Prolactistes australis, Lis, 2001

Prolactistes australis sp. nov.

( Figs 1 -7)

It is the only species ol the genus, and till other species belonging to Prolavtístes are discover, the diagnosis of the genus can serve also as a species diagnosis. Moreover, the shape of paramores in males, as well as the form oi a spermatheca in females can be used as a diagnostic characters at the species level.

Description. Body length (from head apex to the tip of membrane): 6.73- 7 72 mm (male), 6.68-8.02 mm (female), body width (across the hemelytra in their Widest part): 3.46403 mm (male). 3.424,00 mm (female).

Head ( Fig. 2) blackish bmwn, its lateral parts castaneons; paraclypei more or less coarsely punctured, elypeus and vertex always impunctate; each paraclypeus with a submarginal row of 3 hair-like seta/ e and 7-9 peg-like setae (usually 7 in females, 8 in males); eyes red or reddish brown, ocellar index about 27-31; ooelli large, from pole brown to red or reddish brown, ocellar index about 3.84.5; interocellar distance about 5.0-6.3 times a distance between an ocellns and the eye; 3M antennal segment about 1.034,16 times longer than the 2 ""; bucculae narrow, moderately punrtured and wrinkled; rostrum very long. clearly surpassing middle coxae, usually reaching or even surpassing the posterior.

Pronotum from castanoous to almost black, anterior half usually darker than the posterior; pronotal disc densely coarsely punctured, except large, impunctate and slightly elevated callal areas, puncturation behind head much denser than those on the posterior halt ot a disc; ea/rh lateral submargin with a row of 11- 16 setigerous punciures bearing long hair-like setae.

Scutellum from castaneous to dark eastanoous, sometimes almost hlaekish brown, its apex usually lighter than the base; sutellar disc more or less densely coarsely punctured with punctures slightly larger than those ol pronotum, basal and lateral rows of punctures well-developed, antero-lateral angles and apex impunclate; lateral parts ol scutcllar disc sometimes wrinkled and striated.

Cerium from castaneous to dark castaneous, usually lighter than pronotum and scutcllum. clavus and mesocorium sometimes partially yellowish brown; elavus with one complete and two partial rows 01 punctures; mesocorium with two rows ol punctures paralleling clavo-oorial suture, mesocorial dìsr almost evenly punctured with punctures smaller than those of scutellum; exooorium strongly relleoted downward; costa convex, clearly separated from exocorium almost along its entire length, costal margin with 2- 5 (usually 4) setigerous punctures bearing long hair-like setae; membrane semihyaline. extending well beyond the extremity ol abdomen.

Anterior convexity of propleuron almost impunctate, with small punctures close to head and coxae; propleural depression and posterior convexity with large coarse punctures; mcso- and metapleural evaporatoria as in Fig. 4.

Abdominal sterna from eastaneous to dark castaneous. Opening ol male genital capsule as in Fig. ã, theca of aedeagus strongly sclerotized, ductos seminis and 2nd oonjunctival appendeages very short, puramere robust (Fig. 6). Female spermatheca with rounded spermathez cal bursa (Fig. 7).

Types. Holotype male: AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: 12.8S 132.42 E, Nourlangie Ck., 8 km N. of Mt. Cahill , N. T., 21.v.1973, T. Weir & T. Angeles, 3976 ( MAGD) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 1 female: Northern Territory, 12.48S 132.42E, Nourlangie Ck., 8 km N. of Mt. Cahill , 21.v. 1973, T. Weir & T. Angeles ( MAGD) GoogleMaps ; 4 males: Northern Territory, 12.488 132.421E, Nourlangie Ck., 8 km N. of Mt. Cahill , 16. vi. 1973, T. Weir & T. Angeles ( MAGD, DBUO) GoogleMaps ; 3 males, 5 females: Northern Territory, 12.51S 132.47E, 8 km N. of Mt. Cahill , 22.11.1973, T. Weir & T. Angeles ( MAGD. DBUO) GoogleMaps ; 1 male, 3 female: Northern Territory, 13.34S 132.15E, “ Moline Rock Hole ", 6 km E by NE of Mt. Daniels , 23.v.1974, T. Weir &: T. Angeles ( MAGD, DBUO) GoogleMaps ; 1 male: Northern Territory, Beeboom Xing, Daly R. on Tipperary Station , 28.16.1972. T. Angeles & N. Forrester ( MAGD) ; l male: Northern Territory, Berrimah , 21.Xi. 1973, R. Fbx, ex light trap ( MAGD) ; 1 female: Northern Territory, Eldo, 8 ml. S of Gove Airport , 12~16. i. 1971, T. Weir & A. Allwood ( MAGD) ; 1 female: Northern Territory, 12.445 130.5813, darwin River, 16 km SW by S of Noonamah. 16. v. 1974, T. Angeles 81W Mollah ( MAGD) GoogleMaps ; 1 female: Northern Territory, 12.475 132.51 E, 19 km NE by E of Mt. Cahill , 13.v1 '.1973, T. Weir B: T. Angeles ( MAGD) ; 1 female: Northern Territory, East Alligator R., 10 ml. SW Oenpelli Mission , 22.vi. 1971, A. Allwood & T. Angeles ( MAGD) ; 1 female: Northern Territory, Port darwin , N. W. Australia, J. J. Walker ( BMNH) ; 1 male: Northern Territory, George. Uk., via Adelaide River , 2 Dee 1978, R. I. Storey, at light ( QPIM) ; 1 male, 1 female: Queensland: Queensland, Mitchell River Mission , N. Qld., 1 V 1960, E. N. Marks ( UQIC) ; 1 female: Queensland, Normanton , 3 May 1963, N. B. Tindale and P. Aitken ( SAMA) : 1 female: Queensland, Mt. Carbine , N. Qld., 51.1964, G. Monteith ( UQIC) ; 1 male: Queensland, Southedge Res. Stn. via Mareeba , N. Ql d .. 23.xi. 1982, L. J. Morgan ( QPIM) .

Etymology. The name is given after terra typica.

Distribution. The species is known only from the northern parts of Queensland and the Northern 'Perritory