(Figs 29A–D, 48H–O)

Type material

Holotype, ♂, AUSTRALIA, NT: Woolner Homestead, 12.22.48S 131.27.01E, sweeping Mangifera indica, 20.i.2000 (G. Bellis) (MAGD I002152, originally NTDPI), Paratypes, AUSTRALIA, NT: 2 ♂, same data as holotype (NTDPI), 2 ♂, Wildman River, Cashew Plantation, 17.i.1990 (W. Houston) (NTDPI), 1 ♂, 1 km N of Cahills Crossing, E ast Alligator River, 12.25S 132.58E, 7.vi.1973 (R. L. Kitching) (ANIC), 1 ♂, same data, 9.vi.1973 (ANIC), 1 ♂, Tortilla Flats, 8.ii.1985 (I. Cook) (NTDPI), 1 ♂, same data, 20.ii.1985 (NTDPI), 2 ♂, Brook Creek, Burnside (T. G. Campbell) (ANIC), 1 ♂, Darwin, Black Jungle, Melaleuca, 23.ix.1958 (J.L. Gressitt) (BPBM), 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Djaburluku Billabong, 4.xi.1989 (C.W. & L.B O’Brien) (LBOB), 2 ♂, Yellow Waters, Kakadu NP, sweeping Hymenachne acutigluma, 4.xii.2003 (G. Bellis) (ASCU), 2 ♂, Magela Ck, 1 km NNW of Mudginberri H.S., 12.36S 132.52E, 25.v.1973 (T. Weir, N. Forrester) (MAGD).

Other material examined

Specimens with branch (b1) reduced to a small knob: AUSTRALIA, NT: 3 ♂, same data as holotype (NTDPI), 1 ♂, Finniss River Stn, on Mimosa pigra, 24.xi.1987 (C. Wilson) (ASCU), 1 ♂, Jabiru, at light, 4.xi.1989 (C.W. & L.B. O’Brien) (LBOB), 1 ♂, Yellow Waters, Kakadu NP, sweeping Hymenachne acutigluma, 4.xii.2003 (G. Bellis) (GBP), 1 ♂, Island Billabong, Mudginberri Station via Jim Jim, 20.viii.1971 (T. Weir, A. Allwood) (MAGD), 2 ♂, Black Jungle, nr Humpty­doo, 24.ix.1958 (J.L. Gressitt) (BPBM).

Etymology

The name is based on ‘tattendi’, which means ‘to ascend, climb up, to go towards’ in Kaurna, an aboriginal language in South Australia (Thieberger & McGregor 1994) and refers to the ascending (caudally directed) spines on the phallotheca.

Colour

Head light to mid brown, carinae paler; pronotum light brown; mesonotum mid to dark brown, paler between lateral and sublateral carinae; legs light brown; forewing hyaline colourless with brown marks along crossveins, veins light brown, apically darker, tubercles indistinct, concolorous with veins, pterostigma light brown; abdominal sternites light brown.

Morphology

Body length: ♂ 6.3–7.6 mm, ♀ 8.3–8.8 mm.

Head: Vertex (total length) 1.5–1.9 times longer than wide; basal emargination obtusely angled or rectangular. Postclypeus with well­developed median carina. Rostrum not reaching hind coxae.

Thorax: Hind margin of pronotum obtusely angled. Mesonotum with evanescent or well­developed carinae. Forewing 3.0–3.3 times longer than wide; costa with 0–1 tubercles; 9 (rarely 8) apical cells.

Male genitalia: Anal tube as in Figs 48H–J; pygophore and genital styles as in Figs 48K–L. Aedeagus (Figs 48M–N): Phallotheca with a long spine (a); a long spine (b) forking into a strong branch (b1) and a slender branch (b2); a short spine (c); and a slender spine (d). Flagellum membranous, unarmed.

Remarks

In the male genitalia of some specimens, branch (b1) is reduced to a small knob as in Fig. 48O. It is possible that these specimens once possed branch (b1), but it broke off at some stage in their life (perhaps during copulation). Because the significance of this variation is unclear, these specimens have been excluded from the type series of Ot. tattendi.