About Benhamyia apicalis (Walker, 1849)
Walker's 1849 original description of Benhamyia apicalis is reproduced below: Head is black, with a hoary texture on the front. Eyes are pitchy-black; facets on the fore legs are rather larger than facets on other leg segments. Palpi and proboscis are tawny; the second segment of the palpi is spindle-shaped, and not broader than the first segment. Antennae are black, filiform, dark red toward the base, and nearly as long as the thorax. Thorax and sternum are dark purple; the thorax is covered with golden down that forms three stripes. Scutellum is tawny, and bears four spines. Abdomen is tawny, slightly narrower than the thorax, nearly twice the length of the thorax, and gently tapers in width from base to tip, which is purple. Legs are tawny; hind legs are long, their femora are club-shaped; fore tarsi are pitchy. Wings are colourless across the disc, tawny along the leading edge, gray along the trailing edge and at the wing tip, and marked with a blackish band that does not reach the trailing edge. Wing tegulae and veins are tawny; veins are pitchy within the blackish band. Halteres are pale yellow. Body length measures 3 and a half lines; wing length measures 7 lines. This species is endemic to New Zealand, and occurs on both the North Island and the South Island.
