Corresponding author: Shaun L. Winterton (
Academic editor: T. Dikow
The Australasian spider flies (
Spider flies (also known as small-headed flies) (
The Australasian acrocerid fauna comprises all three subfamilies, although represented by relatively few genera. Two acrocerine genera (
Terminology follows
1 | Postpronotal lobes greatly enlarged, contiguous along midline to form collar for head | |
– | Postpronotal lobes not greatly enlarged, widely separate along midline | 3 |
2 | Wing with cells d, br, bm, and cu-p present, venation relatively complete ( |
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– | Wing with only cell br present, venation reduced ( |
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3 | Antenna usually styliform or rod-like with multiple terminal setae; wing venation reduced: at most three radial veins present, cells d and basal r4+5 merged or absent ( |
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– | Antenna with elongate flagellum, cylindrical or flattened, without terminal styliform seta; wing venation complete: four radial veins present, cells d and basal r4+5 separate ( |
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4 | Eye apilose, without setae; venation reduced with many veins absent or poorly defined, almost all cells weakly formed or absent; tibial spines absent ( |
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– | Eye pilose; all wing veins well defined to wing margin, discal cell and basal portion of r4+5 merged into single closed cell; tibial spines present ( |
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5 | Eye strongly pilose; antennal flagellum slender and tapered to apex; tibial spines absent ( |
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– | Eye apilose or weakly pilose; antennal flagellum thickened to apex; tibial spines present (Australia) | 6 |
6 | Eye apilose, or sparsely or partially pilose; wing hyaline; crossvein 2r-m joining to stem R4+5 ( |
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– | Eye always apilose; wing at least partially infuscate, particularly along anterior margin; crossvein 2r-m joining to vein R5 ( |
7 |
8 | Dorsal profile of abdomen with swollen, rounded tergites; without transverse yellow band on tergite 3; not wasp-like in appearance ( |
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– | Dorsal profile of abdomen with truncated tergites raised along posterior margins; transverse yellow band on tergite 3; distinctly wasp-like in appearance ( |
Usually large and densely pilose, body shape never arched; antennal flagellum elongate cylindrical to paddle-shaped, sometimes tapered but never stylate, usually lacking terminal setae; postpronotal lobes never meeting medially; wing venation complete to wing margin (rarely reduced), cells m3, d, bm and basal r4+5 typically present, closed distally; tibial spines present (rarely absent); larvae exclusively parasitoids of mygalomorph spiders.
Body length: 7–9 mm. Colouration metallic green; head width slightly smaller than thorax width, hemispherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli; posterior margin of eye rounded; eye pilose (dense); position of antenna on frons nearer to ocellar tubercle; eyes contiguous above and below antennal base; palpus present; proboscis longer than head length; flagellum shape elongate, tapered apically, apex lacking terminal setae; scapes separate; subscutellum not enlarged, barely visible; tibial spines absent; pulvilli present; wing hyaline, markings absent; costa circumambient, costal margin straight apically in both sexes; humeral crossvein present; radial veins curved towards wing anterior margin; R1 not inflated distally; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; R2+3 present; R4+5 present as forked petiolate veins; cell r4+5 bisected by 2r-m, basal cell narrow elongate, closed; 2r-m very short, joining M1 to stem R4+5; R4 without spur vein; medial vein compliment with M1, M2 and M3 present (M3 fused with CuA1); discal cell closed completely; M1 and M2 usually not reaching wing margin; cell m3 present; CuA1 joining M3, petiolate to wing margin; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula absent; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded; abdomen shape greatly rounded, inflated, conical posteriorly.
Body length: 9.0 mm [male], 12.0 mm [female]. Colouration black and yellow [wasp mimic]; head slightly smaller than thorax width, shape hemispherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli, anterior ocellus reduced in size (female) or absent (male); posterior margin of eye emarginate; eye apilose; position of antennae on head adjacent to ocellar tubercle; male frons width above antennal base not contiguous, eyes contiguous below antennal base; palpus present; proboscis greater than head length; flagellum shape elongate, cylindrical; apex lacking terminal setae; scapes separate; subscutellum enlarged; tibial spines present; pulvilli present; wing markings present (infuscate anteriorly); costa circumambient (weaker along anal margin); costal margin straight; humeral crossvein present; radial veins straight; R1 not inflated distally; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; R2+3 present; R4+5 originating separately from cell r4+5 (or at same point); cell r4+5 bisected by 2r-m, basal cell narrow elongate, closed; 2r-m joining M1 to R5; R4 with spur vein; medial vein compliment: M1, M2 and M3 present (M3 fused with CuA1); discal cell closed completely; medial veins reaching wing margin; cell m3 present; CuA1 joining M3, petiolate to margin; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well-developed; alula weakly developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded, tergites raised along posterior margins; abdomen constricted anteriorly.
Body length: 8.0–10.0 mm [male], 9.0–11 mm [female]. Colouration non-metallic, usually matte greenish hue; head size slightly smaller than thorax width; shape hemispherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli; posterior margin of eye emarginate; eye apilose; antennae positioned on head adjacent to ocellar tubercle; eyes not contiguous above antennal base, contiguous below antennal base; palpus present; proboscis greater than head length; flagellum shape elongate, cylindrical (flattened), truncated apically [more pronounced in male]; scapes separate; flagellum apex lacking terminal setae; subscutellum not enlarged, barely visible; tibial spines present; pulvilli present; wing infuscate, markings present; costa circumambient (weaker along anal margin); costal margin straight apically; humeral crossvein present; radial veins straight; R1 not inflated distally; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; R2+3 present; R4+5 originating separately from cell r4+5; cell r4+5 bisected by 2r-m, basal cell narrow elongate, closed; 2r-m, joining M1 to R5; R4 with spur vein; medial vein compliment with M1, M2 and M3 present (M3 fused with CuA1); discal cell closed completely; medial veins reaching wing margin; cell m3 present; CuA1 joining M3, petiolate to margin; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate to margin; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula well developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded; abdomen shape rounded, cylindrical, similar width to thorax or constricted anteriorly (male), tergites raised along posterior margins.
Body length: 8.0–12.5 mm [male], 9.5–14.5 mm [female]. Colouration non-metallic or metallic; head slightly smaller than thorax width, shape hemispherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli, anterior ocellus reduced in size or absent; posterior margin of eye emarginate; eye apilose or pilose (sparse) (sometimes localized dorsally); position of antennae on head adjacent to ocellar tubercle; eyes not contiguous above antennal base, contiguous below antennal base; palpus present; proboscis length variable, less than or greater than head length; flagellum shape elongate, slightly tapered (female) or elongate, cylindrical (male); flagellum apex lacking terminal setae; scapes separate; subscutellum not enlarged, barely visible; tibial spines present; pulvilli present; wing hyaline, markings absent; costa circumambient (weaker along anal margin); costal margin at pterostigma straight; humeral crossvein present; R1 not inflated distally; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; vein R2+3 present; R4 and R5 present as forked petiolate veins; radial veins straight towards wing apex, slightly angled anteriorly; cell r4+5 bisected by 2r-m, basal cell narrow elongate, closed; 2r-m joining M1 to stem R4+5; R4 with or without spur vein; medial vein compliment with M1, M2 and M3 present; discal cell closed completely; medial veins reaching wing margin; cell m3 present; CuA1 joining M3, petiolate to wing margin; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate to margin; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula well developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded; abdomen shape greatly rounded, inflated (larger in female). Male genitalia (
1 | Eye sparsely pilose ( |
2 |
– | Eye completely apilose ( |
5 |
2 | Proboscis elongate, length greater than head height ( |
3 |
– | Proboscis very short, hardly projecting from oral cavity, shorter than head height ( |
4 |
3 | Postpronotal lobe dark, concolourous with rest of pleuron (widely distributed in Australia) ( |
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– | Postpronotal lobe yellow, pleuron greenish (Queensland) ( |
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4 | Eye extending posteriorly beyond widest part of head; eye with sparse, minute pile of uniform length across eye (length subequal to width of lateral ocellus); ocellar tubercle not touching margin of eye; palpus as long or longer than proboscis (Papua) ( |
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– | Eye not extending posteriorly beyond widest part of head; eye pilose on dorsal-lateral region only, pile denser and more elongate (length much greater than width of lateral ocellus); ocellar tubercle touching margin of eye; palpus half as long as proboscis (South Australia) ( |
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5 | Proboscis short, hardly projecting from oral cavity | 6 |
– | Proboscis elongate, length equal to, or greater than head height | 7 |
6 | Postpronotal lobes dark yellow; femora dark brown, rest of legs cream (Northern Territory) ( |
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– | Postpronotal lobes and legs dark, concolourous with rest of body (Queensland) ( |
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7 | Postpronotal lobes pale, contrasting with rest of thorax ( |
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– | Postpronotal lobes dark, concolourous with rest of thorax ( |
8 |
8 | Body metallic, thorax green, abdomen violet; margin of lower calypter relatively dark ( |
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– | Thorax mostly glossy black, abdomen often with extensive red-brown to purple laterally; margin of lower calypter relatively pale ( |
9 |
9 | Face above clypeus apilose; body covered with white setal pile; male distiphallus broad, spatulate (widely distributed in Australia) ( |
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– | Face above clypeus with gold setal fringe; body covered with yellow-gold setal pile; male distiphallus narrow ( |
Eye apilose; proboscis longer than head height; body non-metallic; antennae red-brown; parafacial with yellow marginal pile; postpronotal lobe concolourous with rest of thorax; legs dark yellow, femora brown-black.
Body length: 11.0 mm (male). Headwitheye apilose; ocellar tubercle raised laterally; medial ocellus absent; occiput brown-black, occipital pile yellow, postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; clypeus length equal to oral cavity, brown-black; palpus yellow; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) densely pilose (yellow); proboscis longer than head height; flagellum apex of uniform width, truncated apically, flagellum red-brown; scape and pedicel brown. Thorax with postpronotal lobe brown-black; scutum black, scutal vestiture dense yellow-gold pile; scutellum black; pleuron black; coxae black; femora brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae dark yellow; tarsi dark yellow; lower calypter white with dark yellow margin; wing hyaline, venation dark; vein R4 without spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax, colour orange-red to yellow, dark markings anteriorly and medially, vestiture dense elongate pile, yellow anteriorly, brown posteriorly on tergites 2–5.
The specific epithet is derived from the Latin,
AUSTRALIA:
Eye apilose; proboscis equal to head height; body metallic green-blue; antennae yellow-brown; parafacial without marginal pile; postpronotal lobe concolourous with rest of thorax; legs black.
Body length: 8.0–10.0 mm (male), 14.5 mm (female). Head with eye apilose; ocellar tubercle relatively flat, medial ocellus present; occiput metallic green-blue, occipital pile dense, white; postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; clypeus length equal to oral cavity, brown-black; palpus white or black; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) glabrous; proboscis equal or slightly longer than head height; flagellum dark yellow-orange, suffused with brown, apex in male tapered, narrow apically; scape and pedicel brown or dark yellow. Thorax postpronotal lobe green; scutum metallic green or metallic blue, scutal vestiture dense white pile; scutellum metallic blue-green; pleuron metallic green or metallic blue; coxae black with metallic blue iridescence; femora black; tibiae black or brown; tarsi black; lower calypter white, with brown margin; wing hyaline (male) or slightly infuscate (female), venation dark; vein R4 with spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax (female) or rounded to conical, not larger than thorax (male), colour metallic green or metallic blue violet, vestiture as minute setae, dense white-silver elongate setae along anterior margin of tergites 2–5.
AUSTRALIA:
Body length: 9.5–12.5 mm (male), 11.0–14.0 mm (female). Head with eye sparsely pilose with minute setae (appears apilose); ocellar tubercle raised laterally or relatively flat; medial ocellus reduced; occiput brown-black, occipital pile white, sparse; postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; clypeus length equal to oral cavity, brown-black; palpus white or yellow; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) pilose; proboscis longer than head height; flagellum red-brown to black; scape and pedicel brown. Thorax with postpronotal lobe brown-black; scutum black, scutal vestiture dense white pile; scutellum black; pleuron black (thorax with slight bluish iridescence in western populations); coxae black; femora black or brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae predominantly black with dark yellow to white (apically); tarsi dark yellow to white; lower calypter white, with yellow margin; wing hyaline (male) or slightly infuscate (female); venation dark; vein R4 with spur vein, rarely without. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax, colour highly variable, orange-red to yellow, dark markings anteriorly and medially, or dark yellow, brown anteriorly on tergites 2–6, vestiture as extensive short white-silver pile, longer laterally.
The type for the genus,
Eye pilose; eye extends posteriorly beyond maximum head width; proboscis very short, not extending beyond oral cavity; body brown and yellow; antennae yellow; parafacial without marginal pile; postpronotal lobe cream with brown spot; legs yellow, femora brown with yellow apices; lower calypter cream with brown margin.
Body length: 9.0 mm (male). Head with eye sparsely pilose, slightly denser and elongate laterally; eye extends posteriorly beyond maximum head width; ocellar tubercle relatively flat; medial ocellus present; occiput cream, brown suffusion laterally; occipital pile white, sparse; flagellum yellow, apex uniform width, truncated apically; scape and pedicel dark yellow; clypeus minute, yellow-brown; palpus yellow; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) glabrous; proboscis not extending beyond oral cavity. Thorax with postpronotal lobe cream, brown suffusion dorsally; scutum brown, cream posterolaterally; scutal vestiture dense brown and white, matching respective scutal markings; scutellum brown with bluish iridescence, cream laterally; pleuron cream with brown markings; coxae cream with brown markings; femora cream with brown on middle half; tibiae dark yellow; tarsi dark yellow; lower calypter white, brown marginally on membrane; wing hyaline, venation brownish, pale yellow distally along costa and radial veins; vein R4 with spur vein. Abdomen rounded globose, slightly larger than thorax, colour dark yellow, brown on tergites 3–6, vestiture minute setae, dense white-silver elongate setae along anterior margin of tergites 2–5.
AUSTRALIA:
Eye apilose; proboscis longer than head height; body colour and shape sexually dimorphic: male black with slender body, female yellow and brown with globose abdomen; antennae yellow-brown to red-brown with black suffusion; parafacial without marginal pile; postpronotal lobe yellow; legs yellow with brown medially on femora and tibiae.
Body length: 11.0 mm (male), 12.0–13.0 mm (female). Head with eye apilose; ocellar tubercle raised laterally; medial ocellus present; occiput colour brown-black (male) or brown with dark yellow spot laterally (female); occipital pile yellow; postocular ridge and gena glabrous; clypeus shorter than oral cavity; yellow-brown; palpus yellow; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) glabrous; proboscis longer than head height; flagellum dark yellow, suffused with brown (female) or red with black suffusion (male), apex in male tapered, narrow apically; scape and pedicel brown. Thorax with postpronotal lobe yellow; scutum black (male) or yellow and brown (markings variable) (female); scutal vestiture dense white pile or dense yellow-gold pile; scutellum black or brown; pleuron brown; coxae brown; femora brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae dark yellow or dark yellow, suffused with brown; tarsi dark yellow; lower calypter white, with dark yellow margin; wing hyaline (male) or slightly infuscate (female), venation dark; vein R4 with spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax (female) or cylindrical along length (male), colour orange-yellow or brown-black, vestiture elongate yellow pile (whitish in male).
AUSTRALIA:
Eye uniformly sparse pilose; proboscis longer than head height; body dark yellow and brown, with metallic green-blue iridescence; antennae red-brown or black; parafacial with marginal pile; postpronotal lobe dark yellow; legs dark yellow and brown.
Body length: 11.0 mm (male), 10.5–12.0 mm (female). Head with eye sparsely pilose, uniformly distributed, setae minute; ocellar tubercle raised laterally; medial ocellus absent; occiput metallic green-blue; occipital pile yellow; postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; flagellum apex in male uniform width, truncated apically, narrower in female, red-brown (male) or black (female); scape and pedicel dark yellow; clypeus length equal to oral cavity, brown-black; palpus yellow; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) pilose; proboscis longer than head height. Thorax with postpronotal lobe yellow; scutum glossy black (with metallic iridescence), dark yellow marginally; scutal vestiture dense yellow-gold pile; scutellum brown, dark yellow medially; pleuron brown with metallic iridescence; coxae black or brown; femora brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae dark yellow, suffused with brown; tarsi dark yellow; lower calypter white, with yellow margin; wing hyaline, venation dark; vein R4 with spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax (female) or rounded to conical, not larger than thorax (male), colour black with metallic green iridescence (female) or dark yellow, brown anteriorly on tergites 2–6 (male), vestiture extensive white-silver elongate setae, brown posteromedially on tergites 3–5 (female) or erect dark pile (male).
This species is named in honour of the collector of this species, Greg Daniels.
Eye pilose dorsally only, relatively dense and elongate; proboscis shorter than head height; body colour and shape sexually dimorphic: male metallic olive green, female yellow and brown, globose; antennae yellow; parafacial without marginal pile; postpronotal lobe and legs concolourous with rest of body.
Body length: 9.0 mm (male), 12.0 mm (female). Head eye pilose dorsally only, dense and relatively elongate; occiput olive green, occipital pile dense white (male) or yellow (female); postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; ocellar tubercle raised laterally or relatively flat; medial ocellus absent; clypeus shorter than oral cavity, yellow-brown; palpus black; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) glabrous; proboscis not extending beyond oral cavity; flagellum yellow, apex in male uniform width, truncated apically; scape and pedicel brown. Thorax with postpronotal lobe yellow (female) or green (male); scutum metallic olive green or yellow-orange; scutal vestiture dense white or yellow-gold pile; scutellum metallic olive green or orange-yellow with brown suffusion; pleuron orange or metallic olive green; coxae brown; femora brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae brown; tarsi brown; lower calypter white, brown marginally on membrane or white, with dark yellow margin; wing hyaline or slightly infuscate, venation dark; vein R4 without spur vein. Abdomen shape with male rounded, not larger than thorax, metallic olive green, vestiture dense short pile, longer laterally; female rounded globose, much larger than thorax (female), orange-yellow (female), vestiture elongate yellow pile.
AUSTRALIA:
Eye apilose; proboscis shorter than head height; body metallic green-blue to violet iridescence; antennae red-brown; parafacial with marginal pile; postpronotal lobe concolourous with rest of thorax; legs black with metallic blue-violet iridescence.
Body length: 11.5 mm (male), 11.5–12.0 mm (female). Head with eye apilose; ocellar tubercle relatively flat; medial ocellus present; occiput metallic green-blue, occipital pile white, sparse; postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; clypeus length equal to oral cavity, black with blue-green suffusion; palpus black; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) pilose; proboscis extending beyond oral cavity, but shorter than head height; flagellum apex in male tapered, slightly rounded apically, red-brown; scape and pedicel red-brown. Thorax with postpronotal lobe blue-violet; scutum metallic blue-violet, green posteromedially; scutellum metallic blue-violet; coxae and femora with metallic blue-violet iridescence; tibiae black; tarsi black; lower calypter white with brown margin; wing hyaline, venation dark; vein R4 with spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax, colour metallic green or blue-violet iridescent, vestiture extensive white-silver short pile, longer laterally.
This beautifully coloured species is named after my daughter, Jade Tanya Winterton, whose name also describes the deep green colouration found in this species.
AUSTRALIA:
Eye apilose; proboscis shorter than head height; body metallic green-blue iridescence; antennae orange; parafacial without marginal pile; postpronotal lobe dark yellow; legs dark yellow, femora brown-black with yellow apices.
Body length: 9.5–11.0 mm (female only). Head with eye apilose; ocellar tubercle relatively flat; medial ocellus present; occiput metallic green-blue, occipital pile white, dense; postocular ridge and gena overlain with grey pubescence; clypeus shorter than oral cavity, brown-black; palpus black; margin of oral cavity (parafacial) glabrous; proboscis not extending beyond oral cavity; flagellum orange; scape and pedicel dark red-yellow. Thorax with postpronotal lobe yellow; scutum metallic green to blue iridescent; scutal vestiture dense white pile; scutellum metallic blue-green; pleuron metallic green to blue iridescent; coxae brown-black with metallic blue iridescence; femora brown-black, apices dark yellow; tibiae dark yellow; tarsi dark yellow; lower calypter white, with dark yellow margin; wing hyaline, venation dark; vein R4 without spur vein. Abdomen shape rounded globose, much larger than thorax, dark with metallic green to blue iridescence, vestiture as dense short pile, longer laterally.
I am honoured to name this species after the world-renowned
Body shape slightly to strongly arched and never densely pilose; small to medium sized; antennal flagellum stylate; postpronotal lobes enlarged and meeting medially to form collar behind head; tibial spines absent; wing costal vein ending at wing apex, never circumambient; wing venation highly variable, ranging from relatively complete with cells cu-p, bm br, d and basal r4+5 present, to highly reduced with only cell br present; cell m3 absent; veins R4 and R5 always present as single vein R4+5; cubital and medial veins not reaching posterior wing margin; larvae exclusively parasitoids of araneomorph spiders.
Body length: 4.0–6.0 mm [male], 6.0–7.0 mm [female]. Body shape strongly arched; colouration non-metallic (brown or black); head size slightly narrower than thorax width, shape sub-spherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli, anterior ocellus reduced in size; posterior margin of eye rounded; eye apilose; position of antennae on head near middle of frons; eyes contiguous above antennal base, not contiguous below antennal base; palpus present; proboscis greater than head length; flagellum stylate, apex with terminal seta; postpronotal lobes enlarged, medially contiguous to form collar; subscutellum enlarged; legs not elongated; wing markings absent; costa ending near wing apex, costal margin straight; humeral crossvein absent; radial veins straight or curved towards wing anterior margin; R1 inflated distally at pterostigma; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; R2+3 present; R4+5 angled anteriorly approximately midway; cell r4+5 bisected by 2r-m, basal cell very narrow elongate, closed; 2r-m joining M1 to R4+5; cell r4+5 present, narrow elongate, closed (open apically when 2r-m rarely absent); crossvein 2r-m present (rarely absent);R4 without spur vein; medial vein compliment with M1, M2 and M3 present (M3 fused with CuA1); discal cell closed completely; medial veins not reaching wing margin; CuA1 joining M3, petiolate to margin; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula well developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded; abdomen shape elongate, narrow cylindrical or conical (male), or rounded and inflated (female).
1 | Body colour brown-black, sometimes with metallic iridescence, scutum without dark markings ( |
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– | Body colour yellowish-orange, scutum with dark longitudinal stripes, narrower anteriorly ( |
Body length: 2.4–4.0 mm [male], 4.4–6.0 mm [female]. Body shape arched; body colouration non-metallic dark brown; head width much smaller than thorax (female) or slightly smaller than thorax (male); head spherical; postocular ridge and occiput extended posteriorly into slight ridge; posterior margin of eye rounded; eyes bare; position of antennae on head near middle of frons, slightly nearer to mouthparts; eyes contiguous above antennal base, not contiguous below; palpus present; proboscis longer than head; antennal flagellum stylate, apex with terminal seta; thorax with postpronotal lobes enlarged, medially contiguous to form collar; subscutellum enlarged; legs not greatly elongated; pulvilli present; wing hyaline, markings absent; costa ending in radial field; costal margin straight in both sexes; humeral crossvein absent; radial veins meeting wing margin before wing apex; R1 inflated distally at pterostigma; R2+3 present; R4+5 slightly curved anteriorly midway; veins M1, M2 and M3 present; discal cell absent; medial veins reaching wing margin (or nearly so); crossvein 2r-m absent; Cu reduced, not reaching wing margin; anal lobe not enlarged; alula well developed; abdomen smooth, rounded, cylindrical in shape, similar width to thorax (male) or greatly rounded, inflated (female).
Acrocera Meigen 1803: 266.
Small to medium sized, densely pilose to apilose, body rarely arched; antennal flagellum stylate; postpronotal lobes widely separated, never medially contiguous; wing venation highly variable, ranging from complete with cells cu-p, bm br, d, m3 and basal r4+5 present, to highly reduced with few closed cells; humeral crossvein rarely well developed; tibial apical spines absent (rarely present); larvae exclusively parasitoids of araneomorph spiders.
Synonymy and usage restricted to Australasian region fauna only; see
Body length: 3.0–5.0 mm [male], 4.0–8.0 mm [female]. Body shape not arched, colouration black, yellow or white, non-metallic; head much smaller than thorax width, shape sub-spherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; two or three ocelli, anterior ocellus sometimes absent; posterior margin of eye rounded; eye apilose; position of antennae on head adjacent to mouthparts; eyes contiguous above antennal base, not contiguous below antennal base; palpus absent; proboscis apparently absent; flagellum shape stylate; apex with terminal setae (or single seta); antenotum not collar-like behind head; subscutellum enlarged; tibial spines absent; pulvilli present; wing hyaline, markings absent; costa ending near wing apex, costal margin straight; humeral crossvein absent; radial veins straight; R1 inflated or not inflated distally; pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; only two radial veins present, R2+3 absent, R4+5 not reaching wing margin; medial vein compliment with M1, M2 and M3 present, or two M veins present; discal cell weakly formed or absent; medial veins not reaching wing margin; cell m3 absent; CuA1 absent; CuA2 separate from A1, ending just before wing margin; crossvein 2r-m absent; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula well developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded (rarely with tubercles in fossil species); abdomen shape greatly rounded, inflated.
Synonymy and usage list restricted to Australasian region fauna only.
Body length: 3.0–7.0 mm [male], 4.0–10.0 mm [female]. Body shape not arched. Body colouration non-metallic; head much narrower than thorax width; shape nearly spherical; postocular ridge and occiput rounded; three ocelli; posterior margin of eye rounded; eye pilose (dense); antennae located adjacent to mouthparts; eyes contiguous above antennal base, not contiguous below antennal base; palpus absent; proboscis greatly reduced; flagellum stylate, apex with terminal setae (multiple); antenotum shape not collar-like behind head; subscutellum not enlarged, barely visible; tibial spines present; pulvilli present; wing markings absent; costa circumambient; wing costal margin straight or with anterior projection (males); humeral crossvein present or reduced; radial veins curved or angled towards wing anterior margin; R1 inflated distally at pterostigma (especially in male); pterostigma and cell r1 membranous, not ribbed; R2+3 present; R4+5 present as single vein; basal cell r4+5 (portion basal to bisecting 2r-m) merged with discal cell to form composite cell comprising d+r4+5; cell m3 absent; medial vein compliment usually a single M vein fused with CuA1, petiolate to margin, sometimes with second medial vein originating from cell d+r4+5; CuA2 fused to A1 before wing margin, petiolate, rarely open to wing margin; wing microtrichia absent; anal lobe well developed; alula present or absent, rarely well developed; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded; abdomen shape greatly rounded, inflated.
1 | Thorax black, or yellow suffused with dark brown to black ventrally,abdomen yellow to red laterally on segments 2–4; mid and hind femora brown to black; lower calypter hyaline medially, relatively small (< ½ length of wing) (Western Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland) ( |
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– | Thorax and abdomen completely brown to black; all legs uniformly yellow to white; lower calypter relatively large (> ½ length of wing), uniformly brown | 2 |
2 | Wing brown infuscate (Papua New Guinea) | |
– | Wing hyaline (Queensland, New South Wales) ( |
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Some species of
Thank you to Greg Daniels (Brisbane, Australia), Chris Grinter and Norman Penny (CAS), Erica McAllister (BMNH), Terry Houston (WAM), Ken Walker (NMV), Peter Hudson (South Australian Museum) and David Yeates (Australian National Insect Collection) for loan of specimens. Thank you to Evert Schlinger and F. Christian Thompson for access to unpublished bibliographical and nomenclatural information on