Morphology and histology of the spermathecal sac, a novel structure in the female reproductive system of Therevidae (Diptera : Asiloidea)

The reproductive system of many female Therevidae has a sac-like structure associated with the spermathecae. This structure, termed the spermathecal sac, has not been recorded previously from any other Diptera and appears unique to certain members of the Therevidae. There is enormous variety in spermathecal sac size and shape, with greatest development in the Australasian Therevidae. A histological examination of the reproductive system of two;Australian therevids, Agapophytus albobasalis Mann and Ectinorhynchus variabilis (Macquart) (Diptera: Asiloidea), reveals that the spermathecal sacs are cuticle-lined and that the intima is frequently highly folded. In some mated individuals, sperm was found within the spermathecal sac, suggesting that sperm and perhaps male accessory gland material is deposited there during copulation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic revision of Agapophytinae subf.n. (Diptera : Therevidae) based on molecular and morphological evidence

Agapophytinae subf.n. is a highly diverse lineage of Australasian Therevidae, comprising eight described and two new genera: Agapophytus Guerin-Meneville, Acupalpa Krober, Acraspisa Krober, Belonalys Krober, Bonjeania Irwin & Lyneborg, Parapsilocephala Krober, Acatopygia Krober, Laxotela Winterton & Irwin, Pipinnipons gen.n. and Patanothrix gen.n. A genus-level cladistic analysis of the subfamily was undertaken using sixty-eight adult morphological characters and c. 1000 base pairs of the elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1 alpha) protein coding gene. The morphological data partition produced three most parsimonious cladograms, whereas the molecular data partition gave a single most parsimonious cladogram, which did not match any of the cladograms found in the morphological analysis. The level of congruence between the data partitions was determined using the partition homogeneity test (HTF) and Wilcoxon signed ranks rest. Despite being significantly incongruent in at least one of the incongruence tests, the partitions were combined in a simultaneous analysis. The combined data yielded a single cladogram that was better supported than that of the individual partitions analysed separately. The relative contributions of the data partitions to support for individual nodes on the combined cladogram were investigated using Partitioned Bremer Support. The level of support for many nodes on the combined cladogram was non-additive and often greater than the sum of support for the respective nodes on individual partitions. This synergistic interaction between incongruent data partitions indicates a common phylogenetic signal in both partitions. It also suggests that criteria for partition combination based solely on incongruence may be misleading. The phylogenetic relationships of the genera are discussed using the combined data. A key to genera of Agapophytinae is presented, with genera diagnosed and figured. Two new genera are described: Patanothrix with a new species (Pat. skevingtoni) and Pat. wilsoni (Mann) transferred from Parapsilocephala, and Pipinnipons with a new species (Pip. kroeberi). Pipinnipons fascipennis (Krober) is transferred from Squamopygin Krober and Pip. imitans (Mann) is transferred from Agapophytus. Agapophytus bicolor (Krober) is transferred from Parapsilocephala. Agapophytus varipennis Mann is synonymised with Aga, queenslandi Krober and Aga. flavicornis Mann is synonymised with Aga. pallidicornis (Krober).

Phylogenetic revision of Agapophytus Guerin (Diptera : Therevidae : Agapophytinae)

Morphologically diverse and species-rich, the endemic Australasian genus Agapophytus is revised. Eleven previously described species are redescribed and twenty-nine species are described for the first time: A. adonis, sp. nov., A. annamariae, sp. nov., A. antheliogynaion, sp. nov., A. asprolepidotos, sp. nov., A. atrilaticlavius, sp. nov., A. biluteus, sp. nov., A. borealis, sp. nov., A. caliginosus, sp. nov., A. cerrusus, sp. nov., A. chaetohypopion, sp. nov., A. chrysosisyrus, sp. nov., A. decorus, sp. nov., A. dieides, sp. nov., A. discolor, sp. nov., A. eli, sp. nov., A. fenestratum, sp. nov., A. galbicaudus, sp. nov., A. labifenestellus, sp. nov., A. laparoceles, sp. nov., A. lissohoplon, sp. nov., A. lyneborgi, sp. nov., A. notozophos, sp. nov., A. novaeguineae, sp. nov., A. pallidicrus, sp. nov., A. palmulus, sp. nov., A. paramonovi, sp. nov., A. septentrionalis, sp. nov., A. yeatesi, sp. nov. and A. zebra, sp. nov. All 40 species of Agapophytus were compared in a cladistic analysis with three species of Acupalpa Krober using 134 states across 58 adult morphological characters. The analysis resulted in 36 most parsimonious trees with a length of 240 steps. The phylogenetic relationships of the species of Agapophytus are discussed with three main clades recognised: A. dioctriaeformis clade, A. australasiae clade and A. queenslandi clade.

Brasilian Therevidae (diptera): a checklist and discriptions of species.

95 Specimens representing 12 Species in 5 genera form the basis of this paper. 6 new Species are described, namely: Henicomyia amazonica, n. sp. (Bnazil: Amazonas) , Brachylinga xanthoperra, n. sp. (Brazil:Roraima), Cyclotelus badicrusus, n. sp. (Brazil-.Amazonas; Ecuador: Pichinca), C. silacrusus, n. sp. (Brazil-.São Paulo), Penniverpa alvadusta. n. sp. (Brazil-.Amazonas) and P. alvatra, n. sp. (Brazil-.Roraima) . A check-list of Braziliam Therevidae, based on literature accounts and examined matenial, is ALSO provided. It lists 22 Species in 7 genera, one not formally described. New combinations, and new synonyms ore proposed.

Relationships of extant lower Brachycera (Diptera): a quantitative synthesis of morphological characters

With over 80 000 described species, Brachycera represent one of the most diverse clades of organisms with a Mesozoic origin. Larvae of the majority of early lineages are detritivores or carnivores. However, Brachycera are ecologically innovative and they now employ a diverse range of feeding strategies. Brachyceran relationships have been the subject of numerous qualitative analyses using morphological characters. These analyses are often based on characters from one or a few character systems and general agreement on relationships has been elusive. In order to understand the evolution of basal brachyceran lineages, 101 discrete morphological characters were scored and compiled into a single data set. Terminals were scored at the family level, and the data set includes characters from larvae, pupae and adults, internal and external morphology, and male and female terminalia. The results show that all infraorders of Brachycera are monophyletic, but there is little evidence for relationships between the infraorders. Stratiomyomorpha, Tabanomorpha, and Xylophagomorpha together form the sister group to Muscomorpha. Xylophagomorpha and Tabanomorpha are sister groups. Within Muscomorpha, the paraphyletic Nemestrinoidea form the two most basal lineages. There is weak evidence for the monophyly of Asiloidea, and Hilarimorphidae appear to be more closely related to Eremoneura than other muscomorphs. Apsilocephalidae, Scenopinidae and Therevidae form a clade of Asiloidea. This phylogenetic evidence is consistent with the contemporaneous differentiation of the main brachyceran lineages in the early Jurassic. The first major radiation of Muscomorpha were asiloids and they may have diversified in response to the radiation of angiosperms in the early Cretaceous.

Diptera danica. Genera and species of flies hitherto found in Denmark.

1.Stratomyiidae Xylophagidae, Coenomyiidae, Tabanidae, Leptididae, Acroceridae.-2. Asilidae, Bombyliidae, Therevidae, Scenopinidae.-3. Empididae.-4. Dolichopodidae.-5. Lonchopteridae, Syrphidae.-6. Pipunculidae, Phoridae.-7. Platypezidae, tachinidae.

Diptera danica : genera and species of flies hitherto found in Denmark /

"Published at the expenses of the Carlsberg fund."