Rhopalogaster Macquart, 1834

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 : 44

Rhopalogaster Macquart

Rhopalogaster Macquart 1834: 279 . Hull, 1962: 338; Martin & Papavero, 1970: 40.

Remarks. This Neotropical genus consists of only 7 species, one of which is reported from Cuba. Here we report the genus and a new species from the Dominican Republic for the first time. The genus is distinguished by its size (15–20 mm) laterally flat proboscis, short pile, greatly reduced bristles, strongly constricted abdomen, and very long antenna. The scape is usually 10 times as long as the pedicel, and the flagellum is 1.2–2 times the length of the scape and pedicel combined ( Hull, 1962). Species inhabit mature forest below 1500 meters, perching on shaded dead and live tree trunks ( Fisher and Hespenheide, 1992; Fisher, in press).