The prothoracic morphology of Acalypterates (Diptera) and its use in systematics

Abstract

16 Prodalmannia variabilis (Pyrgotidae); H/Y, Physocephala rufipes (Conopidae); I, Sepsis lateralis (Sepsidae).

A phylogenetic analysis of relationships among genera of Conopidae (Diptera) based on molecular and morphological data

“…Hennig (1958) considers this state to be plesiomorphic to the Schizophora, yet is uncertain of what the groundplan state is for Conopidae. Other authors (Speight, 1969; Griffiths, 1972; Schneider, 2010) state that an elongate cell cu p is present only in some Conopidae and is secondarily convergent with Syrphidae. As an alternative means to assess this character in the present study, the length of vein CuA 2 + A 1 is compared with the length of crossvein dm‐cu (character 65).…”

“…Speight (1969) was the first to note the posterolateral extensions of the basisternum as an autapomophy of Conopidae. This is used as a key diagnostic character by most subsequent authors (Griffiths, 1972; McAlpine, 1989; Schneider, 2010).…”

“…Many authors (Speight, 1969; Schneider, 2010; Skevington et al., 2010) describe males of Dalmannia as having only five abdominal segments before the terminalia. Steyskal (1957) notes a narrow sixth sclerite or “protandrium” before the terminalia in Dalmannia nigriceps .…”

“…Williston (1885) and Speight (1969) both note the presence of apical tibial spurs as characteristic of Stylogastrinae. Hennig (1966) concludes that the fused female abdominal tergite and sternite 6 is an apomorphy of Stylogastrinae.…”

Hennig’s orphans revisited: Testing morphological hypotheses in the “Opomyzoidea” (Diptera: Schizophora)

“…Our failure to recover Opomyzoinea should thus be considered suspect, especially in light of the observed 28S base composition bias in Anthomyzidae, which may have resulted in spurious placement. However, we note that a close relationship between Anthomyzidae and other families (notably members of ''Heteromyzidae" sensu McAlpine, 2007) has been suggested before based on morphology (Speight, 1969;Griffiths, 1972). Additionally, in a study of the female internal genital tract of the Opomyzidae, Kotrba and Baptista (2002) failed to find any putative synapomorphies between Opomyzidae and Anthomyzidae.…”