Blaena multitricha Froeschner, 1960

Blaena multitricha Froeschner, 1960

( Figs 41-48 View Figs 41–48 )

Blaena multitricha Froeschner, 1960: 460 ; Lis, 1995: 139, 1996: 185.

Redescription

Body. Length 4.70–5.84 (female), 5.44–5.50 (male).

Head ( Fig. 43 View Figs 41–48 ). Black, shiny, punctured, bearing numerous long hair-like setae, including 4–6 submarginal setae; lateral margins narrowing anteriorly, almost parallel-sided anterior to eyes; paraclypei longer than clypeus and joined anteriorly; the latter long, somewhat convex, bare; bucculae with fine hairs; ocular index 2.95–3.74 (female), 2.52–3.17 (male); ocelli small, distance between ocelli about 3.5–4.2 times greater than distance between an ocellus and the eye, ocellar index 9.3–15.4; rostrum extending beyond anterior coxae; length of antennal segments: I 0.24–0.25, II 0.31–0.34, III 0.43–0.48, IV 0.64–0.69, V 0.65–0.79.

Prothorax. Pronotum blackish brown or black, shiny, coarsely punctured, about 1.5–1.9 times broader than long ( Fig. 42 View Figs 41–48 ); its dorsal surface with scattered long hairs; anterior margin deeply concave, posterior margin concave centrally; lateral margins not serrated, each submargin with a row of 16–20 setigerous punctures bearing long hair-like setae; transverse postmedial impression shallow. Prosternum black, punctured; prosternal carinae well-developed, bare or finely pilose with a few light short hairs. Propleuron black, shiny, coarsely punctured, its anterior margin finely pilose, lateral parts shallowly punctured, bare.

Mesothorax. Scutellum black or blackish brown, slightly wider than long, punctation of disc as dense as that of pronotum, median discal carina narrow, more or less visible; scutellar disc with numerous scattered long hairs of different length. Anterior part of mesopleuron punctured, evaporative area narrow, reaching lateral margins. Corium from dark brown to black, punctured, bearing well visible scattered hairs of different length; costal margin with 6–15 setigerous punctures bearing long hair-like setae; membrane normally developed, narrower than abdomen, reaching or almost reaching its tip, veins branched and reticulate, darker than the remaining surface of membrane.

Metathorax. Metapleural evaporatorium narrow, not reaching lateral margin of metapleuron, peritreme elongated.

Legs. Anterior femora brown, shiny, bearing small dark tubercles on underside; anterior tibiae, moderately broadened apically and bearing black spines. Femora of middle pair with a row of small tubercles ventrally; middle tibiae straight with black spines. Male hind femora ventrally with 3—4 strong spines ( Fig. 41 View Figs 41–48 ); female hind femora ventrally with a row of small blunt spines; male hind tibiae bowed, thickened medially and apically ( Fig. 41 View Figs 41–48 ), female hind tibiae straight; all tibiae with short black spines and numerous short erect hairs.

Abdomen. Sterna black or dark brown, shallowly impressed sublaterally, entirely coarsely punctured in females, males with lateral margins of segment IV and antero-lateral angles of segments III and V impunctate; lateral margins of each segment with a row of 3—5 setigerous punctures, and with at least one well-developed posteriorly projecting spine, sometimes more small spines are present along entire lateral margin of each segment. Sterna with numerous golden brown hairs of different length. Male genital capsule as in Fig. 47 View Figs 41–48 , paramere as in Figs 44—46 View Figs 41–48 . Female genital plates broad ( Fig. 48 View Figs 41–48 ), densely punctate.

Material examined. NORTHERN TERRITORY: 1 male 1 female, Yuendumu , Feb'68, G. Watts ( SAMA) ; 1 male, The Pines, Nr. Arcoona Station ( SAMA) ; SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 1 female (paratype), Woodforde Ck., Andamooka Rgs. 31 Aug. 1948, G.F. Gross, Blaena multitricha det. R.C. Froeschner ( SAMA) ; 1 female, S. Australia, coll. Nickerl, Mus. Pragaensis ( NMPC) ; QUEENSLAND: 1 female (paratype), Queensland, Cunnamulla, H. Hardcastle , Blaena multitricha det. R.C. Froeschner ( SAMA) ; 1 female, NE Queensland, Marsupial Ck., via Croydon . pitfalls, March 96 - March 1997, J. & P. Hasenpush ( QMBA) ; WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 1 male, Meekatharra-Billiluna Pool , Canning Stock, Rte Exp, Apr.1930 - Aug.1931 ( SAMA) .

Distribution. Northern Territory (first record), South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia (first record).