Phalacrotophora

Lengyel, Gábor Dániel, 2011, A taxonomic discussion of the genus Phalacrotophora Enderlein, 1912 (Diptera: Phoridae), with the description of two new species from Southeast Asia, Zootaxa 2913, pp. 38-46 : 39-40

Groups within Phalacrotophora

The only reliable character shared by Omapanta and Omatessara is the bare anepisternum, but otherwise the shape of the anepisternum is very different in these subgenera. Moreover, although it is hairy, the shape of the anepisternum in Phalacrotophora sensu stricto seems closer to Omatessara than Omapanta.

Based on re-examination of various specimens of Omatessara, it was concluded that this subgenus is probably monophyletic. It can be diagnosed by the combination of the following characters:

● anepisternum narrowing posteriorly, at most with a weak, sometimes indistinct curved furrow, or furrow sometimes even absent ( Fig. 1 );

● scutellum with four setae of equal or subequal length;

● fore leg provided with spines along tibia and strong palisades of setulae on tars omeres (figs 5 & 6 in Lengyel 2009);

● fore metatarsus as long as the combined lengths of tarsomeres 2+3, tarsomere 5 longer than tarsomere 4;

● male cerci at least twice as long as epandrium;

● ovipositor heavily sclerotized, u-shaped sclerite short and strong

The species of Omapanta Schmitz, 1932 characterized by:

● anepisternum divided, furrow distinct and with an acute angle ( Fig. 2 );

● scutellum with two equal setae posterolaterally and two hair like setule before them;

● fore leg without spines or palisades on tibia or on tarsal segments (fig. 7 in Lengyel 2009);

● fore metatarsus as long as the combined lengths of tarsomeres 2+3+4 together, tarsomere 5 not longer than tarsomere 4;

● male cerci approximately as long as epandrium;

● ovipositor not so heavily sclerotized, tip of ovipositor rounded. U-shaped sclerite long and weak.

Phalacrotophora sensu stricto is characterised by:

● anepisternum with one or more strong robust setae and several setulae in upper part. Anepisternum is narrowing posteriorly and with a weak curved furrow or furrow as a faint fold, or even not seen ( Fig. 3 );

● scutellum with two setae and one pair of hair-like setulae anteriorly;

● fore leg without spines along tibia, but with palisades of setulae on tarsal segments;

● fore metatarsus as long as the combined lengths of tarsomere 2+3, tarsomere 5 longer than tarsomere 4;

● male cerci at least twice as long as epandrium;

● ovipositor not so heavily sclerotized, u-shaped sclerite short and strong ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Anepisternum of different Phalacrotophora species. P. nitida sp. n. (1); P. quadrimaculata (2); Phalacrotophora sp. (3).

FIGURES 8 – 10. Frontal chaetotaxy (8) and male genitalia (9) of Phalacrotophora pappi sp. n. U-shaped sclerite of Phalacrotophora sp. (10). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.