Scaptia, Walker, 1850

Lessard, Bryan D. & Yeates, David K., 2013, New species of the hairy-eyed horse fly subgenera Scaptia (Myioscaptia) Mackerras, 1955 and Scaptia (Scaptia) Walker, 1850 (Diptera: Tabanidae) from Australia, Zootaxa 3680 (1), pp. 118-129 : 124-125

Subgenus SCAPTIA Walker, 1850

Scaptia Walker, 1850 . Type species Pangonia aurata Macquart, 1838 , Australia, by designation of Coquillett (1910, p. 603). Ferguson (1924, 1926).

Scaptia Walker, 1850 , subgenus Scaptia Mackerras 1955 , p. 490. Daniels (1989); Mackerras (1960, p. 36).

Genotype: Pangonia aurata Macquart, 1838 , Australia, by designation of Coquillett (1910, p. 603).

Morphological diagnosis. Mostly solidly built species, with relatively short and strong legs. Distinguished from other subgenera by the parallel frons, large and pointed sabre-like palpi, and short, thick proboscis with large well-developed labella.

Female. Length 7–18 mm. Frons narrow, usually parallel or slightly converging at base (index usually 2.0 to 4.0), slightly raised at centre for some species, subcallus occasionally bulging and distinct. Face truncate, with depressions at base and sides, without obviously shining. Antennal scape and pedicel small, almost equal to length of flagellum with eight distinct flagellomeres, widest on first basal segment before tapering at tip, without projections. Palpi long, usually equal or greater than the length of the flagellum and greater than half the length of the proboscis shaft, sometimes only shorter the flagellum length or than half the length of the proboscis shaft, usually laterally compressed, pointed and sabre-like, and a conspicuously broad lateral bare area. Proboscis short, usually as long as the height of the head, thick and heavily chitonised, with large, well-developed labella greater than the width of the proboscis. Scutum with or without conspicuous vittae, occasionally exceeding transverse suture. Abdomen usually stout and rotund, with or without obvious markings or patterns. Wing usually clear, occasionally spotted at crossveins or with radial suffusion; stigma mostly inconspicuous; cell R 5 usually open, sometimes narrowed, rarely closed; cell M 3 open; vein M 1 without inflexion; R 4 angulate, with or without appendix ( Mackerras 1955, 1960). Mackerras (1960, p. 36) described the genitalia as having the “eighth sternite with gonopohyses often rounded; cerci often truncate apically; lateral arms of furca not fused with 9th tergite.

Male. Length 7–15 mm. Eyes holoptic, with upper facets slightly enlarged. Palpi short and slender, cylindrical, blunt at tip, and with an apical lateral bare area. Mackerras (1960, p. 36) described the genitalia as having the “style of hypopygium finger-like, rounded at tip.