Evolution of Philopotinae, with a revision and phylogeny of the New World spider fly genus PhilopotaWiedemann (Diptera, Acroceridae)

Abstract

Philopotinae are hunchbacked spider flies represented by 63 fossil and extant species in 15 genera worldwide. PhilopotaWiedemann, 1830, is the most species-rich genus within the subfamily. Here, the evolution of Philopotinae is discussed, and a revision and phylogeny of Philopota based on adult morphology are presented. Nine of the 12 extant Philopotinae genera were included in our analysis, and 22 species were recognized in Philopota, of which 13 are described as new. Seven new synonymies are proposed. The phylogenetic analysis included 33 terminal taxa (22 ingroup and 11 outgroup species) and used 53 morphological characters, resulting in a single most parsimonious tree under equal weights. The monophyly of Philopota is recovered, and the Palaearctic genus Oligoneura is hypothesized as its sister-group.