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Mydidae - Australasia/Oceania (in development)

Authors: Even Dankowicz

Last updated: May 2019

Help identify observations on iNaturalist:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?taxon_id=121526&place_id=97393

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Mydidae of Australasia/Oceania

Megascelinae: Neorhaphiomidas
Diochlistinae: Diochlistus
Anomalomydinae: Anomalomydas
Apiophorinae: Miltinus
Cacatuopyginae: Cacatuopyga

P. undata, VA, © pbedell, iNaturalist / CC BY-NC

In addition to the genera listed below, additional undescribed species and genera may occur in New Guinea and other parts.

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Megascelinae: Neorhaphiomidas

Very long proboscis
Dark-bodied, abdominal segments posteriolaterally lightened

		Hairs on head / scutum	wing	Tubercle in front of haltere	R-m crossvein above what part of discal cell?	Vein M3+4	First tergite
N. queenslandensis	Qld
N. inermis	SA		almost hyaline, yellowish		Middle
N. norrisi	WA	Black in M / tiny and black in M	brown infuscate	Pointed	base	present	Not grey pubescent
N. pallida	WA		almost hyaline, yellowish	Pointed	base	absent	Densely grey pubescent
N. pinguis	WA		Hyaline with milky sheen	Smoothly rounded			Grey pubescent
N. hardyi	WA		brown infuscate	Pointed	Middle	absent	Densely grey pubescent
N. setosa	WA		almost hyaline, yellowish	Pointed	Middle	Present	Densely grey pubescent
N. villosa	WA	Yellow in M / long, yellow in M	almost hyaline, yellowish	Pointed	Base	Present	Not grey pubescent

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Diochlistinae: Diochlistus

M1+M2 not fused, separate at apex
Basal metafemur sometimes abruptly tapered

Species with non-clubbed hind femora		thorax	wings	R4+5 fused part vs M1+2 fused part	Hind femora	abdomen
D. auripennis	Qld, NSW	Black	Proximally bright opaque orange	Subequal	Not clubbed; orange-brown, metafemoral base darker	T1 black, others orange
D. mitis	SA, WA	Dark, 4 strong grey stripes	lightly infuscated around veins	Shorter	Not clubbed; brown, basal hind femur reddish	Dark with a pale band on tergite posterior margins never entirely divided after T1
D. apollinosus	SA, Vic	Dark, 4 grey stripes	lightly infuscated around veins	Shorter	Not clubbed; black-brown	Dark with a set of pale medially divided narrow spots on tergites
D. hackeri	Qld		Evenly lightly infuscated **vertex about 1/3 head width			Black, without markings
D. nicholsoni	SA		Anterobasally deeply brown **vertex about ½ head width			Black, without markings

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Diochlistinae: Diochlistus

Species with clubbed hind femora		thorax	wings	R4+5 fused part vs M1+2 fused part	Hind femora	abdomen
D. analogus	Qld	Anteriorly black, posteriolaterally reddish	evenly lightly infuscated	Subequal	Clubbed; apex red-brown, subequal to lighter stem	T1 black, T2-4 anteriorly dark, posteriorly reddish, with medially widely interrupted lighter bands; T5-7 red-brown; parallel-sided
D. edgari	Qld	Dark, with 4 weak yellow stripes	Hyaline, anterior veins brown infuscated	Subequal	Clubbed; apex dark brown, longer than lighter stem **hind tibia apical half brown	T1 black, T2-4 black with medially narrowly interrupted lighter bands; T5-7 black with pale posterior margin; posteriorly swollen
D. gracilis	Qld, NSW, SA, WA	Dark with 4 yellow stripes; side of mesonotum yellow	Hyaline, anterior veins brown infuscated	Subequal	Clubbed; apex black, shorter than lighter base **hind tibia apical half black	Black, T2-6 with yellow band in F, more basal tergites medially interrupted; T2-5 with medially interrupted yellow bands in M; more or less parallel-sided
D. melleipennis	NSW, WA	Covered in yellow hairs	Evenly lightly infuscated	Subequal	Clubbed; apex yellow-red, longer than lighter base	Black, T2-5 with yellow round lateral spots
D. neogracilis	Qld	Dark with 4 yellow stripes	Hyaline, anterior veins brown infuscated	Subequal	Clubbed; apex black	Black, T2-8 with broad yellow bands in F; T2-4 with yellow bands and small spots on T5 in M; posteriorly swollen
D. paragracilis	WA	Dark; metanotum extensively yellow	Evenly lightly infuscated	Subequal	Clubbed; apex black, shorter than lighter base	black , T2-6 with uninterrupted lighter markings
D. tenebrosus	NSW	Entirely black	Evenly lightly infuscated	subequal	Clubbed; apex black, and longer than lighter stem	Entirely black except T2-4 with paired yellow spots

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Anomalomydinae: Anomalomydas

M1+M2 fused, combined at apex
Basal metafemur never abruptly tapered
Anal cell open
Facial gibbosity very extensive

		body	wings
A. australicus	SA	Brown-yellow	milky
A. mackerrasi	WA	Dark, with small white markings	hyaline

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Apiophorinae: Miltinus

M1+M2 fused, combined at apex
Basal metafemur never abruptly tapered
Anal cell closed
Facial gibbosity less extensive

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Robust Miltinus spp		antennae	thorax	wings	legs	tergites
M. musgravei	SA, WA	Brown, elongate	Brown, with large white splotches	Hyaline	Brown	Brown or black, all tergites with large round creamy patches
M. viduatus	Australia, widespread	Black, elongate	Black, mesonotum without median stripe; scutellum convex; black setose; lateral pale spot border and 2 anterior spots	Weak, diffuse markings around veins	Black	Black, with white anterior margins; first tergite with short white hairs
M. brunneus	SA	Black, ?elongate	Brown with lateral white spot border and two white anterior spots	Weak, diffuse markings around veins	black	brown-black, with white anterior margins
M. varipes	Qld, NSW, Vic ??	Black, elongate	Mesonotum without median stripe; scutellum convex; black setose; lateral pale spot border and 2 anterior spots	Weak, diffuse markings around veins	Black	Black, tergite with two longitudinal grey stripes ??
M. rieki	NSW	Black, elongate	Black with distinct white median pubescent stripe, 2 anterior spots, and lateral spot border	Weak, diffuse markings around veins	Brown-black	brown-black, with white anterior margins
M. parviduatus	WA	Black, elongate	Black, indistinctly pubescent; scutellum convex; white setose;	Weak, diffuse markings around veins	Brown-black	Brown-black, with white anterior margins; first tergite with short white hairs
M. atripes	WA	Black, elongate	black, without pubescent median stripe; scutellum transversely depressed	Weak, diffuse markings around veins	black	Tergites 3-8 red in M; dark with faint red spots in F; first tergite with long white hairs; narrow white anterior margins
M. confrater	WA	~ yellow, elongate	Black, but laterally yellow-red	Hyaline to weak, diffuse markings	Red-brown	T1-T3 black, T4-8 red; with white anterior margins
M. stenogaster	WA	Black, elongate	Black	Hyaline to weak, diffuse markings	Red-brown	T1-T3 black, T4-8 red; with white anterior margins
M. cardinalis	Vic, SA, WA	Orange-red, elongate	Dorsally orange-red	Evenly yellowish, or diffusely lightened	Orange-brown; hind femora basally darker	Orange-brown

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Smaller Miltinus spp		antennae	thorax	wings	legs	tergites
M. atripennis	WA	Black/brown, ?shorter	black, with lateral white border	Weak, diffuse markings around veins—dark wings than M. minutus	Black-brown	Black with narrow white anterior margins
M. dentipennis	Vic, SA	Black, shorter	Red-brown, scutum mostly black	Well-defined dark marking along full anterior margin, with toothlike posterior margin	Red-brown	Yellow to brown
M. tenuis	SA	Black, shorter	Dorsally black	Hyaline	Red-brown	Orange, with narrow dark posterior margin and narrow dark median vitta; anterior white pubescent margin
M. maculipennis	WA	Orange-red, shorter	Orange-red, medially black; scutellum black	bright yellow subcostal-vein stripe, and well-defined dark spot in middle of wing	Orange-red	Orange-red; T1 and often last two segments black; intermediate segments with median black vittae/bands
M. cinctus	WA	Orange-red, shorter	Orange-red, medially black; scutellum black	bright yellow subcostal-vein stripe, and well-defined dark spot in middle of wing	orange-red	Orange-red; T1 and often last two segments black; intermediate segments with median black vittae/bands
M. commoni	NSW	Orange-red, shorter	Orange-red, medially black; scutellum reddish	bright yellow subcostal-vein stripe, and well-defined dark spot in middle of wing	Orange-red	Orange-red; T1 black; T2-4 unpatterned; T5 with two black spots in F; last two segments black
M. erythronotus	WA	Orange-red, shorter	Orange-red, very narrow medial black stripe; scutellum red	~hyaline	Orange-red	Entirely orange-red
M. sordidus	SA	Red, shorter	Scutum entirely black	Hyaline or diffusely infuscate	Red-black	Brown or black, with 4 large triangular lateral yellow spots
M. insularis	WA	orange-brown, shorter	Black, 4 white pubescent stripes	Hyaline in M, darkened in F	Brown, metafemur very thick	Brown with white anterior margin
M. minutus	SA, WA	Brown, shorter	Dark brown, 4 pubescent stripes	Hyaline	Brown, metafemur very thick	Brown to black with white anterior margins
M. norrisi	WA	Brown, shorter	Brown, with 4 pubescent stripes	Hyaline or diffusely infuscate	Brown, metafemur mildly thick	Brown with white anterior margins

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Cacatuopyginae: Cacatuopyga

M1+M2 fused, combined at apex
Basal metafemur never abruptly tapered
Anal cell closed
Facial gibbosity less extensive

Multiple undescribed species from Australasian Indonesia are represented in museum collections examined by E. Dankowicz.

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References

Sources for this entire project include:

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References

Other sources consulted for this specific document include:

Australasian/Oceanian Diptera Catalogue http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/aocat/mydidae.html
Paramonov, 1950. A Review of the Australian Mydaidae. CSIRO Bulletin.
Paramonov, 1953. A review of Australian Apioceridae (Diptera). Aust. J. Zoo 1: 449-536.
Paramonov, 1955. Notes on Australian Diptera XVIII: Some new Mydaids. The annals and magazine of natural history 8: 134-135.
Paramonov, 1961. Notes on Australian Diptera (XXXII–XXXVI). Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 4(38): 97-111.