The Tipulidae (Diptera) of Australia I. A review of the genera of the subamily Tipulinae

Abstract

Nineteen genera of the subfamily Tipulinae previously recorded from Australia are reviewed. Some of these genera were founded on the basis of relatively small differences in superficial characters and a study of the male hypopygium has shown that their generic status cannot be maintained. Eleven genera are recognized as valid, viz. Clytocosmus Skuse, Ptilogyna Westwood, Platyphasia Skuse, Ischnotoma Skuse, Acracantha Skuse, Leptotarsus Guerin, Holorusia Loew, Tigula Linnaeus, Nephrotoma Meigen, Megistocera Wiedemann, and Dolichopeza Curtis. Of these Clytocosmus, Ptilogyna, and Platyphasia are endemic. Ctenogyna Macquart and Plusiomyia Skuse are treated as subgenera of Ptilogyna and Semnotes Westwood, Macromastix Osten-Sacken, Habromastix Skuse, and Phymatopsis Skuse as subgenera of Leptotarsus. On the evidence available, the genera Phacelodocera Enderlein and Brachypremna Osten-Sacken should be excluded from the Australian fauna. Diagnosis and figures of the 11 genera are given together with a key for their identification.