Proctacanthella Bromley

Scarbrough, Aubrey G. & Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E., 2006, A review of the asilid (Diptera) fauna from Hispaniola with six genera new to the island, fifteen new species, and checklist, Zootaxa 1381, pp. 1-91 : 11

Proctacanthella Bromley

Proctacanthella Bromley, 1934: 96 . Type species: Asilus cacopilagus Hine (orig. des.). Hull, 1962: 498; Martin & Papavero, 1970: 82. Catalogue.

Remarks. Proctacanthella is a small genus thus far limited to western United States and northern Mexico (E. Fisher, pers. com. 2006). The 5 species in this genus are small to median size [11–25 mm] flies with a gradually inclined face, moderately produced ventrally, and elongated tapered abdomens that extend to or just beyond the wing tips ( Fisher, 1997). The anatergite is bare, vein R 5 meets the wing margin below the apex, and the female ovipositor is round in cross-section and bears a circlet of spines. Superficially, members of the genus are a smaller version of Proctacanthus Macquart [see remarks section under this genus] but are distinguished from the latter by its smaller size, wing venation and terminalia. Here we report the genus from the Dominican Republic for the first time.