Genus Actenomeros Winterton & Irwin, 1999

Museums

Regional Maps

• Actenomeros Winterton S.L. & Irwin, M.E. in Winterton S.L., Irwin, M.E. & Yeates, D.K. 1999. Phylogenetic revision of the Taenogera Kröber genus-group (Diptera: Therevidae), with descriptions of two new genera. Australian Journal of Entomology 38: 274-290 [280].

  Type species:

   Actenomeros corniculaticaudus Winterton & Irwin, 1999 by original designation.

Introduction

Actenomeros was described in 1999 for two species: A. corniculaticaudus and A onyx. Actenomeros superficially resembled Nanexila Winterton & Irwin but was differentiated by two to three rows of postocular setae and male genitalic features such as a reduced inner gonocoxal process and a large horn-shaped outer gonocoxal process. In 2011 three species were transferred from Nanexila: A. aureilineata (Winterton & Irwin, 1999a), A. intermedia (Winterton & Irwin, 1999a) and A. paradoxa (Winterton & Irwin, 1999a) and a new species (A. budawang) described from New South Wales.

Placement of the genus based on morphological characters is problematic with analyses indicating either a close relationship with Taenogerella Winterton & Irwin (Winterton et al. 1999a) or a clade comprising Taenogera Kröber, 1912, Johnmannia Irwin & Lyneborg, 1989 and Eupsilocephala Kröber, 1912 (Lambkin et al. 2005). Morphological similarities between Actenomeros and Nanexila include the presence of subapical anteroventral setae on the hind femur, antennae with a short, cylindrical scape and conical flagellum, flattened frons, wing cell m3 open, and lack of velutum patches on the femora and gonocoxites. Winterton et al. (1999a) erected the genus Nanexila with three species groups. One of these species groups (i.e. Nanexila atricostalis species group) was considered very different from the other members of the genus, but the lack of males for most species precluded the erection of a separate genus. It was noted though in Winterton et al. (1999b) that females of this species group (specifically N. paradoxa Winterton & Irwin, 1999a) were similar to Actenomeros. Males are now known for N. paradoxa and have the key taxonomic features of Actenomeros. The generic concept of Actenomeros was revised slightly in light of this; synapomorphies for the genus include multiple rows of postocular macrosetae in both sexes, and greatly reduced or absent articulated gonocoxal processes in the male (Winterton et al. 1999b). The gonocoxite has a large horn-like process in the males of the two previously described species of Actenomeros but are absent in Actenomeros budwang and the three species transferred to Actenomeros from Nanexila [A. aureilineata (Winterton & Irwin, 1999a), A. intermedia (Winterton & Irwin, 1999a) and A. paradoxa (Winterton & Irwin, 1999a)]; this character is no longer considered synapomorphic for the genus (Winterton 2011a).

Distribution

States

Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

ACT, NSW: Sydney Basin (SB), South Eastern Highlands (SEH) ; NSW: South East Corner (SEC) ; NSW, Qld: Brigalow Belt South (BBS), NSW North Coast (NNC), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ) ; Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Desert Uplands (DEU), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Wet Tropics (WT) ; Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH)

Diagnosis

Head sub-spherical; frons grey to gold pubescent; minute, dark setae sometimes present; frons flat to rounded, width sexually dimorphic, male frons narrower, but eyes not contiguous; occiput concave; two-three poorly defined rows of postocular macrosetae, rarely a single row in female; antenna length shorter than head; scape and pedicel short cylindrical, with strong dark setae; flagellum conical, compressed laterally, style terminal; sternopleuron glabrous medially; legs pale yellow, tarsi darkened distally; mid coxa without setae on posterior surface; hind femur with dark, anteroventral setae sub-apically; fore and hind femora without velutum patches; scutal chaetotaxy: np, 3–4; sa, 2; pa, 1; dc, 2–4; sc, 1; wing cell m3 open; abdomen black, male often with extensive abdominal velutum, female often with triangular patches of velutum laterally on segments; male genitalia without velutum patches on ventral surface of gonocoxites; gonocoxite with outer process present, often long, upward directed and horn-like; articulated gonocoxal process greatly reduced or absent; ventral lobe of gonocoxite sometimes greatly enlarged; hypandrium triangular, glabrous, fused to gonocoxites laterally; gonocoxal apodeme relatively short; distiphallus narrow, straight; dorsal apodeme of parameral sheath ‘T’-shaped; ejaculatory apodemes relatively small, narrow; ventral apodeme forked; female genitalia with A1 and A2 acanthophorite spines well developed; tergite 8 with narrow process on anterior margin; furca sclerotized in a narrow ring; three spherical spermathecae; spermathecal sac shape trilobate, spermathecal duct arrangement paired, one spermathecal duct joining to each spermathecal sac duct or rarely alternating along common spermathecal sac duct (A. intermedia).

Diagnosis References

Winterton, S.L. 2011. Review of the stiletto fly genus Actenomeros Winterton & Irwin (Diptera, Therevidae, Agapophytinae). ZooKeys 120: 55-63 [Date published 25 July 2011] [57] (rediagnosis)

General References

Winterton, S.L. 2011. Review of the stiletto fly genus Actenomeros Winterton & Irwin (Diptera, Therevidae, Agapophytinae). ZooKeys 120: 55-63 [Date published 25 July 2011]

Winterton S.L. & Irwin, M.E. in Winterton S.L., Irwin, M.E. & Yeates, D.K. 1999. Phylogenetic revision of the Taenogera Kröber genus-group (Diptera: Therevidae), with descriptions of two new genera. Australian Journal of Entomology 38: 274-290

History of changes