Strongylophthalmyia
Creators: name: Evenhuis, Neal L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Tanypezidae
Strongylophthalmyia

description: Species Groups in Strongylophthalmyia
Shatalkin (1996) treated species of the genus Strongylophthalmyia in two named groups based on characters found in males: (1) species possessing a dorsal antennal process (punctata group) and (2) species that possess long, thin, curled extensions of the apex of the surstylus (crinita group). The remaining species (the majority of those described at that time) were left as unplaced by Shatalkin (1996). He contended that his two named groups are not monophyletic, which is confirmed in this study following the examination more than 3,000 specimens. Barber (2006) briefly discussed the relationships of Strongylophthalmyia species noting Shatalkin’s (1996) two species groups and mentioning the possibility of S. ustulata, S. pictipes, S. japonica, S. angustipennis, S. pengellyi, and S. caliginosa as belonging to a monophyletic group based on the shared synapomorphy of a haired arista. Many other characters exist that could also group taxa together such as fore femoral spines (the punctata subgroup reviewed here), modified palpi, and small basomesal processes on the hind femur [see Iwasa & Evenhuis (2014) for examples of some of these processes].
In virtually all species of the Strongylophthalmyia punctata group, the male flagellomere is enlarged or modified from the normal oval shape (e.g., Fig. 30). The segment varies considerably among species, from having a long and distinct dorsal process that appears to be multi-segmented (cf. Fig. 20) to having no distinct process but instead having a small bump or point on the flagellomere (cf. Fig. 31). The term “ punctata subgroup” is used here as a convenient name for tentatively grouping species within the genus but, until a rigorous phylogenetic analysis can be performed on all species of the genus (beyond the scope of this study), the monophyly of the groupings proposed here cannot be guaranteed. The groups keyed out below are preliminary pending further analyses. They are not necessarily indicative of phylogenetic relationships but are grouped morphologically for ease in dividing an otherwise cumbersome group (e.g., although they have bands in the wings, S. freidbergi Shatalkin, S. solita Iwasa & Evenhuis, and S. shatalkini Iwasa & Evenhuis have a dorsal antennal process too and could therefore fit into either the S. punctata group or the S. fascipennis group).
Preliminary key to species groups in Strongylophthalmyia
(based on males)
1. Antennal flagellomere modified with dorsal process of varying lengths (Figs. 18–20), often combined with modified shape of flagellomere (if process indistinct, then fore femur with short black thorn-like spicules dorsally)... (S. punctata group) ... 2
-. Antennal flagellomere unmodified, without dorsal process (cf. Fig. 30); fore femur without dorsal spicules although stiff hairs may be present........................................................................................ 3
2. Fore femur with thorn-like spicules dorsally (Figs. 62–77).................................... S. punctata subgroup
-. Fore femur without thorn-like spicules dorsally............................................. S. coarctata subgroup
3. Surstylus extended into curled band-like processes (Fig. 86)........................................ S. crinita group
-. Surstylus without such modifications...................................................................... 4
4. Arista micro-pubescent; mesonotum often with dense hairs (Fig. 97); single sclerotized spermatheca (primarily north temper- ate species)............................................................................. S. ustulata group
- Arista bare; mesonotal vestiture variable, with hairs dense or scattered; two sclerotized spermathecae (subtropical to tropical species)............................................................................................ 5
5. Wing with distinct transverse bands of infuscation or with spot at apex (Fig. 51)................... S. fascipennis group
-. Wing hyaline, without distinct bands or spots.................................................. Unplaced Species
description: Published as part of Evenhuis, Neal L., 2016, World review of the genus Strongylophthalmyia Heller (Diptera: Strongylophthalmyiidae). Part I: Introduction, morphology, species groups, and review of the Strongylophthalmyia punctata subgroup, pp. 201-243 in Zootaxa 4189 (2) on pages 206-207, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4189.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/165871