Australasian/Oceanian Diptera Catalog -- Web Version

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53. Family CYPSELOSOMATIDAE

[originally] By Wayne N. Mathis

The history of this family reflects the confusion over the status of the included taxa during much of the first half of this century. The first species included in Cypselosomatidae was initially described in the family Sphaeroceridae (subfamily Cypselosomatinae). Subsequently the genus Formicosepsis had been placed in the families Micropezidae, Clusiidae, and as a separate family. Previously, Formicosepsis had been placed in the family Sepsidae. More recent authors either treated this genus in a single family closely related to the Pseudopomyzidae or united it with the genera of the latter as a single family. Most recently (McAlpine 1993), the Australian species previously placed in Cypselosoma have been transferred to a new genus, Clisa McAlpine. Taxa previously treated in the original A/O catalog in Pseudopomyzidae are now treated here.

Little is known about the natural history of the family. To date only the immature stages of Clisa australis have been described. This species was bred from the dung of the Bent-wing Bat in New south Wales and was encountered only in the dark zone of a cave chamber where the relative humidity was always high.
Refs.: McAlpine (1966, 1993, classif., biol.), Andersson (1976, rev.).

Genus CLISA McAlpine
CLISA McAlpine, 1993: 2. Type species: Cypselosoma australe McAlpine, 1966, orig. des.
australe McAlpine, 1966: 676 (Cypselosoma). Australia (NSW).
disneyi McAlpine, 1978c: 62 (Cypselosoma). Lord Howe I.

Genus FORMICOSEPSIS de Meijere
FORMICOSEPSIS de Meijere, 1916c: 199. Type species: Formicosepsis tinctipennis de Meijere, 1916, mon.
tinctipennis de Meijere, 1916c: 200. Indonesia (Java); PNG (PNG); Philippines.


Genus PSEUDOPOMYZA Strobl

PSEUDOPOMYZA Strobl, 1893c: 284. Type species: Pseudopomyza nitidissima Strobl, 1893 [= Opomyza atrimana Meigen, 1830], mon.

Subgenus APOPS McAlpine

APOPS McAlpine, 1994: 183. Type species: Heloclusia flavitarsis Harrison, 1959, orig. des.
flavitarsis Harrison, 1959: 121 (Heloclusia). NZ (NZ).

Subgenus DETE McAlpine

DETE McAlpine, 1994: 183. Type species: Pseudopomyza collessi McAlpine, 1994, orig. des.
collessi McAlpine, 1994: 185. Australia (NSW); Australia (ACT, Qld).


Subgenus PSEUDOPOMYZA Strobl

PSEUDOPOMYZA Strobl, 1893c: 284. Type species: Pseudopomyza nitidissima Strobl, 1893 [= Opomyza atrimana Meigen, 1830], mon.
PROTOBORBORUS Malloch, 1933i: 261. Type species: Protoborborus neozelandicus Malloch, 1933, orig. des.
HELUSCOLIA Harrison, 1959: 119 (Heloclusia subg.). Type species: Heloclusia antipoda Harrison, 1955, orig. des.
PROTOBORUS, error for Protoborborus.
antipoda Harrison, 1955: 215 (Heloclusia). NZ (NZ); NZ (Antipodes Is, Auckland Is, Campbell I).
aristata Harrison, 1959: 123 (Heloclusia). NZ (NZ).
brevicaudata Harrison, 1964: 312 (Heloclusia). NZ (NZ); NZ (Auckland Is, Campbell I).
brevis Harrison, 1976: 144 (Protoborborus). NZ (NZ).
neozelandica Malloch, 1933i: 262 (Protoborborus). NZ (NZ).

This page last revvised 29 April 2008