Stratiomicrodon convexus, (Wulp, 1881)

Fachin, Diego Aguilar, Zichinelli, Marcela Maria Parada & Barrett, Bolívar Rafael Garcete, 2022, An illustrated checklist of Stratiomyidae (Diptera: Brachycera) from Paraguay with three new synonyms and 22 new records of species for the country, Zootaxa 5190 (1), pp. 1-55 : 44-46

convexus ( Wulp, 1881)

Stratiomyia convexa Wulp, 1881: 154 . Holotype: female (unknown depository institution, according to Woodley 2001: 298). Type locality: Argentina.

= Stratiomys connexa Hunter, 1900: 127 . Incorrect subsequent spelling.

References. Lindner, 1928a: 99 (as Stratiomyia , record from Paraguay, larva descr., figs 3–4); Lindner, 1929: 279 (record from Paraguay); James, 1953: 323–324 (as Stratiomys , mentioned to occur in Paraguay); James, 1973a: 26.45 (cat.); Pujol-Luz & Papavero, 1998 (descr. of new genus, S. convexa transferred to Stratiomicrodon , figs 1–15); Woodley, 2001: 296, 298 (cat., Stratiomicrodon syn. of Stratiomys ); Pujol-Luz & Pujol-Luz, 2014: 406 (list, Stratiomicrodon revalidated).

Distribution. Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay (Asunción: Santísima Trinidad [as Santa Trinidad]).

Comments. Originally, this species was described in Stratiomyia (= Stratiomys Geoffroy, 1872 ), but its generic level placement has been in dispute. Not only the placement of Stratiomys convexa Wulp, 1881 has been early questioned ( James 1953: 323), but it has also been suggested that some, if not all, Neotropical Stratiomys species should be assigned to other genera ( James 1973a: 26.45). In this sense, Pujol-Luz & Papavero (1998), based on additional specimens, proposed Stratiomicrodon for S. convexa , therefore, in a way, accommodating at least one of the Neotropical species into a separate genus from Stratiomys , as suggested by James (1973a). In the World catalog of the family, however, Woodley (2001: 295, 346), synonymized Stratiomicrodon under Stratiomys , but more recently, the genus was revalidated ( Pujol-Luz & Pujol-Luz 2014: 406). In spite of the arguments used to support one idea or another, the fact is that Stratiomys badly needs revision. The genus has now nearly 90 described species, which could be difficult to deal with globally, as many species are only known from the type specimen, and even in the small fauna of 10 species of Stratiomys from the Neotropics (including S. convexa ) ( Woodley 2001: 294), the species are poorly known. This means that we do not know if they are really conspecific with other Stratiomys , and if not, to which genus they might belong. Because the genus is not well understood in the Neotropical Region and that very likely all the species currently placed in the genus are not Stratiomys , as discussed by earlier authors ( James 1973a), we prefer to follow Pujol-Luz & Papavero (1998) and Pujol-Luz & Pujol-Luz (2014) and keep at least this species (and likely S. constricta Walker, 1860 ) apart from Stratiomys , in the genus Stratiomicrodon . Further studies will reveal if the remaining Neotropical species of Stratiomys are Stratiomicrodon as well or should be placed in any other Neotropical genera.