A taxonomic synopsis and identification key to the genera of the Myaptex group (Diptera, Asilidae, Asilinae), with description of a remarkable new genus and three new species from the South American Chaco

By

Soares, Matheus
Camargo, Alexssandro
Lamas, Carlos José Einicker

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1232

Pages

311--341

Subjects

Assassin flies , Chaco biome , Linnaean shortfall , Pantanal biome , Robber flies

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1232.142494

 

Abstract

Cardiasilusgen. nov. is erected to include the following three new species from Brazil and Paraguay: C. aysusp. nov. and C. dangeloisp. nov. (both from Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil) and C. rudasp. nov. (Paraguay), which are herein described and illustrated. The new genus is placed into the Myaptex group of the subfamily Asilinae based on the following set of characters: wing with cells r2+3 and r4 not separated by a recurrent vein (i.e., only two submarginal cells); costal section between tips of veins R5 and M1 much shorter than costal section between tips of R4 and R5, with R5 ending bellow wing apex; scutellum tumid, with no sign of an impressed rim and with at least one pair of well-developed apical scutellar macrosetae; claws acute; and abdominal tergites with lateral marginal macrosetae. It can be differentiated from the other genera of the group by the scutum lacking anterior dorsocentral setae, male epandrium inflated (which resembles the ideogram of a heart in dorsal view), male and female sternites 2–6 with lateral macrosetae, and the male sternite 8 with a long digitiform projection at middle of posterior margin. An illustrated identification key to the genera of the Myaptex group, as well as to the males of Cardiasilusgen. nov., are also provided.