CONOPINAE LATREILLE, 1802

Gibson, Joel F. & Skevington, Jeffrey H., 2013, Phylogeny and taxonomic revision of all genera of Conopidae (Diptera) based on morphological data, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 167 (1), pp. 43-81 : 62-63

CONOPINAE LATREILLE, 1802

Type genus Conops Linnaeus, 1758: 604 . Included tribes: Asiconopini trib. nov., Brachyceraeini , Caenoconopini trib. nov., Conopini , Gyroconopini trib. nov., Microconopini trib. nov., Neoconopini trib. nov., Physocephalini , Pleurocerinellini , Siniconopini trib. nov., Tropidomyiini . Genera incertae sedis: Euconops and Mallachoconops. Uncontroverted morphological autapomorphies: apical, stylate arista (33); and epandrium fused beyond cerci (115). The vertex is complete and undivided in Conopinae (5), but this character state is also observed in Pyrgotidae . Ocellar bristles are absent in all members of Conopinae (14); this character state is also observed in Pyrgotidae , Syrphidae , Dalmanniinae , and some species of Stylogaster ( S. biannulata + S. stylata + S. frauci + S. pauliani + S. westwoodi + S. sp.). Postocellar bristles are absent in all members of Conopinae (15); this character state is also observed in Pyrgotidae , Syrphidae , and Dalmanniinae . The scape is elongate in all members of Conopinae (27); this character state has been reversed in Brachyceraeini and is also observed in Pseudoconops . The second aristomere is expanded ventrally in all members of Conopinae and has been reversed in Asiconops (Sphenoconops) (36). The anterior margin of the subcranial cavity is projects forward to a narrow point (37) and the maxillary palpi are reduced or absent (40) in all members of Conopinae ; these character states are also observed in Stylogastrinae . The posterolateral extensions of the basisternum have been reversed to blunt points in all members of Conopinae (49); a parallel reversal is observed in Sicinae . The petiole of vein CuA 2 + A 1 is shorter than crossvein dm-cu (78) in all members of Conopinae (except Atrichoparia , Heteroconops , Neoconops , Setosiconops , Smartiomyia , and Tanyconops ). A vena spuria is present in all members of Conopinae (81), although sometimes only as a fold in the wing membrane; this character state is also observed in Pyrgotidae and Syrphidae .

Gibson et al. (2012) recover Conopinae as monophyletic with the same set of apomorphic character states, but only include representatives of Asiconopini , Conopini , Microconopini, Physocephalini , Neoconopini, Tropidomyiini , and Euconops . They include the following additional apomorphic character states: heavily sclerotized dorsal bridge of hypandrium forming nearly complete tube around phallus; single anterior arm on the hypandrium (absent in Atrichoparia sp. B ); and absence of posterior surstyli.

Hendel (1936) suggests that the absence of ocelli is characteristic of all Conopinae , but Hennig (1966) notes that this is not the case. The presence of three ocelli on a well-developed ocellar tubercle is the plesiomorphic state within Conopidae . A reduction of the ocellar tubercle is apomorphic to Conopinae , but the loss of the central and lateral ocelli and the ocellar tubercle has occurred more than once within Conopinae (2, 3, 4). In a clade including all members of Conopinae (except Neoconopini , Gyroconopini, and Pleurocerinellini ), the central ocellus is absent. In a clade including the Conopini + Asiconopini + Euconops + Mallachoconops + Brachyceraeini + Caenoconopini + Physocephalini + Tropidomyiini the lateral ocelli have been lost as well. Some reversal events have also occurred with regard to ocelli. All members of Tropidomyiini have regained the lateral ocelli. Within Tropidomyiini , all members of Physoconops (s.l.) have regained the central ocellus as well, although it is often very small. Parallel to these character changes, the central ocellus has been lost in members of Heteroconops + Setosiconops + Tanyconops , and all three ocelli have been lost in Heteroconops gracilis + Setosiconops + Tanyconops . This clade has also lost the ocellar tubercle completely. Delkeskampomyia and Stenoconops are each described as having two ocelli, placing them within the Heteroconops + Setosiconops + Tanyconops clade. A parallel loss of the ocellar tubercle has occurred in Physocephalini and Asiconopini + Euconops + Mallachoconops.

A well-developed lunule (21) and the presence of a posterior hump on the epandrium (117) are autapomorphies of Conopinae excluding Neoconopini . The lunule has been secondarily reduced in Euconops + Mallachoconops.

In addition to being an apomorphy of Stylogastrinae , the loss of the maxillary palpi (39) has occurred three times within Conopinae . This character state is an apomorphy of Asiconopini , Physocephalini + Tropidomyiini , and Neoconopini . The maxillary palpi have been regained in Camrasiconops . The state of the maxillary palpi is unknown for Delkeskampomyia .

In addition to being an apomorphy of Pleurocerinellini , the reduction of the scutellum (65) is also an apomorphy of Asiconopini + Euconops + Mallachoconops + Brachyceraeini + Caenoconopini + Physocephalini + Tropidomyiini . This character has been reversed in Euconops , in which the scutellum is greatly enlarged with many bristles.

The petiole of CuA 2 + A 1 (78) has been secondarily shortened in Conopinae . This character state has been reversed to the long state in Atrichoparia + Neoconops + Smartiomyia + Heteroconops + Setosiconops + Tanyconops .

The distinctly petiolate shape to the male abdomen (105) is an apomorphy of Brachyceraeini + Caenoconopini + Physocephalini + Tropidomyiini that has arisen independently in Siniconops microvalvus .

Other characteristic states are observed in members of Conopinae but are not included in the present analysis. A prominent fronto-facial spot is present in many Afrotropical species of various tribes. A greatly elongate ventral genital plate is observed in many species, but the size and shape of the ventral genital plate is highly variable within genera. Both of these characters prove to be too homoplasious to contribute to higher-level classification.