Eupsilocephala albodorsalis Winterton, 2006, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Winterton, Shaun L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2006
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Therevidae
Eupsilocephala
Eupsilocephala albodorsalis

description: Eupsilocephala albodorsalis sp. nov.
(Figures 1–2)
Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: QUEENSLAND: Brisbane, Slaughter Falls, base of Mt. Coot-tha, 20.viii.2005, 27°28.41’S, 152°58.19’E, S.L. Winterton, hand net (MEI 165131) (QMBA).
Paratypes, AUSTRALIA: QUEENSLAND: male, same data as holotype (MEI 165132) (ANIC); female, Glen Aplin, 26.x. 1963, P. Kerridge (MEI 129824) (UQIC).
Diagnosis
Body glossy black with metallic reflections; frons and gena orange; scutum densely overlain with matte, white-grey pubescence; head and scutal macrosetae black.
Description
Male: Body length: 7.0 mm.
Head. Frons flat or slightly concave medially, width much narrower than ocellar tubercle at narrowest point, eyes almost contiguous just below ocellar tubercle; antenna positioned low on frons; frons and face pale orange, overlain with silver pubescence; eye ommatidia uniform size throughout eye; ocellar tubercle raised, black, overlain with sparse, grey pubescence admixed with several dark setae; occiput concave, dark medially, orange laterally, overlain with dense silver and black pubescence, single row of black postocular setae dorsally; gena orange, overlain with silver-white pubescence admixed with elongate black setae; palp and labellum orange, covered with dark setae; antenna bright orange, overlain with sparse grey pubescence, antennal length shorter than head, scattered, dark setae on scape and pedicel, flagellum with two apical segments and terminal style, style dark.
Thorax. Uniform glossy brown-black, scutum densely overlain with matte white-grey pubescence, admixed with short dark setae, scutal macrosetae black; matte white-grey pubescence absent on postalar callus, posteromedially between dorsocentral setae and as two glabrous spots on transverse suture; scutellum glossy black; pleuron with dark, elongate setae on proepisternum, anepisternum, katepisternum, katatergite and small patch on metanepisternum; sparse grey pubescence on meron, metanepisternum and posterior margin of katepisternum; coxae glossy dark-brown, overlain with sparse grey pubescence, admixed with dark setae on anterolateral surfaces of mid and fore coxae, posterolateral surface of hind coxa; legs glossy black-brown with pale suffusion, tarsi paler in colour than other segments, numerous short dark setae on femora; wing bright orange, darker basally, venation orange; haltere stem orange, knob orange and brown; scutal chaetotaxy (pairs): np, 4; sa, 1; pa, 2; dc, 3; sc, 2.
Abdomen. Bulbous, tapering abruptly, glossy black-brown, covered with short dark setae; sternites overlain with silver pubescence; terminalia bright orange.
Male genitalia. Epandrium flat, trapezoidal, posterolateral corners pointed, covered with short setae (Fig. 2 A); cerci rounded; tergite 8 emarginate medially, setae on posterior margin laterally (Fig. 2 B); sternite 8 quadrangular (Fig. 2 E); hypandrium triangular, partially fused to gonocoxites laterally; gonocoxite rounded, without medial atrium (Figs 2 C–D), numerous large dark setae located posteroventrally; ventral lobe relatively small; gonocoxal apodeme narrow, much shorter than gonocoxite length; gonocoxal process present, narrow, almost equal in length to inner gonocoxal process; inner gonocoxal process spatulate apically; gonostylus with strong, medially directed setae; distiphallus straight, dorsal apodeme of parameral sheath ‘Y’-shaped, well sclerotised (Figs 2 F–G); ventral apodeme of parameral sheath relatively short, forked; lateral ejaculatory apodeme narrow, band-like; ejaculatory apodeme, relatively large basally, laterally spatulate at anterior end.
Female. Body length: 8.0 mm.
Similar to male except: Frons slightly wider than ocellar tubercle; shorter setae on head thorax and abdomen; scutum with short dark setae.
Female Genitalia. Anterior process of tergite 8 narrow; three spermathecae, spermathecal sac relatively large, trilobate, each with multiple lobes; furca well sclerotised, ring-like.
Etymology
The specific epithet is derived from the Latin: albus, white; and dorsum, dorsal, referring to the matte, white-grey pubescent covering of the scutum.
Comments
Eupsilocephala albodorsalis sp. nov. is similar to E. kroeberi, but is easily distinguished by the presence of extensive pale scutal pubescence. Males of this species have been observed drinking water at drying streams in south-eastern Queensland in late winter.
description: Published as part of Winterton, Shaun L., 2006, New species of Eupsilocephala Kröber from Australia (Diptera: Therevidae), pp. 17-25 in Zootaxa 1372 on pages 20-21, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.174950