TY - JOUR
T1 - Proposal of Karliella gen. n. for the Afrotropical ‘Pegomya’ sexpunctata Karl, 1935 (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), a possible kleptoparasite of dung-breeding beetles
AU - Michelsen, Verner
PY - 2013/8/7
Y1 - 2013/8/7
N2 - The genus Karliella Michelsen, gen. n., is described to accommodate Pegomyia sexpunctata Karl, 1935 (syn.: Pegomyia abdominalis Emden, 1941). The peculiar morphology of Karliella makes it difficult to find a closer relationship to any particular anthomyiid genus or group of genera, which suggests that it represents the only extant member of an ancient lineage. The type species and only included species, Karliella sexpunctata (Karl, 1935), comb. n., appears to be locally abundant in dry and mesic woodland of Namibia and South Africa, but has also been found in Botswana and Zambia. The larvae probably develop in dung from large herbivorous mammals. The female has been observed laying eggs on newly formed, unburied scarab dung-balls, but whether this is customary behaviour is unknown.
AB - The genus Karliella Michelsen, gen. n., is described to accommodate Pegomyia sexpunctata Karl, 1935 (syn.: Pegomyia abdominalis Emden, 1941). The peculiar morphology of Karliella makes it difficult to find a closer relationship to any particular anthomyiid genus or group of genera, which suggests that it represents the only extant member of an ancient lineage. The type species and only included species, Karliella sexpunctata (Karl, 1935), comb. n., appears to be locally abundant in dry and mesic woodland of Namibia and South Africa, but has also been found in Botswana and Zambia. The larvae probably develop in dung from large herbivorous mammals. The female has been observed laying eggs on newly formed, unburied scarab dung-balls, but whether this is customary behaviour is unknown.
U2 - 10.5733/afin.054.0205
DO - 10.5733/afin.054.0205
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1681-5556
VL - 54
SP - 335
EP - 347
JO - African Invertebrates
JF - African Invertebrates
IS - 2
ER -