Neurosystasis Satchell, 1955

Kvifte, Gunnar Mikalsen & Wagner, Rüdiger, 2017, Review of Neurosystasis Satchell, with two new species from Cuba and a discussion of cerci and surstyli in Psychodinae (Diptera: Psychodidae), Zootaxa 4306 (1), pp. 81-90 : 82-83

Neurosystasis Satchell, 1955

Telmatoscopus (Neurosystasis) Satchell, 1955: 86 (type species: Telmatoscopus terminalis Satchell, 1955 , by original designation).

Neurosystasis Satchell, 1955 - Duckhouse 1974: 142.

= Chuspilepia Omad, Mangudo & Gleiser, 2015: 500 (type species: Chuspilepia saltenia Omad, Mangudo & Gleiser, 2015 , by original designation) syn.nov.

Diagnosis. Eyebridge of three facet rows, interocular suture interrupted medially or reduced. Antennae with 16 articles, scape with sensory scales ("androconia"), flagellomeres nodiform (except f 13 in N. saltenia (Omad, Mangudo & Gleiser)) , multiple filiform ascoids present as ring surrounding flagellomere nodes. Palp of four segments, 1 st palp segment reduced both in length and sclerotization, 4th palp segment with reduced sclerotization. Wing broadly ovate, Rs with R2+3 very short (radial fork in basal third of wing), sometimes pectinate (R2+3 arising from R4), R5 terminating in wing apex, radial fork basal of medial fork. Sensory organ present near apex of S c (except in N. saltenia (Omad, Mangudo & Gleiser)) . Aedeagus, parameres and gonopods asymmetrical. Aedeagus with two apical blade-shaped phallomeres of different size and shape. Gonocoxites connected via hypandrium, gonostyles jointed ventrally or fused to gonocoxites. Hypopod generally with both lateral epandrial branch and mesal cercal branch, epandrial branch carrying a single tenaculum (reduced or absent in N. saltenia ), mesal branch with or without accessory tenacula.

Remarks. Omad et al. (2015) described the genus Chuspilepia based on a single species from the Salta province in Argentina. In their discussion, they contrasted the species from Neurosystasis in lacking an interocular suture, having the «cercopod» unbranched, having R2+3 connected to R4 and by the gonocoxites dimorphic. However, apart from the unbranched hypopod, all of these characters are indeed found in Neurosystasis ; meaning that only one character separates Chuspilepia from Neurosystasis . We interpret the pilose mesal area and the bare lateral patch in the hypopod of Chuspilepia saltenia Omad, Mangudo & Gleiser to be a rudiment or evolutionary predecessor of the bifurcation present in the Caribbean species, and place Chuspilepia tentatively in synonymy with Neurosystasis .

The diagnosis given by Quate & Brown (2004) is erroneous in several aspects, including the statements that the eyebridges can extend to the midline and that R2+3 is not attached to R4. Based on original descriptions of the type and other species, the eyebridges of all Neurosystasis are well separated and for three species, including the type, Rs is pectinate.