Review of Australasian spider flies (Diptera, Acroceridae) with a revision of Panops Lamarck.

The Australasian spider flies (Diptera: Acroceridae) are reviewed, with all eight currently recognized genera diagnosed and figured. The panopine genus Panops Lamarck, 1804 from Australia and Indonesia is revised with four new species described, increasing the total number of species in the genus to nine: Panops aurumsp. n., Panops danielsisp. n., Panops jadesp. n. and Panops schlingerisp. n. Five species of Panops are redescribed: Panops austrae Neboiss, 1971, Panops baudini Lamarck, 1804, Panops boharti (Schlinger, 1959), comb. n., Panops conspicuus (Brunetti, 1926) and Panops grossi (Neboiss, 1971), comb. n. The monotypic genera Neopanops Schlinger, 1959 and Panocalda Neboiss, 1971 are synonymized with Panops. Keys to genera of Australasian Acroceridae and species of Panops, Helle Osten Sacken, 1896 and Australasian Pterodontia Gray, 1832 are included.

Introduction

Spider flies (also known as small-headed flies) (Diptera: Acroceridae) are a distinctive group of lower brachyceran flies characterized by unusual adult body shape and highly specialized larval biology as parasitoids of spiders. Adults are recognized as important pollinators of angiosperms (Fig. 1), frequently as strong fliers with greatly elongate mouthparts for feeding in long corolla flowers, although some species have reduced or even vestigial mouthparts`PageBreak(Schlinger 1981, 1987). Acroceridae comprise approximately 520 species in 53 genera (Pape and Thompson 2010; Gillung and Winterton 2011) occupying most biogeographic regions. The family is presently classified into three extant subfamilies: Acrocerinae, Panopinae and Philopotinae (Schlinger 1981), although recent phylogenetic analyses using DNA sequence data suggest that Acrocerinae are polyphyletic and membership of that subfamily should be re-examined (Winterton et al. 2007). Larvae of Acroceridae are internal parasitoids of juvenile spiders, living internally within the opithsoma of the spider where they attach to the book-lungs of the host via their posterior spiracles. Upon completing development the mature, third instar larva emerges from the dead host before pupating (Schlinger 1987). There are exceptions though, with a Chilean species recorded as ectoparasitic on spiders (i.e. Philippi, 1865 (Acrocerinae)) (Schlinger 1987), whilst Kerr and Winterton (2008) recently questioned the exclusivity of parasitism of spiders, describing a putative acrocerid planidium on an anystinid mite in Baltic Amber.

Figure 1.

Lamarck feeding on F.Muell. (Fabaceae), photographed during September in Boorabbin National Park, Western Australia. Photograph by Dan Schoknecht (Western Australian Museum).

The Australasian acrocerid fauna comprises all three subfamilies, although represented by relatively few genera. Two acrocerine genera ( Latreille, 1797 and Gray, 1832) are found throughout the region, and are considered cosmopolitan throughout all major biogeographic regions. Philopotinae are represented by an endemic genus in New Zealand ( Osten Sacken, 1896) (Paramonov 1955) and a recently described genus endemic to New Caledonia ( Gillung & Winterton, 2011).

Panopinae are well represented in the Australasian region.Six genera are described previously from New Zealand ( Westwood, 1876), Indonesia ( Schlinger, 1959) and Australia ( Neboiss, 1971, Lamarck, 1804, Macquart, 1838 and Westwood, 1876) (Paramonov 1955, 1957; Schlinger 1959; Neboiss 1971). has been considered by some authors to be placed in Panopinae based on the presence of tibial spines (Schlinger 1981, 1987, 2009), but most authors place it in Acrocerinae based on wing venation and antennal characteristics (e.g. Neboiss 1971) and molecular data (Winterton et al. 2007). is the most species rich genus in the region and is revised herein. Three species were described previously and treated in the most recent revision of the genus by Neboiss (1971): Neboiss, 1971, Lamarck, 1804, and (Brunetti, 1926). An additional four species are described herein ( sp. n., sp. n., sp. n. and sp. n.) whilst another two species are moved from other genera ( (Schlinger, 1959), comb. n. and (Neboiss, 1971), comb. n.). Discovery of these new species of has expanded the concept of the genus, with various species exhibiting combinations of characteristics previously used to differentiate from and – specifically length of the mouthparts and presence and distribution of eye pilosity. Consequently, and are newly synonymized with . All Australasian acrocerid genera are diagnosed and figured. Four genera of Panopinae are now recognized from the Australasian region, (1 sp.), (4 spp.), (9 spp.) and (2 spp.). Keys to genera of Australasian Acroceridae and species of , and Australasian are included.

Material and methods

Terminology follows McAlpine (1981) and Schlinger (1981). In most acrocerids, two crossveins span the area between the radial and medial sectors. The proximal crossvein is r-m, while the distal crossvein bisecting cell r4+5 (between wing veins M1 and R4+5, or rarely R5) is referred to here as 2r-m following Hardy (1946) and Gillung and Winterton (2011). Annotations of collection label data are included where appropriate in brackets. The following collection codens are cited in the text: Australian Museum (AMS), Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC), California Academy of Sciences (CAS), Canadian National Collection of Insects (CNC); Greg Daniels private collection [to be ultimately deposited in the Australian Museum] (GDCB/AMS)PageBreak, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), National Museum of Victoria (NMV), Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH), Queensland Museum (QM), Swedish Museum of Natural History (NHRS), South Australian Museum (SAM), The Natural History Museum (BMNH), Western Australian Museum (WAM). Descriptions were constructed using Lucid Builder 3.5, using a matrix database of character states, which were then exported using the natural language function into XML and a text document. Specimen images were taken at different focal points using a digital camera and subsequently combined into a serial montage image using Helicon Focus software. High-resolution digital images were deposited into Morphbank with embedded URL links within the document between descriptions and Morphbank images. All new nomenclatural acts and literature are registered in Zoobank (Pyle and Michel 2008).

Taxonomy

Schiner, 1868

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panopinae

Type genus.

Lamarck, 1804: 263.

Diagnosis.

Usually large and densely pilose, body shape never arched; antennal flagellum elongate cylindrical to paddle-shaped, sometimes tapered but never stylate, usually lacking terminal setae; postpronotal lobes never meeting medially; wing venation complete to wing margin (rarely reduced), cells m3, d, bm and basal r4+5 typically present, closed distally; tibial spines present (rarely absent); larvae exclusively parasitoids of mygalomorph spiders.

Australasian genera

Westwood, 1876; Westwood, 1876; Macquart, 1838; Lamarck, 1804.

Westwood, 1876

http://species-id.net/wiki/Apsona

Figs 2A 4 –6

Figure 2.

Acroceridae wings. Panopinae: A Westwood B Westwood C Neboiss D sp. n. Scale line = 0.2 mm.

Figure 4.

Westwood, male, lateral view [700415]. Body length = 8.0 mm.

Figure 5.

Westwood, male, oblique view [700418]. Body length = 8.0 mm.

Figure 6.

Westwood, male, anterior view [700419]. Body length = 8.0 mm.

Apsona Westwood, 1876: 510 –

Diagnosis.

Body length: 7–9 mm. Colouration metallic green; head width slightly smaller than thorax width, hemispherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli; posterior margin of eye rounded; eye pilose (dense); position of antenna on frons nearer to ocellar tubercle; eyes contiguous above and below antennal base; palpus present; proboscis longer than head length; flagellum shape elongate, tapered apically, apex lacking terminal setae; scapes separate; subscutellum not enlarged, barely visible;PageBreak tibial spines absent; pulvilli present; wing hyaline, markings absent; costa circumambient, costal margin straight apically in both sexes; humeral crossvein present; radial veins curved towards wing anterior margin; R1 not inflated distally; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; R2+3 present; R4+5 present as forked petiolate veins; cell r4+5 bisected by 2r-m, basal cell narrow elongate, closed; 2r-m very short, joining M1 to stem R4+5; R4 without spur vein; medial vein compliment with M1, M2 and M3 present (M3 fused with CuA1); discal cell closed completely; M1 and M2 usually not reaching wing margin; cell m3 present; CuA1 joining M3, petiolate to wing margin; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula absent; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded; abdomen shape greatly rounded, inflated, conical posteriorly.

Included species.

Westwood, 1876.

Comments.

is a monotypic genus endemic to New Zealand and can be readily differentiated from all other Panopinae based on the lack of tibial spines. shows little relationship to the rest of the Australasian Panopinae and shows remarkable similarity to the New World genus Gerstaecker, 1856, sharing numerous characteristics such as metallic green colouration, antennal shape, dense eye pilosity, elongate mouthparts, eyes contiguous below antennal base and absence of an alula (Paramonov 1955).

Westwood, 1876

http://species-id.net/wiki/Leucopsina

Figs 2B 7 –11

Figure 7.

Westwood, male, lateral view [700421]. Body length = 9.0 mm.

Figure 8.

Westwood, male, dorsal view [700423]. Body length = 9.0 mm.

Figure 9.

Westwood, male, anterior view [700426]. Body length = 9.0 mm.

Figure 10.

Westwood, female, lateral view [700436]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 11.

Westwood, female, dorsal view [700447]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Leucopsina Westwood, 1876: 510 –

Body length: 9.0 mm [male], 12.0 mm [female]. Colouration black and yellow [wasp mimic]; head slightly smaller than thorax width, shape hemispherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli, anterior ocellus reduced in size (female) or absent (male); posterior margin of eye emarginate; eye apilose; position of antennae on head adjacent to ocellar tubercle; male frons width above antennal base not contiguous, eyes contiguous below antennal base; palpus present; proboscis greater than head length; flagellum shape elongate, cylindrical; apex lacking terminal setae; scapes separate; subscutellum enlarged; tibial spines present; pulvilli present; wing markings present (infuscate anteriorly); costa circumambient (weaker along anal margin); costal margin straight; humeral crossvein present; radial veins straight; R1 not inflated distally; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; R2+3 present; R4+5 originating separately from cell r4+5 (or at same point); cell r4+5 bisected by 2r-m, basal cell narrow elongate, closed; 2r-m joining M1 to R5; R4 PageBreakwith spur vein; medial vein compliment: M1, M2 and M3 present (M3 fused with CuA1); discal cell closed completely; medial veins reaching wing margin; cell m3 present; CuA1 joining M3, petiolate to margin; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate; wing microtrichia absent;PageBreak anal lobe well-developed; alula weakly developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded, tergites raised along posterior margins; abdomen constricted anteriorly.

(Paramonov, 1957); Westwood, 1876.

is an endemic Australian genus of contrastingly coloured yellow and black flies, with distinct sexual dimorphism between males and females; male having more pronounced constriction of the abdomen anteriorly. The body colouration, darkening of the costal wing margin and abdominal waist allows members of this genus to be convincing wasp mimics (Neboiss 1971). can be differentiated from all other acrocerid genera by the wasp mimicking habitus, elongate cylindrical flagellum, apilose eyes and elongate mouthparts. Neboiss (1971) provides a key to species of this genus. was originally described as a variety of (= Latreille, 1811) but subsequently transferred to and thoroughly differentiated from by Neboiss (1971).

Macquart

http://species-id.net/wiki/Mesophysa

Figs 2C 12 –16

Figure 12.

Neboiss, male, lateral view [700448]. Body length = 10.0 mm. 

Figure 13.

Neboiss, male, oblique view [700450]. Body length = 10.0 mm.

Figure 14.

Neboiss, male, anterior view [700452]. Body length = 10.0 mm.

Figure 15.

Neboiss, female, lateral view [700453]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 16.

Neboiss, female, oblique view [700454]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Mesophysa Macquart, 1838: 166 –

Body length: 8.0–10.0 mm [male], 9.0–11 mm [female]. Colouration non-metallic, usually matte greenish hue; head size slightly smaller than thorax width; shape hemispherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli; posterior margin of eye emarginate; eye apilose; antennae positioned on head adjacent to ocellar tubercle; eyes not contiguous above antennal base, contiguous below antennal base; palpus present; proboscis greater than head length; flagellum shape elongate, cylindrical (flattened), truncated apically [more pronounced in male]; scapes separate; flagellum apex lacking terminal setae; subscutellum not enlarged, barely visible; tibial spines present; pulvilli present; wing infuscate, markings present; costa circumambient (weaker along anal margin); costal margin straight apically; humeral crossvein present; radial veins straight; R1 not inflated distally; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; R2+3 present; R4+5 originating separately from cell r4+5; cell r4+5 bisected by 2r-m, basal cell narrow elongate, closed; 2r-m, joining M1 to R5; R4 with spur vein; medial vein compliment with M1, M2 and M3 present (M3 fused with CuA1); discal cell closed completely; medial veins reaching wing margin; cell m3 present; CuA1 joining M3, petiolate to margin; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate to margin; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula well developed;PageBreak abdominal tergites smooth, rounded; abdomen shape rounded, cylindrical, similar width to thorax or constricted anteriorly (male), tergites raised along posterior margins.

(Latreille, 1811); Neboiss, 1971; Neboiss, 1971; Neboiss, 1971.

is an endemic eastern Australian genus closely related to . They share a similar habitus with narrowing of the abdomen anteriorly (more pronounced in ), apilose eyes, infuscate wings and flagellum shape, as well as the crossvein 2r-m joining to R5 rather than to the stem R4+5. This genus can be differentiated from by the lack of black and yellow markings. has been considered a synonym of by some authors (Erichson 1840; Kertész 1909; Edwards 1930; Hardy 1946; Paramonov 1957) and treated as separate genera by others (e.g. Brunetti 1926; Neboiss 1971). This was complicated by an incorrect synonymy of with the distantly related South American genus Wiedemann, 1824 by Kertész (1909) (see discussion in Neboiss 1971). Neboiss (1971) provides a key to species of this genus.

Lamarck, 1804

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panops

Figs 1 2D 17 –55

Figure 17.

Lamarck. A male genitalia, lateral view B same, ventral view. Scale line = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: c cercus; e epandrium; g gonocoxite; gs gonostylus; ps parameral sheath of aedeagus.

Figure 18.

sp. n., male, lateral view [700495]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 19.

sp. n., male, dorsal view [700496]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 20.

sp. n., male, anterior view [700497]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 21.

Neboiss, male, lateral view (partially denuded) [700499]. Body length = 8.0 mm.

Figure 22.

Neboiss, male, dorsal view [700502]. Body length = 8.0 mm.

Figure 23.

Neboiss, male, anterior view [700498]. Body length = 8.0 mm.

Figure 24.

Neboiss, female, dorsal view [700508]. Body length = 14.5 mm.

Figure 25.

Lamarck (western form), male, lateral view [700505]. Body length = 9.5 mm.

Figure 26.

Lamarck (western form), male, oblique view [700509]. Body length = 9.5 mm.

Figure 27.

Lamarck (western form), male, anterior view [700510]. Body length = 9.5 mm.

Figure 28.

Lamarck (eastern form), female, lateral view [700512]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 29.

Lamarck (eastern form), female, oblique view [700513]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 30.

Lamarck (eastern form), female, anterior view [700514]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 31.

(Schlinger) comb. n., male, lateral view [700515]. Body length = 9.0 mm.

Figure 32.

(Schlinger) comb. n., male, dorsal view [700517]. Body length = 9.0 mm.

Figure 33.

(Schlinger) comb. n., male, anterior view [700522]. Body length = 9.0 mm.

Figure 34.

(Brunetti), male, lateral view [700525]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 35.

(Brunetti), male, oblique view [700527]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 36.

(Brunetti), male, anterior view [700528]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 37.

(Brunetti), female, lateral view [700529]. Body length = 13.0 mm.

Figure 38.

(Brunetti), female, oblique view [700530]. Body length = 13.0 mm.

Figure 39.

sp. n., male, lateral view [700531]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 40.

sp. n., male, anterior view [700532]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 41.

sp. n., female, lateral view [700533]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 42.

sp. n., female, oblique view [700534]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 43.

sp. n., female, anterior view [700535]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 44.

(Neboiss) comb. n., male, lateral view [700536]. Body length = 9.0 mm.

Figure 45.

(Neboiss) comb. n., male, dorsal view [700537]. Body length = 9.0 mm.

Figure 46.

(Neboiss) comb. n., male, anterior view [700538]. Body length = 9.0 mm.

Figure 47.

(Neboiss) comb. n., female, oblique view [700539]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 48.

sp. n., male, lateral view [700540]. Body length = 11.5 mm.

Figure 49.

sp. n., male, dorsal view [700541]. Body length = 11.5 mm.

Figure 50.

sp. n., female, lateral view [700542]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 51.

sp. n., female, dorsal view [700543]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 52.

sp. n., female, anterior view [700545]. Body length = 12.0 mm.

Figure 53.

sp. n., female, lateral view [700546]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 54.

sp. n., female, oblique view [700547]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Figure 55.

sp. n., female, anterior view [700548]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Panops Lamarck, 1804: 263 –

Epicerina Macquart, 1850: 97 –

Neopanops Schlinger, 1959: 157 –

Panocalda Neboiss, 1971: 212 –

Body length: 8.0–12.5 mm [male], 9.5–14.5 mm [female]. Colouration non-metallic or metallic; head slightly smaller than thorax width, shape hemispherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli, anterior ocellus reduced in size or absent; posterior margin of eye emarginate; eye apilose or pilose (sparse) (sometimes localized dorsally); position of antennae on head adjacent to ocellar tubercle; eyes not contiguous above antennal base, contiguous below antennal base; palpus present; proboscis length variable, less than or greater than head length; flagellum shape elongatePageBreak, slightly tapered (female) or elongate, cylindrical (male); flagellum apex lacking terminal setae; scapes separate; subscutellum not enlarged, barely visible; tibial spines present; pulvilli present; wing hyaline, markings absent; costa circumambient (weaker along anal margin); costal margin at pterostigma straight; humeral crossvein present; R1 not inflated distally; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; vein R2+3 present; R4 and R5 present as forked petiolate veins; radial veins straight towards wing apex, slightly angled anteriorly; cell r4+5 bisected by 2r-m, basal cell narrow elongate, closed; 2r-m joining M1 to stem R4+5; R4 with or without spur vein; medial vein compliment with M1, M2 and M3 present; discal cell closed completely; medial veins reaching wing margin; cell m3 present; CuA1 joining M3, petiolate to wing margin; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate to margin; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula well developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded; abdomen shape greatly rounded, inflated (larger in female). Male genitalia (Fig. 17) typical for Panopinae and varying little between species: gonostylus fused with gonocoxite and non-articulated, but with lightly sclerotized areas ventrally indicating flexion of gonostylus with gonocoxite; gonostylus as ventrally curved process with cup-like ventromedial surface; aedeagus consisting of flattened quadrangular, or cylindrical, parameral sheath with ventral rod-like structure with apical gonopore; ejaculatory apodeme poorly developed.

sp. n.; Neboiss, 1971; Lamarck, 1804; (Schlinger, 1959) comb. n.; (Brunetti, 1926); sp. n.; (Neboiss 1971) comb. n.; sp. n.; sp. n.

is the type genus for the subfamily Panopinae and includes some large metallic coloured species. The genus is endemic to Australia and neighbouring Papua region of Indonesia. The original concept of the genus was expanded to include species from the New World by some authors, but these have subsequently been placed in the separate and distantly related genus Wiedemann, 1824 (e.g. Rondani, 1863; (Wiedemann, 1830)). Bequaert (1931) and later Neboiss (1971), discuss the historically confused and intertwined generic concepts of and (sometimes including ) in previous treatments of the group by various authors. Based on a series of characters, it is clear that those Australasian species are placed in or , while the New World species are placed in . In his description of , Schlinger (1959) suggested that the genus was closely related to and provided an extensive list of characters distinguishing the two. Similarly, Neboiss (1971) provided a list of characteristics to differentiate from the closely related and . Both Schlinger (1959) and Neboiss (1971) distinguished their respective genera based on characters such as eye pilosity, length of proboscis,PageBreak shape of ocellar tubercle, palpi length, head width, parafacial pilosity and wing length. With the inclusion of the four new species described here, and a critical re-examination of the characters used to differentiate and from , it is clear that all of these characters are variable and that only one genus is warranted. Some species of have pilose eyes, either uniformly sparse and minute (i.e. sp. n., comb. n., ) or localized ( comb. n.), with the other species being apilose. In no species of are the eyes uniformly dense pilose, as is found in most other panopine genera (e.g. , ). This paucity of eye pilosity is shared with only a few other genera, including the Australian and , as well as the highly derived genus Speiser, 1920 from the Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions. Proboscis length is a frequently used character in acrocerid taxonomy, but in the length is dramatically variable, with a proboscis much shorter than the head height in some species (e.g. sp. n., sp. n., comb. n.) while the rest have a proboscis longer than the head height. is a variable genus, but can be differentiated from all other Panopinae based on the diagnosis above, and specifically from all other genera in the Australasian region based on tibial spines being present (cf. ) and wing crossvein 2r-m joining to R4+5 (cf. , ). Like most acrocerids, species of display distinct sexual dimorphism with males often have slightlyPageBreak smaller body size and larger antennae than females. Many Old World panopine genera (e.g. , , Aldrich, 1927) have a distinctive unidirectional arrangement of the pile on the head and thorax, giving the individual a dramatic change in appearance when viewed head on (e.g. Figs 20, 23, 40); the biological significance of this is unknown.

Key to species.

keys to two couplets as the eye pilosity is extremely minute in some individuals and may be overlooked. Females are unknown for comb. n. and sp. n., whilst males are unknown for sp. n.

sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3864CACB-368C-4770-88E8-8346544EBED7

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panops_aurum

Figs 18 –20

Type material.

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Darlington, 450 ft., E.S. Ross, D.Q. Cavagnaro, 5.ix.1962 [-31.901, 116.081] (CAS).

Diagnosis.

Eye apilose; proboscis longer than head height; body non-metallic; antennae red-brown; parafacial with yellow marginal pile; postpronotal lobe concolourous with rest of thorax; legs dark yellow, femora brown-black.

Description.

Body length: 11.0 mm (male). Headwitheye apilose; ocellar tubercle raised laterally; medial ocellus absent; occiput brown-black, occipital pile yellow, postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; clypeus length equal to oral cavity, brown-black; palpus yellow; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) densely pilose (yellow); proboscis longer than head height; flagellum apex of uniform width, truncated apically, flagellum red-brown; scape and pedicel brown. Thorax with postpronotal lobe brown-black; scutum black, scutal vestiture dense yellow-gold pile; scutellum black; pleuron black; coxae black; femora brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae dark yellow; tarsi dark yellow; lower calypter white with dark yellow margin; wing hyaline, venation dark; vein R4 without spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax, colour orange-red to yellow, dark markings anteriorly and medially, vestiture dense elongate pile, yellow anteriorly, brown posteriorly on tergites 2–5.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the Latin, aurum – gold; referring to the distinctive golden setal pile on the head and thorax.

Comments.

sp. n. is known only from a single male specimen from Western Australia. The fringing yellow setae around the oral cavity and yellow pile on the thorax are distinctive for the species.

Neboiss, 1971

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panops_austrae

Figs 21 –24

Panops austrae Neboiss, 1971: 209 –

Type material examined.

Holotype female, AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: nr. Mount Olga [-25.3, 130.73], C.A., Paul Genery, ix.1960, picked up dead in sand (Type- T.4177) (NMV).

Other material examined.

AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: male, Wialki [-30.483, 118.117], R. P. McMillan, 12.x.1983 (WAM); male, W of Norseman, woodland, dry gully to salt lake, Malaise trap, C. Lambkin et al., ANIC bulk sample 2184, 1-17.xi.2003 271m [-32.186, 121.721] (ANIC).

Eye apilose; proboscis equal to head height; body metallic green-blue; antennae yellow-brown; parafacial without marginal pile; postpronotal lobe concolourous with rest of thorax; legs black.

Redescription.

Body length: 8.0–10.0 mm (male), 14.5 mm (female). Head with eye apilose; ocellar tubercle relatively flat, medial ocellus present; occiput metallic green-blue, occipital pile dense, white; postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence;PageBreak clypeus length equal to oral cavity, brown-black; palpus white or black; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) glabrous; proboscis equal or slightly longer than head height; flagellum dark yellow-orange, suffused with brown, apex in male tapered, narrow apically; scape and pedicel brown or dark yellow. Thorax postpronotal lobe green; scutum metallic green or metallic blue, scutal vestiture dense white pile; scutellum metallic blue-green; pleuron metallic green or metallic blue; coxae black with metallic blue iridescence; femora black; tibiae black or brown; tarsi black; lower calypter white, with brown margin; wing hyaline (male) or slightly infuscate (female), venation dark; vein R4 with spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax (female) or rounded to conical, not larger than thorax (male), colour metallic green or metallic blue violet, vestiture as minute setae, dense white-silver elongate setae along anterior margin of tergites 2–5.

is a large, metallic coloured species similar to sp. n. and sp. n. It is easily distinguished from these species by the longer proboscis and dense white thoracic pile. This species is known from remote, arid regions of the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Lamarck, 1804

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panops_baudini

Figs 1 17 25 –30

Panops baudini Lamarck, 1804: 265 –

Mesophysa marginata Macquart, 1838: 168 –

Epicerina nigricornis Macquart, 1850: 98 –

Panops lamarckianus Westwood, 1876: 508 –

Mesophysa australiae Thomson, 1869: 475 –

Panops australiae . Kertész, 1909: 8.

Mesophysa baudini Brunetti, 1926: 581.

Panops nigricornis . Hardy, 1946: 66.

Lamarck. Neotype female, AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Asquith (nr, Sydney), 10.x.1962, A.L. Dyce (ANIC) (designated by Neboiss 1971)PageBreak. Neboiss (1971) discussed the identity of this species based on the original species description and justification for designating the neotype [examined].

Macquart. Type female, [no label data] (MHN). See discussion by Neboiss (1971).

Macquart. Type male, AUSTRALIA: “2/47 Tasmanie J. Verreaux 1847” (MNHN). See discussion by Paramonov (1957) and Neboiss (1971) regarding synonymy and possible erroneous locality recording.

Westwood. Type male, AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Moreton Bay, 1859 (OUMNH).

Thomson. Type male, AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Sydney, Kinb. (NHRS). See discussion by Hardy (1921) and Neboiss (1971) regarding synonymy.

AUSTRALIA: Queensland: male, female, Isla Gorge National Park, [-25.183, 149.966] 12.ix.1992, 320m, G. Daniels (GDCB); male, Isla Gorge National Park, [-25.183, 149.966] 11.ix.1992, 320m, R. Eastwood (GDCB); 32 km S Theodore, [-25.166, 150.000], 13.ix.1992, 300m, G. Daniels (GDCB); 2 males, female, 43 km WSW Millmerran, [-27.983, 150.933]PageBreak, 21.ix.1986, G. & A. Daniels (GDCB); 2 females, Lake Broadwater, nr. Dalby, [-27.361, 151.102], site 8, 27.ix.1986, G. & A. Daniels (GDCB); male, Gayndah, Masters (NMV). New South Wales: female, Sydney swamps (NMV); male, Sydney, 17.x.1932, G.M. Goldfinch (ANIC); female, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park [-33.651, 151.201], 2.x.1972, A. & G. Daniels (GDCB); 2 males, Goondera Ridge, Royal National Park [-34.122, 151.063], 24.x.1976, G. & A. Daniels (GDCB). Victoria: female, Mitta Mitta River, 8km NW of Dartmouth Dam [-36.566, 147.55], 30.x.1976, A. A. Calder (NMV). Western Australia: 3 males, W of Norseman, Eucalyptus woodland, dry gully to salt lake, Malaise trap, C. Lambkin et al., ANIC bulk sample 2184, 1-17.xi.2003 271m [-32.186, 121.721] (ANIC); male, Wongan Hills area [-30.871, 116.771], Greg Guérin, on flowers of (CAS); female, East Yuna Nature Reserve, 34 km WNW Mullewa [-28.42, 115.42], 23–24.ix.1983, C. & T. Houston, 559-17, on flowers of ? (WAM); female Australia, Boorabbin Rock National Park [-31.23, 120.16], W Coolgardie, 26.ix.2005, L. Packer (CNC) [not examined but identity confirmed by B. Sinclair].

Diagnosis. Eye minutely pilose; proboscis longer than head height; body black (with faint blue iridescence in western population); antennae red-brown to black; parafacial with marginal pile; postpronotal lobe concolourous with rest of thorax; femora black with pale apices, rest of leg dark yellow to white with black on tibiae; abdomen red or yellow laterally; distiphallus broad apically.

Body length: 9.5–12.5 mm (male), 11.0–14.0 mm (female). Head with eye sparsely pilose with minute setae (appears apilose); ocellar tuberclePageBreak raised laterally or relatively flat; medial ocellus reduced; occiput brown-black, occipital pile white, sparse; postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; clypeus length equal to oral cavity, brown-black; palpus white or yellow; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) pilose; proboscis longer than head height; flagellum red-brown to black; scape and pedicel brown. Thorax with postpronotal lobe brown-black; scutum black, scutal vestiture dense white pile; scutellum black; pleuron black (thorax with slight bluish iridescence in western populations); coxae black; femora black or brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae predominantly black with dark yellow to white (apically); tarsi dark yellow to white; lower calypter white, with yellow margin; wing hyaline (male) or slightly infuscate (female); venation dark; vein R4 with spur vein, rarely without. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax, colour highly variable, orange-red to yellow, dark markings anteriorly and medially, or dark yellow, brown anteriorly on tergites 2–6, vestiture as extensive short white-silver pile, longer laterally.

The type for the genus, is the most commonly represented species in collections. This species is distributed in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. The apex of the aedeagus is broad and quadrangular in this species (Fig. 17) while in all other species it is much narrower. The record from Tasmania is apparently erroneous (Neboiss 1971). Western Australian individuals have more reddish colouration laterally on the abdomen, particularly in males, and the body has a bluish iridescence (Fig. 1). This bluish iridescence is not seen in specimens from eastern states.

(Schlinger, 1959) comb. n.

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panops_boharti

Figs 31 –33

Neopanops boharti Schlinger, 1959: 157 –

Holotype male, INDONESIA: Papua: Cyclops Mountains, Sabron, 930 ft. [-2.509, 140.523], iv.1936, L. E. Cheesman, B. M. 1936-271 (BMNH).

Eye pilose; eye extends posteriorly beyond maximum head width; proboscis very short, not extending beyond oral cavity; body brown and yellow; antennae yellow;PageBreak parafacial without marginal pile; postpronotal lobe cream with brown spot; legs yellow, femora brown with yellow apices; lower calypter cream with brown margin.

Body length: 9.0 mm (male). Head with eye sparsely pilose, slightly denser and elongate laterally; eye extends posteriorly beyond maximum head width; ocellar tubercle relatively flat; medial ocellus present; occiput cream, brown suffusion laterally; occipital pile white, sparse; flagellum yellow, apex uniform width, truncated apically; scape and pedicel dark yellow; clypeus minute, yellow-brown; palpus yellow; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) glabrous; proboscis not extending beyond oral cavity. Thorax with postpronotal lobe cream, brown suffusion dorsally; scutum brown, cream posterolaterally; scutal vestiture dense brown and white, matching respective scutal PageBreakmarkings; scutellum brown with bluish iridescence, cream laterally; pleuron cream with brown markings; coxae cream with brown markings; femora cream with brown on middle half; tibiae dark yellow; tarsi dark yellow; lower calypter white, brown marginally on membrane; wing hyaline, venation brownish, pale yellow distally along costa and radial veins; vein R4 with spur vein. Abdomen rounded globose, slightly larger than thorax, colour dark yellow, brown on tergites 3–6, vestiture minute setae, dense white-silver elongate setae along anterior margin of tergites 2–5.

comb. n.was described by Schlinger (1959) as the sole species in the genus but is transferred herein to . This Indonesian species is the only non-Australian representative of the genus, and is distinctive based on body colouration and markings, very short mouthparts, eye pilosity and eye shape. Only the male is known.

(Brunetti, 1926)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panops_conspicuus

Figs 34 –38

Epicerina conspicua Brunetti, 1926: 579.

Panops conspicuus (Brunetti, 1926) –

Holotype female, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Kalamunda [-31.974, 116.058], 14.iii–14.iv.1914, R.E. Turner, 1914-349 (BMNH).

AUSTRALIA: Victoria: male, female, Kiata [-36.366, 141.791], R. Oldfield, X 4172, captured as copulating pair (NMV). Western Australia: female, Boulder Rock [-32.133, 116.166], 15.iii.1981, M.J. Smart, Jarrah Forest, 300m, hovering 2–3 m above ground, taken at rest on leaf (WAM); 4.5 km E Lake Monger on Wanarra Road [-29.544, 116.775], 7.v.2008, T.F. Houston and E. G. Cunningham, 1266-1 (WAM).

Eye apilose; proboscis longer than head height; body colour and shape sexually dimorphic: male black with slender body, female yellow and brown with globose abdomen; antennae yellow-brown to red-brown with black suffusion; parafacial without marginal pile; postpronotal lobe yellow; legs yellow with brown medially on femora and tibiae.

Body length: 11.0 mm (male), 12.0–13.0 mm (female). Head with eye apilose; ocellar tubercle raised laterally; medial ocellus present; occiput colour brown-black (male) or brown with dark yellow spot laterally (female); occipital pile yellow; postocular ridge and gena glabrous; clypeus shorter than oral cavity; yellow-brown; palpus yellow; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) glabrous; proboscis longer than head height; flagellum dark yellow, suffused with brown (female) or red with black suffusion (male), apex in male tapered, narrow apically; scape and pedicel brown. Thorax with postpronotal lobe yellow; scutum black (male) or yellow and brown (markings variable) (female); scutal vestiture dense white pile or dense yellow-gold pile; scutellum black or brown; pleuron brown; coxae brown; femora brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae dark yellow or dark yellow, suffused with brown; tarsi dark yellow; lower calypter white, with dark yellow margin; wing hyaline (male) or slightly infuscate (female), venation dark; vein R4 with spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose,PageBreak much larger than thorax (female) or cylindrical along length (male), colour orange-yellow or brown-black, vestiture elongate yellow pile (whitish in male).

is recorded from arid regions of southwest Western Australia and Western Victoria. There is dramatic sexual dimorphism in both body colouration and shape in this species, with males very similar to species of . can be differentiated from other species by the bright yellow postpronotal lobes, elongate mouthparts, yellow and brown colouration (female), and apilose eyes. Females of this species are similarly coloured to females of comb. n., a species which also displays dramatic sexual dimorphism.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3FAB3406-C6A4-42CC-9ABC-B82BCB22FDE8

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panops_danielsi

Figs 39 –43

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 3km SW Fox Ck. x-ing [crossing], ‘Wolverton’ [-13.104, 142.970], 13.iv.1989, G. and A. Daniels (AMS).

Paratypes.

AUSTRALIA: Queensland: female, male, same data as holotype (GDCB) (CAS); female, 7 km NNW Coen, [-13.844, 143.163], 17.iv.1989, G. and A. Daniels (GDCB); female, 26 km W ‘Fairview’, [-15.535, 144.154], 20.iv.1989, G. and A. Daniels (GDCB).

Eye uniformly sparse pilose; proboscis longer than head height; body dark yellow and brown, with metallic green-blue iridescence; antennae red-brown or black; parafacial with marginal pile; postpronotal lobe dark yellow; legs dark yellow and brown.

Body length: 11.0 mm (male), 10.5–12.0 mm (female). Head with eye sparsely pilose, uniformly distributed, setae minute; ocellar tubercle raised laterally; medial ocellus absent; occiput metallic green-blue; occipital pile yellow; postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; flagellum apex in male uniform width, truncated apically, narrower in female, red-brown (male) or black (female); scape and pedicel dark yellow; clypeus length equal to oral cavity, brown-black; palpus yellow; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) pilose; proboscis longer than head height. Thorax with postpronotal lobe yellow; scutum glossy black (with metallic iridescence), dark yellow marginally; scutal vestiture dense yellow-gold pile; scutellum brown, dark yellow medially; pleuron brown with metallic iridescence; coxae black or brown; femora brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae dark yellow, suffused with brown; tarsi dark yellow;PageBreak lower calypter white, with yellow margin; wing hyaline, venation dark; vein R4 with spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax (female) or rounded to conical, not larger than thorax (male), colour black with metallic green iridescence (female) or dark yellow, brown anteriorly on tergites 2–6 (male), vestiture extensive white-silver elongate setae, brown posteromedially on tergites 3–5 (female) or erect dark pile (male).

This species is named in honour of the collector of this species, Greg Daniels.

sp.n. is known only from Far Northern Queensland. This species is closely related to as both species have similar shaped mouthparts and pilose eyes. sp. n. can be distinguished by the more evident eye pilosity, yellow postpronotal lobes and body colouration.

(Neboiss, 1971) comb. n.

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panops_grossi

Figs 44 –47

Panocalda grossi Neboiss, 1971: 214 –

Holotype female, AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: Koolpinyah, 21.iv.1916 [-12.331, 131.148] G. F. Hill, (in copula) (SAM).

‘Allotype’. AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: same data as holotype (SAM).

Eye pilose dorsally only, relatively dense and elongate; proboscis shorter than head height; body colour and shape sexually dimorphic: male metallic olive green, female yellow and brown, globose; antennae yellow; parafacial without marginal pile; postpronotal lobe and legs concolourous with rest of body.

Body length: 9.0 mm (male), 12.0 mm (female). Head eye pilose dorsally only, dense and relatively elongate; occiput olive green, occipital pile dense white (male) or yellow (female); postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; ocellar tubercle raised laterally or relatively flat; medial ocellus absent; clypeus shorter than oral cavity, yellow-brown; palpus black; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) glabrous; proboscis not extending beyond oral cavity; flagellum yellow, apex in male uniform width, truncated apically; scape and pedicel brown. Thorax with postpronotal lobe yellow (female) or green (male); scutum metallic olive green or yellow-orange; scutal vestiture dense white or yellow-gold pile; scutellum metallic olive green or orange-yellow with brown suffusion; pleuron orange or metallic olive green; coxae brown; femora brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae brown; tarsi brown; lower calypter white, brown marginally on membranePageBreak or white, with dark yellow margin; wing hyaline or slightly infuscate, venation dark; vein R4 without spur vein. Abdomen shape with male rounded, not larger than thorax, metallic olive green, vestiture dense short pile, longer laterally; female rounded globose, much larger than thorax (female), orange-yellow (female), vestiture elongate yellow pile.

comb. n.was described by Neboiss (1971) as the sole species in the genus but is transferred herein to . This species is apparently closely related to comb. n. based on eye pilosity, and sp. n. and sp. n. based on the short mouthparts. All of these species are northern Australian or Indonesian species. comb. n. can be distinguished from all PageBreakother based on the dense patch of relatively elongate pile on the dorsal part of the eye. This species displays a dramatic sexual dimorphism similar to that found in , with females being orange-yellow in colour.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:96D0BD2A-0C81-4BCE-BB32-671D1C2D901C

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panops_jade

Figs 2D 48 –52

Holotype male, AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Isla Gorge National Park [-25.183, 149.966], 3.x.1991, 320 m, G. Daniels (AMS).

AUSTRALIA: Queensland: female, Isla Gorge National Park [-25.183, 149.966], 3.x.1991, 320 m, G. Daniels (CAS); female, Isla Gorge National Park [-25.183, 149.966], 14.ix.1992, 320 m, G. Daniels (AMS).

Eye apilose; proboscis shorter than head height; body metallic green-blue to violet iridescence; antennae red-brown; parafacial with marginal pile; postpronotal lobe concolourous with rest of thorax; legs black with metallic blue-violet iridescence.

Body length: 11.5 mm (male), 11.5–12.0 mm (female). Head with eye apilose; ocellar tubercle relatively flat; medial ocellus present; occiput metallic green-blue, occipital pile white, sparse; postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; clypeus length equal to oral cavity, black with blue-green suffusion; palpus black; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) pilose; proboscis extending beyond oral cavity, but shorter than head height; flagellum apex in male tapered, slightly rounded apically, red-brown; scape and pedicel red-brown. Thorax with postpronotal lobe blue-violet; scutum metallic blue-violet, green posteromedially; scutellum metallic blue-violet; coxae and femora with metallic blue-violet iridescence; tibiae black; tarsi black; lowerPageBreak calypter white with brown margin; wing hyaline, venation dark; vein R4 with spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax, colour metallic green or blue-violet iridescent, vestiture extensive white-silver short pile, longer laterally.

This beautifully coloured species is named after my daughter, Jade Tanya Winterton, whose name also describes the deep green colouration found in this species.

sp. n. is a distinctive species with extensive green to blue-violet iridescence, particularly in the female. It is similar to the western Australian species, , but is distinguished by the length of the mouthparts, leg colour and different vestiture pattern on the abdomen. sp. n. is known only from Isla Gorge National Park in southern Queensland. Both males and females are recorded from Spinifex grass ( sp.), presumably at rest.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:03D163A1-D1DA-4810-8D88-77F76D5CC490

http://species-id.net/wiki/Panops_schlingeri

Figs 53 –55

Holotype female, AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: 9 km NE of Mudginbarry H.S. (on scarp), 10.vi.1973, D. H. Colless [-12.310, 132.579] (ANIC).

Paratype.

AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: female, 8 km SSW of Oenpelli Mission 7.vi.1973, J. Cardale [-12.381, 133.024] (ANIC).

Eye apilose; proboscis shorter than head height; body metallic green-blue iridescence; antennae orange; parafacial without marginal pile; postpronotal lobe dark yellow; legs dark yellow, femora brown-black with yellow apices.

Body length: 9.5–11.0 mm (female only). Head with eye apilose; ocellar tubercle relatively flat; medial ocellus present; occiput metallic green-blue, occipital pile white, dense; postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; clypeus shorter than oral cavity, brown-black; palpus black; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) glabrous; proboscis not extending beyond oral cavity; flagellum orange; scape and pedicel dark red-yellow. Thorax with postpronotal lobe yellow; scutum metallic green to blue iridescent; scutal vestiture dense white pile; scutellum metallic blue-green; pleuron metallic green to blue iridescent; coxae brown-black with metallic PageBreakblue iridescence; femora brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae dark yellow; tarsi dark yellow; lower calypter white, with dark yellow margin; wing hyaline, venation dark; vein R4 without spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax,PageBreak dark with metallic green to blue iridescence, vestiture as dense short pile, longer laterally.

I am honoured to name this species after the world-renowned Acroceridae taxonomist Dr. Evert Irving Schlinger.

sp. n. is known only from two female specimens collected in the Northern Territory. This species is differentiated easily by the green-blue iridescence on the body and dark yellow postpronotal lobes.

Schiner, 1968

http://species-id.net/wiki/Philopotinae

Type genus.

Wiedemann. Schlinger, 1971: 186.

Body shape slightly to strongly arched and never densely pilose; small to medium sized; antennal flagellum stylate; postpronotal lobes enlarged and meeting medially to form collar behind head; tibial spines absent; wing costal vein ending at wing apex, never circumambient; wing venation highly variable, ranging from relatively complete with cells cu-p, bm br, d and basal r4+5 present, to highly reduced with only cell br present; cell m3 absent; veins R4 and R5 always present as single vein R4+5; cubital and medial veins not reaching posterior wing margin; larvae exclusively parasitoids of araneomorph spiders.

Osten Sacken, 1896; Gillung & Winterton, 2011.

Osten Sacken, 1896

http://species-id.net/wiki/Helle

Figs 3A 56 –59

Figure 3.

Acroceridae wings. Philopotinae: A Brunetti B Gillung & Winterton. Acrocerinae C Walker D Paramonov (female). Scale line = 0.2 mm.

Figure 56.

(Hudson), male, lateral view [700556]. Body length = 5.0 mm.

Figure 57.

(Hudson), female, lateral view [700557]. Body length = 5.5 mm.

Figure 58.

Brunetti, male, lateral view [700558]. Body length = 8.5 mm.

Figure 59.

Brunetti, female, lateral view [700559]. Body length = 7.0 mm.

Helle Osten Sacken, 1896: 16 –

Body length: 4.0–6.0 mm [male], 6.0–7.0 mm [female]. Body shape strongly arched; colouration non-metallic (brown or black); head size slightly narrower than thorax width, shape sub-spherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli, anterior ocellus reduced in size; posterior margin of eye rounded; eye apilose; position of antennae on head near middle of frons; eyes contiguous above PageBreakantennal base, not contiguous below antennal base; palpus present; proboscis greater than head length; flagellum stylate, apex with terminal seta; postpronotal lobes enlarged, medially contiguous to form collar; subscutellum enlarged; legs not elongated; wing markings absent; costa ending near wing apex, costal margin straight; humeral crossvein absent; radial veins straight or curved towards wing anterior margin; R1 inflated distally at pterostigma; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; R2+3 present; R4+5 angled anteriorly approximately midway; cell r4+5 bisected by 2r-m, basal cell very narrow elongate, closed; 2r-m joining M1 to R4+5; cell r4+5 present, narrow elongate, closed (open apically when 2r-m rarely absent); crossvein 2r-m present (rarely absent);R4 without spur vein; medial vein compliment with M1, M2 and M3 present (M3 fused with CuA1); discal cell closed completely; medial veins not reaching wing margin; CuA1 joining M3, petiolate to margin; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula well developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded; abdomen shape elongate, narrow cylindrical or conical (male), or rounded and inflated (female).

(Hudson, 1892); Brunetti, 1926.

is an endemic genus to New Zealand that is closely related to , the only other philopotine genus in the region (Gillung and Winterton 2011; Winterton et al. 2007). Characteristics supporting this closerelationship include thickening of wing vein R1 at the pterostigma, elongate mouthparts, apilose eyes, 2r-m absent (rarely in ) and R4+5 angled anteriorly approximately half way along vein.PageBreak can be differentiated from all other philopotine genera based on the relatively complete wing venation, inflated R1 at pterostigma, palpi present and apilose eyes.

Gillung & Winterton

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:99EAC1BE-4A6F-43E0-B61A-6460BF68694E

http://species-id.net/wiki/Schlingeriella

Figs 3B 60 –62

Figure 60.

Gillung & Winterton, male, lateral view [700560, 693079]. Body length = 2.4 mm.

Figure 61.

Gillung & Winterton, female, lateral view [700561, 693080]. Body length = 4.4 mm.

Figure 62.

Gillung & Winterton, female, anterior view [700562]. Body length = 4.4 mm.

Schlingeriella Gillung & Winterton, 2011: 22. Type species:

Body length: 2.4–4.0 mm [male], 4.4–6.0 mm [female]. Body shape arched; body colouration non-metallic dark brown; head width much smaller PageBreakthan thorax (female) or slightly smaller than thorax (male); head spherical; postocular ridge and occiput extended posteriorly into slight ridge; posterior margin of eye rounded; eyes bare; position of antennae on head near middle of frons, slightly nearer to mouthparts; eyes contiguous above antennal base, not contiguous below; palpus present; proboscis longer than head; antennal flagellum stylate, apex with terminal seta; thorax with postpronotal lobes enlarged, medially contiguous to form collar; subscutellum PageBreakenlarged; legs not greatly elongated; pulvilli present; wing hyaline, markings absent; costa ending in radial field; costal margin straight in both sexes; humeral crossvein absent; radial veins meeting wing margin before wing apex; R1 inflated distally at pterostigma; R2+3 present; R4+5 slightly curved anteriorly midway; veins M1, M2 and M3 present; discal cell absent; medial veins reaching wing margin (or nearly so); crossvein 2r-m absent; Cu reduced, not reaching wing margin; anal lobe not enlarged; alula well developed; abdomen smooth, rounded, cylindrical in shape, similar width to thorax (male) or greatly rounded, inflated (female).

Gillung & Winterton, 2011.

is differentiated from other Philopotinae by medial veins mostly reaching the wing margin, R1 inflated apically, reduced wing venation (i.e. absence of all wing cells except cell br), elongate mouthparts and apilose eyes. See results of Winterton et al. (2007) for phylogenetic placement and divergence times. This genus is represented by only a single species ( sp. n.) from New Caledonia (France). There is dramatic sexual dimorphism in body size, with females considerably larger than the males. This genus was described by Gillung and Winterton (2011) to honour the decades of work by Evert I. Schlinger on world Acroceridae taxonomy. Evert Schlinger not only collected many of the specimens in New Caledonia, he also recognized that it represented a completely new genus of endemic spider flies.

Zetterstedt, 1837

http://species-id.net/wiki/Acrocerinae

Type genus.

Acrocera Meigen 1803: 266.

Small to medium sized, densely pilose to apilose, body rarely arched; antennal flagellum stylate; postpronotal lobes widely separated, never medially contiguous; wing venation highly variable, ranging from complete with cells cu-p, bm br, d, m3 and basal r4+5 present, to highly reduced with few closed cells; humeral crossvein rarely well developed; tibial apical spines absent (rarely present); larvae exclusively parasitoids of araneomorph spiders.

Latreille, 1797; Gray, 1832

Latreille, 1797

http://species-id.net/wiki/Ogcodes

Figs 3C 63 –64

Figure 63.

sp., male, lateral view [700563]. Body length = 9.0 mm.

Figure 64.

sp., female, lateral view [700564]. Body length = 5.0 mm.

Ogcodes Latreille, 1797: 154 –

Oncodes

Note.

Synonymy and usage restricted to Australasian region fauna only; see Schlinger (1960) for more exhaustive list.

Body length: 3.0–5.0 mm [male], 4.0–8.0 mm [female]. Body shape not arched, colouration black, yellow or white, non-metallic; head much smaller PageBreakthan thorax width, shape sub-spherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; two or three ocelli, anterior ocellus sometimes absent; posterior margin of eye rounded; eye apilose; position of antennae on head adjacent to mouthparts; eyes contiguous above antennal base, not contiguous below antennal base; palpus absent; proboscis apparently absent; flagellum shape stylate; apex with terminal setae (or single seta); antenotum not collar-like behind head; subscutellum enlarged; tibial spines absent; pulvilli present; wing hyaline, markings absent; costa ending near wing apex, costal margin straight; humeral crossvein absent; radial veins straight; R1 inflated or not inflated distally; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; only two radial veins present, R2+3 absent, R4+5 not reaching wing margin; medial vein compliment with M1, M2 and M3 present, or two M veins present; discal cell weakly formed or absent; medial veins not reaching wing margin; cell m3 absent; CuA1 absent; CuA2 separate from A1, ending just before wing margin; crossvein 2r-m absent; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula well developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded (rarely with tubercles in fossil species); abdomen shape greatly rounded, inflated.

is a distinctive and cosmopolitan genus and the most species-rich in the family. Thirty-four species in two subgenera ( and Schlinger, 1960) are listed by Schlinger and Jefferies (1989) for the Australasian region.

is in need of revision and no recent keys to species have been published for the region. The most recent revision of the genus was by Schlinger (1960), but there are many undescribed species in collections and a world revision of the genus is needed. is a derived genus with a typical globose body, relatively small head and reduced wing venation. Characters which differentiate from all other Acroceridae genera include antennae proximal to mouthparts, palpi absent, proboscis very short, almost all wing cells absent or poorly formed, eyes apilose and R2+3 absent.

Gray, 1832

http://species-id.net/wiki/Pterodontia

Figs 3D 65 –66

Figure 65.

Paramonov, male, dorsal view [700565]. Body length = 7.0 mm.

Figure 66.

Erichson, female, lateral view [700566]. Body length = 11.0 mm.

Pterodontia Gray, 1832: 779 –

Nothra Westwood, 1876: 514 –

Synonymy and usage list restricted to Australasian region fauna only.

Body length: 3.0–7.0 mm [male], 4.0–10.0 mm [female]. Body shape not arched. Body colouration non-metallic; head much narrower than thorax width; shape nearly spherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli; posterior margin of eye rounded; eye pilose (dense); antennae located adjacent to mouthparts; eyes contiguous above antennal basePageBreak, not contiguous below antennal base; palpus absent; proboscis greatly reduced; flagellum stylate, apex with terminal setae (multiple); antenotum shape not collar-like behind head; subscutellum not enlarged, barely visible; tibial spines present; pulvilli present; wing markings absent; costa circumambient; wing costal margin straight or with anterior projection PageBreak(males); humeral crossvein present or reduced; radial veins curved or angled towards wing anterior margin; R1 inflated distally at pterostigma (especially in male); pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; R2+3 present; R4+5 present as single vein; basal cell r4+5 (portion basal to bisecting 2r-m) merged with discal cell to form composite cell comprising d+r4+5; cell m3 absent; medial vein compliment usually a single M vein fused with CuA1, petiolate to margin, sometimes with second medial vein originating from cell d+r4+5; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate, rarely open to wing margin; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula present or absent, rarely well developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded; abdomen shape greatly rounded, inflated.

Paramonov, 1957; Sabrosky, 1947; Erichson 1840 (= White, 1914 syn. n.).

is a cosmopolitan genus containing 19 valid species, three of which are recorded from the Australasian region (Schlinger and Jefferies 1989). was described by White (1914) and differentiated from (as Westwood, 1848) based on colouration of the fore femur, scutellum and abdomen. Paramonov (1957) examined a range of specimens from various localities and suggested that the former was likely a synonym of the latter. Based on examinations of these and additional specimens this synonymy is supported herein.

Some species of have greatly enlarged and sclerotized lower calypters, appearing somewhat like a second pair of wings (e.g. ). Males in this genus typically have sclerotized projections on the costal margin of the wing. Characteristics which diagnose this genus from other acrocerids include head very small relative to thorax width, tibial spines present, cells m3, d and basal r4+5 fused to form a single cell, eyes densely pilose, antennae adjacent to the ocellar tubercle and mouthparts reduced. PageBreakContrary to other authors, has been placed previously in Panopinae by Schlinger (1981, 1987, 1989) based on the presence of tibial spines. The wing venation of is unique among acrocerids.

1	Postpronotal lobes greatly enlarged, contiguous along midline to form collar for head	Philopotinae, 2
–	Postpronotal lobes not greatly enlarged, widely separate along midline	3
2	Wing with cells d, br, bm, and cu-p present, venation relatively complete (Fig. 3A)	Helle Osten Sacken, 1896 (New Zealand)
–	Wing with only cell br present, venation reduced (Fig. 3B)	Schlingeriella Gillung & Winterton, 2011 (New Caledonia)
3	Antenna usually styliform or rod-like with multiple terminal setae; wing venation reduced: at most three radial veins present, cells d and basal r4+5 merged or absent (Figs 3C, D); tibiae without spines (except Pterodontia)	Acrocerinae, 4
–	Antenna with elongate flagellum, cylindrical or flattened, without terminal styliform seta; wing venation complete: four radial veins present, cells d and basal r4+5 separate (Figs 2A–D); at least some tibiae with an apical spine on outer margin (absent in Apsona)	Panopinae, 5
4	Eye apilose, without setae; venation reduced with many veins absent or poorly defined, almost all cells weakly formed or absent; tibial spines absent (Figs 3C, 63–64)	Ogcodes Latreille, 1797 (Cosmopolitan)
–	Eye pilose; all wing veins well defined to wing margin, discal cell and basal portion of r4+5 merged into single closed cell; tibial spines present (Figs 3D, 65–66)	Pterodontia Gray, 1832 (Cosmopolitan)
5	Eye strongly pilose; antennal flagellum slender and tapered to apex; tibial spines absent (Figs 2A, 4–6)	Apsona Westwood, 1876 (New Zealand)
–	Eye apilose or weakly pilose; antennal flagellum thickened to apex; tibial spines present (Australia)	6
6	Eye apilose, or sparsely or partially pilose; wing hyaline; crossvein 2r-m joining to stem R4+5 (Fig. 2D)	Panops Lamarck, 1804
–	Eye always apilose; wing at least partially infuscate, particularly along anterior margin; crossvein 2r-m joining to vein R5 (Fig. 2B–C)	7
8	Dorsal profile of abdomen with swollen, rounded tergites; without transverse yellow band on tergite 3; not wasp-like in appearance (Figs 12–16)	Mesophysa Macquart, 1838
–	Dorsal profile of abdomen with truncated tergites raised along posterior margins; transverse yellow band on tergite 3; distinctly wasp-like in appearance (Figs 7–11)	Leucopsina Westwood, 1876

1	Eye sparsely pilose (Fig. 39) or pilosity localized dorsally (Fig. 44)	2
–	Eye completely apilose (Fig. 18)	5
2	Proboscis elongate, length greater than head height (Fig. 18)	3
–	Proboscis very short, hardly projecting from oral cavity, shorter than head height (Figs 44, 50)	4
3	Postpronotal lobe dark, concolourous with rest of pleuron (widely distributed in Australia) (Figs 25–30)	Panops baudini Lamarck,1804
–	Postpronotal lobe yellow, pleuron greenish (Queensland) (Figs 39–43)	Panops danielsi sp. n.
4	Eye extending posteriorly beyond widest part of head; eye with sparse, minute pile of uniform length across eye (length subequal to width of lateral ocellus); ocellar tubercle not touching margin of eye; palpus as long or longer than proboscis (Papua) (Figs 31–33)	Panops boharti (Schlinger, 1959), comb. n.
–	Eye not extending posteriorly beyond widest part of head; eye pilose on dorsal-lateral region only, pile denser and more elongate (length much greater than width of lateral ocellus); ocellar tubercle touching margin of eye; palpus half as long as proboscis (South Australia) (Figs 44–47)	Panops grossi (Neboiss, 1971), comb. n.
5	Proboscis short, hardly projecting from oral cavity	6
–	Proboscis elongate, length equal to, or greater than head height	7
6	Postpronotal lobes dark yellow; femora dark brown, rest of legs cream (Northern Territory) (Figs 53–55)	Panops schlingeri sp. n.
–	Postpronotal lobes and legs dark, concolourous with rest of body (Queensland) (Figs 48–52)	Panops jade sp. n.
7	Postpronotal lobes pale, contrasting with rest of thorax (Figs 34–38)	Panops conspicuus (Brunetti, 1926)
–	Postpronotal lobes dark, concolourous with rest of thorax (Figs 21, 28)	8
8	Body metallic, thorax green, abdomen violet; margin of lower calypter relatively dark (Figs 21–24) (Western Australia)	Panops austrae Neboiss, 1971
–	Thorax mostly glossy black, abdomen often with extensive red-brown to purple laterally; margin of lower calypter relatively pale (Figs 19, 26)	9
9	Face above clypeus apilose; body covered with white setal pile; male distiphallus broad, spatulate (widely distributed in Australia) (Figs 25–30)	Panops baudini Lamarck, 1804
–	Face above clypeus with gold setal fringe; body covered with yellow-gold setal pile; male distiphallus narrow (Figs 18–20) (Western Australia)	Panops aurum sp. n.

1	Body colour brown-black, sometimes with metallic iridescence, scutum without dark markings (Figs 56–57)	Helle longirostris (Hudson, 1892)
–	Body colour yellowish-orange, scutum with dark longitudinal stripes, narrower anteriorly (Figs 58–59)	Helle rufescens Brunetti, 1926

1	Thorax black, or yellow suffused with dark brown to black ventrally,abdomen yellow to red laterally on segments 2–4; mid and hind femora brown to black; lower calypter hyaline medially, relatively small (< ½ length of wing) (Western Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland) (Fig. 66)	Pterodontia melli Erichson 1840
–	Thorax and abdomen completely brown to black; all legs uniformly yellow to white; lower calypter relatively large (> ½ length of wing), uniformly brown	2
2	Wing brown infuscate (Papua New Guinea)	Pterodontia longisquama Sabrosky, 1947
–	Wing hyaline (Queensland, New South Wales) (Fig. 65)	Pterodontia davisi Paramonov 1957