Calliphora ignicera, 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 : 106-108

Calliphora ignicera sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0FE45501-BA3B-4933-9CE1-443CB8A44A00

Fig. 3

Diagnosis

Females of this species can be distinguished from all other female members of the clarki -group by the unique combination of the basicosta black, arista with only short, sparse setulae near its base and twice length of the postpedicel.

Etymology

The species epithet ‘ ignicera ’ comes from the combination of the Latin ‘ ignis ’ meaning ‘fire’ and the suffix ‘ -cera ’ meaning ‘horned’. The name refers to the bright orange antennae of this species.

Type material

Holotype AUSTRALIA – TAS • ♀; Flinders Is. ; 3 Nov.1989; C. Tann leg.; ANIC.

Paratypes AUSTRALIA – TAS • 1 ♀; Cradle Valley ; 16 Jan. 1923; A. Tonnoir leg.; ANIC • 10 ♀♀; Meredith River ; 5–6 Jan. 1954; T.G. Campbell leg.; ANIC • 6 ♀♀; Pieman River ; 5 Jan. 1954; T.G. Campbell leg.; ANIC • 11 ♀♀; Flinders Is. ; 3 Nov. 1989 – 20 May 1991; C. Tann leg.; ANIC .

Description

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

Female

HEAD. Fronto-orbital plate with brassy microtomentum. One pair of outer vertical setae. Parafacial plate with brassy microtomentum. Frontal stripe ~8 × width of ocellus for entire length. Arista almost bare, only a few very short and sparse setulae near base, twice length of postpedicel.

THORAX. Ground colour metallic dark green with grey microtomentum that is most visible presuturally.

CHAETOTAXY. 1 pair of discal scutellar setae.

WING. Basicosta black. Upper calypter white with contrasting brown margin, yellow setulae on margin particularly in fold between upper and lower calypters. Lower calypter weakly infuscated brown with pale yellow margin, dorsal surface with yellow setulae, entire margin with pale yellow setulae.

ABDOMEN. S5 uncleft.

Ecology

Unknown.

Distribution

AUSTRALIA: TAS.

Remarks

No male specimens were available.

Figures

Fig. 3. Calliphora ignicera sp. nov., paratype, ♀, Flinders Is., TAS, 20 May 1991, C. Tann leg. (ANIC). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Head, anterior view. C. Habitus, lateral view. D. Calypter, lateral view. Black scale bars = 1 mm; red scale bar = 500 µm.