Taxonomy and evolution of the "Prolepsis-complex" in the Americas (Diptera, Asilidae)

Abstract

A reclassification of the species formerly included in the genera Prolepsis Walker, Dizonias Loew, Sphageus Loew, Tolmerolestes Lynch Arribálzaga and Cylicomera Lynch Aribálzaga is proposed in the present paper. Examination of types and dissection of male genitalia, among other characters studied, showed the close interrelationships among the species of the "Prolepsis-complex", now considered to belong to two genera, namely Prolepsis Walker and Cylicomera Lynch Arribálzaga. The proposed new arrangement of the "Prolepsis-complex" is as follows: Genus Cylicomera Lynch Aribálzaga, 1881 with the following species: rubrofasciata Lynch Arribálzaga, 1881 [= fraterna Lynch Arribálzaga, 1881], and genus Prolepsis Walker, 1851 [= Cacodaemon Schiner, 1866; = Dizonias Loew, 1866; ( = Sphageus Loew, 1866; = Tolmerolestes Lynch Arribálzaga, 1881; = Cacodaemonides Strand, 1928], including the following species: fax (Lynch Arribálzaga, 1881) [= brethesi Gemignani, 1936], pluto (Lynch Arribálzaga, 1881) [= rubripes Lynch Arribálzaga, 1881], fenestrata (Macquart, 1838), rosariana (Carrera, 1959), tristis (Walker, 1851) [= quadrimaculatus Bellardi, 1861; = lucasi Bellardi, 1861; = phoenicurus Loew, 1866; = bicinctus Loew, 1866; = pilatei Johnson, 1903; = albifasciatus Back, 1904; = bromleyi Carrera & d'Andretta, 1950], chalcoprocta (Loew, 1866), sandaraca (Martin, 1966), elotensis (Martin, 1966), crabroniformis (Schiner, 1866), and lucifer (Wiedemann, 1828) [= satanas Wiedemann, 1828; = rufipennis Macquart, 1838; = fumiflanima Walker, 1851; = quadrinotatum Bigot, 1878]. The following new species are described herein: Cylicomera dissona, from Argentina, Tucumán, San Pedro de Colalao, Prolepsis huatajata, from Bolivia, Lα Paz, Huatajata, P. pseudopluto, from Argentina, Tucumán, El Infiernillo, P. colalao, from Argentina, Tucumán, San Pedro de Colalao, P. martini, from Argentina, Córdoba, Villa de María, P. indecisa, from Argentina, Tucumán, P. costaricensis, from Costa Rica, Liberia, and P. funebris, from Brazil, Goiás, Jatai. Two tentative keys to species are given, one based on external morphological characters, the other on the male genitalia, with an interpretation and discussion, of the probable phylogeny of the "Prolepsis-complex" and the history of its geographical distribution.