Laciniomyia, Kung & Brown, 2005

Kung, Giar-Ann & Brown, Brian V., 2005, Three unusually divergent new genera of phorid flies (Diptera: Phoridae) from Costa Rica, Zootaxa 1019 (1), pp. 43-52 : 44

Laciniomyia new genus

Diagnosis. Frons extremely broad, flat; with usual twelve large frontal setae, lacking median furrow. Four supra­antennal setae present. Eye reduced, oval; ocelli present. Flagellomere 1 elongate oval; arista apical. Mouthparts narrow, elongate, labellae reduced. Palpus greatly enlarged, with 30–40 large apical setae. Legs lacking large setae; forefemur with row of 5 long posterior setae; hind femur apically dilated; hind tibia with one longitudinal setal palisade. Wing lacking vein R 2+3. Abdominal tergites reduced, tergites 5–6 absent ( Fig. 1 ). Dorsal abdominal glands discharge behind tergite 4. Ovipositor mostly membranous, non­parasitic.

Laciniomyia does not key past couplet 161 in Disney’s 1994 key to genera of females. Although Laciniomyia is “somewhat dorso­ventrally flattened” as in the first lead, the anterior thoracic spiracle is neither dorsal nor on the side (as stated in the second lead); instead, the anterior thoracic spiracle is placed at the border of the scutum and pleuron, along the dorsolateral edge of the thorax. The enlarged, setose palpi of Laciniomyia make it unlikely to be confused with any other New World phorid genus.

We classify this genus in the Metopina ­group of genera ( Brown, 1992; = Metopinini of Disney, 2003).

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. Laciniomyia dilata new species. 1. Abdomen, dorsal. 2. Body, lateral. 3. Laishania angustithorax new species. Body, lateral.