Pseudopterogramma conicum ( Richards, 1946 )

Kuwahara, Gregory K., Marshall, Stephen A. & Luk, Stephen P. L., 2025, A revision of Parapterogramma Papp and Pseudopterogramma Papp, with a review of the Parapterogramma genus group of the Pacific and Indomalayan regions (Diptera, Sphaeroceridae, Limosininae), European Journal of Taxonomy 998, pp. 1-124 : 86-87

Pseudopterogramma conicum ( Richards, 1946)

Figs 51–53 , 68D , 69

Leptocera (Poecilosomella) conica Richards, 1946: 130 .

Leptocera (Pterogramma) conica – Richards 1963: 121.

Pterogramma conicum – Marshall 1989: 606. — Roháček et al. 2001: 213.

Pseudopterogramma conicum – Marshall et al. 2011: 264.

Type material

Holotype

GUAM • ♂; Pago; 27 Oct. 1945; G.E. Bohart leg.; USNM.

Material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♀; 9 km ENE of Mount Tozer ; 12°25′48″ S, 143°10′12″ E; 5–10 Jul. 1986; D.H. Colless leg.; Malaise trap; ANIC • 1 ♀; 11 km ENE of Mount Tozer ; 12°25′48″ S, 143°10′48″ E; 11–16 Jul. 1986; D.H. Colless leg.; Malaise trap; ANIC • 3 ♂♂; Atherton Tablelands, Lake Eacham, Chambers Lodge ; 6–8 Apr. 1999; S.A. Marshall leg.; dung; DEBU • 2 ♀♀; Atherton, Lake Eacham National Park, Wrights Creek ; 720 m a.s.l.; 21 Jun–10 Aug. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 27 ♂♂, 16 ♀♀; Brandy Creek , 18 km E of Proserpine; 100 m a.s.l.; 21 Jun–10 Aug. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, flight-intercept trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; Cape Tribulation ; 16°03′ S, 145°16′ E; 15 Apr. 1999; S.A. Marshall leg.; sweep; DEBU • 1 ♀; Cooktown, Keatings Gap ; 100 m a.s.l.; 28–31 Jun. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, dung trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; Crystal Cascades, Cairns ; 19 Apr. 1967; D.H. Colless leg.; ANIC • 1 ♂; Daintree National Park, Mossman Gorge; 12 Apr. 1999; S.A. Marshall leg.; sweeping 4–6 PM; DEBU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 13–17 Apr. 1999; pans; DEBU • 1 ♀; Gap Creek, 5 km of ESE Mount Finnigan ; 15°30′ S, 145°12′ E; 15 May 1981; D.H. Colless leg.; Malaise trap; ANIC • 1 ♀; 4 km S of Hartley’ s Creek ; 16°41′ S, 145°35′ E; 5 m a.s.l.; 3–11 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; littoral, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂; Kuranda State Forest , 3 km N of Kuranda; 360 m a.s.l.; 25 Jun.–3 Aug. 1982; S. Peck leg.; rainforest, flight-intercept trap; DEBU • 2 ♂♂; Laceys Creek, 10 km SE of El Arish, near Mission Beach ; 40 m a.s.l.; 23 Jun.–5 Aug. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, flight-intercept trap; DEBU • 1 ♀; Maple Creek , W of Innisfail; 17°41′ S, 145°42′ E; 23 Apr. 1980; S.F. McEvey leg.; rainforest, swept; ANIC • 1 ♂; Millaa-Millaa Falls ; 17°30′ S, 145°37′ E; 800 m a.s.l.; 6–9 Feb. 1999; Monteith and Cook leg.; rainforest, fungus pitfall; QMBA • 1 ♂; Mount Finnigan Slopes , 30 km S of Cooktown; 400 m a.s.l.; 2–5 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 1 ♂; Noah Creek , 20 km N of Daintree; 4 m a.s.l.; 12–18 Jul. 1982; S. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 1 ♂; Rex Range , 12 km S of Mossman; 10–18 Jul. 1982; S. Peck leg.; rainforest, carrion trap; DEBU • 1 ♂; Upper Mulgrave River, 16 km on Goldsborough Road ; 9 May 1967; D.H. Colless leg.; ANIC .

Redescription

BODY ( Fig. 51 ). Length 1.5–1.9 mm. Head orange, darkened at level of ocelli. Interfrontal bristles in four pairs. Thorax brown with paler posterolateral edges, shiny despite microtomentum. Anterior dorsocentral bristles separated by 7–8 rows of acrostichal setulae. Ventral surface of male mid tibia with two rows of stout setae along apical half; mid femur with two corresponding rows of proximoventral setae; female mid tibia with a large apicoventral bristle. Hind tibia with a very large dorsal preapical seta (length equal to that of first two hind tarsomeres) and a large preapical ventral spur. Wing ( Fig. 68D ) pale with two indistinct darker spots at middle of R 2+3 and just beyond R 2+3. R 2+3 sinuate, apical curve stronger than basal curve.

MALE ABDOMEN ( Fig. 52 ). S5 simple, right side 1.5× as long as left, uniformly setose on posterior half, with a curved, tapered lobe at the posterior left third. S6 long but relatively broad, anterolateral corner expanded. Epandrium wedge-shaped and uniformly setose; cercus large, subtriangular, slightly paler than epandrium, with two long setae and several smaller setulae. Surstylus large, V-shaped: anterior lobe subrectangular with a dorsobasal constriction, small anteroapical and posteroventral lobes, and inner posteroventral surface with dense setae, posterior lobe elongate, somewhat sinuate with several patches of long setae and a large subapical anterior seta. Postgonite elongate with three distinct bends separating it into four sections: gradually broadened from base to first bend, wide and parallel-sided to the third bend, and then strongly tapered and thin to apex. Phallapodeme long, curved, and apically rounded; basiphallus tall, constricted in the basal third and rounded beyond, with a large, triangular epiphallus broadly and strongly fused to posterodorsal surface. Distiphallus large, box-like, with a large, broad ventral sclerite whose apex is sinuate, thickened and ring-shaped, and a pair of long, dorsoventrally flattened, hoop-like dorsolateral sclerites supporting the membranous sides and apex; basal half of the membrane with dense outer setulae.

FEMALE ABDOMEN ( Fig. 53 ). T7 short (i.e. weakly developed anteriorly). Epiproct pentagonal. Cercus subrectangular with thickened apical seta and three long preapical setae. S8 with transverse desclerotized strip splitting large anterior part (with large posterolateral setae) from small posterior part (with four thick setae). Hypoproct trough-shaped. Spermathecae stout, subcylindrical, slightly constricted apically, and lightly grooved with apical invagination.

Distribution

Australasian/Oceanian: Australia (new record), Guam ( USA) ( Richards 1946), Micronesia (Pohnpei) ( Richards 1963), Palau ( Richards 1963), Papua New Guinea ( Roháček et al. 2001).

Remarks

Although this species was not previously known from Australia, it seems to be common in north Queensland.

Figures

Fig. 51. Pseudopterogramma conicum (Richards, 1946) (DEBU). A. Male habitus, lateral view. B. Male head, anterodorsal view. Scale bars: A = 0.50 mm; B = 0.25 mm.

Fig. 52.Pseudopterogramma conicum (Richards, 1946) (DEBU). A. Aedeagus and associated structures, lateral view. B. Male terminalia, lateral view. C. Male S5-8, ventral view. Scale bars: A–C = 0.10 mm.

Fig. 53. Pseudopterogramma conicum (Richards, 1946) (DEBU). A. Female terminalia, dorsal view. B. Female terminalia, ventral view. C. Female terminalia, lateral view. D. Single spermatheca. E. Paired spermathecae. Scale bars: A–C = 0.30 mm; D–E = 0.01 mm.

Fig. 68. Pseudopterogramma Papp, 2008, left wings, ventral views. A. Ps. aestivale (Richards, 1973) (QMBA). B. Ps. annectens (Richards, 1964) (CAS). C. Ps. brevivenosum (Tenorio, 1967) (DEBU). D. Ps. conicum (Richards, 1946) (DEBU). E. Ps. fenestrata (Richards, 1973) (QMBA). F. Ps. fijiensis sp. nov., paratype (BPBM). G. Ps. kasut sp. nov., paratype (DEBU). H. Ps. ketambensis sp. nov., paratype (ROME). I. Ps. metatarsalis (Papp, 2008) (LKCNMH). J. Ps. siamense Papp, 2008 (ROME). Scale bars: A–J = 0.50 mm.

Fig. 69. Distribution map of Pseudopterogramma Papp, 2008.