Revision of the Patagonian stiletto fly genus Pachyrrhiza Philippi (Therevidae Agapophytinae)
Author
Irwin, Michael E.
Emeritus, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA, and University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.
Author
Winterton, Shaun L.
California State Collection of Arthropods, California Department of Food & Agriculture, Sacramento, California, USA.
text
Zootaxa
2021
2021-05-25
4975
2
273
305
journal article
6168
10.11646/zootaxa.4975.2.3
9f4cbf5f-22ae-4bc7-ad0b-519f93d0c4ad
1175-5326
4807477
14E424EF-4221-4099-8A17-3555563231F9
Pachyrrhiza
Philippi
Pachyrrhiza
Philippi, 1865: 703
—
Bigot (1890: 323)
[misspelled as
Pachyrriza
; key];
Williston (1908: 207)
[misspelled as
Pachyrhiza
];
Kertész (1909: 167)
[synonym of
Baryphora
Loew
];
Kröber (1911: 489)
, (1913: 24) [synonym of
Dialineura
Rondani
], (1924: 7) [synonym of
Tabuda
Walker
];
Malloch (1932: 238)
[key];
Oldroyd (1968: 382)
;
Winterton (2006: 18)
,
Gaimari & Webb (2009: 639)
[key];
Webb
et al.
(2013: 15)
;
Winterton
et al.
(2016)
; Irwin & Winterton (2020: 276).
Type
species
.
Pachyrrhiza pictipennis
Philippi, 1865: 704
, by monotypy.
Diagnosis
. Male frons narrower than anterior ocellus at narrowest point; male occiput concave with single row of postocular macrosetae; both sexes with scape bulbous, longer than flagellum, with numerous large, erect macrosetae; flagellum turbinate; parafacial setae present as small patch of dark setae ventrally; femora all subequal in length, lacking velutum patches, hind femur with one or more anteroventral macrosetae; scutellum with two pairs of macrosetae; wing cell
m
3
open; male gonocoxites lacking velutum or medial atrium; female with three spermathecae present.
Description
. Head relatively broad, slightly wider than thorax, and much wider than high in anterior view; male frons narrower than anterior ocellus at narrowest point, slightly produced anteriorly, female frons flat; occiput concave (male), or convex (female); male with single row of postocular macrosetae dorsally, female with multiple rows; parafacial setae present only as small patch of dark setae adjacent to gena (absent in female
P. argentoides
sp. n.
); genal setae white; palpus narrow apically; antenna length equal to, or longer than head length; scape bulbous, thicker than pedicel and flagellum, with numerous stout, erect macrosetae; flagellum shape turbinate, abruptly tapered. Thorax with scutum covered with erect filiform setae, often of variable length, denser anteriorly and longer in male; central depression of prosternum usually with setal pile, sometimes absent; pleuron dark, overlain with silver-grey pubescence; metanepisternum with postspiracular setae absent; scutellum shape rounded in profile; fore- and hind femoral velutum patches absent; femora all subequal in length; hind femur with 1–6 (rarely more) anteroventral (av) setae, either subapically (1–2) or along entire length as series (3–6 or more); posterior surface of midcoxa with or without setae; scutal chaetotaxy (pairs of macrosetae) notopleural, 3–5; supra alar, 1; post alar, 1; dorsocentral, 4–5, scutellar, 2; wing hyaline to extensively infuscate, mottled and fenestrate; wing cell
m
3
open; vein R
2+3
shape smoothly sigmoid curved to wing margin. Abdomen acutely tapered; tergite 2 with a concentrated patch of shortened setae posteromedially or all setae uniform and regular in length; male frequently with extensive silver velutinous pubescence. Male genitalia (
Fig. 32A–E
) with gonocoxite with outer gonocoxal process present; velutum patch absent, posteromedial margins proximal so that medial atrium is absent; inner gonocoxal process present and articulated; hypandrium triangular; ventral lobe elongate and rounded apically; aedeagus with dorsal apodeme of parameral sheath subtriangular, distiphallus straight, relatively short, narrow distally (rarely wide); lateral ejaculatory apodeme relatively large and elongate. Female genitalia (
Fig. 32F
) with furca relatively large and sclerotised; three spermathecae, ducts joining to spermathecal sac duct near furca; spermathecal sac round, relatively small; female acanthophorite macrosetae with two sets present (A1 & A2); A1 enlarged, female sternite 8 posterior margin emarginate posteromedially.
Included species
.
Pachyrrhiza argentata
Oldroyd, 1968: 383
,
P. argentatoides
sp. n.
;
P. elegantissima
sp. n.
;
P. parargentata
sp. n.
;
P. pictipennis
Philippi, 1865
;
P. subpictipennis
sp. n.
Comments
. Compared to other South American therevid genera
Pachyrrhiza
has a surprisingly limited distribution throughout central
Chile
and adjacent Argentinian provinces (
Fig. 35
). South American agapophytine therevids are almost completely restricted to the southern and western Patagonian Region, which may reflect their close phylogenetic connection to Australasian genera where the greatest diversity and species-richness is found in semiarid, subtropical to temperate regions, especially in Mediterranean-type climates.
Pachyrrhiza
is similarly restricted to semi-arid to Mediterranean habitats in the western Patagonian region. South American genera in subfamilies
Therevinae
and
Phycusinae
have much wider distributions throughout South America northwards into Central and North America.
Pachyrrhiza argentata
and
P. pictipennis
are the most commonly encountered species of the genus, although their respective distributions are relatively limited and apparently overlap very little. The remaining four species are found in similar habitats and are more locally distributed in the same region of central
Chile
and western
Argentina
.
Pachyrrhiza
is a distinctive genus recognisable by the enlarged and bulbous antennal scape, narrow male frons, two pairs of scutellar macrosetae, parafacial with small patch of dark setae (absent in female of some species), single row of postocular macrosetae in the male and at least one large anteroventral macroseta on the hind femur. It is closely related to
Sigalopella
Irwin & Winterton
, and these genera along with
Entesia
and
Melanothereva
form a monophyletic group (i.e.,
Entesia
genus group,
sensu
Winterton
et al
. 2016
) sister to the
Taenogera
genus group found in
Australia
,
New Zealand
and
New Caledonia
(
Winterton
et al
. 1999b
;
Winterton
et al
. 2016
; Irwin
et al
. 2020). The key to genera of South American
Agapophytinae
by Irwin & Winterton (2020) can be used to identify individuals of
Pachyrrhiza
.