Apocephalus analis

Brown, Brian V., 2014, Revision of the Apocephalus analis group of ant-decapitating flies (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 3857 (4), pp. 551-570 : 552

Apocephalus analis group

Diagnosis. Body color light brown to yellowish brown (Borgmeier referred to such flies as ”yellow species”) ( Figs. 1–2 ). Eye brown instead of usual steel-grey color. Ommatidia enlarged. Supra-antennal setae four in number, unusually large, upper pair in particular as large as other frontal setae ( Fig. 3 ). Costa long, usually 0.50 wing length or more. Males of at least some species with greatly elongate and expanded cercus and hypopoct ( Fig.1 ).

Other shared features (not repeated in species descriptions). Frons light brown. Median furrow present. Two pairs of supra-antennal setae present, dorsal pair large, nearly the same size as other frontal setae, ventral pair onehalf length and much thinner than dorsal pair. Ventral interfrontal setae closer to midline than eye margin. Ocelli normal sized. Palpus light brown, setulae black, pointed. Scutum and scutellum light brown. Anterior scutellar seta subequal to posterior setulae of scutum. Anepisternum bare of setulae (except in one species). Wing well developed. Legs light brown, apex of hind femur not darkened. Tarsomeres unmodified, except tarsal claws basally lobed.

Way of life. Largely unknown. Two species, A. analis and A. comatus , were collected with the army ant Labidus coecus (Latreille) . Association with this ant is consistent with nocturnal or crepuscular activity, as they are largely nocturnal in their activity ( Schneirla, 1971: 11). Some species have been collected at lights, which, in conjunction with the enlarged ommatidia, also indicates that they might be associated with nocturnal army ants, as are many other phorids with nocturnal habits. Additionally, some species are found at high elevations, and are often the only Apocephalus species at these sites.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Apocephalus analis group. 1 – 2. Lateral habitus. 3. Frons, anterior, image digitally manipulated to enhance symmetry. 4. Hind leg, anterior. Abbreviations: dsa—dorsal supra-antennal setae; flg 1 — flagellomere 1; plp—palpus; vif—ventral interfrontal setae; vsa—ventral supra-antennal setae.