Species Neodialineura ataxia Winterton, 2009

Neodialineura ataxia Male

© Copyright Shaun Winterton via Morphbank

Neodialineura ataxia Male

© Copyright Shaun Winterton via Morphbank

Neodialineura ataxia Female

© Copyright Shaun Winterton via Morphbank

Neodialineura ataxia Female

© Copyright Shaun Winterton via Morphbank

Museums

Regional Maps

• Neodialineura ataxia Winterton, S.L. 2009. Revision of the stiletto fly genus Neodialineura Mann (Diptera: Therevidae): an empirical example of cybertaxonomy. Zootaxa 2157: 1-33 [8] [Psilocephala lutea White (1915) was transferred to Nanexila Winterton & Irwin by Metz (2003). Mann (1933) previously redescribed the male of P. lutea from a series of male and female specimens from King Island, Tasmania, and incorrectly designated an allotype. Following examination of the type of P. lutea (MEI241961) (see discussion in Winterton 2007) and of the ‘allotype’ (MEI024210) designated by Mann (1933), it is clear that while Nanexila lutea (White) is a valid combination, the series Mann examined are actually specimens of Neodialineura ataxia sp. nov., and not N. lutea. Two characters unique to some individuals of N. ataxia sp. nov. are wing vein R2+3 abruptly bent posteriorly approximately at mid point, and vein M3 terminating before wing margin. Both characters are highly variable in form, specifically the degree of vein distortion in R2+3, and length of M3, varying from joined to wing margin to terminating approximately midway towards margin (Winterton, 2009)].

  Type data:

   Holotype AMSA K277610 adult ♂ (3.xii.1977, D.K. McAlpine and M.A. Schneider), Kangaroo Island, Flinders Chase, SA [35.348°S, 136.734°E].
  Paratype(s) AMSA MEI165153, MEI165154, MEI165155, MEI165159 4 adult ♂ (3.xii.1977, D.K. McAlpine and M.A. Schneider), SA: Kangaroo Island, Flinders Chase [35.972°S, 136.729°E]; AMSA MEI165151, MEI165158, MEI165160, MEI165161 4 adult ♀ (2–4.xii.1977, D.K. McAlpine and M.A. Schneider), SA: Kangaroo Island, Dunes, Seal Bay [35.991°S, 137.363°E]; AMSA MEI165152 adult ♀ (5.xii.1977, D.K. McAlpine & M.A. Schneider), SA: Dudley Con[servation] Park, [35.811°S, 137.876°E]; AMSA MEI165157 adult (28.xii.1970, G.A. Holloway), WA: Margaret River [33.950°S, 115.070°E].

Distribution

States

South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

SA, Tas, WA: Kanmantoo (KAN), King (KIN), Warren (WAR)

Diagnosis

Head. Frons and occiput pubescence silver-grey with dark brown markings; frons in profileflat, wholly pubescent; male frontal vestiture with patch of short setae above antennae, female frontalvestiture with short to moderate length setae; male frons width at narrowest point contiguous; male postocularsetae as single row immediately laterad of ocellar tubercle; postocular setae black; parafacia without setae;antennal scape shorter than flagellum, narrow cylindrical, scape vestiture sparsely covered with short, darksetae; flagellum orange-yellow, terminus dark or brownish orange, darker distally. Thorax. Scutumpubescence grey-tan with brown markings; pleuron with silver-grey pubescence; katatergite setae uniformpale; coxae pale, overlain with silver-grey pubescence, coxal setae mostly dark; femora dark yellow withbrown dorso-medially, rarely uniform yellow, femora vestiture short dark setae, longer pale setae on fore andmid femora; tibia and tarsi dark yellow with apicies brown; wing hyaline; haltere colour variable, usually stemdark, knob pale. Scutal chaetotaxy (macrosetae pairs): notopleural macrosetae 3, supra alar 1, post alar 1,dorsocentral 4–6, scutellar 1. Abdomen. Silver velutum present on abdominal tergites 2–7; male abdomenbase colour darkish, obscured by extensive velutum covering; male abdomen additional vestiture mostlyelongate pale setae laterally; female abdominal markings with tergites dark brown dorsally, intersegmentalmembrane distinctly pale coloured, well defined.

Notes

Included in other material examined is the Allotype of Psilocephala lutea male AUSTRALIA: Tasmania: King Island, A.M. Lea, [-39.833, 144.000] (MEI024210) (QM).

History of changes