Rhinoceromyia Grichanov, 2024

Rhinoceromyia Grichanov gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:

Type species. Rhinoceromyia dubrovskii Grichanov sp. nov.

Etymology. The genus is named via Latin rhīnocerōs, from Ancient Greek ῥῑνόκερως (rhīnókerōs, “nose-horned”) and from Ancient Greek μυῖα (muîa, “fly”). The gender is feminine.

Diagnosis. The generic diagnosis is based on a single species, and notes characters considered to be of generic importance; however, a complete species description is also provided below.

Rhinoceromyia gen. nov. is included in the subfamily Dolichopodinae because of a dorsally setose scape; mid and hind femora with one distinct preapical seta on anterior surface; wing vein M 1 reaching wing margin near apex; male abdominal tergite 6 with several fine setae; segment 7 bare; hypopygium relatively large and projecting forward under abdomen (after Brooks 2005).

The following character states place Rhinoceromyia gen. nov. in the Ortochile genus group ( sensu Brooks 2005): mid femur with 1 strong posteroventral preapical seta in addition to fine terminal posteroventral seta; hypandrium fused with the epandrium. Absence of the basiventral epandrial lobes excludes Rhinoceromyia gen. nov. from the Sybistroma Meigen + Hercostomus longiventris lineage. The new genus is somewhat close to the subgroup that includes Afrohercostomus Grichanov , Ortochile Latreille , Poecilobothrus Mik , and Parahercostomus Yang, Saigusa et Masunaga ( sensu Brooks 2005), as well as Afropelastoneurus Grichanov and Setihercostomus Zhang et Yang.

The following characters readily distinguish Rhinoceromyia gen. nov. from all dolichopodine genera: antennae inserted close to ocellar tubercle in both sexes, with frons much wider than high ( Figs 1B View FIGURE 1 , 3B View FIGURE 3 ); lower half of male face with large conoid horn bearing two brushes of setae at apex ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ); male cercus secondarily segmented, with distal section of cercus articulated with basal section ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ); epandrium with distodorsal lobe supporting distal section of cercus ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ).

The use of available keys to dolichopodid and dolichopodine genera leads Rhinoceromyia gen. nov. to Pelastoneurus Loew ( Bickel 2009) or Hercostomus Loew ( Grichanov & Brooks 2017; etc.). Nevertheless, the new genus is closest in habitus to Afropelastoneurus ; all species of both genera have long sparse pubescence on arista-like stylus, similar body and leg setation and similar morphology of hypopygium. Rhinoceromyia gen. nov. differs from Afropelastoneurus by the following features: arista-like stylus somewhat shifted on outer surface of postpedicel, mostly black, white in basal third or quarter ( Figs 1D View FIGURE 1 , 3A View FIGURE 3 ); face rather broad with bulging clypeus in both sexes ( Figs 1B View FIGURE 1 , 3B View FIGURE 3 ); proboscis projected; mesonotum without distinct spots; acrostichal setae uniserial between anterior two pairs of dorsocentrals; katatergite (in front of posterior spiracle) without cluster of setulae; cercus bisegmented ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ); postgonite broad and parallel-sided to apex (dorsal view). Five species of Afropelastoneurus were described and illustrated ( Grichanov 2004, as Paracleius Bigot ) with arista-like stylus black, not shifted onto outer surface of postpedicel; face narrow in male and broad in female, clypeus weakly bulging; proboscis normal; mesonotum with distinct dark spot above notopleuron; acrostichal setae biserial, sometimes irregular; katatergite with a cluster of setulae; cercus simple; postgonite narrow. Some species of Afropelastoneurus have brownish wings with a hyaline transverse stripe just behind vein dm-m.

The complex set of characters supports the generic status of Rhinoceromyia gen. nov.