Platystomatinae is a subfamily of flies (Diptera) in the family Platystomatidae (Signal flies) that includes 80 genera, the largest subfamily with at last estimate, species globally.
Subfamily classification The Platystomatidae were comprehensively divided into five subfamilies,Frey, R (1932). On African Platystomatidae (Diptera). Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 10. 9: 242–264. but more recent reviews of morphology suggest that some aspects of this classification are unsatisfactory. This led to reducing the number of subfamilies to four, being the Plastotephritinae, Platystomatinae, Scholastinae and Trapherinae Angitulinae being subsumed into Platystomatinae. The most relevant diagnostic characters include: both the upper and lower calypters form a distinct lobe (in some genera these are equally undeveloped); the katepisternal setae absent; tergite 5 is well-developed; elongate terminal filaments on the sclerotised glans of the male distiphallus, each terminating in a gonopore.
Biology Members of the family Platystomatidae tend to occur in forest and forest margin habitat types, preferring shaded, densely-vegetated locations, while a few known from grassland or agricultural environments,Whittington, A E (2000). A revision of Neoardelio (Diptera; Platystomatidae), with description of a new species. Studia Dipterologica. 7(2):437–461. sand dunes and other vegetation types. Adults of some genera can be found resting on the underside of foliage, while others utilise cryptic colouration and speckled wing patterns to escape detection on bark or rock surfaces.
Adults may be attracted to malodorous substances and decay, faeces, sap runs, decaying fruit, decaying snails and even human sweat in the case of Lamprogaster Macquart and Rivellia Robineau-Desvoidy.
Larvae are found on fresh and decaying vegetation, fruit, sugar cane, maize, coconuts, tree sap, carrion, human corpses, and root nodules, particularly in the genus Rivellia, which has economic implications for legume crops.Whittington, A E (2019). The economic significance of the signal fly genus Rivellia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Platystomatidae). Israel Journal of Entomology. 49(2): 135-160. There is a record in the Australian Museum (Sydney) of larvae of the genus Elassogaster attacking eggs capsules of migratory locust (Locusta migratoria).
Biogeography The largest concentration of Platystomatinae undoubtedly occurs in the Australasian region,Evenhuis, N L (1989). 64. Family Platystomatidae. 482—497. In: Evenhuis, N L (ed.) "Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions". Bishop Museum Special Publication 86. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press. followed closely by the Afrotropical region.Steyskal, G C (1980). Crosskey, R W (ed.). "Catalogue of the Diptera of the Afrotropical Region". London: British museum (Natural History). pp. 1–1436. . The number of genera and species in the Oriental,Steyskal, G C (1977). Family Platystomatidae. 135–164. In: Delfinado, M D & Hardy, D E, (eds.) "A catalogue of the Diptera of the Oriental Region". Volume II, suborder Brachycera through division Aschiza, suborder Cyclorrhapha. Honolulu: The University Press of Hawaii. European,Soós, A (1984). Family Platystomatidae. 38–45. In: Soos, A & Papp, L (eds.) "Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera. Volume 9. Micropezidae - Agromyzidae". Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers.Korneyev V A (2001). A Key to Genera of Palaearctic Platystomatidae (Diptera), with descriptions of a new genus and new species. Entomological Problems (Bratislava)., 32(1): 1–16. NearcticSteyskal, G C (1961). The genera of Platystomatidae and Otitidae known to occur in America North of Mexico (Diptera, Acalyptratae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 54: 401–410.Steyskal, G C (1965). Family Platystomatidae (Platystomidae). 655–657. In: Stone, A, Sabrosky, C W, Wirth, W W, Foote, R H & Couldon, J R (eds.) "A catalog of the Diptera of America north of Mexico". Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.Steyskal, G C (1987). Platystomatidae. 809–812. In: McAlpine, J F et al. (eds.) "Manual of Nearctic Diptera." Volume 2. Ottawa: Agriculture Canada, Research Branch. (Monograph; No. 28) and NeotropicalSteyskal, G C (1968). Family Platystomatidae. In: A Catalogue of the Diptera of the Americas South of the United States. São Paulo: Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo 55.Whittington, A E (2010). [Chapter] 67. Platystomatidae (Signal flies). 903-907. In: Brown, B V, Borkent, A, Cumming, J M, Wood, D M, Woodley, N E & Zumbado, M A (eds.) "Manual of Central American Diptera". 2. faunas are much more restricted.
Some genera are widely distributed over more than one region. For example, Plagiostenopterina Hendel, 1912, is widely distributed in the Old World tropics (Australasian, Oriental and Afrotropical regions) and Rivellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 is almost cosmopolitan, although numbers of species in Europe are very restricted. Taxonomic revisions on such genera need to examine the wider implications of these broad distributions. Other genera a known from just a single location. Bama McAlpine, 2001, for example, is known only from New Guinea.
Genera Achias Fabricius, 1805 Aetha McAlpine, 2001 Amphicnephes Loew, 1873 Angelopteromyia Korneyev, 2001 Angitula Walker, 1859 Antineura Osten-Sacken, 1881 Apactoneura Malloch, 1930 Bama McAlpine, 2001 Brea Walker, 1859 Bromophila Loew, 1873 Carolimyia Malloch, 1931 Cleitamia Macquart, 1835 Cleitamoides Malloch, 1939 Clitodoca Loew, 1873 Coelocephala Karsch, 1888 Conicipithea Hendel, 1912 Dayomyia McAlpine, 2007 Duomyia Walker, 1849 Elassogaster Bigot, 1860 Engistoneura Loew, 1873 Eosamphicnephes Frey, 1932 Eumeka McAlpine, 2001 Euprosopia Macquart, 1847 Euthyplatystoma Hendel, 1914 Euxestomoea de Meijere, 1913 Himeroessa Loew, 1873 Hysma McAlpine, 2001 Icteracantha Hendel, 1912 Imugana Enderlein, 1937 Inium McAlpine, 1995 Laglaisia Bigot, 1878 Lambia Hendel, 1912 Lamprogaster Macquart, 1843 Lamprophthalma Portschinsky, 1892 Lophoplatystoma Hendel, 1914 Loxoceromyia Hendel, 1914 Loxoneura Macquart, 1835 Loxoneuroides Hendel, 1914 Lulodes Enderlein, 1924 Meringomeria Enderlein, 1924 Metoposparga Enderlein, 1924 Mezona Speiser, 1914 Microepicausta Hendel, 1914 Mindanaia Malloch, 1931 Montrouziera Bigot, 1860 Neoardelio Hendel, 1914 Neoepidesma Hendel, 1914 Oedemachilus Bigot, 1860 Palpomya Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 Par McAlpine, 2001 Peltacanthina Enderlein, 1912 Peronotrochus Enderlein, 1924 Philocompus Osten-Sacken, 1881 Phlebophis Frey, 1932 Phytalmodes Bezzi, 1908 Picrometopus Frey, 1932 Plagiostenopterina Hendel, 1912 Platystoma Meigen, 1803 Pogonortalis Hendel in de Meijere, 1911 Polystodes Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830
Prosthiochaeta Hara, 1987
Prosthiochaeta Enderlein, 1924 Pseudepicausta Hendel, 1914 Pseudocleitamia Malloch, 1939 Pseudorichardia Hendel, 1911 Rhytidortalis Hendel, 1914 Rivellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 Scelostenopterina Hendel, 1914 Scotinosoma Loew, 1873 Senopterina Macquart, 1835 Signa McAlpine, 2001 Sors McAlpine, 2007 Sphenoprosopa Loew, 1873 Steyskaliella Soós, 1978 Tarfa McAlpine, 2001 Terzia McAlpine, 2001 Valonia Walker, 1856 Xenaspis Osten-Sacken, 1881 Xenaspoides Frey, 1930 Zealandortalis Malloch, 1939
References
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