Skeleton and musculature of the male abdomen in Tanyderidae (Diptera, Nematocera) of the Southern Hemisphere

Abstract

The structure of the male terminalia and their musculature of species of tanyderid genera Araucoderus Alexander, 1929 from Chile and Nothoderus Alexander, 1927 from Tasmania are examined and compared with each other and with published data on the likely relatives. The overall pattern of male terminalia of both genera is similar to those of most Southern Hemisphere genera, with simple curved gonostyli, lobe-like setose parameres, and setose cerci inconspicuous under the epandrium. Both genera have terminalia similarly rotated by 180° (and 90° as an intermediate stage); rotation may be either clockwise or counterclockwise. However, the similar patterns are realized differently: segment VIII is the decreased and asymmetrical due to completely membranose tergite VIII in Nothoderus (the first record of such modification in Tanyderidae), but narrow and symmetrical in Araucoderus. Accordingly, pregenital muscles are very different between the genera. Based on localization of muscle attachment sites, the hypandrial origin of the stripe between gonocoxites is shown in both genera, and entire membranization of tergite VIII and partial membranization of hypoproct is shown in Nothoderus. Tanyderidae are characterized by highly specialized sclerites and muscles of male terminalia and provide no evidence of relationship with previously studied members of Psychodidae, Blephariceridae and Ptychopteridae.