The type-species of Psilochlorops Duda (Diptera, Chloropidae) and its position in the phylogeny of the genus, with the description of a new species

Abstract

The genus Psilochlorops Duda belongs to the subfamily Chloropinae. In the phylogeny proposed for the subfamily by Paganelli (2002), including only the Neotropical representatives, its sister-group is Bricelochlorops Paganelli. Both genera have a strict Neotropical occurrence and are the only representatives of the Psilochlorops-group sensu Paganelli. Psilochlorops includes six species described from South America (Riccardi & Amorim 2012). In a previous cladistic study of the genus (Riccardi & Amorim 2012), the type-species, Psilochlorops clavitibia Duda, was available, but could not be included in the final tree due to lack of information about the male genitalia. More recently, a new species of Psilochlorops was discovered, P. niger sp. nov. from Peru and Bolivia, herein described; as well material of P. clavitibia was made available. The male terminalia of P. clavitibia are described and illustrated, and a new cladistic analysis is made including all seven known species of the genus. Despite the statement in the original description of P. clavitibia that the holotype is a male, actually it is a female. Here we record for the first time a male of this species.