Acraspisoides Hill & Winterton

Winterton, Shaun L., 2007, New species of Acraspisoides Hill & Winterton and Bonjeania Irwin & Lyneborg (Diptera: Therevidae: Agapophytinae), with the description of a new genus, Zootaxa 1438, pp. 1-25 : 2-3

Acraspisoides Hill & Winterton

Acraspisoides Hill & Winterton, 2004: 4 . Type species: Acraspisoides helviarta Hill & Winterton, 2004: 4 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Body length: Male 10.0– 10.5 mm; female 8–12.0 mm.

Antennae positioned low on frons, slightly shorter than head length; flagellum slightly longer than combined length of scape and pedicel; scape short and cylindrical; 2–3 poorly defined rows of postocular setae in both male and female; pleuron with longitudinal stripe of velutum; velutum patches present on hind and fore femora, patch on hind femur relatively small; hind femur distinctly longer than fore and mid femora; anteroventral, subapical seta absent on hind femur; wing with dark banding, cell m3 closed; gonocoxites without velutum patches; medial atrium between gonocoxites absent; dorsal apodeme of parameral sheath ‘T’- shaped; large ventral bulb present basally on distiphallus, projecting externally of genitalic capsule between gonocoxites; anterior process of female tergite 8 narrow; three spermathecae; spermathecal sac small, simple, spherical in shape.

Comments. Acraspisoides is very similar in appearance to Acraspisa , although it is much larger in size, has multiple rows of postocular setae in the male, and lacks an acuminate scutellum. Leg and abdominal colouration is variable in both species. Unique to species of this genus is the relatively small patch of velutum on posteroventral surface of the hind femur. In all other agapophytine s.s. genera, this patch is much more elongate. Phylogenetic analysis by Hill & Winterton (2004) placed Acraspisoides as the sister genus of all other Agapophytinae (sensu Winterton et al. 2001). Although males are unknown for A. monticola sp. nov., the two species of Acraspisoides are easy to differentiate based on female body colouration.

Included species. Acraspisoides helviarta Hill & Winterton , A. monticola sp. nov.