Lispe absentiseta, Pont, 2019

Lispe absentiseta View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 357–362 View FIGURE 357 View FIGURES 358–359 View FIGURES 360–362 )

Diagnosis. In the group of species with setulae present on meron below spiracle, L. absentiseta can be recognised by the absence of the 2 p preapical setae on mid femur.

Etymology. The name absentiseta refers to the reduction in the strength of the leg setae and the absence of the 2 p preapical setae on mid femur.

Type Material Examined. Holotype ♂. AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: West Island ( South Islet), Edward Pellew Group , 20.iv.1976, D.H. Colless ( ANIC) . Paratypes 6♂ 4♀. AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: same data as holotype , 1♂ & 1♀ ( ANIC). Queensland: Cooktown, Finch Beach , 15.28S, 145.15E, 2.i.1985, G. & A. Daniels GoogleMaps , 1♂ 1♀ ( QMBA); Iron Range Nat. Park, Lockhart River , beach, 13.xii.1997, A. Zwick , 2♂ ( QMBA); Miriam Vale District, Eurimbula , sandy pool on beach, 28.iii.1975, D.K. McAlpine , 1♂ 1♀ ( AMS) .

INDONESIA, West Papua ( Papua province): Merauke environs, 8.55S 140.43E, 9–15.xii.2014, N.E. Vikhrev, 1♂ 1♀ ( ZMUM) GoogleMaps .

Description ♂ ♀. Head (profile almost as in L. cilitibia , Fig. 346 View FIGURES 346–350 ). Ground-colour black. Frons at broadest point 0.43 ( ♂) or 0.45 ( ♀), at lunula 0.32 ( ♂) or 0.38 ( ♀), of maximum head-width (frontal view). Fronto-orbital plate, frontal triangle, parafacial, face, gena and lower half of occiput silvery-white pruinose in ♂, frontal triangle and fronto-orbital plates tinged with yellow in ♀; frontal triangle very broad, frontal vitta almost totally suppressed so that entire frons appears silvery ( ♂) or yellowish-white ( ♀). Ocellar setae short and fine. Upper orbital seta short, lower one weak and hardly distinct from the ground-setulae. Parafacial broad, 2/3 ( ♂) to quite ( ♀) as broad as postpedicel; wholly bare. Antenna black, pedicel usually orange at tip; postpedicel short, 2.1 times as long as broad, falling short of mouth-margin by 0.7–0.8 its length. Arista short-plumose, the hairing at widest point 0.6 times width of postpedicel. Vibrissa short, shorter in ♂ than in ♀, not crossed in ♂ but just crossing in ♀. Gena moderate, 0.22 of vertical eye-length; genal setae rather dense behind, sparse to absent just before vibrissal area. Palpus yellow, abruptly swollen in apical part (as in L. cana , Fig. 335 View FIGURES 334–338 ).

Thorax. Ground-colour black. Scutum and scutellum densely dusted; in anterior view light grey, in posterior view grey to light grey and with no pattern of darker or undusted vittae, tinged here and there with yellowish in ♀ especially before suture and at sides; pleura also light grey. Anterior spiracle yellowish. Acr setulae in 6–7 irregular rows at suture. Dc 2+4, only the prsc pair strong, the others only twice as long as a ground-setula. 2 pprn, inner seta sometimes weak. 0–1+1 ia, both setae fine and short, the prst seta sometimes absent. 1+1 sa, both strong. 1 strong and 1 weaker proepisternal setae. 1 strong proepimeral, shorter than the strong proepisternal, with 5–6 adjacent setulae. Anepisternum with only a setula in upper anterior corner; posterior row with 3 strong and 3 weak setae. 3 strong kepst, lower one closer to posterior than to anterior. Meron with 1–2 conspicuous setulae below spiracle, bare above hind coxa. Scutellum with disc densely setulose, with a few setulae in 1 row descending on to sides, otherwise sides and ventral surface bare.

Legs. Black, knees and basal 1/4 to 1/3 of all tibiae yellow. Fore coxa bare behind. Fore femur without av; pv row complete, the setae fine, short and sparse, shorter than femoral depth; pd row complete. Fore tibia with a strong submedian pv seta; with strong d, p and pv apical setae. Fore tarsomeres 2–4 of ♂ rather short, not as long as tarsomere 1, otherwise fore tarsomeres without modifications. Mid femur without av setae; pv surface also without setae but with 1–2 longer setulae near base; a surface without differentiated setae; without p preapicals. Mid tibia with 1 submedian p seta; with strong d, a, v, and pv apicals, and a weak p apical. Mid tarsomeres without modifications. Hind coxa bare on posterior apical margin. Hind femur with 1–2 short av setae around middle in ♂, without av in ♀, and 2–3 short pv in basal third, several of the setulae on ventral surfaces longer and more erect; ad row complete; d preapical absent. Hind tibia without av or pd setae; ♀ with 1 ad, d and ad preapicals, and av and pv apicals; ♂ with the ground-setulae long and erect, especially on ad, a and av surfaces, the ad seta and the d and ad preapicals fine and not very distinct from these setulae ( Fig. 358 View FIGURES 358–359 ), the av apical strong but at tip of v and pv surfaces with several fine hair-like setae. Hind tarsus of ♂ ( Figs 358–359 View FIGURES 358–359 ) with basal tarsomere short, flattened, greatly expanded on posterior side, and with a dense brush of orange setulae along p and all over v surfaces, and with long p setulae also on tarsomeres 2 and 3; without modifications in ♀, though basal tarsomere is rather thickened.

Wing. Clear. Tegula mostly black, basicosta yellow. Crossvein r-m placed below the point where vein R1 enters costa; dm-cu sinuous, longer than apical section of vein CuA1. Vein M running straight to wing-margin. Calypters white, margins creamy. Knob of haltere yellow or partly darkened.

Abdomen. Ground-colour black. Wholly dusted; in posterior view, the dust light grey or almost whitish, without any dark markings. ♂ epandrium grey dusted. ♀ ovipositor with exposed tergites dusted grey. Sternites 1– 5 grey dusted. Setae only present on tergite 5, with 1 pair of weak lateral discals and 2–3 pairs of marginals, these weaker in ♀.

♂ terminalia ( Fig. 357a View FIGURE 357 ). Not dissected. Cercal plate as in other species of the cana -group. See the notes under Lispe sp.nov. below.

♀ ovipositor ( Figs 360–362 View FIGURES 360–362 ). Relatively short and small. Tergite 6 complete; tergite 7 complete; tergite 8 divided dorsally, each half displaced laterally, bare. Sternite 6 reduced to 2 small weakly-sclerotised plates; sternite 7 present as a small plate; sternite 8 absent. Epiproct narrow, divided, with several setae, connected to cercus. Hypoproct large, extended posteriorly, with several stout spines at apex. Cercus broad, plate-like, without spines. 3 spermathecae.

Measurements. Wing-length, 3.5–4.5 mm ( ♂), 4.0 mm ( ♀). Body-length, 5.0–6.0 mm ( ♂), 5.5 mm ( ♀).

Biology. Adults have been collected on beaches.

Distribution. Known from Australia (NT, Q) and Indonesia ( West Papua).