Psilota nitida ( Macquart, 1850 )

Young, Andrew D., Skevington, Jeffrey H. & Steenis, Wouter Van, 2020, Revision of the Psilota Meigen, 1822 flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of Australia, Zootaxa 4737 (1), pp. 1-127 : 63-66

Psilota nitida ( Macquart, 1850)

(Species plate: Fig. 27 ; Genitalia: Fig. 44 G–H; Map: Fig. 60B )

Coiloprosopa nitida Macquart, 1850: 449 . Type locality: Tasmania, Australia

Diagnosis: Face black, densely white pollinose, with white pile. Frons and vertex black pilose. Thorax black. Hind femur with a low triangular apicoventral setulose carina. Hind tibia with basoventral spur. Calypter with dark brown border. Halter pale. Abdomen black. Lateral edges of tergite 3 with many pale pile. Male genitalia with inner lobe narrow, nearly parallel-sided, broadening slightly and regularly over entire length. Body length: 11.6–15.5 mm.

Description: MALE: Head: Head black, face yellowish-brown in some specimens, face pale pollinose. Face pale pilose. Scape and pedicel orange-brown, postpedicel brown. Postpedicel triangular, approximately 1.5 times as long as widest point. Eye densely brown pilose. Thorax: Thorax black. Legs mostly orange, with apical 1/3 rd of femora, base and apex of hind tibia, and apical tarsomeres brown. Hind femur with a low, triangular apicoventral setulose carina. Hind tibia with a basoventral spur. Pleuron densely grey pollinose. Pile on anepisternum and anepimeron mixed black and white, pile on remainder of pleuron white. Pile on scutum and scutellum mixed black and whitish-yellow. Wing faintly brown tinted on apical half. Wing bare on anterior three-quarters of cell bm and one-quarter of cell cua, cell c bare on basal one-third. Alula completely microtrichose. Halter pale, sometimes with knob slightly pigmented. Calypter with border dark brown, upper calypter hairs brown, lower calypter hairs yellow.

Abdomen: Abdomen black. Tergite 2 mostly yellow pilose, with some central black pile at posterior border. Tergite 3 yellow pilose laterally, black pilose medially. Tergite 4 with mixed black and yellow pile. Sternites black, with white pilosity. Genitalia: Epandrium compact, slightly broader than long. Cercus approximately triangular. Outer lobe of surstylus inserted near top of inner lobe, curved smoothly downwards at midlength, and then swollen at apex. Inner lobe of surstylus narrow, nearly parallel-sided, broadening slightly and regularly over its entire length, with the apex rounded. Phallapodeme with large ventral projection. Gonostylus thick, not darkened.

FEMALE: Identical except for normal sexual dimorphism.

Specimens examined: LECTOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: Tasmania: “4/46” [circular label], “ Holotype,” “MNHN, Paris/ ED9344” and “ Coiloprosopa / nitida/ ♀ / Macq. n. g., n. sp. / Tasm.” ( 1♀, OUMNH, photograph) ; Other mate- rial: Australian Capital Territory: Namadgi National Park, 28.3km WSW Canberra near Lees Creek , -35.366111 148.835558, 900m, 18.ii–2.iii.2002, C.L. Lambkin, N.T. Starick, ANIC29035761 ( 1♀, ANIC) ; New South Wales: 3 km Northeast, Bilpin , Blue Mountains ; -33.484094 150.552878; N.W. Rodd; 3.XII.1986; AustralianMuseumK410125 ( 1♂, AM) ; Coocumbac Island Nature Reserve , Taree, -31.920678 152.454450, floodplain rainfor- est landing near small pool of water on fallen log, 18.i.1994, G. & T. Williams, AustralianMuseumK410624 ( 1♀, AM) ; Bawley Point, -35.500000 150.400000, 9–13.v.2001, D.C.F. Rentz, S.&O. Schmidt, ANIC29035760 ( 1♂, ANIC) ; Kangaroo Park, Manly, -33.803722 151.294769, on flowering Cotoneaster, 23.xi.1986, D.S. Horning, Jr., ANIC29035752 ( 1♀, ANIC) ; 3 km North of Lansdowne, -31.758753 152.534258, on Cuttsia viburnea , 16.xii.1991, G. Williams, AustralianMuseumK408020, AustralianMuseumK410243 ( 1♂, 1♀ AM) ; 4 m. N. of Bateman’s Bay , - 35.658458 150.177744, 14.x.1952, S.J. Paramonov, CNC _ Diptera 253693; USNM _ENT_00249828, ANIC29034901 ( 2♂♂, 1♀, ANIC USNM) ; 20.x.1953, S.J. Paramonov, ANIC29034890 ( 1♂, ANIC) ; 29.ix.1959, S.J. Paramonov, ANIC29034900 ( 1♂, ANIC) ; 22.x.1952, S.J. Paramonov, CNC _ Diptera 253694 ( 1♀, ANIC) ; 20.x.1952, S.J. Para- monov, CNC _ Diptera 255080 ( 1♂, ANIC) ; 22.x.1952, S.J. Paramonov, CNC _ Diptera 255079 ( 1♂, ANIC) ; Bald Rock N.P., -28.860783 152.055686, on Leptospermum minutifolium blossom, 6–7.xi.1984, D.K. Yeates, UQIC_ Reg 94642 ( 1♂, QM) ; Bellmore Falls , -34.633958 150.555914, 1948, S.J. Paramonov, [Date is ambiguous reads ”12.11.48”], ANIC29034897 ( 1♂, ANIC) ; Bilpin Blue Mountains , -33.500261 150.532989, 1978, N.W. Rodd, Aus- tralianMuseumK408019 ( 1♂, AM) ; Burralow Swamp, -33.548342 150.592047, 24.ii.1978, N.W. Rodd, Austra- lianMuseumK410170 ( 1♂, AM) ; Durras Bay , -35.645003 150.291439, 12.xi.1953, F.M. Hull, UQIC_ Reg 94722; CNC _ Diptera 254978–254979; CNC _ Diptera 254974–254975 ( 3♂, 2♀, QM; CNC) ; Mannus, near Tumbarumba, -35.808336 147.935786, 1.xii.1950, T.G. Campbell, ANIC29034891 ( 1♀, ANIC) ; Mooney Mooney Ck nr. Bosford, -33.437894 151.246467, 25.xi.1975, G. Daniels, G. Daniels Collection, GDCBReg_19721 ( 1♀, GDCB) ; Mount Tomah , Blue Mountains , -33.549614 150.416033, 28.xi.1977, 26–27.x.1978, 25.i.1979, 17.xii.1982, 13.ii.1984, 20.i.1985, 21.i.1985, 28–29.xii.1985, 7.ii.1987, 3.iv.1987, N.W. Rodd, AustralianMuseumK408011; AustralianMuseumK408014, AustralianMuseumK410123, AustralianMuseumK410129, AustralianMuseumK410136–410138, AustralianMuseumK410142, AustralianMuseumK410161, AustralianMuseumK410171–410172, AustralianMuseumK410276, AustralianMuseumK410166, AustralianMuseumK410280, AustralianMuseumK410104 ( 5♂♂, 10♀♀, AM) ; Tooloom, -28.592394 152.453372, 26.i.1926, UQIC_ Reg 94665 ( 1♀, QM) ; 3 km North of Lansdowne, -31.758753 152.534258, Waterhousia floribunda , 29.xi.1991, G. Williams, AustralianMuseumK409934 ( 1♀, AM) ; Willoughby near Sydney, -33.926375 151.125936, 16.ix.2001, D.K. McAlpine, AustralianMuseumK410128 ( 1♀, AM) ; Queensland: Blue Mountain , 0.6 km Southeast, -21.6 148.96, 800 to 1058m, 3–4.x.1999, G. Monteith, C. Burwell, Cook, S. Evans, QM _REG._NO._T223197–223199 ( 3♀, QM) ; Clarke Range, North Road-Pine Road , Cathu State Forest , site 2, -20.805278 148.483333, 750m, 24.i.1996, G. & A. Daniels, AustralianMuseumK410376 ( 1♀, AM) ; 6km W by N of Paluma, -19.000000 146.090000, 25.ix.1980, D.H. Colless, ANIC29034484 ( 1♀, ANIC); Blue Mountain , 0.6 km Southeast, -21.6 148.96, 800 to 1058m, 3–4.x.1999, G. Monteith, C. Burwell, Cook, S. Evans, QM _REG._NO._T223200–T223207 ( 8♀♀, QM) ; Gatton, -27.563583 152.279983, 22.iii.1960, J. Mar- tin, UQIC_ Reg 94595 ( 1♂, QM) ; Scrub Road, Brisbane Forest Park, -27.416667 152.833333, [Latitude] 27°25’S [Longitude] 152°50’E 3–10.x.1997, S. Winterton, N. Power, D. White, Malaise trap, UQIC_ Reg 94798 ( 1♂, QM) ; Gambubal State Forest , via Emu Vale, -28.235000 152.376111, 1090m, 17.iii.2009, G. Daniels, AustralianMuseumK408007 ( 1♂, AM) ; Eungella National Park , Chelmer’s Road, -21.132822 148.492683, 19.xii.2014, J.H., A.M. and A.W. Skevington; CNC451698 ( 1♀, CNC) ; Tasmania: Geeveston, -43.166500 146.933397, 28.xii.1914, G.H.

Hardy, ANIC29034896 ( 1♀, ANIC); Hobart, -42.882139 147.327194, i.1924, G.H. Hardy, ANIC29034898 ( 1♂, ANIC) ; Huon-Picton junction, -43.139689 146.714758, 17.ii.1967, E.F. Riek, ANIC29034893 ( 1♀, ANIC) ; South Bruni [Bruny] Island , -43.488236 147.295425 , i.1916 , Clarke , ANIC29034899 ( 1♂ , ANIC ); Warra Long Term Eco- logical Research Site 170, -43.100000 146.683333 , 14.i–12.ii.1998 , Malaise trap , UQIC_ Reg 94611 ( 1♀ , QM ) ; A. Simson , 3266, SAMADatabaseNo.29-003356 ( 1♂ , SAMA ); Victoria : Gunyah , -38.525603 146.255119 , iii.1955 , Bornemissza , ANIC29034892 ( 1♀ , ANIC ) ; Springvale , -37.947175 145.153067 , L.B. Thorn , ANIC29034489 ( 1♀ , ANIC ) ; Tarra Bulga National Park , Tarra Bulga Visitors Centre , -38.429578 146.566172 , 27.i.2006 , W. van Steenis , Jeff _ Skevington _ Specimen 43828 ( 1♀ , QM ) ; Barrington Area , Mt. William , -40.934189 148.235269 , 152m , 6.iii.1951 , B. McMillan , UQIC_ Reg 94667 ( 1♀ , GDCB ); F.M. Hull , CNC _ Diptera 254976 ( 1♂ , CNC ).

Discussion: Lectotype female in MNHN and labeled “4/46” [circular label], “ Holotype,” “MNHN, Paris/ ED9344” and “ Coiloprosopa / nitida/ ♀ / Macq. n. g., n. sp. / Tasm.” [in Macquart’s handwriting]. This specimen is herewith designated lectotype and has so been labeled.

Psilota nitida displays more divergence on COI than other Psilota and may represent a species complex. However, no morphological characters could be found to distinguish specimens that were more similar on COI than others, and it was therefore treated as a single species. This species has been collected on Cuttsia viburnea ( Rousseaceae ) and on Leptospermum minutifolium ( Myrtaceae ) blossoms.

Figures

FIGURE 27. P. nitida (Macquart). A) male dorsal habitus, B) male anterolateral face, C) male lateral habitus. Scale bar =1 mm.

FIGURE 44. Lateral and dorsal male genitalia of A, B) P. mcqueeni sp. nov.; C, D) P. metallica sp. nov.; E, F) P. nigripila sp. nov., and G, H) P. nitida (Macquart). Scale bar =1 mm.

FIGURE 60. Known range of A) P. nigripila sp. nov.; B) P. nitida (Macquart).