An evolutionary radiation of beeflies in semi-arid Australia: systematics of the Exoprosopini (Diptera : Bombyliidae)

Almost half of the 4822 described beeflies in the world belong to the subfamily Anthracinae, with most of the diversity found in three cosmopolitan tribes: Villini, Anthracini, and Exoprosopini. The Australian Exoprosopini previously contained three genera, Ligyra Newman, Pseudopenthes Roberts and Exoprosopa Macquart. Pseudopenthes is an Australian endemic, with two species including Ps. hesperis, sp. nov. from Western Australia. Two new species of the exoprosopine Atrichochira Hesse, Atr. commoni, sp. nov. and Atr. paramonovi, sp. nov., are also described from Australia, extending the generic distribution from Africa. Cladistic analysis clarified the phylogenetic relationships between the recognised groups of the Exoprosopini and determined generic limits on a world scale. Inclusion of 18 Australian exoprosopines placed the Australian species in the context of the world fauna. The Exoprosopini contains six large groups. The basal group I contains species previously included in Exoprosopa to which the name Defilippia Lioy is applied. Group II contains Heteralonia Rondani, Atrichochira, Micomitra Bowden, Pseudopenthes, and Diatropomma Bowden. Colossoptera Hull is newly synonymised with Heteralonia. Group III is a paraphyletic assemblage of Pterobates Bezzi and Exoprosopa including the Australian Ex. sylvana ( Fabricius). Ligyra is paraphyletic, forming two well-separated clades. The African clade is described as Euligyra Lambkin, gen. nov., which, together with Litorhina Bezzi and Hyperalonia Rondani, form group IV. The Australian group V is true Ligyra. The remaining monophyletic lineage of exoprosopines, group VI, the Balaana-group of genera, shows evidence of an evolutionary radiation of beeflies in semi-arid Australia. Phylogenetic analysis of all 42 species of the Balaana-group of genera formed a basis for delimiting genera. Seven new genera are described by Lambkin & Yeates: Balaana, Kapua, Larrpana, Munjua, Muwarna, Palirika and Wurda. Four non-Australian species belong to Balaana. Thirty two new Australian species are described: Bal. abscondita, Bal. bicuspis, Bal. centrosa, Bal. gigantea, Bal. kingcascadensis, K. corusca, K. irwini, K. westralica, Lar. collessi, Lar. zwicki, Mun. erugata, Mun. lepidokingi, Mun. paralutea, Mun. trigona, Muw. vitreilinearis, Pa. anaxios, Pa. basilikos, Pa. blackdownensis, Pa. bouchardi, Pa. cyanea, Pa. danielsi, Pa. decora, Pa. viridula, Pa. whyalla, W. emu, W. impatientis, W. montebelloensis, W. norrisi, W. patrellia, W. skevingtoni, W. windorah, and W. wyperfeldensis. The following new combinations are proposed: from Colossoptera: Heteralonia latipennis (Brunetti); from Exoprosopa: Bal. grandis (Pallas), Bal. efflatounbeyi (Paramonov), Bal. latelimbata ( Bigot), Bal. obliquebifasciata ( Macquart), Bal. tamerlan (Portschinsky), Bal. onusta ( Walker), Def. busiris (Jaennicke), Def. efflatouni ( Bezzi), Def. eritreae (Greathead), Def. gentilis ( Bezzi), Def. luteicosta ( Bezzi), Def. minos (Meigen), Def. nigrifimbriata ( Hesse), Def. rubescens ( Bezzi), K. adelaidica ( Macquart), Lar. dimidiatipennis ( Bowden), Muw. stellifera ( Walker), and Pa. marginicollis ( Gray); from Ligyra: Eu. enderleini ( Paramonov), Eu. mars ( Bezzi), Eu. monacha (Klug), Eu. paris ( Bezzi), Eu. sisyphus ( Fabricius), and Eu. venus (Karsch).

Predator-specific changes in the morphology and swimming performance of larval Rana lessonae

1. We investigated the morphological responses of larval Rana lessonae to the presence of two predators with substantially different prey-detection and capture techniques; larval dragonflies (Aeshna cyanea) and the Pumpkinseed Sunfish (Lepomis gibossus). 2. We also examined the functional implications of any predator-induced morphological variation on their swimming ability by assessing performance during the initial stages of a startle response. 3. We found the morphological responses of larval R. lessonae were dependent on the specific predator present. Tadpoles raised in the presence of dragonfly larvae preying upon conspecific tadpoles developed total tail heights 5.4% deeper and tail muscles 4.7% shallower than tadpoles raised in a non-predator environment, while tadpoles raised with sunfish possessed tails 2% shallower and tail muscles 2.5% higher than non-predator-exposed tadpoles. 4. Predator-induced morphological variation also significantly influenced swimming performance. Tadpoles raised with sunfish possessed swimming speeds 9.5 and 14.6% higher than non- and dragonfly predator groups, respectively. 5. Thus, the expression of these alternative predator-morphs leads to a functional trade-off in performance between the different environments.