Tachiniscinae
Encyclopedia
The Tachiniscinae are a subfamily of the fruit fly family Tephritidae
. They are treated by some authorities as a separate family, Tachiniscidae. An undetermined species of the genus Tachiniscidia has been reared from Saturniidae
caterpillars in Nigeria
.
The family Tachiniscidae was established by Kertész for a single species, Tachinisca cyaneiventris Kertész, 1903 from Peru and Bolivia. Kertész correctly placed that family in the “Muscidae acalyptratae”, in spite of its tachinid-like appearance. In the same year, Bischof described another genus, Bibundia, with a single species, B. hermanni Bischof (from Central Africa), which he assigned to “Ortalidae”. Malloch described one more monotypic tachiniscid genus, Tachiniscidia, with the type species T. africana Malloch from “Chirinda Forest, S. Rhodesia” (Zimbabwe).
The only host data recorded for these three genera, or any other Tachiniscinae, is the mention of “Anthophasia robertsi Cogan” (nomen nudum; listed by Cogan as an undescribed species of Bibundia) reared from pupae of Bunaea alcinoe Stoll and Imbrasia obscura Butler (Lepidoptera
: Saturniidae
) by Roberts (1969). The exact identity of the host species needs further investigation, as Cogan (1980: 555) stated that “A single specimen of a Bibundia species has been reared by Roberts (1969) from a caterpillar of a saturniid moth, Imbrasia nictitans Fabricius” (=Imbrasia epimethea Drury).
The genera and species currently placed in the tribe Ortalotrypetini were originally assigned to the family Tephritidae, and generally fit its diagnosis well. Hendel (1927) established the genus Ortalotrypeta with two species from China (Sichuan), O. gigas Hendel and O. idana Hendel, which he considered related to Acanthonevra Macquart and allied genera of fruit flies. Later, eight additional species from southeastern China and northern Vietnam. The genus Cyaphorma Wang 1989, very close to Ortalotrypeta, was described from China (Wang, 1989). Ito (1983) established the tribe Ortalotrypetini in his key to genera of Japanese Tephritidae. He included the single genus Ortalotrypeta to separate it from genera of the tribe Acanthonevrini. The tribe was preliminarily revised by Norrbom.
McAlpine (1989) presumed that the Tachiniscidae could be a sister-group of Pyrgotidae
based only on their parasitic larval habits.
Korneyev hypothesized that the highly specialized structure of female ovipositor
as a synapomorphy
of Ortalotrypetini and Tachiniscidae and joined them as a subfamily Tachiniscinae in the family Tephritidae
, as the sister group to other tephritid taxa. Korneyev & Norrbom sumarized all the taxonomy data on the genera of the tribe. And later, Han & Ro provided the results of phylogeny reconstruction of the family Tephritidae (Diptera) from 12S, 16S, and COII mitochondrial gene fragments, which strongly supported the hypothesis of Tachiniscinae monophyly
and sister-group relationships to the remaining group of Tephritidae
than to Pyrgotidae
.
Tephritidae
Tephritidae is one of two fly families referred to as "fruit flies", the other family being Drosophilidae. Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus Drosophila , which is often called the "common fruit fly". There are nearly 5,000 described species of tephritid...
. They are treated by some authorities as a separate family, Tachiniscidae. An undetermined species of the genus Tachiniscidia has been reared from Saturniidae
Saturniidae
The Saturniidae, commonly known as saturniids, are among the largest and most spectacular of the moths. They form a family of Lepidoptera, with an estimated 1,300 to 1,500 described species worldwide...
caterpillars in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
The family Tachiniscidae was established by Kertész for a single species, Tachinisca cyaneiventris Kertész, 1903 from Peru and Bolivia. Kertész correctly placed that family in the “Muscidae acalyptratae”, in spite of its tachinid-like appearance. In the same year, Bischof described another genus, Bibundia, with a single species, B. hermanni Bischof (from Central Africa), which he assigned to “Ortalidae”. Malloch described one more monotypic tachiniscid genus, Tachiniscidia, with the type species T. africana Malloch from “Chirinda Forest, S. Rhodesia” (Zimbabwe).
The only host data recorded for these three genera, or any other Tachiniscinae, is the mention of “Anthophasia robertsi Cogan” (nomen nudum; listed by Cogan as an undescribed species of Bibundia) reared from pupae of Bunaea alcinoe Stoll and Imbrasia obscura Butler (Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
: Saturniidae
Saturniidae
The Saturniidae, commonly known as saturniids, are among the largest and most spectacular of the moths. They form a family of Lepidoptera, with an estimated 1,300 to 1,500 described species worldwide...
) by Roberts (1969). The exact identity of the host species needs further investigation, as Cogan (1980: 555) stated that “A single specimen of a Bibundia species has been reared by Roberts (1969) from a caterpillar of a saturniid moth, Imbrasia nictitans Fabricius” (=Imbrasia epimethea Drury).
The genera and species currently placed in the tribe Ortalotrypetini were originally assigned to the family Tephritidae, and generally fit its diagnosis well. Hendel (1927) established the genus Ortalotrypeta with two species from China (Sichuan), O. gigas Hendel and O. idana Hendel, which he considered related to Acanthonevra Macquart and allied genera of fruit flies. Later, eight additional species from southeastern China and northern Vietnam. The genus Cyaphorma Wang 1989, very close to Ortalotrypeta, was described from China (Wang, 1989). Ito (1983) established the tribe Ortalotrypetini in his key to genera of Japanese Tephritidae. He included the single genus Ortalotrypeta to separate it from genera of the tribe Acanthonevrini. The tribe was preliminarily revised by Norrbom.
McAlpine (1989) presumed that the Tachiniscidae could be a sister-group of Pyrgotidae
Pyrgotidae
Pyrgotidae is an unusual family of flies , one of only two families of Diptera that lack ocelli. Most species are "picture-winged", as is typical among Tephritoidea, but, unlike other tephritoids they are endoparasitoids; the females pursue scarab beetles in flight, laying an egg on the beetle's...
based only on their parasitic larval habits.
Korneyev hypothesized that the highly specialized structure of female ovipositor
Ovipositor
The ovipositor is an organ used by some animals for oviposition, i.e., the laying of eggs. It consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages formed to transmit the egg, to prepare a place for it, and to place it properly...
as a synapomorphy
Synapomorphy
In cladistics, a synapomorphy or synapomorphic character is a trait that is shared by two or more taxa and their most recent common ancestor, whose ancestor in turn does not possess the trait. A synapomorphy is thus an apomorphy visible in multiple taxa, where the trait in question originates in...
of Ortalotrypetini and Tachiniscidae and joined them as a subfamily Tachiniscinae in the family Tephritidae
Tephritidae
Tephritidae is one of two fly families referred to as "fruit flies", the other family being Drosophilidae. Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus Drosophila , which is often called the "common fruit fly". There are nearly 5,000 described species of tephritid...
, as the sister group to other tephritid taxa. Korneyev & Norrbom sumarized all the taxonomy data on the genera of the tribe. And later, Han & Ro provided the results of phylogeny reconstruction of the family Tephritidae (Diptera) from 12S, 16S, and COII mitochondrial gene fragments, which strongly supported the hypothesis of Tachiniscinae monophyly
Monophyly
In common cladistic usage, a monophyletic group is a taxon which forms a clade, meaning that it contains all the descendants of the possibly hypothetical closest common ancestor of the members of the group. The term is synonymous with the uncommon term holophyly...
and sister-group relationships to the remaining group of Tephritidae
Tephritidae
Tephritidae is one of two fly families referred to as "fruit flies", the other family being Drosophilidae. Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus Drosophila , which is often called the "common fruit fly". There are nearly 5,000 described species of tephritid...
than to Pyrgotidae
Pyrgotidae
Pyrgotidae is an unusual family of flies , one of only two families of Diptera that lack ocelli. Most species are "picture-winged", as is typical among Tephritoidea, but, unlike other tephritoids they are endoparasitoids; the females pursue scarab beetles in flight, laying an egg on the beetle's...
.
Classification
- TribeTribe (biology)In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...
Ortalotrypetini: - CyaformaCyaformaCyaforma is a genus of tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae....
- IschyropteronIschyropteronIschyropteron is a genus of tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae....
- NeortalotrypetaNeortalotrypetaNeortalotrypeta is a genus of tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae....
- OrtalotrypetaOrtalotrypetaOrtalotrypeta is a genus of tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae....
- ProtortalotrypetaProtortalotrypetaProtortalotrypeta is a genus of tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae....
- Tribe Tachiniscini:
- BibundiaBibundiaBibundia is a genus of Tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae....
- TachiniscaTachiniscaTachinisca is a genus of Tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae....
- TachiniscidiaTachiniscidiaTachiniscidia is a genus of Tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae....