TACHINIDAE OF ORIENTAL REGION 87 



accepted in the present work since it is completely justified; one new synonym is 

 here added to Mesnil's list of synonyms, namely Stenodexiopsis Townsend (based 

 on a species from Sumatra) which fits the characters of the redefined Sumpigaster 

 in every regard. 



In addition to Sumpigaster the Oriental fauna includes the endemic genera 

 Dolichopodomintho Townsend, Promintho Townsend and M elanasomyia Malloch that 

 are typical minthoines in all respects. The first of these has cell R b long-petiolate, 

 resembling the Palaearctic genus Minthodes Brauer & Bergenstamm, and I am not 

 fully certain that separate generic status for Dolichopodomintho is justified; it is 

 accepted as valid for present purposes. 



The three Oriental genera Dolichocoxys Townsend, Megistogastropsis Townsend 

 and Austrophasiopsis Townsend are here treated as Minthoini although they are 

 atypical in some regards (especially the last-named genus which includes somewhat 

 aberrant species that are difficult to place anywhere satisfactorily). The following 

 discussion indicates the reasons for interim placement of these genera among the 

 minthoines. 



Dolichocoxys was placed in the Blondeliini by Mesnil (19606 : 650) and many 

 of its characters, plus its general resemblance to blondeliines in which the male 

 abdomen has a tail-like prolongation of T5 (e.g. Uroeuantha Townsend), provide 

 much justification for such a placement. The female of Dolichocoxys, however, 

 is much more minthoine-like, for it has the fore tarsi rather obviously enlarged and 

 flattened (though not to the extent of many minthoines), has outwardly directed 

 prevertical setae, and has the frons showing alternating pollinose and brightly 

 polished areas like those of Dolichopodomintho. There are no characters that 

 contraindicate Minthoini as a better placement for Dolichocoxys than Blondeliini 

 and I therefore prefer to assign it to the former tribe. 



Megistogastropsis has already been placed in Minthoini by Crosskey (19736) 

 and this position is upheld by re-examination of the genus during the present 

 re visionary work. The epistome is warped forwards from the face to a slight 

 extent (as in Leskiini) and the female fore tarsi are slightly expanded transversely, 

 not dorsoventrally, on their apical parts and in these respects the genus is atypical 

 for Minthoini: on the other hand, virtually all the remaining characters (especially 

 the mesonotal and scutellar chaetotaxy, abdominal shape and chaetotaxy, wing 

 form) are so reminiscent of Sumpigaster that placement of M egistogastropsis as 

 contribal with Sumpigaster appears to be the most appropriate assignment possible 

 at this stage. 



Austrophasiopsis is particularly difficult to place reliably, on external adult 

 characters at least, because of the apomorphic reduction of the bristling. The 

 general appearance is strongly phasiine, and Townsend (Manual of Myiology) 

 placed the genus in Phasiini. Verbeke's (19626 : 135) study of the male genitalia, 

 however, appears to dispose of any likelihood that Austrophasiopsis is phyletically 

 close to the phasiines, and instead Verbeke suggests a possible relationship with 

 macquartiines. The affinities of the genus are certainly problematical, but it is 

 here tentatively supposed that - notwithstanding the very different general facies - 

 Atistrophasiopsis might be a highly apomorphic derivative from minthoine stock. 



