A revision of Brachyrhopala Macquart, an Australian region genus (Diptera : Asilidae)

Abstract

The asilid genusBrachyrhopala Macquart is revised; it currently comprises two subgenera and 23 species. The following new taxa are described: (i)Brachyrhopala (Vespina), subgen. nov., of which B.inopina(Walker) is designated type species; (ii) in subgenus Brachyrhopala(Vespina): B. anomala, sp. nov.; B. antennata, sp. nov.; B. atra, sp. nov.;B. bicolor, sp. nov.; B. brunnea, sp. nov.; B. grandis, sp. nov.; B.melaena, sp. nov.; B. mutabilis, sp. nov.; B. unifasciata, sp. nov.; and B. soluta solomonis, subsp. nov.; (iii) in subgenus Brachyrhopala (Brachyrhopala): B. aurimaculata, sp. nov.; B. danielsi, sp. nov.; B. flava, sp. nov.; B. nigra, sp. nov.; B. ochracea, sp. nov.; B. quadrata, sp. nov.; B. rubrithorax, sp. nov.;B. scutellata, sp. nov.. The following new synonyms are proposed: (i) Brachyrhopala fenestrata (Macquart, 1850) as junior synonym of B. ruficornis Macquart, 1847; (ii) Brachyrhopala claviventris (Walker, 1861a) as junior synonym of B. inopina (Walker, 1858); (iii) Brachyrhopala indecora (Walker, 1865) as junior synonym of B. semifilata (Walker, 1861b); (iv) Brachyrhopala victoriae von Röder, 1892, as junior synonym of B. ruficornisMacquart, 1847. The genera Brachyrhopala and Cabasa Walker form a genus-group within the tribe Dasypogonini.