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NEW OR LITTLE-KNOWN SPECIESOF TASIOCERA SKUSE(Tipulidae).
b y. D 'C sr nr r s P. ALEXANDER,
llassochusetts Agricultorol Collego,
Amherst. llloss..U. S. A.

The gcnus Tu,szocera
was proposedby Sliuse (Proc. Linn. Soc.
NeusSouth ll:ales (2) 4 : 815, 816 ; 1889) for the reception of tvr,-oAustralian species,f. tuntticonefs
Skuseand T. gracilicornis Skuse.
Of thesespec,es
was selectedas genotypeby Alexander, tenu,t'cornis(Mem. Queenslandlllus.,7 : l; 1920).In recentyears more than ascoreof nerv species have been discovered in Australia and New
Zealand,all conformingwith the gcnotypein the excessivelyelongate
antennaeof the male, the peculiar venation,and the general structure of the hypopygium. The chief charactersavailablefor the separation of theseoften very sirnilar and closely allied forms are to befound in the details of sl,ructureof the male hypopygium, especiallythe shapeof the basistyle,the shape and place of insertion of the
dististyle,and the very remarkablemodificationsof the phallosome.
1\[. Bdrvardsin 1926discovered a,new species of. Tttsioeerain the
Chilean subregion,agreeingwith the Australasianspeciesin all
essentialsexcept that the antennaeare short in the male. A discussion of the linown Australianspeciesof this genus rvill be found in ap a p e r b y t h e r v r i t e r( A n n . I l I a g . N a t . H i s t . , ( 9 ) { 8 : { 6 9 - L 7 6 ; 1 9 2 6 ) .
In the presentpaper, I wish to describefour new speciesof Tasioceraf.romAustralia, three being from the eleval,edDorrigo ltlateauin
northeasternNerv South lVales, the other from Western Australia.
ln addition,I wish to tlesuibein some detailthe male hypopygia of
the trvo speciesof lhe genus describcdby Skuse. The identity of the
genotype.tetruiconzis,
has long remainedin doubt and it was not
until I rvasable to study the hypopygium of the holotype that its
charactersbecame
apparent.I am very peculiarlyindebtedto Dr. Ian
Mackeruas,of the Universityof Sydney,for his kindnessin making
microscopicmounts of the abdomensof the types of the two speciesof Tasioceradescribedby Sliuseand sendingthese to me for study.
The descriptionsof the antennae,body ,qndrvings of these trvo specios, as given by Skuse,&re adequate but the essentialand very
nocessarycharactersof the hypop)gia rvould haveremainedunknown
Diptera,t. IV, farc. 2, Peris, l5-XII, rgz8.

2

C. P. ALEXANDER

except for the kind intercst of Dr. Mackerrasand the Trustees ofthe MacleayCollection.I am very greatly indebtedto Dr. Mackerras
for many favors in the past, to the late Dr. EustaceW. Forguson,
for helpful noteson the Sliuse types oi Tasiocera,and to tho collectors of the new speciesdiscussedherewith, Messrs.John Clark andWilliam Heron.
The accompanyingfigure of the venation oL Tasiocerarvill serYe
to show the essentialfeatures,i. e., the complete break between
the prearcularcellsand R, the petiolatecell /13,l,hesubequal natureof Rsa3and R2, 1'hich lie in almost transversealignment, the positionof n?,-ttcclosetothe forli of rl1, antl other featuresshown by the
figure. The venationof t,heratlial field has here been interpretedin
accordancewith the nrodificationsproposed by myself in recent,\'eloSoullt ll'ales,52: 42'72,92 figs.
papers(seeProc. Linrt ,\'rrr'.
lgZZ ; Rec. Indian 1lltts., 29 : L68-L72,pl. 1:J, L927i Cun' En't''
59 : 67-68, figs. 1"2, 1,927)Shuse.
t. Tasiocera gracilicornis
1889. Tasio,'eri grtrciltcorraisSkuseI Proc. Lin'n. Soc. NezoSott'tlt'
Wales(2) 4: 817-818,pl. 24, tig. 55 ( a hl'popygium),fig' 50'
The holotype,a male from Nlidtllellarbor, Sydney,rvas studiedin
July 1927.lfof. hypopygiuu (Plate, [ig. t) rvith the supposedeighth
tergite (seeTasioitrn i'rttctliferaAlexanclet,Ann. Mng'Nat' Hist"
into a tait-lihe structureas in(gl1g ..i.70, fig. :t : 1g26) pr:oclucerl
cauctifbrabut here shorter and sl,outer,nearly straight, blunt atapex. Basistyle (b) short ancl stottt,with conspicuoussetae'Distislyle (d) terminal'in position,unusuallyshort and stout, widenecl
thc outerapicalanglcproducedinto an acutedusky spine,
outluarclly,
spithe inner apieal ungt,,protluced into a smaller, broader-based
thesetwo pointsproducedinto anous polnt ; apex of stVlebet,rveen
fleshy portion that is providedrvith setae.The flattenedpale plate ot
the phallosome(p) is l,ery broatl,iLs caudal margin conspicuously
emarginate,forrning trvo broad lobes.
2. Tasiocera domigensis sP. n.
Generalcoloration testaceousbrort-rt; antennae ( $) about onehalf longer than the botly, thc first flagellarsegment very long ;yein 2td ,4 r'elatively strort,enrling a short distance beyond theinarcular region ; male hypopygium with the dististyle terminal'
position, relatively short, expandedoutn'ardl.1
r t I a h . - L e u g t ha b o u t3 u r 1 r .; r v i n g ,3 . 3 m m . ; a n t e n n a4 . 5 m m .
Ilostrum antl palpi darli brorvn. Anteuttae(C) about one half

GENUS TASIOCERA SKUSE

longer than the entire body ; first flagellar segment very long,
elorigate-fusiform: rentaining
cylindricalI secondflagellar segment,
flasl<shapetl,each rvit,lra slenderapicalpedicel,
flagellar segments
the enlargedportion becoming shorl,er,the apieal pedicelcorrespondingly longer,on the outer segments; scapal segmentslightbrown. the flagellumbrcrvnish blacli. Head yellowish brorvn.
Mesonotumtestaeeousbrown, scarcel.yvariegated.Pleura testaceous.Hall,eresdarh bron'n, the base of tlre stem narrowly pale.
Legslvith the coxae and trochanterstestaceous; remainderof legsbron-n, the tarsi darker, the coloration protluced by darh setae
rvhich are easily removed.lVings lvith a brou-nishtinge, the veinsconstituting the cord borderedu-ith slightly darlier bror-n ; veinsdarh brown.
pale brorvn,the macrotrichiaelong and conspicuous,
Venation: Sc of moderatelength, ending shortly beforethe fork of
in alignment u-ith ,/?s,& little shorterthan the basalsecRs ; R2'raartion of Rt ; nz-ctajust beyond the forh ot Xt; vein 2tr,tlA relatively
short, endingabout oppositeone-thirdthe distancebetweenarculus
and the level of the origin of ^Rs.
Abdonrendarh brorvn.Lhe hypopl'gium paler. Male hypopygium(D) unusuallvshort and stout.Disti(Plate.fig. 2) with the basist.vle
style(a) terminalin position,a short flat[enedbladethat bearslaterally a broad-basedflattenedspine,the shor:tstemof the style narrower than the blade; outer malgin of the blade rvith a high crestof
producinga serrulateappearance
elevatedsetiferoustubercles.,; morebasally there is a lorver, flattenedlobe that is provided rvith sparse
heavilyblackened.
setulae.Phallosome(p) apparentlyasynunetrical,
A very pale flattenedplate is dividedinto tu-o obtuse lobes by aprofoundlinear incision.
Hab. Nerv Soutlt Wales.
Ii. Dorrigo"alt,itutle2000 feet, January
Ilolotype, ;f, Broul<latta,
L5, lg27 (ll-nr. Heron); in author'scollection.
3. Tasiocera bipennata

sp. n.

Vein 2ru1A relativclyshorl, entlingabout opposite one-thirdthewitharculus and origin o[ 1?s; malehypop.y;gium
distancebetrveen
the distist;'leshort and stout, terminalin position,bifid near apex,
the lateralalru a fla[lenedglabrous spine; phallosonlcappearinga s a t l a t t e n e dn r e d i a np l a t e ,t h e s u r t a c ea. n d e s p e c i a l l yL h el a t e r a lmargins,rvith blaclienedspines that alc longer at apex and here
producedinto tail-liliestructures.
6 m.
M n l e . - I . , e n g t h3, - 3 . 5 m m . ; w i n g , : 1 . 4 - 3 . m

4

C. P. ALEXANDER

Female. - L e n g t ha b o u t3 . 6 - 3 . 8m m . ; w i n g , L . Z - 4 . 9m m .
Rostrumand palpi dark brown. Antennaebrownishblack,in themale with the basalflagellarsegmenlelongate-cylindrical,
the noduloso appearancebeginning about t,hethird flagellar segment, becoming more marked outrvardly.
Generalcolorationof the thoracic notum dark brown, the pleura
yellorvishtestaceous.Halteresdark brown. [,egsbrownish black, thecoxae and trochantersyellowish testaceous.
Wings as in the genus.
Venation (Text-figuro1) : vein znd A relatively short, extending toshortly beyond one-thirdof the distanceseparatingthe arculusfrom
the origin of r?s.
Abdomen dark brown, the sternitesobscure yellol'. Male hypopygium (Plate, fig. 3) rvith the basistyle(D) relatively short and stout.
Dististyle (d) terminal in position, relatively short and stout, bifid

Fi
Fig. 1. -cd,

Venation of Tasiocerabipennata sp. n. Symbols : A : Anal veins ; Cu :Cubitus ; lI : lledia; R : Radius ; Sc : Subcosta.

near apex, the lateral arm glabrous,obtuse or acutely pointed atapex in different specimens,as figured, the apical arm setiferous;
face of the style rvibha lorv, dark, pectinatecomb. phallosome(p)appearingss a flattenedmedian plate, the lateralmargins rvith abundant blackenedspinesthat beconremore lengthened and appressedapically, extending caudadon either side into tail-like struotures.
Hab. Nerv South Wales.
Holotype,g, Broolilana,E. Dorrigo, altitude 2000feet,october, tg,
L927(lvm. lleron). A I lot op otyp e, g, November 6, i.gzl . P aratopotypes,
3 g t, rvith the allobype; in author'scollection.
4. Tasiocdra tenuicornis
Sliuse.
f.889. Tasiocerutenu,icortis Skuse ; Proc. Linn ^Soc.NeusSoutlt
l l ' a l e s , ( 2 ) 4 : 8 1 6 - 8 1 7p, l . 2 1 , f i g . 1 3 ( w i n g ) .
The holotype.a male, rvasstudiedin July 1927.Male hypopygium(Pfate, tig. q with the lrasistylos(6) long and slender,the opr* produced into a long stout fleshy lobo, the whole style with scatt.ered

GENUS TASIOCERA SKUSE

elongatesetao; mesal face of style just eaudadof the dististyle producedinto a short acute spine that is not heavily chitinized.Dististyle (d) subterrninalin position,relativelybroad,flattened,of nearly
equal width throughout its length, terminatingin a dusky spinous
tooth and additionalmicroscopicpaler points; on the outer marginflangeor rving-like projection What appears
near base a conspicuous
to represcntthe ninth tergite(not shown in figure) is a fleshy plate,black setae,
eachlateral angle densely provided rvith subappressed
this structurenearlyas in other mernbersof the genus. Phallosome
with a chitinizedplate that terminatesin trvo acute spinous teeth.
separatedfrom one another b)' u broad U-shaperlnotch. Anotherconspicuousstructure of the phallosomeappearsas a semicircularpale blade, the lateral anglesblaekened.
5. Tasiocera occidentalis sp. n.
Generalcolorationbros'nishtestaceous;rvingswith Rz+B* a elongate, approximatelyfour times the basal sectionof /15; male hypopygium rvith the dististylesubterminalin position,slender,with &n
withappressed
spine near midlengthof the outer margin; phallosome
each ventral lateralanglcproducedcaudadinto a long acute incurved
spine.
trIale. - Lengthabou[ 2.8 mm. ; wing about 3.8 mm.
Rostrumand palpi brown. Antennae( d) approximatelytwice thelength of the entire body ; scapal segmentsbrownish testaceous;
flagellarsegmentsdark brott'n,n-ibhyery long, outspreadingsetae.
Headdark gray, tlre medianereadarker.
the praescutuma little darker ;llesonotumbrownish testaoeous,
Pleurapale
foveaeelongate,shiny blacli,conspicuous.
pseudosutural[.egss'il,hthe coxaeand troHaltereselongate,infuscatcd.
testaceous.
chantersteslaceous; remainderof legs tlarl<brou'n. Wings u'ith along and conspicuous,grayishtinge, l,heveinsdarlier I macrotrichiae'
dark llrown. Venation Rt*.r1.r elongate,approximatelyfour times
the basal deflectionof ,Rs; vein 2nd A not apparentin the unique'imporfectlypreservedtype.
Abdomendark brorvn,the hypopygiuma lit,tic paler. Male hypopygium (Plate,fig. 5) with the basistvle(|;) very long and slender,b e y o n dt h e p o i n to f i n s e r t i o no f t h e d i s t i s t y l ep r o d u c e di n t o a s t o u t ,g e u t l y a r c u a t e dl o b e ,t h e a p e x r v i [ h a g r o u p o f s i x o r s e v e np o r v e r f u l
s p i n o u ss e t a e; o u t e rf a c eo f b a s i s t v l ew i t h s m a l l e rs e t a e . D i s t i s t y(lde)s u b l e r m i n a l ,s l c n d e r , t h e o u l e r m a r g i n n e a r m i r l l e n g t hw i t h a neppressedspine; apex of style denticulate,the marginback from the

6C.

P. ALEXANDER

tip lvith microseopic
paletubereles,
ear:hset rvitha smallpalespins.
Phallosome(p) complicatedin structure, eachventrolateralangle
producedcaudadinto a long,acute,gentryincurvedspine,the twospinestakentogetherappearingro-u*hativriform.
Hab. WestAustralia.
Hoiotyp€,3, Perth("r. clark); in lrlationalMuseum,l\{elbourne.
6. Tasiocera primaveris

sp. n.

vein 2nd A virtually confruentwith the anal angle of the u,ing,
endingopposite the arcurus; mare hypop)'gium*-ith the dististyie
subterminalin pdsitio', slender;phalGo.. narrowed apicallyandhere provided*'ith microscopic
appressed
spinures.
-I)Iale. Lengthabout 2.g mm. ; *-ing about3.5 mm.
Rostrum,palpi and antennaedark bro*'n flagellarsegmentsof;
about the basal half of the organ nearry cl,lindricil, onr;, theoutersegmentsbecomingnodulose.Head darlr brorvn.
Generalcoloration of the tborax dark brorvn, the humeral regionof the praescutumand the pleura more tostar:eous
bro1,n. Halteresand legsdark brown.\vings relatively narro\y.venation : vein 2nrt
Arunning so closeto the anal margin as to be virtually confluent l,ith-vein
it, the cell thus reduced to a mere strip, theending opposite the arculus.
Abdomen dark brorvn, the hypopygiumsomervhatbrighter.
Maleh5'popygium (Plate,fig. 6) much as in angustistylusin itre slender
subterminaldististylebut the phalloso.u n.ty different.Outer lobeof the basistyle(6) stout, the setaeof the mesal face very large andporverful, of the outer face smaller, of the base of the-style verysmall. Dististyle(d) subterminalin position,relativelystoutat base,beyond the basal third gradually naLro'ecl, the tip rvith & s19rt,
pon'erfulflattenedbristle,the cephalicor mesal margin of the stylewith about threetnicroscopic
spinulae.Phallosorne(p) broad, narrowed at apex and here sct lvith microscopic
approssed
spinulae.
IIab. New South Wales[Iolotype, d. Broolilana,E. Dorrigo, altitude 2000feet, alongas t r e a m ,N o v e m b e r6 , 1 , 9 2 7( l v n t . I I e r o n ) ; i n a u t h o r ' sc o l l e c t i o n .
Tasioceraprintareris is somervhat sinrilar to T. rtttcJttstisrylus
A l e x a n d e r( , 4 r u t . , l l a g .A ' a t .H i s t . , ( g ) l g : l 7 t - l " i ( ) ,t i $ . i i , r i l g 2 $ ) ,;t l i f f e r i n ge s p e c i a l l iyn t h e s t r u c t u r eo f t h e p l r a l l o s o m e .

Pl. tI.

DIPTERA, T. III.

,

6
ExplanationofthePlate.Symbolsib:basistyl_e;d={ististyleiP:phallosome.
-l- Male Hypopygiar;- fig. 1. Tasiocera graiilicornfs Skuse; holo-typ_e;.2, T. dor.rigensis'sp.^n.; holotype lg, t. bipennata_!P: n.; ^paratype 4, ?. tenuicornis
S[use;htitotype;6,i]oc'ctdbntalis3p.t.;holbtype;6.T.primaverissp.n.;holotYPe.

l l N r l \ ' (It , o P l l l ) l l l l l N ' l ' oM o l , o c l Q t l E
AVIS AUX

AUTEURSLi linc.tlclopedie lint'omologique comprend detrx sdries.
Ira pr'6senteserie (S6r'ieB : Diptera) parait quatre fois par
a n p a r f a s c i c u l e sd e 4 0 A 4 8 l ) a g e s ,i l l u s t r ' € s .
L e s m 6 m o i r e s d a c t y l o g r a p h i e so u l i s i b l e m e n t e c r i t s ( s a n s
lectures douteuses) r'ediges en latin, f ranqais., allernand,s II. S6guy,
a n g l a i s , e s p a g n o l . i t a l i e n . ,d o i v e n t 6 t r e a c l r e s s 6A
p r e p a r a t t : u ta' u M u s d u m , 4 5 b i s , r u e d e B u f f o n , P a r i s - V o . I l sn e d e v r o n t p a s d d p a s s e ra u t a n t q u e P o s s i b l e ,8 0 p a g e s d ' i r n p r e s s i o n .L e s m 6 m o i r e sp l u s i m p o r t a n t s f e r o n t I ' o b j e t d ' u nexamen en vue de leur insertion clans la serie A.
S ' i l y a l i e u , l e s t ' 6 f e r e n c e sb i b l i o g r a p l t i q u e ss e r o n t r 6 u n i e s
i l a f i n d u m 6 r n o i r ee n u n i n d e x , c l a s s cp. a r o r c l r ea l p t r a b e t i q u ee t n e c o m p r e n a n tq u e l e s t r a v a u x c i t c s d a n s l e t e x t e .
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