Bioacoustics of Pegapsaltria lutea

Measurements . Range and mean (in mm) for 10 males and 5 females (includes largest and smallest specimens). Length of body (including head): male 15.1–17.0 (16.0); female (including ovipositor) 15.4–17.9 (17.0). Length of forewing : male 17.7–20.0 (18.6); female 20.3–23.4 (21.6). Width of head (including eyes): male 4.2–4.7 (4.4); female 4.7–5.1 (4.9). Width of pronotum (across lateral angles): male 4.2–4.9 (4.5); female 4.9–5.6 (5.1). Distinguishing features ./ Readily distinguished by its yellow body colour and the long slender body of the males. No other Australian species is similar. It differs from all other species by the distinguishing features listed in the generic description above. Song ( Figs 35a–c ). Males sing a high-pitched tzik-tzik-tzik calling song of repeated short syllables while flying. We did not obtain a recording of free-flying song or note the rate of production of the syllables. However, two caged males (one from WA.LEN and one from WA.BAR) each produced a few short syllables about 3.1– 3.6 s ms in duration at 1–2 syllables per second, during a few seconds of recorded sample. Each syllable consists of four pairs of pulses (sometimes more than two pulses), with the first and third paired pulses partly to entirely coalesced. The sound energy is concentrated in two frequency peaks, one 8–10 kHz and the other 16–20 kHz. The spectrogram shows that the low frequency peak is mainly produced by the first and third pulse pair, while all four contribute to the higher frequency sound.

Etymology. From the Latin adjective luteus meaning yellow and pertaining to the yellow colour of this species. Types . Holotype male (song recorded, molecular voucher 11.AU.WA.BAR.01), Barnett River xing on Gibb River Road , Western Australia , 16°42.589’S 125°56.143’E , 433 m , 20.xi.2011 , K. Hill , D. Marshall ( WAME 113438 ) ( WAM ) . Paratypes as follows: WESTERN AUSTRALIA : 2 males , AU.WA.BAR, Barnett River xing on Gibb River Road, 16°42.589’S 125°56.143’E , 433 m , 20.xi.2011 , K. Hill , D. Marshall ( AMS ). 2 males , AU.WA.BAR, Barnett River xing on Gibb River Road, 16°42.589’S 125°56.143’E , 433 m , 20.xi.2011 , K. Hill , D. Marshall (DE). 2 males , AU.WA.BAR, Barnett River xing on Gibb River Road, 16°42.589’S 125°56.143’E , 433 m , 20.xi.2011 , K. Hill , D. Marshall ( LP ). 1 male ( Simon Lab. voucher 10.AU.WA. LEN .02), Lennard R ., Gibb River Rd, 17°23.525’S 124°45.304’E , 78 m , 20.i.2010 , Hill , Marshall , Moulds ; 22 males (1 genitalia prep. FLY 1 ), 4 females , AU.WA. BAR, Barnett River xing on Gibb River Road, 16°42.589’S 125°56.143’E , 433 m , 20.xi.2011 , K. Hill , D. Marshall ( MSM ). 2 males , AU.WA.BAR, Barnett River xing on Gibb River Road, 16°42.589’S 125°56.143’E , 433 m , 20.xi.2011 , K. Hill , D. Marshall ( PH ). 15 males , 1 female , AU.WA.BAR, Barnett River xing on Gibb River Road, 16°42.589’S 125°56.143’E , 433 m , 20.xi.2011 , K. Hill , D. Marshall ( WAME 113439-113454 ) ( WAM ).