Leptodromia bickeli, Barros & Sinclair & De Freitas-Silva & Ale-Rocha, 2024

Barros, Luana M., Sinclair, Bradley J., De Freitas-Silva, Rafael A. P. & Ale-Rocha, Rosaly, 2024, Revision of the genus Leptodromia Sinclair & Cumming, 2000 (Diptera: Hybotidae: Ocydromiinae), with the description of six new species, Records of the Australian Museum 76 (3), pp. 133-150 : 136

Leptodromia bickeli

Barros & Sinclair sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:ACT:E2EB5928-CEA2-4961-87D8-E120B0B144B5

Figs 1–2 , 42

Diagnosis. Antenna brown, except scape, pedicel and base of postpedicel yellow; stylus longer than postpedicel. Scutum orange yellow, except for two black spots on prescutellar disc, that reach the scutellum, extended narrowly anteriorly; pleura completely yellow, without dark spots or stripes; mediotergite with two black stripes to almost entirely dark. Hind femur yellow, without dark spot. Abdomen yellow, with black T-shaped pattern on anterior margin of all tergites.

Description. Holotype male ( Fig. 1 ). Body length: 3.8 mm. Wing length: 3.5 mm. Head. Ocellar triangle shiny, with 1 pair of ocellar setae proclinate, short and slender. Frons shiny black. Face with dense grey pruinescence. Antenna brown, except scape, pedicel and inner base of postpedicel yellow; postpedicel elongate, lanceolate, about 2.5 times length of scape and pedicel combined, covered with dense brown microtrichia; arista-like stylus brown, with microtrichia, longer than postpedicel. Proboscis yellow; palpus oval, yellow, as long as proboscis, covered with dense yellow pruinosity and setulae. Occiput shiny black; two rows of long and slender yellow setae, 1 row postoculars and 1 row occipital, lower setae longer. Thorax. Antepronotum brown with 1 row of short, slender yellow setae. Scutum orange yellow, except for two black spots on prescutellar disc, reaching scutellum [extending onto scutellum in paratypes], extended narrowly anteriorly ( Fig. 2 ). Scutellum and mediotergite yellow, except two black, rounded spots on lateral margins of mediotergite. Pleuron yellow, without dark spots or stripes. Postalar callus with 1 long, strong seta and 1 short, slender anterior setula. Wing ( Fig. 1 ). Broad, membrane hyaline; 1 long, strong, black basal costal seta; pterostigma clear, elongated and narrow, situated at apex of cell c. Cell dm more than 2.5 times longer than wide, M 1 short, longer than crossvein r-m. Halter whitish yellow. Legs. Yellow, except extreme apex black of mid and hind femora, tarsi slight darker, light brown. Fore and hind femora swollen ( Fig. 1 ). Fore femur with 1 long, strong, black posterodorsal preapical seta and anteroventral row of pale setae. Mid femur with row of anterodorsal black setae on apical half, with stronger preapical seta. Hind femur with 1 long, strong, black anterodorsal preapical seta. Mid and hind femora with row of dark anteroventral setae. Fore tibia with 1 long, strong black posteroventral seta proximal to mid-length. Mid tibia with 1 short, strong black anterodorsal seta near base; 1 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal long, strong black seta near mid-length; apex with several long, strong, yellow ventral setae. Hind tibia with 1 shorter anterodorsal seta near base and 1 longer anterodorsal seta near mid-length; apex with 2 strong, yellow anteroventral setae. Abdomen ( Figs 1–2 ). Yellow, with black T-shaped marking on anterior margins of syntergite 1+2 and tergites 3–6, covered with short, slender yellow setae, longer on lateral margins. Male terminalia: not dissected. Female. Similar to male. Female terminalia: not dissected.

Type material. Holotype ♂, labelled: “VIC: Delley’s Dell ,/ 4km SSW of Halls Gap,/ Grampians Nat Pk / 37:11S 142:31E/ 30 Nov. 1992 / Moulds, McEvey, McAlpine”; “Australian Museum/ K 607767”; “ HOLOTYPE / Leptodromia / bickeli / Barros & Sinclair [red label]” ( AMS) . Holotype in good condition. Paratypes: Australia: Tasmania: Ellendale, WillowBridge , 42.6206°S 146.7105°E, sweeping, 18.xii.2019, M. Pollet (1 ♀, TMAG) . Victoria: Grampians NP, Splitters Falls [-37.146, 142.501], 30.xi.1992, Moulds, McEvey, McAlpine (1 ♂ K 608308, 1 ♀ K 608311, AMS); Grampians, Wannon R . nr Jimmy’s Ck [-37.372, 142.501], 10.xii.1977, D.K. McAlpine, M.A. Schneider (1 ♀ K 607768, AMS) .

Etymology. The species is named after Dr. Daniel Bickel for his contribution to the knowledge of the taxonomy of Empidoidea.

Distribution. This species is known from central Tasmania and Grampian Mountains in western Victoria ( Fig. 42 ).

Remarks. This species is very similar to L. t-maculatum sp. nov., differing in the narrow scutal stripes and brown anteprontum compared to oval scutal spots and yellow antepronotum in L. t-maculatum sp. nov.

Figures

Figure 42. Geographical records of Leptodromia Sinclair & Cumming, 2000.

Figures 1–2. Leptodromia bickeli sp. nov. male holotype. (1) Lateral habitus; (2) Dorsal habitus.