Studies of Mydidae (diptera) systematics and evolution: I. a preliminary classification in subfamilies, with the descriptions of two new genera from the oriental and Australian regions

Phylogeny of Asilidae Inferred from Morphological Characters of Imagines (Insecta: Diptera: Brachycera: Asiloidea)

“…LENGTH OF PROXIMAL PROTHORACIC TARSOMERE: (0) shorter or same length as following two tarsomeres combined; (1) longer than following two tarsomeres combined (length 5 24; CI 5 0.04; RI 5 0.70). The length of the proximal tarsomeres relative to the following tarsomeres has been used as a diagnostic and phylogenetic character within Mydidae (e.g., Papavero and Wilcox, 1974;Yeates and Irwin, 1996), but has not been evaluated across Asilidae. Here, it is only determined whether the proximal tarsomere is shorter or longer than the two following tarsomeres combined, to avoid morphometric calculations that cannot be coded as discrete character states.…”

Taxonomic revision of Pseudorhopalia Wilcox & Papavero, 1971 (Insecta, Diptera, Mydidae, Rhopaliinae), with description of a new species from the Brazilian Amazon

“…Papavero & Wilcox (1974) erected this subfamily originally to include the genera Perissocerus Gerstaecker, 1868 (Afrotropical, Palaearctic), Pseudorhopalia Wilcox & Papavero, 1971 (Neotropical), Rhopalia Macquart, 1838 (Palaearctic), and Rhopaliana Séguy, 1934 (Palaearctic). The following features were considered as diagnostic for Rhopaliinae: hind metatarsus never five times as long as wide; veins M 1 and M 2 coalescent, forming a single vein; anal cell closed; cell r 4 usually widely open; hind tibia cylindrical; male hypandrium completely fused to gonocoxite; gonostylus absent; female terminalia with spines on acanthophorites (Papavero & Wilcox 1974).…”

“…The Neotropical genus Midacritus Séguy, 1938, formerly placed in Apiophorinae (Papavero & Wilcox 1974), was later considered within Rhopaliinae in the key to the American genera of Mydidae by , as well as in the most recent catalogue of Neotropical Mydidae (Papavero 2008). Despite the cited authors having not presented a formal explanation for this change, it seems likely that the lack of a ventral keel in the hind tibia of Midacritus (also absent in the remaining Rhopaliinae) has supported their decision.…”

Checklist of Acroceridae, Mydidae and Therevidae (Diptera) from Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

“…The group is widespread geographically and was probably originated while landmasses were still united forming the Pangea (Papavero & Wilcox, 1974;Yeates & Irwin, 1996). Mydidae is divided into nine subfamilies, three of them occurring in Brazil: Apiophorinae, Rhopaliinae e Mydinae (Papavero & Wilcox, 1974;Papavero et al, 2002) and comprise 65 genera and 473 extant species (Dikow, 2010).…”

“…The group is widespread geographically and was probably originated while landmasses were still united forming the Pangea (Papavero & Wilcox, 1974;Yeates & Irwin, 1996). Mydidae is divided into nine subfamilies, three of them occurring in Brazil: Apiophorinae, Rhopaliinae e Mydinae (Papavero & Wilcox, 1974;Papavero et al, 2002) and comprise 65 genera and 473 extant species (Dikow, 2010). There are 24 extant species occurring in Brazil and one fossil species, Cretomydas santanensis Willkommen & Grimaldi, 2007. Mydid species frequently occur in dry areas (Wilcox, 1981), except for Brazilian species of Midinae, which are found in tropical rainforests (Wilcox & Papavero, 1975;Papavero et al, 2002).…”