Tapantiomyia enigmatica, new genus and species proposed for a stilt-legged and otherwise bizarre coenosiine fly (Diptera: Muscidae) from Costa Rica

TY - JOUR

T1 - Tapantiomyia enigmatica, new genus and species proposed for a stilt-legged and otherwise bizarre coenosiine fly (Diptera: Muscidae) from Costa Rica

AU - Michelsen, Verner

PY - 2017/6/20

Y1 - 2017/6/20

N2 - A new monotypic genus, Tapantiomyia gen. nov., is proposed for a new species of muscid fly, T. enigmatica sp. nov., found in the Tapantí National Park, Costa Rica. It is only known by a single male specimen taken in a Malaise trap in tropical cloud forest, but deserves immediate attention because of its bizarre, stilt-legged appearance in combination with several other unique apomorphies that preclude placement in any known genus of Muscidae. Tapantiomyia enigmatica is so strange that it tend to run out to Scathophagidae rather than Muscidae in keys to families of Diptera. However, the morphology of the male genitalia provides decisive evidence for a placement in Coenosiinae, a large and diverse group of predatory Muscidae. Two tribes, Limnophorini and Coenosiini, are currently recognized within Coenosiinae, but the monophyly of Limnophorini remains uncertain. Tapantiomyia is tentatively assigned to the Limnophorini.

AB - A new monotypic genus, Tapantiomyia gen. nov., is proposed for a new species of muscid fly, T. enigmatica sp. nov., found in the Tapantí National Park, Costa Rica. It is only known by a single male specimen taken in a Malaise trap in tropical cloud forest, but deserves immediate attention because of its bizarre, stilt-legged appearance in combination with several other unique apomorphies that preclude placement in any known genus of Muscidae. Tapantiomyia enigmatica is so strange that it tend to run out to Scathophagidae rather than Muscidae in keys to families of Diptera. However, the morphology of the male genitalia provides decisive evidence for a placement in Coenosiinae, a large and diverse group of predatory Muscidae. Two tribes, Limnophorini and Coenosiini, are currently recognized within Coenosiinae, but the monophyly of Limnophorini remains uncertain. Tapantiomyia is tentatively assigned to the Limnophorini.

KW - Central America

KW - Coenosiinae

KW - Limnophorini

KW - Morphology

KW - Neotropical region

KW - New genus

KW - New species

KW - Taxonomy

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85021145436&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.11646/zootaxa.4277.4.8

DO - 10.11646/zootaxa.4277.4.8

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 30308633

AN - SCOPUS:85021145436

SN - 1175-5326

VL - 4277

SP - 583

EP - 590

JO - Zootaxa

JF - Zootaxa

IS - 4

ER -