Protomiltogramma cinnamea, Johnston & Wallman & Pape, 2019

Johnston, Nikolas P., Wallman, James F. & Pape, Thomas, 2019, First record of Miltogramminae from New Caledonia: a new species of Protomiltogramma (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Zootaxa 4612 (4), pp. 595-599 : 596-598

Protomiltogramma cinnamea sp. n. ( Figures 1 & 2 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:17464DC8-FCE3-43B5-AEDF-6D1FF6F22EFA

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂ /// NEW CALEDONIA: / Province Sud, forest above / Sarraméa , 2–5.xii.2001, / Johan- son, Pape & Viklund // NRM-DIPT / 0011186 /// ( MNHN).

PARATYPES: 1♂ /// NEW CALEDONIA: / Province Sud, forest above / Sarraméa , 2–5.xii.2001, / Johanson, Pape & Viklund // NRM-DIPT / 0011187 /// ( NHMD) ; 1♂ /// NEW CALEDONIA: / Prov. Nord, Aoupinié , / 25 km S Poindimié, / 350 m, 24–28.xi.2001 / Johanson, Pape & Viklund // NRM-DIPT/0011173 /// ( NHMD) ; 1♂ /// NEW CALEDONIA: / Prov. Nord, Aoupinié , / 25 km S Poindimié, / 350 m, 24–28.xi.2001 / Johanson, Pape & Viklund // NRM-DIPT/0011181 /// ( NHMD) ; 1♂ /// NEW CALEDONIA: / Prov. Nord, Aoupinié , / 25 km S Poindimié, / 350 m, 24–28.xi.2001 / Johanson, Pape & Viklund // NRM-DIPT/0011179 /// ( NHMD) ; 2♂ /// NEW CALEDONIA: / Province Nord / Aoupinie ; 23.ix.2000 / J. & A. Skevington, / M. Mathieson // No. ENT17.26 /// ( QM) .

Diagnosis. Protomiltogramma cinnamea sp. n. is unique among all known Protomiltogramma in the distinct brown colouration of the thorax and abdomen. The new species is the only known example of a sarcophagid from New Caledonia with this configuration of brown microtomentum.

Description. Male. Size: 8.0−10.0 mm (n = 4).

Head. Frontal stripe dark orange; fronto-orbital plate with brown microtomentum, setose (at least 15 setae); third aristomere broad at base and tapering to a fine point, dark brown and longer than first flagellomere; antennal pedicel setose; scape bare; first flagellomere grey-orange and twice as long as pedicel; fronto-orbital plate setose, with row of 12 frontal setae, 3 reclinate and 1 proclinate fronto-orbital setae; parafacial plate bare; gena and postgena grey with black setae; vibrissa located midway between tip of first flagellomere and mouth margin; two supra-vibrissal setae.

Thorax. Strict dorsal view: light brown with brown microtomentum (colour variable subject to angle of view), particularly post-suturally on scutum and scutellum; two major lateral stripes, one major medial stripe and two minor lateral stripes (medial to the lateral major stripes and half their width); major stripes lie between prescutum and margin between scutum and scutellum; minor stripes continue until slightly after suture; scutellum with distinct areas of black colour on lateral margins; notopleuron setose, with two distinct strong setae; proepisternum bare; katepisternal setae 1+2. Wing. Hyaline; basicosta and tegula dark brown. Legs. Black; tarsomeres narrow; claws of fore tarsus 0.6 of length of tarsomere 5; 1 mid-tibial antero-ventral seta and 1 mid-tibial antero-dorsal seta.

Abdomen. T1+2: setose; dark brown ground colour, which changes to lighter brown on lateral 0.25 of both left and right sides; weak darker medial stripe present. T3–T4: dark brown ground colour most clearly visible towards posterior margin; white microtomentum present along anterior margin; microtomentum colour gradually changes from white to brown posteriorly. T5: similar in colouration to both T3 and T4 but white microtomentum increases in width laterally until it occupies approximately 0.8 of tergite length. Terminalia. Dark brown with faint white microtomentum. Cercus in lateral view broad at base and tapering to a fine tip; curvature angle ~110°; densely setose on dorsal surface; in posteriori view, cerci parallel with slight outward bend in ventral quarter. Surstylus 0.9 of length of cercus, with distinct lobe on posterior margin; in posterior view, surstylus curved medially. Phallus with acrophallus thin and needle-like, with sclerotisation anteriorly; proximal part of acrophallus with small spine-like projections.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet “ cinnamea ” [Latin for ‘of/from cinnamon’], which should be treated as an adjective, refers to the cinnamon-like brown microtomentum that can be observed on the head, thorax and abdomen of this species.

Biology. Unknown, but specimens collected during 24–28.xi.2001 were caught while congregating on a hilltop.

Distribution. Australasia—New Caledonia.

Remarks. A revision of the Australian miltogrammine fauna currently in progress by the authors has failed to reveal any evidence of Protomiltogramma cinnamea sp. n. occurring in Australia, thus making it unlikely that this species was introduced to New Caledonia from this country.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Protomiltogramma cinnamea sp. n., holotype male (MNHN). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, lateral view. C. Habitus, dorsal view. D. Head, dorsal view. E. Abdomen, dorsal view. F. Head, anterior view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Protomiltogramma cinnamea sp. n., male terminalia (from paratype NRM-DIPT/0011179). A, D. Epandrium, surstyli and cerci, posterior view (A = photo; D = SEM). B, E. Epandrium, left surstylus and left cercus, lateral view (B = photo; E= SEM). C. Phallus with pre- and postgonite, lateral view. Abbreviations: a = acrophallus, c = cercus, s = surstylus. Scale bars: 100 µm.