Review of the Australian stilt flies (Diptera : Micropezidae) with a phylogenetic analysis of the family

Abstract

The Australian taxa of Micropezidae (listed at end of paper) are keyed and described. Crus, Scela, Veru and Seva are new subgenera of Metopochetus Enderlein. In all, 21 new species are described in the genera Metopochetus, CothornobataCzerny, CrepidochetusEnderlein and Mimegralla Rondani. Cothornobata inermis (Malloch) is a new combination (from Grammicomyia). Lectotypes are designated for Calobata compressa Walker (now in Metopochetus), Calobata bivittata Macquart (now in Metopochetus),Mimegralla contingens australicaHennig (now M. australica), Calobata contraria Walker [synonym ofMimegralla sepsoides (Walker)]. Records of the following from Australia are found to be erroneous: Calobata albimana Macquart [synonym ofTaeniaptera trivittata (Macquart)],Mimegralla abana (Walker), Calobata brevicellulata Macquart (now in Mimegralla), Calobata coeruleifrons Macquart (now in Mimegralla) and Metopochetus tipuloides (Walker). The erroneous record of Cothornobata viriata (Enderlein) from Papua New Guinea is corrected. Distributions of species are recorded by means of grid references to a key map. Information on ecology and habits of Australian micropezids is summarised. The populations of two flightless species are vulnerable, because each is apparently dependent on an ecologically vulnerable host-plant species (families Brassicaceae and Cephalotaceae). A phylogeny of the recognised subfamilies and tribes of Micropezidae is given. Literature on fossil micropezids is reviewed.