Redefining the generic limits of Winthemia (Diptera : Tachinidae)

One of the major problems hindering the systematic study of tachinid flies is that genera are often poorly defined, making it difficult to unambiguously assign species among closely related genera. Within the tribe Winthemiini, an example of this problem is represented by the unstable classification of the Afrotropical species most recently classified as Smidtia capensis (Schiner). This species has been previously assigned to four different genera on the basis of limited examination and evidence. Here, we evaluate the identity and phylogenetic affinities of this species and other members of the tribe Winthemiini using morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis. We demonstrate that S. capensis actually belongs to the genus Winthemia Robineau-Desvoidy. We also find that Winthemia is paraphyletic with respect to two monotypic genera, Crypsina (type species Crypsina prima Brauer & Bergenstamm) and Hemiwinthemia (type species Hemiwinthemia calva Villeneuve). On the basis of morphological and genetic evidence, we propose to extend the generic limits of Winthemia to include W. londti, sp. nov. (South Africa), W. capensis (Schiner), comb. nov. (South Africa), W. prima (Brauer & Bergenstamm), comb. nov. (China, Japan, Australia) and W. calva (Villeneuve), comb. nov. (D.R. Congo), thus synonymising with Winthemia the generic names Crypsina, syn. nov. and Hemiwinthemia, syn. nov.

A new species and synonymy of the Neotropical Eucelatoria Townsend and redescription of Myiodoriops Townsend

The New World tropics represents the most diverse region for tachinid parasitoids (Diptera: Tachinidae), but it also contains the most narrowly defined, and possibly the most confusing, tachinid genera of any biogeographic region. This over-splitting of genera and taxonomic confusion has limited progress toward our understanding the family in this region and much work is needed to revise, redefine, and make sense of the profusion of finely split taxa. In a recent analysis of the Neotropical genus Erythromelana Townsend, two species previously assigned to this genus, Euptilodegeeriaobumbrata (Wulp) and Myiodoriopsmarginalis Townsend were reinstated as monotypic genera. In the present study, we demonstrate that Euptilodegeeriaobumbrata (Wulp), previously assigned to three different genera, represents in fact a species of the large New World genus Eucelatoria Townsend, in which females possess a sharp piercer for oviposition. We also show that the species Eucelatoriacarinata (Townsend) belongs to the same species group as Eucelatoriaobumbrata, which we here define and characterize as the Eucelatoriaobumbrata species group. Additionally, we describe Eucelatoriaflavasp. n. as a new species within the Eucelatoriaobumbrata species group. Finally, we redescribe the genus Myiodoriops Townsend and the single species Myiodoriopsmarginalis Townsend.