Amobia (s. str.) serpenta, Johnston & Wallman & Dowton & Szpila & Pape, 2020

Johnston, Nikolas P., Wallman, James F., Dowton, Mark, Szpila, Krzysztof & Pape, Thomas, 2020, Taxonomic revision of Australian Amobia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Sarcophagidae: Miltogramminae): integrating morphology and genetics finds a new species and tackles old problems, European Journal of Taxonomy 722, pp. 75-96 : 87-90

Amobia (s. str.) serpenta sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:884490D3-8113-4F75-B4BD-E0E88209BC88

Figs 6–7

Diagnosis

Males of this species can be distinguished from the other two Australian members of Amobia by the unique dual head colouration (silver microtomentum on the fronto-orbital and parafacial plates, and golden microtomentum on upper mouth edge, gena and postgena) in combination with the area of golden microtomentum on the notopleuron.

Etymology

The species epithet ‘ serpenta ’, which should be treated as a noun in apposition, refers to Serpentine Gorge, the type locality of this species.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA • ♂; NT, Serpentine Gorge , West MacDonnell National Park; 13 Nov. 2017; Johnston, Wallman & Szpila leg.; ANIC.

Paratypes

AUSTRALIA • 1 ♂; WA, 2 miles S of Dempster; 19 Oct. 1970; D.H. Colless leg.; ANIC • 1 ♀; NT, Alice Springs ; 21–27 Sep. 1972; R.W. Matthews leg.; ANIC • 1 ♀; QLD, Birdsville Track ; Sep. 1936; A. Muncham leg.; [label indicates: ‘reared from clay nest of mason wasp ( Eumenidae )’]; ANIC • 1 ♀; WA, White Spring Ruins NE of Wittenoom; 16 Aug. 1970; P. Ferrar leg.; ANIC • 1 ♀; SA, Nullarbor ; 25 Oct. 1958; E.F. Riek leg.; ANIC • 1 ♀; WA, Carson Escarpment ; 15 Aug. 1975; I.F.B. Common and M.S. Upton leg.; ANIC .

Description

SIZE. 6–9 mm (n = 7).

Male

HEAD ( Fig. 6B, D, G ). Grey with silver microtomentum on fronto-orbital and parafacial plates, and golden microtomentum on upper mouth edge, gena and postgena; frontal stripe black and distinctly concave; fronto-orbital plate setose with one distinct row of fronto-orbital setae (> 10 setae) and additional unordered fine fronto-orbital setulae; setal rows ending at height of lunule; third aristomere broad in basal third then tapering to a fine hair-like tip distally, black and 2 × length of the first flagellomere; pedicel and scape setose; first flagellomere black and slightly longer than pedicel; parafacial plate with fine setae near facial ridge, in multiple disordered rows; gena yellow and postgena light grey with black setae; genal groove present, dark brown; vibrissa located midway between tip of first flagellomere and mouth margin; numerous supra-vibrissal setae.

THORAX ( Fig. 6A, C ). Grey with golden microtomentum, particularly antero-dorsally and forming distinct patch on notopleuron; one major median, two major lateral and two faint minor lateral stripes (minor stripes placed medially to major stripes and approximately one quarter of their width); major stripes continuing full length of scutellum, minor stripes ending just anterior to suture; two notopleural setae, with numerous additional fine setae on entire notopleural surface; proepisternum bare or setose; katepisternal setae 1+1.

WING ( Fig. 6F ). Hyaline; vein R 1 bare; vein R 4+5 with several setae at base; cell r 4+5 open; tegula black; basicosta yellow white.

LEGS ( Fig. 6A ). Black; claws of fore tarsus slightly longer than tarsomere 5; pulvilli as long as fore tarsal claws; mid tibia with one anteroventral and one anterodorsal seta.

ABDOMEN ( Fig. 6A, C, E ). T1+2: black; setose and with two distinct median marginal setae; T3–T5: setose, each with one pair of distinct median marginal setae; T5 with additional marginal setae along entire posterior surface; black ground colour most clearly visible towards posterior margin; dull grey microtomentum present, occupying entirety of tergites; three distinct black stripes (two lateral and one median) on T3; T4 with median stripe and two lateral spots; T5 with only one median black spot.

MALE TERMINALIA ( Fig. 7 A–B). Cercus (lateral view) sickle-shaped broad at base and tapered; setose on dorsal surface; posteriorly, cerci slightly diverging apically; surstylus shorter than cercus, single lobed on posterior margin; posteriorly, surstyli curved medially.

Female

As male except for slightly darker microtomentum on the fronto-orbital plate, appearing dull yellow. Parafacial plate, gena and post gena remain golden and distinctly different to fronto-orbital plate. The authors have chosen not to describe the female genitalia.

Biology

The holotype of this species was collected on a hilltop, perching on an exposed rock. Paratype label data indicate an association with vespid wasps ( Vespidae : Eumeninae ).

Distribution

Australasia – Australia (NT, QLD, SA, WA).

Remarks

Amobia serpenta sp. nov. is placed within the subgenus Amobia s. str. due to the brown coloured terminalia and more than 10 proclinate fronto-orbital setae ( Zumpt 1961; Pape 1996). Due to the limited number of male specimens (two), it was decided to avoid dissection of the male terminalia and rather to describe the extended male terminalia of the pinned holotype. For this reason, and as the phallus was broken off completely in the holotype, only the cerci and surstyli could be accurately described.

Figures

Fig. 6. Amobia serpenta sp. nov., holotype, ♂, NT, Serpentine Gorge, West MacDonnell National Park, 13 Nov. 2017, Johnston, Wallman and Szpila leg. (ANIC). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, lateral view. C. Habitus, dorsal view. D. Head, dorsal view. E. Abdomen, dorsal view. F. Left wing, dorsal view. G. Head, anterior view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 7. Amobia serpenta sp. nov., holotype, male terminalia, NT, Serpentine Gorge, West MacDonnell National Park, 13 Nov. 2017, Johnston, Wallman and Szpila leg. (ANIC). A. Epandrium, cerci, surstyli, and phallus, posterior view. B. Epandrium, cerci, surstyli, phallus and pre-gonites, lateral view. Abbreviations: c = cerci; d = distal lobe (broken); s = surstylus; p = pre-gonite. Scale bars: 100 µm.