Pulicimyia Borgmeier

Disney, R. Henry L., 2005, Rudimentary halteres of some flightless female Phoridae (Diptera) reassessed, and some taxonomic implications, Zootaxa 1042, pp. 39-54 : 42

Genus Pulicimyia Borgmeier

Pulicimyia Borgmeier, 1960: 337 .

Borgmeier distinguished this genus, which is only known from the females of three Neotropical species, from Puliciphora by the possession of rudimentary halteres and an absence of an alar bristle (or any other wing rudiment). The examination of paratypes and other specimens of the type species of this genus, P. triangularis , has allowed an examination, as slide mounts, of the supposed rudimentary halteres. As with the case of E. halterata discussed above, it is clear that the supposed halteres are in fact wing rudiments ( Fig. 23 ) that are intermediate in size between those of Puliciphora nuttingi ( Fig. 10 ) and the wing rudiment of Puliciphora occidentalis (Melander & Brues) described by Borgmeier (1963) as ‘a small papilla bearing a very short bristle’ ( Fig. 8 ). Thus the supposed distinction between Pulicimyia and Puliciphora females is negated. The former genus is therefore formally synonymised with the latter. Its three included species are therefore formally transferred to Puliciphora below. This results in the Afrotropical species P. modesta (Disney) becoming a homonym of P. modesta (Borgmeier) Comb. nov. The former is therefore renamed below.

Figures

FIGURES 22 – 24. Puliciphora triangularis: (22) female, abdominal tergite 5; (23) female, right wing rudiment; (24) male, left face of hypopygium. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 8 – 11. Puliciphora females: (8) P. occidentalis; right wing rudiment; (9) P. occidentalis; abdominal tergite 5; (10) P. nuttingi, right wing rudiment; (11) P. nuttingi, abdominal tergite 5. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.