Carceliathrix Cerretti & O'Hara

O'Hara, James E. & Cerretti, Pierfilippo, 2016, Annotated catalogue of the Tachinidae (Insecta, Diptera) of the Afrotropical Region, with the description of seven new genera, ZooKeys 575, pp. 1-344 : 257-258

Taxon classification Animalia Diptera Tachinidae

Carceliathrix Cerretti & O'Hara gen. n. Fig. 11

Type species.

Phorocera crassipalpis Villeneuve, 1938, by present designation.

Etymology.

The compound name Carceliathrix is formed from the generic name Carcelia Robineau-Desvoidy and the Greek noun thrix (meaning hair). Carceliathrix resembles Carcelia in possessing a narrow gena and a setose posterodorsal margin of the hind coxa. The suffix thrix refers to the row of setae on the facial ridge.

Diagnosis.

Compound eye covered with thick, long ommatrichia (each ommatrichium clearly longer than diameter of 3 eye facets). Frontal vitta normally developed, about 1/2-2/3 as wide as fronto-orbital plate measured at midlength. Ocellar seta well developed, proclinate. No proclinate orbital setae in male, 2 in female. Parafacial bare. Facial ridge convex, with a row of strong, downcurved setae above vibrissa, on lower 1/2-2/3 of its length (Fig. 11 a–c). Lower facial margin not visible in lateral view. Lower occiput and postgena covered with mostly pale hair-like setulae. Vibrissa arising at level of lower facial margin. Arista apparently bare; arista thickened on proximal 1/4-2/5. Palpus slightly clavate. Prosternum with at least 3 setulae along lateral margin. Proepisternal depression bare. Proepisternal seta present. Postpronotum with 4 setae, the 3 strongest arranged in a triangle. Scutum with 1 + 3 postsutural intra-alar setae; 3 + 4 dorsocentral setae. First postsutural supra-alar seta longer than notopleural setae and longer and stronger than first postsutural intra-alar seta. Katepimeron bare. Three katepisternal setae (2+1). Scutellum with 4 pairs of marginal setae and 1 pair of discal setae: apical setae crossed, horizontal or slightly tilted upwards by at most 30° to horizontal. Wing cell r4+5 open. Mid tibia with 1-5 anterodorsal setae and a strong submedian ventral seta. Hind coxa with 1 or more short setae arising posterodorsally (Fig. 11 a–b). Mid-dorsal depression of abdominal syntergite 1+2 reaching posterior margin of syntergite. Syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3 with 1 pair of median marginal setae. Tergite 4 with a complete row of marginal setae. Tergites 3 and 4 with several robust, short median discal setae or setulae irregularly dispersed, sometimes barely distinguishable from general erect setulae.

Remarks.

A convex facial ridge characterized by having a row of strong, downcurved setae on lower 1/2−2/3 is the main, probably derived, character state that separates Carceliathrix from the widespread and speciose genus Carcelia . However, the compound eye covered with long ommatrichia, a narrow gena and setose facial ridge are traits shared by the anacamptomyiine genera Anacamptomyia and Parapales from which Carceliathrix is readily distinguished by having strong and proclinate ocellar setae, frontal vitta at least 1/2 as wide as width of fronto-orbital plate, postpronotum with the 3 strongest setae arranged in a triangle, and male without sexual patches on the abdominal tergites. We have determined that Phorocera crassipalpis Villeneuve and the two probably undescribed species from Namibia (sp. 1) and South Africa (sp. 2) listed below do not fit within the limits of an existing genus and propose for them the new genus Carceliathrix .