Pipinnipons Winterton

Pipinnipons Winterton, 2001: 205. Type species: Pipinnipons kroeberi Winterton, 2001: 206.

Could be confused with: Agapophytus, Acupalpa.

Systematic grouping: Agapophytinae.

Diagnosis: Antenna position low to middle of frons; frons flat, glossy black; male frons narrow but not contiguous, female frons wide; antenna elongate; occiput concave with a single row of postocular setae in both sexes; cell m3 closed; anteroventral apical seta absent, fore and hind femora and gonocoxite with velutum patches; gold or silver setae present on tergites; small amounts of silver or gold velutum present in various patterns on posterior tergites; medial atrium absent; three spermathecae; spermathecal sac shape trilobate with outer reticulated lobes.

Distribution: Coastal eastern Australia from southeast Queensland to Tasmania.

Comments: Pipinnipons is a distinctive genus of attractive therevids, often with metallic pruinescence and banded wings. At least three undescribed species are in collections. Spot characters to look for when identifying this genus include velutum patches on the fore and hind femora, wing cell m3 closed, antennae with scape longer than flagellum, frons flat, glossy.

Included species: P. fascipennis (Kröber), P. kroeberi Winterton, P. imitans (White).

Relevant literature:
Kröber, O. (1928) Neue Dipteren des Deutschen Entomolog. Museums in Dahlem (Conopidae, Omphralidae, Therevidae, Tabanidae). Entomologische Mitteilungen, 17, 31-41.

White, A. (1915) The Diptera-Brachycera of Tasmania. Part II. Families Tabanidae and Therevidae. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, 1915, 2-60.

Winterton, S.L., Yang, L., Wiegmann, B.M. & Yeates, D.K. (2001) Phylogenetic revision of Agapophytinae subf. n. (Diptera: Therevidae) based on molecular and morphological evidence. Systematic Entomology 26: 173- 211.

Pipinnipons fascipennis (Kröber) (male). Image copyright: R. Nelson.