McAlpine: Australian Helosciomyzidae 
63 
absence of a brown zone on antennal segment 3, the absence 
of pteropleural setulae, and the differently shaped surstylus. 
The shape of the surstylus of H. bickeli somewhat resembles 
that of H. steyskali (compare Figs 15, 23), but is narrower 
than in that species, with much less pubescence on the outer 
surface. Helosciomyza steyskali further differs from H. 
bickeli in the absence of setulae on the hypopleuron and on 
the more reduced sternite 1, also the extensive brown zone 
on the anterior surface of the fore femur, which extends on 
to the basal third. The status of the little known Tasmanian 
population needs further investigation in view of its wide 
isolation from northern populations. 
The specific epithet refers to Daniel J. Bickel, who 
collected significant material and has supported this study. 
Helosciomyza subacuta n.sp. 
Fig. 18 
Type material. Holotype S. Victoria: Wannon River, near 
Jimmy’s [Jimmy] Creek, Grampians, 10.xii.1977, D.K.M., 
M.A.S. (MV). Double-mounted on micro-pin through 
polyporus, postabdomen in micro-vial on pin. Paratypes. 
Victoria: AS 1 $ same data as holotype (AM); 1$, Reedy 
Creek, 5 km E of Cann River, June 1989, D.K.M. (AM). 
Other material (doubtfully determined specimens). New 
South Wales: 1$, Kunama [near Batlow], Aug. 1961,D.H.C. 
(ANIC); 1 Boyd River crossing, Kanangra-Boyd National 
Park, April 2002, B.J.D., D.K.M. (AM). 
Description (male, female). Somewhat resembling H. 
bickeli, H. steyskali etc.; agreeing with description of first 
species, except as indicated. 
Coloration. Antennal segment 3 orange-tawny with rather 
extensive dorsal tawny-brown zone distad from about vicinity 
of aristal insertion to apex, not forming a sharply defined 
zone on medial surface. Mesopleuron with orange-tawny 
zone usually diffuse and indistinct. Fore femur, on posterior 
surface, tawny-yellow, with whitish pruinescence and 
generally no darker zones, except sometimes for a relatively 
small subapical grey-brown spot, on anterior surface with 
the usual distal brown zone but no basal or sub-basal brown 
zone; fore tarsus with segment 3 suffused with brown except 
at base; hind tibia with basal to sub-basal brownish zone. 
Wing: brown spot in subcostal cell absent or represented by 
slight yellow-brown suffusion; mark on anterior cross vein 
slight, that on discal crossvein obsolete. 
Head. Height of cheek 0.36-0.39 of height of eye; 
scattered small setulae of cheek region usually not uniseriate 
anteriorly; face in profile usually less receding below than 
in related species. 
Thorax. Pteropleuron and hypopleuron without setulae; 
proepimeral bristle absent or small. 
Abdomen. Sternite 1 vestigial, without setulae. Male 
postabdomen: surstylus without posterior sub-basal tubercle 
or process, but shortly explanate on extreme base of posterior 
surface, with basal articular margin almost transverse in 
lateral view, with general outline slightly expanded distally 
or almost parallel-sided, postero-apically with short but 
acute prominence, distal margin in front of prominence 
narrowly indexed. 
Dimensions. Total length, S 5.9-6.0 mm, $ 6.3 mm; 
length of thorax, S 3.0-3.3 mm, $ 3.2 mm; length of wing, 
S 6.5-7.0 mm, $ 6.8 mm. 
Distribution. Victoria: lowlands or near-lowlands in both 
east and west of state. New South Wales: only doubtfully 
determined specimens from central and southern highlands 
(see note below). 
Notes 
Together with Helosciomyza steyskali, typical populations 
of H. subacuta are distinguished from other species of the 
fuscinevris group by having the pteropleuron and abdominal 
sternite 1 without setulae, the infuscation on antennal 
segment 3 not very intense and more or less restricted to the 
dorsal half, and, apparently, no hypopleural setulae. The fore 
femur lacks any brown zone on the basal half, in contrast to 
H. steyskali, H. obliqua, and H. macalpinei. The shape of the 
surstylus is distinctive (Fig. 18), as it is somewhat elongate, 
lacks a sub-basal posterior process, but has an acute, slightly 
distally inclined posterodistal angle. Segment 3 of the fore 
tarsus is less strongly browned distally than in H. steyskali, 
but, as the pigment fades slightly in old specimens, this 
character must be interpreted with care and the placement 
of females is difficult. 
Two specimens listed above from localities in New South 
Wales are doubtfully referred to H. subacuta until their 
respective local populations are better known. The male from 
Kunama generally resembles specimens from Victoria but 
has hypopleural setulae, a condition otherwise only known 
for Australian Helosciomyza species in H. fuscinevris and 
H. bickeli, but this Kunama specimen lacks the setulae on 
sternite 1, normally present in those species; its surstylus is 
typical of H. subacuta in shape, but has setulae on the very 
slightly prominent posterobasal tubercle. The specimen from 
Boyd River is typical of H. subacuta in all features known for 
the female, but it is desirable that local males be examined 
for more decisive identification of the population. 
The specific epithet is a Latin adjective, in reference to 
the subacute posterodistal angle of the surstylus. 
Helosciomyza neboissi n.sp. 
Fig. 21 
Type material. Holotype S- Tasmania: Pelion [probably 
Pelion Hut vicinity, c. 41°50'S 146°03'E, c. 870 m—E.D.E. 
pers. comm.], 9.i. 1991,1.D.N., E.D.E. (ANIC). Impaled on 
long pin after preservation in ethanol; genitalia extended 
and exposed. Paratypes. Tasmania: IS, 1 $, same data as 
holotype (AM, ANIC); IS, 1?, Bluff Hill, 12 km S of 
Marrakesh, near Arthur River, Nov. 1974, A.N. (MV). 
Description (male, female). Resembling H. bickeli and 
especially H. subacuta ; agreeing with description of former 
species, except as indicated below. 
Coloration (all specimens with pruinescence of head and 
thorax somewhat discoloured through initial immersion in 
liquid or retention in a humidified container, but cuticular 
pigment apparently unfaded). Upper occiput apparently 
without tawny spot between each outer vertical bristle and 
eye margin. Antennal segment 3 tawny, with only slightly 
darker tawny dorsal zone. Mesoscutum without dark 
cuticular stripes underlying pruinescent longitudinal stripes. 
Fore femur pale orange-tawny, with dark brown subapical 
spot on posterior surface narrowly connected dorsally to 
larger subapical brown mark on anterior surface, but usually 
without brown zones on basal three-quarters of length; other 
femora with dark brown apical to subapical zones; tibiae 
