Calliphora ampyx, Johnston & Szpila & Pape & Meiklejohn & Foley & Wallman, 2025

Johnston, Nikolas P., Szpila, Krzysztof, Pape, Thomas, Meiklejohn, Kelly A., Foley, Liam B. & Wallman, James F., 2025, A species-group framework to unravel blowfly diversity: integrative revision of the Calliphora clarki-group (Diptera: Calliphoridae), European Journal of Taxonomy 989, pp. 94-118 : 104-106

Calliphora ampyx sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:063B0134-5BAA-41DD-B41D-A8F12A670870

Fig. 2

Diagnosis

This species can be distinguished from other members of the clarki -group by the unique combination of the basicosta ground colour not black, males with fronto-orbital and parafacial plates mottled gold at height of antennal insertion, and the cercus strongly hooked and with a pronounced concave region in the basal half.

Etymology

The species epithet ‘ ampyx ’ is a Greek word for a ‘diadem’ or ‘headband’, often made from metal and worn around the front of the head. This name refers to the diagnostic golden microtomentum on the fronto-orbital plates of this species.

Type material

Holotype AUSTRALIA – NSW • ♂; Kosciuszko National Park ; 36°21′00.7″ S, 148°33′51.9″ E; 29 Jan. 2023; N.P. Johnston, J.F. Wallman, A. Grzywacz and K. Szpila leg.; ANIC.

Paratypes AUSTRALIA – ACT • 2 ♀♀; Jervis Bay ; 17–18 Sep. 1951; K.R. Norris leg.; ANIC • 1 ♀; Canberra; Oct. 1982; M. Whitten leg.; ANIC • 63 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; Canberra; 4 Mar. 1984 – 20 Jan. 1993; K.R. Norris leg.; ANIC • 1 ♀; Black Mountain ; 26 Sep. 1984; L. Liepa leg.; ANIC • 2 ♂♂, 13 ♀♀; Mt Stromlo ; 20–26 Oct. 1993; D.K. Yeates leg.; ANIC. – NSW • 1 ♀; Barrington Tops ; 6 Apr. 1949; S.J. Paramonov leg.; ANIC • 1 ♀; Depot Beach ; 22 Dec. 1967; I.F.B. Common leg.; ANIC • 7 ♂♂, 16 ♀♀; Kosciuszko National Park ; 36°21′00.7″ S, 148°33′51.9″ E; 29 Jan.–4 Feb. 2023; N.P. Johnston, J.F. Wallman, A. Grzywacz and K. Szpila leg.; ANIC • 10 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Ulladulla ; F.H. Taylor leg.; ANIC • 1 ♂; Wentworth Falls ; F.H. Taylor leg.; ANIC. – VIC • 1 ♀; Victorian Border, Princes Highway ; 30 Dec. 1955; C. Fuller leg.; ANIC • 7 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Urquhart Bluff ; 19 Nov. 1975; K.R. Norris leg.; ANIC • 1 ♂; Young’s Creek ; 9 Nov. 1976; D.H. Colless and L. Liepa leg.; ANIC • 2 ♂♂; Omeo Highway ; 30 Nov. 1979; K.R. Norris leg.; ANIC .

Description

This species is morphologically similar to C. clarki , except for the following character states.

HEAD. Fronto-orbital plate (viewed dorsally) with gold microtomentum along entire length, microtomentum highly variable when viewed laterally. Parafacial plate black, with gold microtomentum. Frontal stripe dark brown, tapering, decreasing from ~5 × to 1× width of anterior ocellus (lunule to height of anterior ocellus). Face with brassy microtomentum. Postpedicel twice length of pedicel, orange, some specimens with anterio-lateral black regions that occupy 0.25–0.50 of flagellomere, with very weak yellow microtomentum (most visible when viewed dorsally). Gena black with brassy microtomentum and black setulae. Postgena concolorous with gena, with black setulae.

THORAX. With weak grey microtomentum, only visible presuturally. Proepisternum, anepisternum, katepisternum, anepimeron, meron, anatergite and katatergite all black, with weak brassy or grey microtomentum. Anterior spiracle dark brown. Posterior spiracle complete, dark brown concolourous with anterior spiracle.

CHAETOTAXY. One pair of discal scutellar setae; katepisternal setae 1+1.

WING. Upper calypter white with contrasting brown margin. ABDOMEN. T1+2–T5 ground colour metallic green, with no microtomentum.

MALE TERMINALIA. Cercus. Equal in length to phallus, hooked with a pronounced concave region in basal half; in posterior view, fused in proximal 0.25, separated by greater than width of one cercus for remaining 0.75. Surstylus. Slightly longer than cercus, setose; in lateral view, curved slightly downwards; in posterior view, straight. Phallus. In lateral view, epiphallus as long as post-gonite, hooked in distal 0.1. Pre-gonite length half of post-gonite; triangular. Post-gonite curved, with broad rounded tip. Hypophallic lobe serrated on anterior margin, sclerotised for entire length. Paraphallus straight, not reaching posterior margin of hypophallic lobe. Acrophallus straight, mesohypophallus weakly sclerotised in distal half, with small break, then sclerotised in proximal half.

Female

The external morphology of the female is identical to that of the male, except in the following respects:

HEAD. Fronto-orbital and parafacial plate with gold microtomentum, one pair of outer vertical setae.

ABDOMEN. S5 uncleft.

Ecology

Unknown.

Distribution

AUSTRALIA: ACT, NSW and VIC.

Remarks

Label data indicate that this species was seen emerging from a garden lawn in large numbers (♀; Canberra; Oct. 1982; M. Whitten leg.; ANIC). It was also observed on dog faeces (♀, 8 Apr. 1984; K.R. Norris) and caught at light traps (♀; Black Mountain; 26 Sep. 1984; L. Liepa).

Figures

Fig. 2. A–C, F–H. Calliphora ampyx sp. nov., paratype, ♂, Canberra, ACT, 6 Mar. 1984, K.R. Norris leg. (ANIC). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Head, anterior view. D–E. Paratype, ♀, Mt Stromlo, ACT, 26 Oct. 1993, D.K. Yeates leg. (ANIC). D. Head, anterior view. E. Calypter, lateral view. F. Terminalia, lateral view. G. Terminalia, posterior view. H. Phallus, lateral view. Black scale bars = 1 mm; red scale bars = 500 µm.