ; 2 ♂♂, Tambo River upstream of Blackfellows Flat , 37.058206°S / 147.838887°E, 29–xi–2011, Z. Billingham ( ZB) ; 1 ♀, Watts River at Fernshaw Picnic Area , 37.6 13621°S / 145.605678°E, 18–xi–2015, Z. Billingham ( ZB). Tasmania : 1 ♀, Meander River , Deloraine , 28–xi–1974, Neboiss ( MV) ; 5 ♀♀, Scamander River, Upper Scamander, 9–xi–1972, A. Neboiss ( MV).

Only the female of R. (R.) tonnoirana has been described ( Alexander 1934). The first description of the male is presented below. Subsequently details not made available in the original description are given for the female.

Description (from dry pinned material and material preserved in 80% ethanol). Male ( Figs. 45–47 ). Head. Including palpus, antenna and rostrum dark greyish brown. Antenna yellowish to brownish grey; less than 1.0 mm long, pedicellus longer than flagellomere 1–5; f1 ovate, f3 about twice as long as wide; some verticils longer than flagellomeres.

Thorax. Largely dark greyish brown without much pattern discernable. Legs with coxa, trochanter and most of femur dark yellow, remainder of leg markedly darker.

Wing. Membrane largely slightly suffused with greyish white and with distinct greyish brown grey pattern. Cell dm produced along vein M 1+2. Dark patch at origin of Rs large, squarish and extended into basal radial cell, dark patch between level cord and end of R 1 distinctly fused with patch on cord, a small dark patch about halfway between patch at origin of Rs and cord; dark patch on R 3 and R 4 subcircular, extended into cell R 3+4; patch on R 4 not or hardly fused with darkening of wing tip. Halters with stem yellowish white and knob greyish brown.

Abdomen. Brownish and greyish yellow to dark greyish brown.

Dimensions. Wing length 5.3–5.8 mm.

Terminalia. Gonocoxite plump, twice as long as wide. Outer and inner gonostylus shorter than width of gonocoxite; outer gonostylus with distinct obtuse to pointed subapical/apical (depending on the view) mesal beak; inner gonostylus almost straight, conical, with apex rounded. Interbases short, bowed, apex rounded or at least not point- ed. Aedeagus appearing apically bilobed, longer than rather small vesica; apodeme of vesica distinctly fan-shaped and at least as long as vesica.

Additional details of the female. ( Figs. 48–51 ). Head. The female antenna seems to be longer than that of the male and the flagellum is all pale to dark greyish brown, scape and pedicel more brownish yellow.

Thorax. Slightly paler than in male.

Wing. Dark spots larger and somewhat better defined than in male.

Terminalia. Cerci markedly longer than 0.2 mm; hypogynial valves also short.

Distribution. South-eastern: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania ( Map 2 ).

Discussion. R. (R.) tonnoirana shares only with R. collessiana and R. rosae a cell dm that is produced along vein M 1+2. It differs from R. collessiana by lacking a dark wing patch between level origin of Rs and cord level, and from R. rosae by a rather uniformly dark thorax versus a vivid dark and yellow thoracic pattern. R. tonnoirana and R. collessiana were found to coexist at Wilson River Reserve, 15 km NW Bellangry, at 244 m asl, in New South Wales.

Figures

MAP 2. Distribution of the Australian species of Rhabdomastix (Rhabdomastix) tonnoirana group. R. collesiana sp. nov. R. rosae sp. nov. R. tonnoirana R. wilsoniana

FIGURE 48. Rhabdomastix (Rhabdomastix) tonnoirana Alexander, holotype female: leg; wing; slide + label.

FIGURES 45–47. Rhabdomastix (Rhabdomastix) tonnoirana Alexander, male. 45: habitus; 46: antennae; 47: terminalia, dor- sal. Scale bar = 2 mm for 45, 0.2 mm for 47.

FIGURES 49–51. Rhabdomastix (Rhabdomastix) tonnoirana Alexander, female. 49: habitus; 50: antennae 51: terminalia, lateral; insert: cerci, lateral. Scale bar = 2 mm for 49, 0.5 mm for 50.