Tomosvaryella cona Motamedinia, Skevington & Foldvari 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Motamedinia, Behnam
name: Földvari, Mihaly
name: Skevington, Jeffrey H.
name: Kelso, Scott
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Pipunculidae
Tomosvaryella
Tomosvaryella cona

description: Tomosvaryella cona Motamedinia, Skevington & Földvari sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: E4709C4C-3766-430A-9F2E-E3BEBFD67781
Figs 25A–E, 118, 157C
Diagnosis: This species can be recognized by the hind trochanter having a keel covered with erect bristles along its edge; surstyli gradually broadened towards apex in dorsal view (Fig. 25A); gonopods cone-shaped, extended towards surstyli in ventral view (Fig. 25B); phallic guide with some spines in ventral view (Fig. 25B); both surstyli straight at basal two thirds and bent towards sternite in lateral view (Fig. 25D–E).
Description: MALE: Body length: 2.0– 2.2 mm. Head. Flagellum tapering; yellow-brown, as long as wide. Face silvery pollinose. Frons, upper part shining black; lower part distinctly silver-brown pollinose; eyes touching for distance equal to 1.2 times the length of ocellar triangle. Occiput silvery pollinose. Thorax. Postpronotum light yellow, with 2–3 short pale bristles. Mesonotum (viewed obliquely from front) brown, upper side darker; brown pollinose. Scutellum light brown, silvery brown pollinose and without bristles along distal edge. Dorsocentral bristles distinct, dark, mostly in frontal half, as long as ¾ width of hind femur at base, pale bristles around postpronotum absent; with 3–5 postalar bristles. Halter, knob and stem light yellow, base brown, stem with 3–4 short pale bristles. Legs. Mid coxa with 3–5 long dark bristles. Trochanters brown, femora black, silvery pollinose posteriorly, tarsal segments yellow-brown dorsally, yellow ventrally, last segment darker. Hind trochanter with small keel, and some short, erect and condensed dark bristles along its edge, ventrobasal spines absent on fore and mid femur. Hind femur without ventroapical spines, with some bristles posteroventrally. Hind tarsomeres obviously flattened. Pulvilli shorter than last tarsal segment. Wing. Length: 2.0– 2.1 mm. Upper side of basal costal cell with one long dark brown bristle. Fourth costal section 2–2.5 times as long as third costal section. Cross-vein r-m at middle of discal cell. 1–2 short dark setulae on tegula. Abdomen. Viewed obliquely from front tergites brown, tergite 1 silvery grey except a narrow band at its lower margin. Dispersed short dark bristles on all tergites present. Lateral bristles on first tergite present, 2–6 dark bristles up to as long as hind femur’s width at base. Genitalia. Genital capsule in dorsal view: epandrium rather longer than wide (MLE:MWE = 1.08). Surstyli symmetrical, elongated, constricted before the base, gradually broadened towards apex, curved to each other, left surstylus a little longer than right one (Fig. 25A). Genital capsule in ventral view: gonopods equal in height, extended towards surstyli, cone-shaped, both gonopods with a distinct projection on inner margin, right one is clearly distinct; phallic guide with 4–6 dorso- dorsolateral spines, one is longer than others; subepandrial sclerite short (Fig. 25B); Genital capsule in lateral view: both surstyli straight in basal three fourths and bent towards sternite apically (Fig. 25D–E). Ejaculatory apodeme tube-like, bent, with a bulb in its middle (Fig. 25C).
FEMALE: Body length: 2.6–2.7 mm. As male except for the following characters. Frons, eyes separated, as wide as 1.9–2.3 times the width at antennae, wider in the middle; completely silver-grey pollinose, shiny black in front of ocellar triangle, no transition zone. Enlarged ommatidia silvery shining. For femur with two distinct bristles ventrobasally. Hind tibia with condensed short bristles ventrobasally. Tarsi covered with erected bristles, longer on metatarsi. Pulvilli and claws about 1.5 times as long as last tarsal segment. Ovipositor. Piercer rather straight in ventral view, very long, rather straight and upwards at tips in lateral view, reaching distal end of 2 nd segment; base brownish pollinose with occasional bristles. LP:LB = 2.0. LDP:LPP = 3.0. (Fig. 157C).
Etymology: From the Latin conus, cone-like, in reference to the cone-shaped gonopods.
Examined material: HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Nairana National Park (NR2M), 21°34’S, 146°55’E, 196m, closed Acacia woodland, 10.XI–7.XII.2010, R. Raven, H. & D. Hanrahan, Malaise trap, 18497, CNC576506 (1♂, QM); PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Queensland: same details as holotype, CNC576500, CNC576503 (2♂, CNC, QM); Near Rosedale, 24°37’S, 151°54’E, 21.VII.1975, H. Frauca, JSS8524 (1♂, ANIC); Carnarvon National Park, Mount Moffatt section, 25°3’S, 147°53’E, dry sclerophyll, savanna opening, 1–2.XII.1997, J. Skevington & C. Lambkin, Malaise trap, JSS2276 (1♂, QM); Ridgepole Waterhole, 24 km eastsoutheast of Musselbrook Resource Centre, Lawn Hill National Park, 18°40’S, 138°22’E, 180m, 1.V.1995; 12.V.1995; 4.V.1995; 6.V.1995; 8.V.1995, G. Daniels & M.A. Schneider, JSS8281; JSS8286; JSS8288–89; JSS8297 (4♂, 1♀, QM); Scrub Road, Brisbane Forest Park, 27°25’S, 152°50’E, 10–17.X.1997; 2–9.I.1998, S. Winterton, N. Power & D. White, Malaise trap, JSS8412, JSS8440 (2♂, QM); New South Wales: Colo Heights, Putty Road, 33°23’S, 150°45’E, 6.II.1968, D.H. Colless, JSS8666 (1♂, ANIC); Coolabah, 31°0’S 146°42’E, 12.X.1963, D.H. Colless, JSS8663 (1♂, ANIC); Nelligen (tidal flat), 35°38’S, 150°8’E,, 1.II.1973, D.H. Colless, JSS8500–1 (2♂, ANIC); Rotary Lookout, Pigeon House Range NW of Milton, 19°30’S, 140°19’E; 22.II.1979, Z. Liepa, JSS9167–8 (2♂, ANIC); Culgoa National Park, 8km West-Northwest Cawwell Homestead, Diemunga Lagoon (CGN2M), 29°3’S, 146°60’E, Coolibah, 30.I–18.V.2010, C. Lambkin, R. Olsen, B. Shieban, Malaise trap, CNC575133 (1♂, QM); Ledknapper National Reserve, 5km N Beulah Homestead (LDN1M), 28°19’S, 147°10’E, Allocasuarina, 18.III–15.V.2010, S. O’Sullivan, C. Lambkin, Malaise trap, CNC576717, CNC576719 (2♂, CNC, QM); Mount Kaputar National Park, Dawson‚ Spring, 30°17’S, 150°10’E, 1–5.XII.1987, G.R. Brown, yellow pan trap, Moericke trap, JSS8745 (1♀, ASCU); Warrumbungle National Park, 31°14’S, 149°1’E, 18.X.1997, J. Skevington & S. Winterton, Malaise trap, JSS8399 (1♂, QM); Northern Territory: Namatijira Drive, 20 km W Hugh River Crossing, 23°49’S, 133°11’E, 760m, 14–15.III.2002, C.J. Burwell, JSS13933 (1♀, QM); Standley Chasm, 23°44’S, 133°28’E, 750m, 14.III.2002, C.J. Burwell, sweep net, JSS13931 (1♂, QM); South Australia: Koonchera Dune near Koonchera Waterhole, 26°41’S, 139°30’E, 3.IX.1997, J.&A. Skevington, JSS8341 (1♀, QM); Tasmania: Chauncy Vale Wildlife Sanctuary Near Bagdad, 42°37’S, 147°15’E, 17–27.XII.1998, J.&A. Skevington, Malaise trap, JSS4836; JSS4839; JSS4843 (3♂, QM); S. Winterton, J.&A. Skevington, D. Yeates, Malaise trap, JSS4833 (1♂, QM); Cradle Mountain National Park, 41°38’S, 145°57’E, in flowering heath, 22.XII.1998 – 8.I.1999, J.&A. Skevington, Malaise trap, JSS4685; JSS4725; JSS4735 (2♂, 1♀, QM); Western Australia: Karijini National Park, Juna Downs Road, 22°42’S, 118°25’E; 22°43’S, 118°25’E, 789m; 799m, between drying pools in rocky Turee Creek; near rock outcrop, Eucalyptus Eremophila scrub, 19–25.IV.2003; 25.IV–14.V.2003, C. Lambkin & T. Weir, Malaise trap, ANIC [Bulk Sample] 2059; ANIC [Bulk Sample] 2040, JSS16058; JSS16253 (2♂, ANIC); Karijini National Park, Weano Gorge Road, 22°22’S, 118°15’E, 775m, on hilltop, open Eucalyptus, 25.IV–14.V.2003, C. Lambkin & T. Weir, Malaise trap, ANIC Bulk Sample 2052, JSS15210; JSS16138; JSS16143; JSS16147 (4♂,ANIC); Millstream–Chichester National Park, Black Hill Pool, 21°20’S, 117°15’E, 176m, over wide dry rocky creek bed, Eucalyptus, 7–12.V.2003, C. Lambkin & D. Yeates, Malaise trap, ANIC [Bulk Sample] 2106, JSS16315 (1♂, ANIC); 82 km S junction Karijini Drive on Great Northern Highway, 23°7’S, 119°6’E, 694m, wash with pools, 23.IV–6.V.2003, M.E. Irwin & F.D. Parker, Malaise trap, JSS15674 (1♂, CNC); Karijini National Park, Banjima Road, 22°24’S, 118°16’E, 690m, in creek with pools, unburnt Eucalyptus grassland, 15–18.V.2003, C. Lambkin, J. Recsei & N. Starick, Malaise trap, JSS15975 (1♂, ANIC); Karijini National Park, Juna Downs Road, 22°42’S, 118°25’E; 22°44’S, 118°25’E, 789m; between drying pools in rocky Turee Creek; dry Turee Creek, grassy open Eucalyptus scrub, 19–25.IV.2003; 25.IV–14.V.2003, C. Lambkin & T. Weir, Malaise trap, JSS16166; JSS16090; JSS16093; JSS16103 (3♂, 1♀, ANIC); Karijini National Park: Juna Downs Road (between drying pools in rocky Turee Creek), 22°42’S, 118°25’E, 789m, 25.IV–14.V.2003, C. Lambkin & T. Weir, Malaise trap, CNCD3825; CNCD3832–3; CNCD3839; CNCD3862 (3♂, 2♀, CNC); Near Walyunga National Park, 31°44’S, 116°2’E, 18–29.XII.1999, J.&A. Skevington, C. Lambkin & P. Bouchard, Malaise trap, JSS7627 (1♂, QM); Neerabup Lake National Park, 31°38’S, 115°43’E, 18–29.XII.1999, J.&A. Skevington, C. Lambkin & P. Bouchard, Malaise trap, JSS7637 (1♂, QM); Pebble Mouse Creek on Great Northern Highway, 62 km E Junction, Karijini Drive, 23°5’S, 118°55’E, 713m, damp river bed, 23.IV–6.V.2003, M.E. Irwin & F.D. Parker, Malaise trap, JSS15880 (1♂, CNC).
Distribution: Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia) (Fig. 118).
Notes: This species occurs from the coast to Acacia -dominated habitats in inland Queensland and New South Wales. Tomosvaryella cona is morphologically and genetically similar to T. calcarilonga sp. nov. (1.1–2.1% pairwise distance). In T. calcarilonga sp. nov., the surstyli are wider in the middle in dorsal view, there is a Y-shaped spine along the posterior margin of abdominal sternite 4 and extremely long apical spurs are present on the mid tibia (Fig. 150E). These character differences are consistent so despite other similarities we recognize two species.
description: Published as part of Motamedinia, Behnam, Földvari, Mihaly, Skevington, Jeffrey H. & Kelso, Scott, 2023, Revision of Australian Tomosvaryella Aczél (Diptera: Pipunculidae) with description of 100 new species, pp. 1-271 in Zootaxa 5599 (1) on pages 63-65, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5599.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14970961