Platystomatinae Explained

Platystomatinae is a subfamily of flies (Diptera) in the family Platystomatidae (Signal flies) that includes 80 genera, the largest subfamily with at last estimate, species globally.^[1]

Subfamily classification

The Platystomatidae were comprehensively divided into five subfamilies,^{[2] [3]} but more recent reviews of morphology^{[4] [5]} 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.^[4] The most relevant diagnostic characters include: both the upper and lower calypters form a distinct lobe (in some genera these are equally undeveloped); the katepisternal setae absent; tergite 5 is well-developed; elongate terminal filaments on the sclerotised glans of the male distiphallus, each terminating in a gonopore.^[3]

Biology

Members of the family Platystomatidae tend to occur in forest and forest margin habitat types, preferring shaded, densely-vegetated locations, while a few known from grassland^[5] or agricultural environments,^[6] sand dunes and other vegetation types.^[4] Adults of some genera can be found resting on the underside of foliage, while others utilise cryptic colouration and speckled wing patterns to escape detection on bark or rock surfaces.^[7]

Adults may be attracted to malodorous substances and decay, faeces, sap runs, decaying fruit, decaying snails ^[3] and even human sweat in the case of Lamprogaster Macquart and Rivellia Robineau-Desvoidy.^[7]

Larvae are found on fresh and decaying vegetation, fruit, sugar cane, maize, coconuts, tree sap, carrion, human corpses, and root nodules, particularly in the genus Rivellia, which has economic implications for legume crops.^[8] There is a record in the Australian Museum (Sydney) of larvae of the genus Elassogaster attacking eggs capsules of migratory locust (Locusta migratoria).

Biogeography

The largest concentration of Platystomatinae undoubtedly occurs in the Australasian region,^{[9] [4]} followed closely by the Afrotropical region.^[10] The number of genera and species in the Oriental,^[11] European,^{[12] [7] [13]} Nearctic^{[14] [15] [16]} and Neotropical^{[17] [18]} faunas are much more restricted. Some genera are widely distributed over more than one region. For example, Plagiostenopterina Hendel, 1912, is widely distributed in the Old World tropics (Australasian, Oriental and Afrotropical regions) and Rivellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 is almost cosmopolitan,^[4] although numbers of species in Europe are very restricted. Taxonomic revisions on such genera need to examine the wider implications of these broad distributions. Other genera a known from just a single location. Bama McAlpine, 2001, for example, is known only from New Guinea.^[4]

Genera

• Achias Fabricius, 1805^[19]
• Aetha McAlpine, 2001^[4]
• Amphicnephes Loew, 1873^[20]
• Angelopteromyia Korneyev, 2001
• Angitula Walker, 1859
• Antineura Osten-Sacken, 1881^[21]
• Apactoneura Malloch, 1930
• Bama McAlpine, 2001^[4]
• Brea Walker, 1859
• Bromophila Loew, 1873^[20]
• Carolimyia Malloch, 1931^[22]
• Cleitamia Macquart, 1835^[23]
• Cleitamoides Malloch, 1939
• Clitodoca Loew, 1873^[20]
• Coelocephala Karsch, 1888
• Conicipithea Hendel, 1912
• Dayomyia McAlpine, 2007
• Duomyia Walker, 1849
• Elassogaster Bigot, 1860^[24]
• Engistoneura Loew, 1873^[20]
• Eosamphicnephes Frey, 1932
• Eumeka McAlpine, 2001^[4]
• Euprosopia Macquart, 1847
• Euthyplatystoma Hendel, 1914^[25]
• Euxestomoea de Meijere, 1913
• Himeroessa Loew, 1873^[20]
• Hysma McAlpine, 2001^[4]
• Icteracantha Hendel, 1912
• Imugana Enderlein, 1937
• Inium McAlpine, 1995
• Laglaisia Bigot, 1878
• Lambia Hendel, 1912
• Lamprogaster Macquart, 1843
• Lamprophthalma Portschinsky, 1892
• Lophoplatystoma Hendel, 1914^[25]
• Loxoceromyia Hendel, 1914^[25]
• Loxoneura Macquart, 1835^[23]
• Loxoneuroides Hendel, 1914^[25]
• Lulodes Enderlein, 1924^[26]
• Meringomeria Enderlein, 1924^[26]
• Metoposparga Enderlein, 1924^[26]
• Mezona Speiser, 1914^[25]
• Microepicausta Hendel, 1914^[25]
• Mindanaia Malloch, 1931^[22]
• Montrouziera Bigot, 1860^[24]
• Neoardelio Hendel, 1914^[25]
• Neoepidesma Hendel, 1914^[25]
• Oedemachilus Bigot, 1860^[24]
• Palpomya Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830^[27]
• Par McAlpine, 2001^[4]
• Peltacanthina Enderlein, 1912
• Peronotrochus Enderlein, 1924^[26]
• Philocompus Osten-Sacken, 1881^[21]
• Phlebophis Frey, 1932
• Phytalmodes Bezzi, 1908
• Picrometopus Frey, 1932
• Plagiostenopterina Hendel, 1912
• Platystoma Meigen, 1803
• Pogonortalis Hendel in de Meijere, 1911
• Polystodes Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830^[27]
• Prosthiochaeta Enderlein, 1924^[26]
• Pseudepicausta Hendel, 1914^[25]
• Pseudocleitamia Malloch, 1939
• Pseudorichardia Hendel, 1911
• Rhytidortalis Hendel, 1914^[25]
• Rivellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830^[27]
• Scelostenopterina Hendel, 1914^[25]
• Scotinosoma Loew, 1873^[20]
• Senopterina Macquart, 1835^[23]
• Signa McAlpine, 2001^[4]
• Sors McAlpine, 2007
• Sphenoprosopa Loew, 1873^[20]
• Steyskaliella Soós, 1978
• Tarfa McAlpine, 2001^[4]
• Terzia McAlpine, 2001^[4]
• Valonia Walker, 1856
• Xenaspis Osten-Sacken, 1881^[21]
• Xenaspoides Frey, 1930^[28]
• Zealandortalis Malloch, 1939

External links

• Biolib
• Web site: Platystomatinae . Atlas of Living Australia .

Notes and References

1. Book: Whittington . A E . Kirk-Spriggs . A . Kirk-Spriggs . A . Sinclair . B J . Manual of Afrotropical Diptera. Volume 3. Brachycera: Cyclorrhapha, excluding Calyptratae. Suricata 6 . Chapter 70. Platystomatidae (Singal flies) . 2021 . South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) . Pretoria..
2. Frey, R (1932). On African Platystomatidae (Diptera). Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 10. 9: 242–264.
3. The Australian Platystomatidae (Diptera, Schizophora) with a revision of five genera . McAlpine . D K . 1973 . The Australian Museum Memoir . 15 . 1–256. 10.3853/j.0067-1967.15.1973.454 .
4. Review of the Australian Genera of Signal Flies (Diptera; Platystomatidae) . McAlpine . D K . 2001 . Records of the Australian Museum . 53 . 2 . 113–119. 10.3853/j.0067-1975.53.2001.1327 .
5. Taxonomic revision of the Afrotropical Plastotephritinae . Whittington . A E . 2003 . Studia dipterologica Supplement . 12 . 1–300 . 3-932795-19-9.
6. Whittington, A E (2000). A revision of Neoardelio (Diptera; Platystomatidae), with description of a new species. Studia Dipterologica. 7(2):437–461.
7. Book: McAlpine . D K . Papp . L . Darvas . B . Contributions to a Manual of Palaearctic Diptera. Volume 3. Brachycera. . Chapter 3.13. Family Platystomatidae. . 1999 . Science Herald. . Budapest..
8. Whittington, A E (2019). The economic significance of the signal fly genus Rivellia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Platystomatidae). Israel Journal of Entomology. 49(2): 135-160.
9. Evenhuis, N L (1989). 64. Family Platystomatidae. 482—497. In: Evenhuis, N L (ed.) "Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions". Bishop Museum Special Publication 86. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
10. Steyskal, G C (1980). Crosskey, R W (ed.). "Catalogue of the Diptera of the Afrotropical Region". London: British museum (Natural History). pp. 1–1436. .
11. Steyskal, G C (1977). Family Platystomatidae. 135–164. In: Delfinado, M D & Hardy, D E, (eds.) "A catalogue of the Diptera of the Oriental Region". Volume II, suborder Brachycera through division Aschiza, suborder Cyclorrhapha. Honolulu: The University Press of Hawaii.
12. Soós, A (1984). Family Platystomatidae. 38–45. In: Soos, A & Papp, L (eds.) "Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera. Volume 9. Micropezidae - Agromyzidae". Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers.
13. Korneyev V A (2001). A Key to Genera of Palaearctic Platystomatidae (Diptera), with descriptions of a new genus and new species. Entomological Problems (Bratislava)., 32(1): 1–16.
14. Steyskal, G C (1961). The genera of Platystomatidae and Otitidae known to occur in America North of Mexico (Diptera, Acalyptratae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 54: 401–410.
15. Steyskal, G C (1965). Family Platystomatidae (Platystomidae). 655–657. In: Stone, A, Sabrosky, C W, Wirth, W W, Foote, R H & Couldon, J R (eds.) "A catalog of the Diptera of America north of Mexico". Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
16. Steyskal, G C (1987). Platystomatidae. 809–812. In: McAlpine, J F et al. (eds.) "Manual of Nearctic Diptera." Volume 2. Ottawa: Agriculture Canada, Research Branch. (Monograph; No. 28)
17. Steyskal, G C (1968). Family Platystomatidae. In: A Catalogue of the Diptera of the Americas South of the United States. São Paulo: Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo 55.
18. Whittington, A E (2010). [Chapter] 67. Platystomatidae (Signal flies). 903-907. In: Brown, B V, Borkent, A, Cumming, J M, Wood, D M, Woodley, N E & Zumbado, M A (eds.) "Manual of Central American Diptera". 2.
19. Book: Fabricius . Johann Christian . Systema antliatorum secundum ordines, genera, species . 1805 . Apud Carolum Reichard . Bransvigae . i-xiv, 1–373. 5 June 2020.
20. Loew . Hermann . Monographs of the Diptera of North America. Part III. . Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections . 1873 . 11 . vii + 351 +XIII pp., 4 pls . 26 January 2021.
21. Osten Sacken . C.R. . Enumeration of the Diptera of the Malay Archipelago collected by Prof. Odoardo Beccari, Mr. L. M. d'Albertis and others . Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova . 1881 . (1880-1881) 16 . 393–492 . 27 January 2021.
22. Malloch . J. R. . Notes on some acalyptrate flies in the United States National Museum. . Proceedings of the United States National Museum . 1931 . 78 . 15 . 1–32 . 10.5479/si.00963801.78-2858.1 . 23 December 2019.
23. Book: Macquart . P.J.M. . Histoire Naturelle des insectes. Diptères. Tome deuxieme . 1835 . Roret . Paris . 703 or 710 pp., 12 pls . 27 January 2021.
24. Bigot . Jacques Marie Frangile . Diptères de Madagascar (suite et fin). Troisieme partie . Annales de la Société Entomologique de France . 1860 . (1859) 7 . 533–558 . 27 January 2021 . 3.
25. Hendel . Friedrich . Die Arten der Platystominen . Abhandlungen der K. K. Zool.-Botan. Gesellschaft in Wien. . 1914 . 8 . 1–410 . 27 January 2021.
26. Enderlein . Günther . Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Platystominen . Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen . 1924 . 99–153.
27. Robineau-Desvoidy . André Jean Baptiste . Essai sur les myodaires . Mémoires presentés à l'Institut des Sciences, Lettres et Arts, par divers savants et lus dans ses assemblées: Sciences, Mathématiques et Physique . 1830 . 2 . 2 . 1–813 . 15 July 2018.
28. Frey . R. . Philippinische Dipteren. VII. Fam.Platystomidae . Notulae Ent. . 1930 . 10 . 46–64, pl. 1.