(Fig. 18B)

Agathiella meridionalis Turner, (1918a: 110) [examined]. Holotype BMNH ♀; Type locality: Mount Wellington, Tasmania. Parrott, 1953: 198 [catalogue].

Agathis meridionalis (Turner); Shenefelt, 1970b: 343 [catalogue, generic transfer].

Bassus meridionalis (Turner); Yu et al., 2005 [catalogue, generic transfer].

Therophilus meridionalis (Turner); Stevens et al., 2010: 20 [catalogue].

Diagnosis. Carina between antennae; dorsal surfaces devoid of most sculpturing; notauli absent; sternalus and suture line between metapleuron and propodeum delineated by smooth groove; ovipositor and fore wings nearly as long or longer than body; with BROW colour pattern.

Description (female). Body length 5.8 (4.1–7.1) mm; ovipositor 6.1 (3.9–7.7) mm; head mostly orange, except black to dark brown patch dorsally (head sometimes entirely orange), antenna black to dark brown; anterior mesosoma (propleuron, pronotum, mesoscutum), fore wing tegula and antero-dorsal region of mesopleuron orange; remaining posterior mesosoma dark brown except propodeum black (mesoscutellum and most of mesopleuron sometimes orange, fore wing tegula sometimes dark); legs dark brown to black except fore leg tarsomeres mostly orange-yellow, tibia and femur with dark shading on proximal part only (fore leg sometimes entirely orange); T1 white except large black patch on median tergite; S1 and S2 white except large black patch in medial regions of each; T2 white except median tergite mostly black except for white on anterior and lateral margins; T3 black except white on anterior lateral tergite; remaining metasoma mostly black to dark brown, except small pale areas occurring ventrally (posterior half of T1 sometimes entirely black except for a thin white band along posterior margin; anterior T2 sometimes entirely white).

Head width 1.2 mm, length 0.61 mm, height 0.9 mm; eye width 0.3 mm, length 0.44 mm, height 0.55 mm; inter-orbital distance 0.7 mm; median ocellus diameter 0.1 mm; distance between lateral ocelli and median ocellus 0.07 mm; distance between lateral ocelli 0.15 mm; carina between antennae; ante-ocular pit present; antenna with 36 flagellomeres; clypeus width 0.4 mm, height 0.2 mm; malar space height 0.3 mm; distance from ventral eye margin to latero-ventral mouth margin 0.3 mm; labial palpomere 3 length 0.3x labial palpomere 4 length (lengths 0.03 and 0.1 mm, respectively); labial palpomere 2 length 0.1 mm; posterior margin of head, when viewed dorsally, marginally excavated (incursion 0.03 mm).

Mesosomal width 1.1 (1.0–1.2) mm, length 2.3 (2.0–2.7) mm; height 1.6 (1.4–1.7) mm; pilosity mostly 0.05– 0.07 mm in length and sparse, particularly dorsally, except for distinct dense setal field on metapleuron and ventroposterior mesopleuron, where setae longer (0.1 mm) and thicker; subpronope large and distinct, bordered posteriorly by carina that extends to anterior margin of pronotum; notauli absent; scutellar sulcus distinct, divided into 2 pits by prominent medial longitudinal carina, anterior margin curved, with anterior wall steeply sloped, nearly vertical, posterior margin concave, posterior wall vertical; propodeal surface smooth except punctation associated with setae antero-laterally; suture line between metapleuron and propodeum delineated by smooth groove; propodeal spiracle round (diameter 0.05 mm); hind coxal cavities separated from metasomal foramen by relatively wide sclerite with carinate lateral margins; sternalus absent; metapleural surface smooth except punctation associated with setae; distinct setal field present.

Leg with all claws with quadrate basal lobes; mid tibia with 5 apical and 7 preapical spines; preapical spines on anterior surface in distal half of tibia; hind tibia with 5 apical and 12 preapical spines; preapical spines clumped just basal to apical spines.

Both fore and hind wings infuscate; fore wing maximum width 2.0 (2.0–2.1) mm, length 6.4 (6.1–6.6) mm; cell 1-Rs petiolate and triangular, width marginally greater than length, cell petiole length 0.1 mm; M+Cu entirely pigmented; hind wing maximum width 1.3 (1.1–1.3) mm, length 5.2 (5.0–5.2) mm.

Metasomal length 2.9 (2.3–3.2) mm, maximum width 0.9 (0.7–1.0) mm; entire dorsal surface smooth; T1 median area length 1.0 mm; anterior width 0.3 mm, posterior (maximum) width 0.5 mm; T2 medial transverse groove absent (faint broad shallow depression denoting medial groove sometimes present); T2–T3 boundary marked by shallow groove; ovipositor long, longer than body (sometimes marginally shorter).

Male. Unknown.

Holotype: ♀ ‘Mt. Wellington, S. Tasmania. 15 Jan.–6 Feb.1913.’ ‘ 1,300–2,300ft. R.E. Turner. 1913–212’ (BMNH).

Other material examined. Tasmania: 1 ♀, Collins Vale, Fairy Glen, I–II. 1983, 300 m, Williams & Gauld (BMNH); 1 ♀, 41.14S 147.56E 4 km SE Weldborough, 13.I.1983, I.D. Naumann & J.C. Cardale (ANIC); 1 ♀, 41.06S 147.53E 1 km NE Herrick 29–30.I.1983, I.D. Naumann & J.C. Cardale, ex ethanol (ANIC); 1 ♀, Mount Field National Park, 8–14.I.1984, malaise trap, L. Masner (CNCI); 1 ♀, Mount Nelson, Hobart, c. 100m, 12.XII.1986, ex. tortricid larva on Acacia verticillata, M. Horak; Victoria: 1 ♀, Wingan, 22–2.1946, ENT 1030 (MVMA); 1 ♀, Karlo Creek, 21 km NE Cann River, 25.II.1980 (ANIC).

Comments. Therophilus meridionalis belongs to the BROW mimicry complex and is similar in colour pattern to T. malignus and T. unimaculatus. However, T. meridionalis can be distinguished from T. malignus by the lack of a genal expansion postero-ventrally, and from T. unimaculatus by the fore wing length being longer or nearly as long as the body. Therophilus meridionalis is known from Tasmania and the southern Kosciuskan regions (Fig. 19B). Some specimens from Tasmania have been reared from a tortricid host feeding on Acacia verticillata (L’Her.).