Curtonotum simplex Schiner

Klymko, John & Marshall, Stephen A., 2011, Systematics of New World Curtonotum Macquart (Diptera: Curtonotidae) 3079, Zootaxa 3079 (1), pp. 1-110 : 107-108

Curtonotum simplex Schiner

Curtonotum simplex Schiner, 1868: 237 .— Aldrich, 1905: 641 [Nearctic catalogue].—Hendel, 1913:618 [key].— Wirth, 1975: 78.2 [Neotropical catalogue].

Diplocentra simplex (Schiner), 1868 .— Giglio-Tos, 1895: Parte Quarta: 35 [combination, Mexican catalogue].

Comments. Without examination of the holotype we are unable to define C. simplex . The holotype is likely in Vienna, however we have thus far been unable to borrow Curtonotum type material from NHMW.

This species is included in the key presented in Hendel’s 1913 treatment of Curtonotum , however no description is included. Because C. simplex keys out early in Hendel’s key, all that can be gleaned is that the species lacks punctate markings on the thorax and has two prominent katepisternal setae. In the description of C. perplexum ( Hendel, 1932, under the name C. impunctatum ), the body, wings and legs of C. simplex are described as being “brownish black”. Given these limited details it is not possible to make any assumptions regarding this species’ placement in the Curtonotum phylogeny, or produce a diagnosis for its identity, and therefore is treated here as incertae sedis.

Giglio-Tos (1895), and subsequently Aldrich (1905), reports Curtonotum simplex (under the names Diplocentra simplex and Cyrtonotum simplex , respectively) from Tuxpan, Mexico. This is almost certainly based on a misidentification, no Curtonotum species are known to range from Mexico to South America.