Genus Psilota Meigen, 1822

Psilota Meigen, 1822: 256 . Type species, Psilota anthracina Meigen, 1822 (monotypy).

Distribution. Nearctic, Palaearctic, Oriental, and Australian regions.

Diagnosis. Psilota can be recognized by the following combination of characters: 1) eye pilose; 2) face lacking tubercle, straight to slightly concave with lower facial margin projecting anteriorly; 3) anterior anepisternum pilose; 4) subscutellar fringe present; meron with a tuft of fine pile anteroventral to posterior spiracle; 5) vein R 4+5 straight; vein M 1 oblique, forming an acute angle with vein R 4+5; 6) male surstylus forked, with narrow, curved outer lobe and broader inner lobe.

Within the Palaearctic, two well-defined species groups can be separated: P. atra species group, face only slightly microtrichose and shiny below the antenna in both sexes, thorax, and abdomen more or less bluish black and mostly shining; P. innupta species group, face densely microtrichose and dull below the antenna in both sexes, thorax, and abdomen mostly bronze-brown, adult male tergites mostly dull medially.