Diopsis apicalis, : Dalman, 1817

Feijen, Hans R. & Feijen, Cobi, 2012, A new species of Diopsis L. (Diptera: Diopsidae) from South Africa and Swaziland, and brief review of African species with a large apical wing spot, African Invertebrates 53 (1), pp. 125-125 : 138

Diopsis apicalis -group

This group comprises Diopsis spp. with a brown head, scutum without a cross-like pattern of pruinosity and wings, almost invariably, with a large apical spot. It must be stressed, however, that this brief diagnosis does not indicate a monophyletic group, as this combination of characters is apparent in some other Diopsis spp. with terminalia that place them in the D. ichneumonea -group (a group with preapical wing spots). Within the D. apicalis -group several subgroups are recognised, such as the D. apicalis - complex, larvae of which are primary or secondary stem-borers of Poaceae . Only three species are currently recognised within the D. apicalis -group, but about 40 species await description.