Allometopon macalpinei, Owen Lonsdale, 2016

Owen Lonsdale, 2016, Revision of the genus Allometopon Kertész (Diptera: Clusiidae), Zootaxa 4106 (1), pp. 1-127 : 39-41

Allometopon macalpinei spec. nov.

Figs 148–156 , 331, 337, 338

Description. General: Body length 2.9–3.1mm. Arista short plumose. M1+2 ratio 3.3–4.5. First flagellomere enlarged, ovate to slightly reniform with ventral section more bulbous. Female clypeus slightly broader, thicker.

Chaetotaxy: Three fronto-orbital setae (anterior seta half length of others). Ocellar seta well-developed, approximately twice length of tubercle. Postvertical seta very thin and as long as tubercle. Interfrontal seta minute. First flagellomere along margin below arista with hairs slightly longer than width of base of arista. Anterior dorsocentral half length of posterior dorsocentral; closely set posteriorly. Acrostichal seta present. Two lateral scutellar setae; anterior seta small.

Colour—male: ( Figs 148, 149 ) Setae dark brown, yellowish on pale sclerites. Head yellow in part; posterior ½–2/3 of frons orange with posterior ½–¼ brown; lateral 1/3 of frons with ill-defined brown stripe not reaching anterior margin or margin of eye, except posteriorly, at which level stripes also meet centrally around ocellar tubercle; region around vertical setae yellowish; antenna light yellow with brown dorsobasal spot on first flagellomere; base of palpus sometimes light brown to very faintly brown; face dirty yellow; gena, parafacial and postgena white and silvery tomentose; back of head brownish to brown dorsally and with one pair of dark brown stripes radiating from foramen. Notum dark brown. Pleuron light yellow. Wing dusky, slightly darker around dmcu, on distal third and sometimes along anterior margin past R1. Halter white. Legs light yellow. Abdomen dark brown with surstylus, cercus and distal margin of epandrium yellow.

Colour—female, pale: ( Figs 150, 151 ) As described for male except as follows: dorsal half of first flagellomere including arista base dark brown, becoming paler to apex; frons more extensively pigmented, sometimes with yellow region restricted to small anteromedial spot; gena dark yellow to orange, becoming darker ventrally; face white laterally and with softer medial region light brown; palpus with broader brownish tint, sometimes yellow with only outer base brownish; back of head dark brown above foramen; anepisternum with large, ill-defined brown spot that is sometimes absent (as in male) or present as smaller dorsal spot.

Variation—female, dark: ( Figs 152, 153 ) Some darker females with pleuron entirely brown, and dark brown on basal 2/3 of fore coxa, basal half of mid coxa, entire fore femur excluding apex, and mid and hind femora excluding base and apex; palpus darker; gena with dark brown stripe ventrally. Spermatheca comparable in size or slightly larger, somewhat paler, more narrowed apically, and with wrinkles fewer, shallower and restricted to midsection ( Fig. 338 ).

Male terminalia: ( Figs 154–156 ) Annulus well-developed with spiracle free from sclerite; sclerites welldifferentiated. Epandrium relatively long and shallow. Cerci projecting, divergent. Surstylus approximately 2/3 length of epandrium, slightly angled posteriorly, broadly rounded apically, slightly bulging on anterior and posterior margins subapically; outer face bare medially and apex with minute setae; tubercles apical on inner margin. Ventral lobe of hypandrium bare, shallow, broadly rounded. Phallapodeme rod-like, well-developed. Pregonite with many medial setulae. Postgonite very elongate and narrow with apical setae. Basiphallus welldeveloped. Epiphallus very long and arched. Distiphallus half length of phallapodeme, narrow. Paraphallus tapered and curved apically, dorsal surface minutely spinulose past base.

Female terminalia: ( Fig. 331, 337 ) Sternite 6 slightly wider than long. Sternite longer than wide. Spermatheca dark, elongate oval in shape, with shallow, widely spaced transverse wrinkles that frequently intersect; duct inserted slightly off centre.

Etymology: The epithet is a patronym for D.K. McAlpine, in honour of his contributions to the study of Australian Clusiidae , and for the immense volume of Australasian Allometopon he has collected, many of which represent the valuable new geographic records and species presented here.

Distribution: Australia (NSW, southeastern QLD).

Holotype: AUSTRALIA. QLD: Wilson R. Reserve via Bellangry, 29.xi.1966, D.K. McAlpine (1♂, AMSA).

Paratypes: AUSTRALIA. NSW: Minnamurra Falls, near Kiama, 7.i.1961, D.K. McAlpine (1♂, AMSA), Huonbrook nr. Mullumbimby, 2.iii.1965, D.K. McAlpine & R. Lossin (2♂, AMSA), Chichester State For., 19.xii.1993, trib. of Williams R., rainfor., 600m, B.J. Sinclair (1♂, CNC), Huonbrook, near Mullumbimby, 4.xii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (4♂ [same pin], AMSA), 2.iii.1965 (4♂, AMSA), Wilson R. Reserve via Bellangry, 27.xi.1966, D.K. McAlpine (1♂, AMSA), 28.xi.1966 (1♂, AMSA), 28.i.1983, D.K. McAlpine & K.C. Khoo (1♂, AMSA), Bruxner Park, near Coff’s Harbour, 21.ii.1965, D.K. McAlpine & R. Lossin (1♂, AMSA), Dome Mountain, AMG 468100 6849100, 7.ii.1992, swept 2BG, S.F. McEvey (1♂, AMSA), QLD: Broken River, Eungella, 9.xii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (3♂ [same pin], 2♂ [same pin], AMSA), 10.xii.1961 (1♂, AMSA), Tamborine Mtn., 20.xii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (3♂ [same pin], CNC), Mt. Tamborine, 2.ii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (2♂ [same pin], AMSA), Binna Burra, Lamington Nat. Pk., 31.i.1961, D.K. McAlpine (1♂, AMSA), 1.ii.1961 (2♂ [same pin], 2♂ [same pin], AMSA).

Material examined [pale females]: AUSTRALIA. NSW: Huonbrook nr. Mullumbimby, 2.iii.1965, D.K. McAlpine & R. Lossin (2♀, AMSA), Broken River, Eungella, 9.xii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (2♀[same pin]), 10.xii.1961 (1♀, AMSA), Dome Mountain, AMG 468100 6849100, 7.ii.1992, swept, 2BG, S.F. McEvey (1♀, AMSA), Mapleton, S. Qld., 5.ii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (1♀, AMSA), Tooloom Range, Pocupar Road, 7.i.1992, swept, S.F. McEvey (1♀, AMSA), Richmond Range, AMG 474500 6813500, 3.xii.1991, swept, S.F. McEvey (1♀, AMSA), QLD: SE QLD, Tamborine Mts., Eagle Heights, Palm Grove, 26.x.2002 /25, 27.56S / 153.12E, rainforest, B. Merz & M. Foldvari / 25 (1♀, MHNG), Tamborine Mtn., 20.xii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (2♂ [same pin], AMSA), Mt. Tamborine, 2.ii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (1♀, AMSA), Mt. Darymple Rd., Eungella, 11.xii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (1♀, AMSA), Bunya Mts., 8.ii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (2♀[same pin], AMSA), Binna Burra, Lamington Nat. Pk., 1.ii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (3♀[same pin], AMSA).

Material examined [dark females]: AUSTRALIA. NSW: Wilson R. Reserve via Bellangry, 28.i.1983, D.K. McAlpine & K.C. Khoo (1♀, AMSA), Conglomerate SF 30: 06.93S 153: 04.02E, site 22AG, 18.iii.1993, swept, McEvey & Leask (1♀, AMSA), Cockerawombeeba Ck, Bellangry, 14–15.i.1988, D.J. Bickel, warm temp. rainforest (1♀, AMSA), Huonbrook, near Mullumbimby, 4.xii.1961, R. Lossin & D.K. McAlpine (4♀[same pin], AMSA), 2.iii.1965, D.K. McAlpine & R. Lossin (1♀, AMSA), Minnamurra Falls, near Kiama, 9.ii.1962, D.K. McAlpine (1♀, AMSA), QLD: Binna Burra, Lamington Nat. Pk., 31.i.1961, D.K. McAlpine (1♀, AMSA), 1.ii.1961 (2♀[same pin], 3♀[same pin], AMSA), Tamborine Mtn., 20.xii.1961, D.K. McAlpine (2♀[same pin], AMSA).

Comments: Allometopon macalpinei can be recognized among Australian species in having an entirely dark brown notum and a frons that is brown posteriorly and posterolaterally. The surstylus is also broadly rounded with shallow marginal subapical lobes on either side, the postgonite and epiphallus are strongly produced, and the distiphallus is present and the paraphallus is narrow and tapered.

While there are no appreciable differences in colour pattern or genitalic morphology amongst males, there are two distinct morphological groups of females that could be attributable to this species, some pale, being more similar in appearance to the males, and some much darker. Since females both types have been collected in the presence of each other and in the presence of males, both share the external diagnostic features of the males and they have rarely been collected in the presence of other species (some A. perkinsi ), both are here tentatively treated as conspecific with the males but not included in the type series.

Figures

FIGURES 148 – 156. Allometopon macalpinei spec. nov.; 148: paratype male, photo, dorsal; 149: same, lateral; 150: pale female, photo, dorsal; 151: same, lateral; 152: dark female, photo, dorsal; 153: same, lateral; 154: holotype external genitalia, left lateral; 155: same, posterior; 156: internal genitalia, left lateral.

FIGURES 331 – 338. Allometopon female genitalia; 331: A. macalpinei spec. nov., pale female, external; 332: A. asylum spec. nov., internal; 333: A. bivittatum spec. nov., holotype, internal; 334: A. gracile spec. nov., holotype, internal; 335: A. hesperotoxon spec. nov., paratype, internal; 336: A. kokodensis spec. nov, holotype, internal; 337: A. macalpinei, pale female, internal; 338: A. macalpinei, dark female, internal.