Review of Anasillomos Londt, 1983 with the description of a new species (Insecta: Diptera: Asilidae)
Author
Dikow, Torsten
text
Biodiversity Data Journal
2015
3
4652
4652
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.3.e4652
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.3.e4652
1314-2828--4652
Anasillomos Londt, 1983
Anasillomos
Anasillomos chrysopos
Londt, 1983
Londt 1983
: 284.
Diagnosis
Anasillomos
has been included in the most recent key to Afrotropical
Stenopogoninae
sensu
Papavero (1973)
and
Geller-Grimm (2004)
with setose anatergites by
Londt (2012)
. It can easily be distinguished from other southern African assassin-fly genera by the presence of strong macrosetae on the antepronotum, lateral postpronotum, and postpronotal lobes.
Taxon discussion
The phylogenetic studies on
Asilidae
based on both morphological (
Dikow 2009a
) and combined morphological and molecular data (
Dikow 2009b
) did not include representatives of
Anasillomos
and therefore the taxon cannot be directly placed in the phylogenetic classification proposed in
Dikow (2009a)
. The external morphology suggests that
Anasillomos
belongs to the
Stenopogoninae
sensu
Dikow (2009a)
based on similarities to
Daspletis
Loew, 1859 and
Microstylum
Macquart, 1838 such as the male terminalia with a medio-distally projecting hypandrium (also known in other southern African genera though). These two genera have been included in
Stenopogoninae
:
Enigmomorphini
by
Dikow (2009a)
. However, only the inclusion of
Anasillomos
specimens in a cladistic analysis can place this genus phylogenetically as overall similarity does not necessarily provide evidence as to the evolutionary relationships.