Austrothaumalea theischingeri, Sinclair, 2008

Sinclair, Bradley J., 2008, New Species of Austrothaumalea Tonnoir from Australia (Diptera: Thaumaleidae), Records of the Australian Museum 60 (1), pp. 1-12 : 9

Austrothaumalea theischingeri n.sp.

Figs 9–10

Type material. HOLOTYPE? “[AUST]: Blue Mtns. / NP, Blackheath, Govetts /Leap, seeps along track / 12.xii.1998 / B.J. Sinclair ”; “ HOLOTYPE / Austrothaumalea /theischingeri /Sinclair” ( AMS).

Recognition. This species is similar to A. uloola , distinguishable by the form of the gonocoxal plate.

Description. Wing length 1.8 mm. Coloration: Head dull, dark brown. Mesonotum and pleura brown and somewhat shiny; legs paler than thorax; halter knob concolorous with legs; abdomen dark brown. Wing evenly infuscate; R+R 1 +R 1+2 with macrotrichia along entire length, remaining veins bare; R 2 situated towards apex of R 1; bend in R 3 well defined; R 3 and R 4+5 divergent toward wing margin; CuA with short basal appendage. Male abdominal sternite 1 narrow, spectacle-shaped; sternite 2 reduced to slender, median sclerite, with pair of small, posterolateral sclerites; sternites 3–6 rectangular, sparsely setose; sternite 7 trapezoidal-shaped, with several marginal setae; sternite 8 narrow, one-third length of sternite 7. Male terminalia ( Figs 9–10 ): Epandrium broadly triangular from ventral aspect; posterior margin broad, folded internally, apex with pair of small rounded lobes; sharply pointed posterolateral processes present. Hypandrium broad, one-half width of base of gonostylus. Gonocoxite broad, somewhat narrower at apex. Gonostylus shorter than gonocoxites, gradually curved, tapered; clothed in setulae; apex partially flattened. Parameres fused to form short, laterally flattened, broad blade-like process arched lengthwise. Gonocoxal plate broad basally; median portion darkly pigmented as pair of ridges leading to 2 pairs of divergent digitiform processes; basally not fused to hypandrium.

Distribution. This species is known only from the holotype, the type locality of which is a densely wet, vast seepage area where at least seven species of thaumaleids are recorded.

Etymology. The specific name honours Günther Theischinger, who made the first careful study and revision of Australian thaumaleids.

Remarks. On the basis of the posterolateral epandrial processes, apex of epandrium and shape of the paramere, this species is most closely related to A. uloola .

Figures

Figs 9–12. Male terminalia of Austrothaumalea: (9) A. theischingeri, ventral view; (10) A. theischingeri, lateral view; (11) A. uloola, ventral view; (12) A. uloola, lateral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: epand, epandrium; gcx pl, gonocoxal plate; pm, paramere.