Elissoma danielsi, Winterton, 2023

Winterton, Shaun L., 2023, Wasp-mimicking soldier flies of the Australian Region: revision of Ampsalis Walker, Elissoma White and Lagenosoma Brauer (Stratiomyidae: Clitellariinae), Zootaxa 5246 (1), pp. 1-63 : 21-22

Elissoma danielsi sp. n.

( Figs 12A–D ; 20 ; 25G, H ; 28E ; 36 )

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Diagnosis. Flagellum white apically, flagellomere VII slightly longer than combined length of flagellomeres V–VI; dark spot on anepisternum; hind tibia with dark band, hind tarsus white distally; face flat; scutellar spines small; wing vein M 3 present.

Description. Body length = 9.0– 9.5 mm. Head. Frons flat, whitish-yellow, female with elongate black marking medially, extending dorsally to black ocellar tubercle; face slightly rounded, whitish-yellow, short, pale setal pile; parafacial light yellow with margin of silver pubescence along eye; ocellar tubercle yellow (male) or black with whitish-yellow postocular ridge (female), overlain with sparse, short dark setae; occiput flat, black, white behind ocellar tubercle (male), covered with fine setal pile (white in male, black in female); postocular ridge narrow in male; antenna (length = 5.5 mm) with scape and pedicel dark yellow, flagellomeres I–III dark yellow with dark microtrichia, flagellomeres IV–VII black, flagellomere VII equal to combined length of flagellomeres V–VI, ratio of length of flagellomere VII to VIII is 1:36, flagellomere VIII black, elongate and deeply plumose with microtrichia, white in apical third. Thorax. Dark yellow with reddish-brown scutum, black markings on scutum anteriorly and anterolaterally on notopleuron, around wing bases and a single black spot on the anepisternum and katatergite; scutellum reddish brown with lighter margin, scutellar spines well developed, equal to 1/3 of scutellum length and slightly upturned; coxae and legs yellow, hind tibia with black band mid way, hind basitarsus dark brown, remaining tarsomeres white; hind tibia and tarsus longer and thicker than other legs; haltere brown; wing hyaline, venation dark; wing vein M 3 present; pterostigma dark. Abdomen. Male abdomen strongly petiolate basally, segment 1 equal to width of scutellum with segment 4 widest and equal to width of scutum; segment 1 with lateral flange well developed; abdomen orange with black suffusion medially on tergites 3–5. Male genitalia. Not dissected, but externally epandrium with posteriorly directed processes laterally; gonocoxites relatively elongate and lacking posterolateral processes; gonostylus subtriangular, medially directed; phallus relatively elongate. Female genitalia. Not dissected.

Etymology. I am honoured to name this species after Greg Daniels, who collected the type specimen of this species.

Comments. This distinctive species is known from only a few specimens from southeastern Queensland. The dark spot on the anepisternum, as well as the reddish-brown scutum and white tip of the antennae readily distinguishes E. danielsi sp. n. from all other Elissoma species.

Type material— Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Queensland: nr. Teddington Weir , S Maryborough [-25.6498, 152.6664], 25.IX.1994, G.&A. Daniels, C.J. Burwell ( QM).

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 1 female, Beerwah [-26.8514, 152.9592], 28.IX.1986 – 29.X.1986, B.K. Cantrell, Malaise trap ( QM) ; 1 female, Mt Glorious, 660 m, Hillier property [-27.3292, 152.7584], 12.XII.1998 – 28.I.1999, N. Power, Malaise trap ( QM) ; 1 female, Moggill , 26 km W Brisbane [-27.5791, 152.8841], 17.X.1983, M. Irwin ( CSCA) .

Figures

FIGURE 12. A. Elissoma danielsi sp. n., male, lateral view; B. Elissoma danielsi sp. n., male, oblique view; C. Elissoma danielsi sp. n., female, lateral view; D. Elissoma danielsi sp. n., female, dorsolateral view; E. Elissoma hespera sp. n., female, oblique view; F. Elissoma hespera sp. n., female, lateral view; G. Elissoma hespera sp. n., male, oblique view; H. Elissoma hespera sp. n., male, lateral view.

FIGURE 20. Stylised illustrations of the antenna of Eudmeta, Ampsalis, Elissoma and Lagenosoma.

FIGURE 25. Heads of Ampsalis and Elissoma. A. Ampsalis acta sp. n., male; B. Ampsalis acta sp. n., female; C. Ampsalis wallacei sp. n., male; D. Ampsalis wallacei sp. n., female; E. Elissoma australis sp. n., female; F. Elissoma gilva sp. n., female; G. Elissoma danielsi sp. n., male; H. Elissoma danielsi sp. n., female; I. Elissoma ichneumonoides sp. n., female; J. Elissoma hespera sp. n., male; K. Elissoma brunnea Hardy, male; L. Elissoma brunnea Hardy, female; M. Elissoma minuta sp. n., male; N. Elissoma lauta White, male.

FIGURE 28. Ampsalis and Elissoma scutellums.A. Ampsalis acta sp. n.; B. Ampsalis wallacei sp. n.; C. Elissoma australis sp. n.; D. Elissoma brunnea Hardy; E. Elissoma danielsi sp. n., F. Elissoma gilva sp. n.; G. Elissoma hespera sp. n.; H. Elissoma hauseri sp. n.; I. Elissoma ichneumonoides sp. n.; J. Elissoma lauta White.

FIGURE 36. Distribution of Elissoma species.