Rudimentary halteres of some flightless female Phoridae (Diptera) reassessed, and some taxonomic implications
Author
Disney, R. Henry L.
text
Zootaxa
2005
1042
39
54
journal article
50961
10.5281/zenodo.169846
30242e99-0242-4a2f-986b-93106edf4251
11755326
169846
Genus
Pulicimyia
Borgmeier
Pulicimyia
Borgmeier, 1960
: 337
.
Borgmeier distinguished this genus, which is only known from the females of three Neotropical species, from
Puliciphora
by the possession of rudimentary halteres and an absence of an alar bristle (or any other wing rudiment). The examination of
paratypes
and other specimens of the
type
species of this genus,
P. triangularis
,
has allowed an examination, as slide mounts, of the supposed rudimentary halteres. As with the case of
E. halterata
discussed above, it is clear that the supposed halteres are in fact wing rudiments (
Fig. 23
) that are intermediate in size between those of
Puliciphora nuttingi
(
Fig. 10
) and the wing rudiment of
Puliciphora occidentalis
(Melander & Brues)
described by
Borgmeier (1963)
as ‘a small papilla bearing a very short bristle’ (
Fig. 8
). Thus the supposed distinction between
Pulicimyia
and
Puliciphora
females is negated. The former genus is therefore formally synonymised with the latter. Its three included species are therefore formally transferred to
Puliciphora
below. This results in the Afrotropical species
P. modesta
(Disney)
becoming a homonym of
P. modesta
(Borgmeier)
Comb.
nov. The former is therefore renamed below.