Diptera: Platystomatidae) and a Related New Species
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Queensland signal flies of the Duomyia ameniina alliance (Diptera: Platystomatidae) and a related new species David K. McAlpine Four distinct species are now recognized that agree in key characters previously given for Duomyia ameniina McAlpine, including the new species D. alfredi sp. n., D. semiclara sp. n., and D. rugula sp. n. Duomyia aliceae sp. n., which shows a possible relationship to these species, is also described. These five species all live in the Queensland tropics; D. ameniina lives also in north-western Australia, Northern Territory, and southwards to north-eastern New South Wales; D. rugula lives also in Northern Territory. D.K. McAlpine, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia. Introduction pronotum (for the humeral callus) are avoided as The family Platystomatidae, recently called signal they infer erroneous or inexact homologies. The flies, has relatively great generic and specific diversity term seta is avoided because of the diversity of its in the Australasian Region by comparison with that application in literature. The terms bristle, setula or in northern continents. On present documentation, hair, and molliseta are used for various categories Duomyia Walker, 1849 is one of the largest genera of macrotrichium (socket-based trichoid hairs) as in the Region, together with Achias Fabricius, 1805 described by McAlpine (1973; 1991). The terminol- and Euprosopia Macquart, 1847 (McAlpine 2001). ogy for parts of the aedeagus is shown in Fig. 1. Unlike the other two genera, Duomyia appears to be Material has been collected by the following: endemic to Australia, living in all six states and the D.H. Colless (D.H.C.), A. Daniels (A.D.), Australian Capital and Northern Territories. Most G. Daniels (G.D.), R. Eastwood (R.E.), D.E. Haven- previously described Duomyia species were included stein, G.A. Holloway, D.K. McAlpine (D.K.M.), in the key by McAlpine (1973), but many unde- L. Miller (L.M.), B.J. Moulds (B.J.M.), M.S. Moulds scribed species exist in collections. I find it necessary (M.S.M.), D.P. Sands, M.A. Schneider (M.A.S.), to elucidate the present group of species before com- M.S. Upton, P. Zborowski (P.Z.). pleting certain regional reviews. The following abbreviations refer to institutions holding collections: AM Australian Museum, Sydney Methods and terminology ANIC Australian National Insect Collection, Descriptive terminology is that used by me previ- CSIRO, Canberra ously (McAlpine 1973) with some terms further QM Queensland Museum, South Brisbane explained by McAlpine (2007). Many terms can UQ University of Queensland Insect Collec- also be found in various standard works on Diptera. tion, Brisbane The terms clypeus (for the prelabrum) and post- Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 154: 61–73, Figs 1–17. [ISSN 0040-7496]. http://www.nev.nl/tve © 2011 Nederlandse Entomologische Vereniging. Published 1 June 2011. 62 Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, volume 154, 2011 Taxonomy largely yellow; thorax black, with metallic reflections; scutellum without dorsal setulae and pruinescence; Duomyia Walker sternopleuron largely shining and non-pruinescent; prosternum relatively narrow, anteriorly rounded, Duomyia Walker, 1849: 800; McAlpine 1973: 71–78 (syn- widely separated from propleuron on each side by onymy and key to species); McAlpine 2001: 162–163 membranous zone; antenna much shorter than (discussion of generic limits and included species). face on median line; and, particularly, arista loosely Type species (designated by Hendel 1914): D. obscura Walker, 1849. long-plumose, with length of some rays as great as width of antennal segment 3 (as in Fig. 4). Unlike the majority of Duomyia species, the males have Identification pubescence on a substantial part of the length of the Specimens may generally be identified to genus by aedeagal stipe. Duomyia ameniina and D. alfredi are means of keys given by McAlpine (1973; 2001). probably the only species of the genus in which pru- Most species of Duomyia, including all those treated inescence is absent from the vertical surface of the in this paper, have: face with a flat-topped or medi- thorax between the supra-alar bristle and the wing ally slightly convex median carina with abrupt, steep base. sides; mesopleural (posterior anepisternal) bristle Duomyia aliceae sp. n. somewhat resembles the spe- indistinguishable from surrounding hair-like setu- cies of the ameniina alliance, but the hairing of the lae; squama (lower calypter) much larger than the arista is shorter, the sternopleuron is extensively grey- axillary lobe (upper calypter); suprasquamal ridge pruinescent from its upper margin to the median with fine erect setulae; stem vein (basal part of vein ventral line, and the armature of the fore femur 1 or vein R) without dorsal setulae basad of level (Fig. 13) and aedeagal characters are distinctive, of humeral crossvein; abdominal sternites 3 and 4 as discussed under that species. The prosternum is much reduced or absent; mid femur with a preapical broader than in the ameniina alliance, but is still posterior comb of long bristles. In life, the wings are widely isolated from the propleura. normally fully flexed and sloped roof-wise as in cica- Duomyia irregularis Malloch, 1929 of Northern Ter- das (not flat and overlapping each other) when the ritory may have the hairing of the arista almost as fly is at rest. This position is also seen in some other long as in the D. ameniina alliance and has a similar platystomatid genera, e.g. Microepicausta Hendel, prosternum, but is distinguished by having the pos- 1914, Rhytidortalis Hendel, 1914, and in some spe- terior part of the humeral callus and the dorsal sur- cies of Euprosopia Macquart (author’s observations), face of the scutellum grey-pruinescent, and the fore also in at least one species of Euthyplatystoma Hen- femur with characteristic ventral armature (Malloch del, 1914 (photograph by P. Zborowski). 1929: fig. 1b). Notes Key to species of Duomyia ameniina alliance Adults of Duomyia species are often collected at insect lights, and some are attracted to fresh mammal 1. Membrane of marginal, first basal, and dis- dung. Some species feed at flowers in forested areas cal cells of wing with substantial bare zones and have been recorded from Leptospermum, Kunzea, (Fig. 7); capitellum of halter yellow; vertical and Astartea (family Myrtaceae, see McAlpine 2001), surface between supra-alar bristle and wing also from Alphitonia (family Rhamnaceae) and Guioa base densely grey-pruinescent; tibiae largely (family Sapindaceae) (label data by G.A. Williams). tawny . 2 Larvae of Duomyia species are little known, but per- - Marginal, first basal, and discal cells entirely haps most frequently live in soil. Larvae of Duomyia microtrichose or almost so; capitellum dark foliata McAlpine, 1973 have been found in the nests brown; vertical surface below supra-alar bris- and eggs of marine turtles in Queensland (Hall & tle without pruinescence; tibiae black to dark Parmenter 2006). From the collection data of num- brown . 3 bers of specimens of D. foliata, it is evident that the 2 Mesoscutum with broken bright green re- species is not restricted to marine turtle habitats. flections; ventrolateral extension of face be- The Duomyia ameniina alliance includes the four low cheek without strong rugosity; central species now known that run to D. ameniina in the region of cheek in front of oblique ridge key to species by McAlpine (1973: 72–78), viz. without setiferous pits; abdominal tergite D. ameniina McAlpine, 1973, D. alfredi sp. n., 5 with lateral zone of rather coarse, mainly D. semiclara sp. n., and D. rugula sp. n. This alli- erect white setulae on each side . semiclara ance is characterised by the following features: head - Mesoscutum with reflections at most faintly .