Mallochphora, Disney, 2004

Disney, R. Henry L., 2004, Genera resembling Beckerina Malloch (Diptera: Phoridae), Zootaxa 518 (1), pp. 1-28 : 19

Genus Mallochphora gen. nov.

Beckerina orphnephiloides clearly differs from the above species of Beckerina and I reject Malloch’s (1912) assignment of this species to the same genus. I herewith transfer it to a new genus and designate it the type species. However, it is essentially characterised by its lack of the proposed autapomorphies attributed to the other genera. When its female becomes know this situation may be rectified.

Diagnosis

(Only male known) Frons clearly broader than long, with 4–6 SA bristles and 4­4­4 bristles; median furrow vestigial or absent; postpedicel subglobose, with dorsal shorthaired arista and no SPS vesicles; palps with numerous, relatively short, bristles; labella densely spinose below; thorax with bare mesopleuron; two bristles and no gland orifice on notopleuron; four subequal bristles on scutellum; abdominal tergites not extending full width of abdomen; epandrium with right posteroventral lobe extended ventrally; hypandrium with a well developed left lobe; anal tube short with many fine hairs on cerci; hairs below basal half of hind femur not differentiated from adjacent hairs of anterior face; all tibiae lack isolated bristles in upper three quarters; no dorsal hair palisades on mid and hind tibiae, but latter with some differentiated, spaced, hairs on dorsal face of lower half but no clearly differentiated rows of near­dorsal hairs, and the spinules of its apical comb are bifid; costa long (costal index>0.6) and thickened in distal two thirds; 1–2 small fine hairs on base of vein 3; Sc strong and ending in R1; thin veins (veins 4–7) brown; numerous axillary bristles; costal cilia short (at most 0.1 mm long); membrane with well developed, dense, microsetae.

Affinities

In the most recent key to world genera ( Disney, 1994) the males run to couplet 186, to Beckerina (part) and Woodiphora (part), but is immediately excluded by its lack of notopleural glands. The lack of SPS vesicles in the postpedicels, loss of the median furrow on the frons and the undifferentiated hairs below the hind femur should further distinguish this genus from Woodiphora . Otherwise it is distinguished in the key below. The discovery of the female will be of interest, the loss of a fully developed median furrow on the frons and lack of SPS vesicles in the postpedicels should distinguish it from Beckerina .