Tetanocera, Dumeril, 1800

Genus TETANOCERA Duméril, 1800 View in CoL

Thirty-nine species worldwide, of which two occur in the Americas south of the United States.

TETANOCERA Duméril, 1800: 439 (as Tétanocère) [ Steyskal 1959 (revision, key to Nearctic species)]

Type-species: Musca elata Fabricius, 1781: 441 (designation by International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature needed)

Note: The name Tetanocera Duméríl, 1800 has a long, confusing history. Its status is still unresolved. Sabrosky (1999: 303) wrote:

“Recognition of Tetanocera from Duméril 1800 requires Suspension of the Rules and designation of type species by the Commission [International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature] as pointed out by Steyskal (1965b: 693) and repeated in other modern regional catalogs, but application was never made. In the new Palearctic Catalogue, Rozkošný & Elberg (1984: 189) stated that ‘validation of the generic name is being applied for,’ probably an assumption from previous catalogs. The history and bibliography of the name were researched by Sabrosky (1952: 566–572). Without Commission action, Tetanocera would date from Latreille (1804: 196) or, as Tetanocerus , from Duméril (1806: 283) [spelled Tétanocère in Duméril 1806], in the former with a type species that is an otidid, in the latter with a type species in a different genus of Sciomyzidae . Cresson (1920: 24) [actually 1920: 54] long ago correctly diagnosed the problem and proposed Chaetomacera (q.v.) for Tetanocera of authors, with Musca elata Fabricius as type, but he was not followed.”

Chaetomacera Cresson, 1920: 54 (new name for Tetanocera )

Type-species: Musca elata Fabricius, 1781: 441 (automatic)