Thrypticomyia aureipennis Skuse, 1890

Billingham, Zacariah D. & Theischinger, Gunther, 2022, New and Poorly Known Species of Crane Flies (Diptera: Limoniidae) from New South Wales, Australia, Records of the Australian Museum (Rec. Aust. Mus.) 74 (1), pp. 19-40 : 38-40

Thrypticomyia aureipennis Skuse, 1890

Figs 45–47

Material examined. New South Wales: 1♂, Gordon, Blackbutt Creek off Blackbutt Creek Walking Track (33.759°S 151.142°E), 25 Sep 2017, Z. Billingham & G. Theischinger, GHD ( T 18428) ; 2♂♂, 1♀, Killarney Heights, Bates Creek by Bates Creek Falls off Bates Creek Walking Track (33.769°S 151.221°E), 27 Sep 2017, Z. Billingham & G. Theischinger, GHD ( T 17537– T 17539) ; 1♂, East Lindfield, Moores Creek off Little Digger Walking Track (33.770°S 151.193°E), 27 Sep 2017, Z. Billingham & G. Theischinger, GHD ( T 17584) ; 1♂, Mount Royal, Fal Brook off Cassels Rd (32.160°S 151.315°E), 5 Nov 2018, Z. Billingham & G. Theischinger, GHD ( T 23200) ; 1♂, Girvan, Boomerang Creek off Booral Rd (32.456°S 152.102°E), 17 Nov 2018, Z. Billingham & G. Theischinger, GHD ( T 22335) . Victoria: 3♂♂, Mallacoota, Foreshore Camping Park (37.556°S 149.759°E), 21 Sep 2011, Z. Billingham, GHD ( T 02929– T 02931) ; 6♂, Cabbage Tree Creek, Little Cabbage Tree Creek off Tarlton Track (37.651°S 148.693°E), 7 Jan 2015, Z. Billingham, GHD ( T 10539– T 10544) ; 1♂, Bellbird Creek, Jungle Creek off Princes Hwy (37.652°S 148.813°E), 7 Apr 2018, Z. Billingham, GHD ( T 20978) .

Remarks. The description of T. aureipennis provided by Skuse (1890) did not include a detailed description or figure of the hypopygium, making comparison with other species in the genus difficult. The availability of fresh material of T. aureipennis now allows for a thorough description of the hypopygium, a description of the ovipositor and provision of figures to aid in identification.

Photographs are included to show the wing ( Fig. 45 ), and a lateral view of the ovipositor ( Fig. 47 ). A dorsal view of the hypopygium ( Fig. 45 ) is also provided.

Male. Hypopygium with tergite and sternite yellowish brown, gonocoxites darker greyish brown, lobe of inner gonostylus greyish white. Distal margin of T9 moderately bilobed, with broad U-shaped concavity. Ventral lobe of gonocoxite elongate, tip blunt, subequal to length of gonocoxite. Inner gonostylus 1½–2 times the length of gonocoxite, lobe swollen, rounded, with an ovoid sclerite on dorsal face, two spines set on the medial edge of ovoid sclerite, each arising from a prominent tubercle, one at the base of the sclerite, one higher, rostral prolongation short, arched, tapering to a narrow tip. Outer gonostylus an evenly arched rod, narrowing gradually to a sharp tip. Aedeagus exceeding length of gonocoxite, parameres about ¾ the length of the aedeagus, lateral lobe low and rounded, mesal lobe gradually tapering to a blunt tip.

Female. Size and colouration much the same as for male. Ovipositor with tergite and sternite largely brownish. Cercus of moderate length, lightly curved. Tip of hypogynial valve reaching to about ¾ length of cercus.

Discussion. Five species of Thrypticomyia are known from Australia, predominantly from the Cairns area of northern Queensland, with T. aureipennis seemingly the only species extending south beyond Queensland. The Australian species are readily distinguished by features of the wing: T. marksae Alexander, 1956 , having the discal medial cell open, all other species with discal medial cell closed; T. fumidapicalis Alexander, 1921 , with clouded dark pigmentation in apical ⅕ of wing, remaining species may have greyish suffusion to the wing or darkened areas but not with the wing tip prominently darkened; T. microstigma Alexander, 1921 , with Sc ending well before origin of Rs and stigma greatly reduced, in other species Sc close to origin of Rs and stigma more prominent; T. doddi Alexander, 1921 , and T. aureipennis very similar, differing in placement of a cross-vein between the costa and R, this cross-vein considered as the tip of R 1 by Alexander (1927), being only a short distance before R 2 in T. doddi , while in T. aureipennis it is set further from R 2, towards the proximal edge of the stigma.

Beyond Australia T. aureipennis is also know from Vanuatu and Samoa, with minor variations across the three populations, prompting Edwards (1928) to suggest that individuals from Vanuatu and Samoa represent distinct varieties of the species. The Vanuatuan individuals having the rostral spines of the inner gonostylus closer together and on lower, less distinct, tubercles than in Australian individuals ( Edwards, 1927). While the Samoan variety differs from the Australian form in having somewhat dusky wings with a less prominent stigma ( Edwards, 1928). Furthermore, both Vanuatuan and Samoan varieties have the ventral lobe of the gonocoxite shorter and broader than in Australian individuals ( Edwards, 1928), where it is comparatively elongate, subequal in length to that of the gonocoxite.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Specimens collected from protected areas were done so under NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service scientific licence number SL101930 and Forestry NSW Research Permit number HF55651. Russell Cox and Natalie Tees of the Australian Museum are thanked for their assistance with the type material of Teucholabis (Teucholabis) meridiana . John Martin (Australian Museum) is thanked for photographing Dicranomyia globosa .

Figures

Figure 45. Thrypticomyia aureipennis male, wing.

Figures 46–47. Thrypticomyia aureipennis. (46) male, hypopygium, dorsal view; (47) female, ovipositor, lateral.