Australachalcus, Pollet, 2005

Pollet, Marc, 2005, Systematic revision of Neotropical Achalcus and a related new genus (Diptera: Dolichopodidae, Achalcinae) with comments on their phylogeny, ecology and zoogeography, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 143 (1), pp. 27-73 : 33

AUSTRALACHALCUS GEN. NOV.

Type species here designated: Achalcus albipalpus Parent, 1931: 20

Head: All postoculars dark. Arista at most about as long as first three antennal joints (exc. A. edwardsae ).

Thorax and abdomen: Six DC. Small additional setae between posthumeral, presutural and first two DC bristles present in some species. Mostly six pubescent abdominal segments (five in A. albipalpus and A. brevinervis ). Hypopygium ( Figs 13 , 27 ). Hypandrium mostly with ventral apex clearly spined, or with raised marginal edge ( A. variabilis group) (synapomorphy); aedeagus often with subapical modifications; epandrial lobe massive to slender with three epandrial setae at basis; midventral bristle of surstylus usually with apical flag (excl. A. edwardsae , A. incisicornis ) (synapomorphy).

Legs: Femur I usually with erect basoventral bristle (exc. A. variabilis ). Tibia I without (baso)dorsal bristle(s) (synapomorphy). Femur III with weak to moderately strong preapical bristle, inserted on lower 1/3 of anterior face.

Etymology: Refers to the southern hemisphere (‘southern Achalcus ’), where this genus reaches its highest levels of species richness.

Figures

Figure 13. Australachalcus albipalpus (Parent) (male, unless mentioned otherwise). A, wing; B, female antenna; C, antenna; D, hypopygium; E, epandrial setae at base of epandrial lobe.

Figure 27. Australachalcus variabilis sp. nov. (male). Hypopygial appendages. A, aedeagus; B, hypandrium, ventral view; C, epandrial lobe; D, ventral process of epandrium; E, epandrial lobe (top) and surstylus (bottom); F, cercus.