Damalis Fabricius

Young, Charles L. & Hradský, Milan M., 2008, Robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae) of South Korea. Parts VI – VIII. South Korean species of the Subfamilies Dasypogoninae, Dioctriinae and Trigonomiminae, Zootaxa 1876, pp. 1-18 : 11-12

Genus Damalis Fabricius

Damalis Fabricius, 1805: 147 . Type species: Damalis planiceps Fabricius, 1805 .

Xenomyza Wiedemann, 1817: 60 .

Chalcidimorpha Westwood, 1835: 684 .

Aireina Frey, 1934: 312 (as a subgenus of Damalis Fabricius ).

Species of the genus Damalis are distinguished by their unique “goggle-eyes” ( Fig. 22 ) (Oldroyd 1975), described as: “... with an increase of the diameter from side to side, and a reduction in the fore-and-aft measurement.” In addition, “...[the eyes are] directed forwards,... [with] the concavity of the occiput, and the deeply recessed vertex, with the top of the ocellar tubercle well below the level of the eyes.” Oldroyd further distinguishes Damalis from the Oriental genera, Damalina Doleschall, 1858 and Trigonomima Enderlein, 1914 by their antenna and wing venation: The species of Damalis have a “seed-like” 3rd antennal segment; the other two genera have longer, “styliform” 3rd antennal segments. Also, Damalis is further distinguished by a closed and stalked posterior cubital cell (cup; anal cell) and a wide 3rd medial cell (4th posterior cell); the other two genera have an open posterior cubital cell or closed at wing margin, and a narrow 3rd medial cell. The male genitalia are rotated 90°; the epandria ( Fig. 20 ) are undivided and the lobes widely separated; the aedeagi ( Fig. 21 ) are widely open and prominent. Damalis is the only recorded genus of the subfamily in South Korea. Our two species are easily distinguished by their leg color, wing pigmentation, size and gonopods ( Figs 19 , 25 ). The female genitalia lack spines on the short terminal segment, and are externally generalized and indistinct. They are not illustrated in this study.

Figures

FIGURE 17 – 22. Damalis andron, male genitalia. 17, lateral; 18, ventral; 19, gonopod, ventral; 20, epandrium, dorsal; 21, aedeagus, dorsal; 22, head, anterior.

FIGURE 23 – 25. Damalis vitripennis, male genitalia. 23, lateral; 24, ventral; 25, gonopod, ventral.