| Plastotephritinae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Oeciotypa hendeli Lindner, 1957 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Platystomatidae |
| Subfamily: | Plastotephritinae Enderlein, 1922 |
Plastotephritinae is a subfamily of flies (Diptera) in the family Platystomatidae (Signal flies), which currently includes 18 genera.
The Platystomatidae were comprehensively divided into five subfamilies, [1] [2] but more recent reviews of morphology [3] [4] suggest that some aspects of this classification are unsatisfactory. This led to reducing the number of subfamilies to four, being the Plastotephritinae, Platystomatinae, Scholastinae and Trapherinae - Angitulinae being subsumed into Platystomatinae. [3]
Nonetheless, definition of the subfamily Plastotephritinae is still open to debate and requires phylogenetic confirmation. At present, genera assigned to the subfamily are considered as having the following subset of characters: an evanescent subcostal vein, reduced lower calypter, tergites 4 and 5 much shorter than tergite 3, distiphallus terminating at the glans (i.e. no terminal filaments) and tergite 6 in the female abdomen absent or vestigial. [4] The head morphology of the subfamily is exceptional and variable including 9 different types of modification in 16 genera. [5]
Four of the 18 genera in the Plastotephritinae are monotypic: Eudasys, Micronesomyia, Prosopoconus, and Rhegmatosaga.
Little is known of the biology of plastotephritines. The complex mating behaviour observed in the family Platystomatidae as a whole, and for which the name Signal flies has been bestowed on them, is also observed in Plastotephritinae, which utilize elaborate displays of the wings and face-to-face stand-offs during the process of mate selection. Many species have elaborated morphological modification to the head capsule (laterally extended gena, or "cheeks", for example, and eye stalks) to enhance agonistic behaviour. [4] Habitats in which they are encountered range from rainforest to montane forest, woodland, bush, riparian and swamp habitats, lowland savannah, dry river beds. Larvae have not been reared and adult-plant associations are little indication of breeding sites. Nonetheless, the family Platystomatidae as a whole tend to be attracted to flowers, decaying fruit, excrement, sweat, and decomposing snails, with the larvae are found on fresh and decaying vegetation, carrion, human corpses - there is no reason to suppose the members of Plastotephritinae will differ. So far adults have been recorded on plants of Zea maize Zea, Prange afranjonum, Macaranga hurifolia Macaranga, and on fruit of Annona Annona (custard apple), Syzygium_jambos Syzygium jambos (rose apple) and Mangifera indica Mangifera indica (mango). [4]
The largest concentration of plastotephritine species occurs in the Afrotropical region, with only Agadasys and Rhegmatosaga known from the Oriental region - and then from few species and few specimens. Material from the Pacific Islands, New Guinea and Australia are yet to be revised and fully assessed, but the most recent assessments of these faunas suggest that species and genera previously assigned to the subfamily may not belong there. [4] [6] Within the Afrotropical context, the distribution is mainly tropical to subtropical, predominantly in West, Central and East Africa, with minor elements in southern Africa and Madagascar. None are known to exist on the other Indian Ocean islands. There is a strong preference for forest and riverine habitats. [4]
Richard Frey published one of the long lasting attempts at providing full family status Platystomatidae, and subfamily divisions within it. Despite that some of the subfamilies he proposed have now been sunk back into Platystomatinae, his use of Plastotephritinae in particular has been long lasting. [7] In 1932 Frey attributed the name Plastotephritinae to Enderlein, [8] although Enderlein treated the group at tribal level (hence Plastotephritini Enderlein, 1922). The correct stem for Plastotephritinae, based on Tephritis Latrille, 1804, is Plastotephritidinae and common usage of the shorter stem (Plastotephritinae and Plastotephritini) has prevailed and is used here following the decision of Sabrosky (1999). [9]
The Ulidiidae or picture-winged flies are a large and diverse cosmopolitan family of flies (Diptera), and as in related families, most species are herbivorous or detritivorous. They are often known as picture-winged flies, along with members of other families in the superfamily Tephritoidea that have patterns of bands or spots on the wings. Some species share with the Tephritidae an unusual elongated posteroapical projection of the anal cell in the wing, but can be differentiated by the smoothly curving subcostal vein. Two species, Tetanops myopaeformis and Euxesta stigmatias, are agricultural pests.
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The Chamaemyiidae are a small family of acalyptrate flies with less than 200 species described worldwide. The larvae of these small flies are active and predatory and are often used for biological control of aphids, scale insects, and similar pests. Chamaemyiid fossils are poorly represented in amber deposits, but a few examples are known from the Eocene epoch onwards.
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Clusiidae or "druid flies" is a family of small, thin, yellow to black acalyptrate flies with a characteristic antenna and with the wing usually partially infuscated. They have a cylindrical body. The head is round, the vertical plate reaches the anterior margin of the frons and the vibrissae on the head are large. The costa is interrupted near subcosta and the latter developed throughout length. Larvae are found in the bark of trees, the flies on trunks. The larvae are notable for their ability to jump. Males of many species in the subfamily Clusiodinae have been observed while engaged in lekking behaviour. There are hundreds of species in 14 genera found in all the Ecoregions, although most species occur in tropical regions. The type genus is Clusia Haliday, 1838.
The Platystomatidae are a distinctive family of flies (Diptera) in the superfamily Tephritoidea.
The Pyrgotidae are an unusual family of flies (Diptera), one of only two families of Cyclorrhapha that lack ocelli. Most species are "picture-winged", as is typical among the Tephritoidea, but unlike other tephritoids, they are endoparasitoids; the females pursue scarab beetles in flight, laying an egg on the beetle's back under the elytra where the beetle cannot reach it. The egg hatches and the fly larva enters the body cavity of the beetle, feeding and eventually killing the host before pupating. In the United States, some species of Pyrgota and Sphecomyiella can be quite common in areas where their host beetles are abundant. Like their host beetles, these flies are primarily nocturnal, and are often attracted to artificial lights.
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Platystomatinae is a subfamily of flies (Diptera) in the family Platystomatidae that includes 80 genera, the largest subfamily with at last estimate, c. 900 species globally.
Elassogaster is a genus of scavenger flies (Diptera) belonging to the family Platystomatidae. They are native to warm regions of Africa, Madagascar, Asia and Australia.
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Scholastinae is a subfamily of flies (Diptera) in the family Platystomatidae, which currently includes 14 genera.
Trapherinae is a subfamily of flies (Diptera) in the family Platystomatidae, which currently includes 11 genera.
Oeciotypa is a genus of flies (Diptera) belonging to the family Platystomatidae.