Cunomyia, a distinctive new hilarine fly genus from the Tasmanian World Heritage Area (Diptera: Empididae)

Abstract

Cunomyia unica gen. & sp. nov. (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae: Hilarini) is described from sites in western Tasmania. This monotypic genus is distinguished from other genera in the tribe Hilarini by the following combination of characters: vein R4+5 unbranched, Sc incomplete, terga 7 and 8 not reduced or modified, so that the hypopygium is positioned upright at end of abdomen, not lying forward, and the male cercus divided into a cereal plate and digitiform clasping section. Cunomyia is considered primitive with respect to other Hilarini, on the basis of its clasping cercus and postabdominal structure.