Taxonomy and Distribution of the coracina Group of Scaptodrosophila Duda (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Australia

Abstract

The coracina group ofScaptodrosophila Duda is largely endemic to Australia.With the four new species (S. precaria,S. garumga, S. claytoni andS. evanescens) described in this paper, 14 species arenow recognised in the group. Other species included in thecoracina group are S. cancellata(Mather), S. coracina (Kikkawa & Peng),S. ellenae (Bock), S. enigma(Malloch), S. howensis (Parsons & Bock),S. lativittata (Malloch),S. nitidithorax (Malloch),S. novamaculosa (Mather),S. specensis (Bock)andS. subnitida (Malloch). In the past there has beensome confusion in the taxonomy of several species; these problems areaddressed. Taxonomic changes, and a large amount of additional material, hasresulted in a better understanding of the distribution of the group. Mostspecies are widely distributed along the east coast of Australia, with twofoci of diversity, one centred on south-eastern Queensland (11 species) andthe other in the region around Cairns (8 species).