A comparative description of the thorax chaetotaxy of the Dolichopodidae (Diptera)

Authors: MARIYA A. CHURSINA, OLEG P. NEGROBOV, OLGA V. SELIVANOVA

Abstract: A study of 270 species belonging to 210 genera of the family Dolichopodidae was conducted to examine their characters of thorax chaetotaxy. The quantity of acrostichal setae series, number of dorsocentral setae pairs, and quantity and degree of developed scutellar setae were studied. The humeral, posthumeral, intraalar, notopleural, supraalar, postalar, and sutural setae were also investigated. Combinations of chaetotaxy characters typical of the family Dolichopodidae were discovered. A detailed analysis of these characters allowed for the determination of the diagnostic characters of the subfamilies. The comparative analysis of Dolichopodidae morphology and outgroup taxa allowed for the identification of apomorphic and plesiomorphic character states of thorax chaetotaxy.

Keywords: Diptera, Dolichopodidae, morphology, chaetotaxy, thorax, subfamily

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