Genus Dichaetophora Duda, 1940

Museums

Regional Maps

• Dichaetophora Duda, O. 1940. Revision der afrikanischen Drosophiliden (Diptera). II. [Revision of the African Drosophilidae]. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici (Zoologica) 33: 19-53 [Date published July, 1940] [19] [First introduced as a subgenus of Drosophila Fallén, 1823. Two nomenclatural problems are involved in this name. Duda (1940:19-21) used the spelling Dichaetophora three times and Dichaetophila once. From the manner in which the names appear, it seems clear that Dichaetophora was intended, and that Dichaetophila was an invalid spelling due to an error. Dichetophora Rondani, 1868 (Diptera, Sciomyzidae) is not a senior homonym since the two names differ by a letter; however, some later authors (for example, Malloch, 1928, Linn. Soc. New South Wales, Proc. 53: 323) have used the altered form, Dichaetophora for the sciomyzid genus. As there is no clear evidence that this spelling represents an intentional emendation, it is considered that this latter spelling is invalid and does not preoccupy for purposes of homonymy (Wheeler & Takada, 1964:205). As a starting point in Grimaldi's (1990) systematic study of the Drosophilidae he adopts Wheeler's (1981, 1986) classification which has Dichaetophora as a Drosophila subgenus following Duda (1940). On pages 6, 56, 82, for example, Dichaetophora is clearly treated by Grimaldi as a Drosophila subgenus along with Scaptodrosophila, Hirtodrosopohila etc. The cladistic analysis of the family led Grimaldi (1990) to propose a new classification that resulted in the revised status of several Drosophila subgenera and on page 112 the status of Dichaetophora is revised from Drosophila subgenus to genus in the infratribe Drosophiliti, subtribe Drosophilina. However, through an apparent lapsus, the words "revised status" were not used after Dichaetophora, as they were after Scaptodrosophila, Hirtodrosophila etc. when those names were revised. Importantly, Okada (1970a:189), twenty years earlier, had stated “Nesiodrosophila Wheeler and Takada includes Dichaetophora Malloch [sic]”. While Okada may have realized the synonymy he appears to have been confused about the relative seniority of Dichaetophora (as well as the correct authority which is Duda not Malloch) and he went on (1984, Kontyû 52(1):21-36) to describe fifteen species in Nesiodrosophila. Hu & Toda (Insect Syst. Evol. 33:100, 2002) present a detailed cladistic analysis with further evidence for the synonymy of Nesiodrosophila and Dichaetophora, which they treat as a new synonymy on p. 100].

  Type species:

   Drosophila aberrans Lamb, 1914 (=Drosophila (Dichaetophora) aberrans Lamb, 1914) by original designation.
• Nesiodrosophila Wheeler, M.R. & Takada, H. 1964. Diptera: Drosophilidae. Insects of Micronesia 14(6): 163-242 [24 September] [238].

  Type species:

   Nesiodrosophila lindae Wheeler & Takada, 1964 by original designation.
• Dichaetophila Duda, O. 1940. Revision der afrikanischen Drosophiliden (Diptera). II. [Revision of the African Drosophilidae]. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici (Zoologica) 33: 19-53 [Date published July, 1940] [20] [incorrect subsequent spelling of Dichaetophora (Tsacas, 1980:677)].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Hu, Y.-G. & Toda, M.J. 2002. Cladistic analysis of the genus Dichaetophora Duda (Diptera: Drosophilidae) and a revised classification. Insect Systematics and Evolution 33(1): 91-102 [100]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania

IBRA and IMCRA regions

drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones

IBRA

NSW, Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Desert Uplands (DEU), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Gulf Plains (GUP), Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD), Mount Isa Inlier (MII), Wet Tropics (WT) ; NSW, Qld, Tas: Australian Alps (AA), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Channel Country (CHC), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mulga Lands (ML), Nandewar (NAN), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD) ; NSW, Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Afrotropical Region

• Seychelles

Australian Region

• Australia
  • New South Wales
  • Queensland
  • Tasmania

Oriental Region

History of changes