Michotamia Macquart

Zhang, Lili, Scarbrough, Aubrey & Yang, Ding, 2012, Review of the species of Michotamia from China with a description of a new species (Diptera, Asilidae), ZooKeys 184, pp. 47-55 : 48-49

Genus Michotamia Macquart

Michotamia Macquart, 1838, 1(2): 72. Type species: Michotamia analis Macquart, 1838, monotypic. Hull 1962, 2: 438 [genus description, species list]. Oldroyd 1975, 2: 130 [catalog]; 1980: 346 [catalog]. Daniels 1989: 333 [catalog]. Joseph and Parui 1998, 1: 169 [revision, Indian species]. Scarbrough and Hill 2000: 347 [Sri Lanka].

Allocotosia Schiner, 1866, 16: 845. Type species: Asilus aurata Fabricius, 1794; by original designation.

Allocotasia Wulp, 1872, 7: 249. Lapsus calarni .

Diagnosis.

Slender, medium [15-20 mm] flies with sparse, short setae on the thorax. Head: Face ventrally with unusually long, stout bristles; proboscis thick, robust with numerous ventral setae, the latter often clustered apically; postpedicel attenuate, as least 1.5 as long as scape and pedicel combined, and at least 1/2 as long as stylus; wide stripe of long, abundant setae present on lower 1/2 of frons; ocellarium with two short, thin setae. Thorax: Mesonotum with dorsocentral bristles either thin or absent; scutellar groove absent. Wing:Mostly or entirely dense microtrichose. Leg: Row of anteroventral bristles absent. Abdomen:Usually clavate. Terminalia:Aedeagus long, often thick, curved dorsally, with apex at or beyond cercus; sternite 8 in females with short V-shaped notch along apical margin apically, a short furrow or fissure, broad X-shaped or U-shaped apodeme internally ( Scarbrough 2010; Scarbrough and Tomasovic 2010).

Remarks.

The long postpedicel is useful in diagnosing most species of Michotamia . A few undescribed species of Ommatius (Scarbrough, Dikow, & Tomasovic, in manuscript)and Ommatius specious Scarbrough & Hill, 2000 and Ommatius sparsus Scarbrough & Hill, 2000 have an unusually long postpedicel, i.e. ~1.5 times as long as the pedicel and scape combined. In addition, Michotamia has a low flattened mesonotum in which the maximum vertical height is less than 1/2 the length of the mesonotum, absence of stout anteroventral bristles on the hind femur, and a much longer, curved dorsad aedeagus distinguish the species. Further, a V-shaped apical notch medially which ends in a narrow fissure and a stout X- or U-shaped apodeme on the internal surface of sternite 8 distinguish females. In Ommatius , the postpedicel is usually is only as long as the pedicel and/or scape, rarely much longer; the mesonotum is strongly arched with the maximum vertical height being nearly 2/3 the length of the mesonotum; presence of stout anteroventral bristles on the hind femur; and a much shorter aedeagus, never curved dorsad and reaching the level of the cercus distinguish the species. Females lack a V-shaped apical notch medially that terminates in a fissure posteriorly and a stout X- or U-shaped apodeme on the internal surface of sternite 8.