Claraeola

Introduction

The limits of this genus were recently re-established by Skevington and Yeates (2001). As such, 31 valid species are currently treated in Claraeola but many species of Eudorylas will have to be transferred into the genus as regional revisions proceed. Claraeola is cosmopolitan, but no New World species have been transferred into the genus yet.

Characteristics

Most Claraeola species have a patch of setae on the side of tergite 1 where other pipunculids typically have a fan of hairs. However, characters of the male genitalia require examination to confirm generic identity (for example, the phallus has a subapical protuberance covered with specialized scale-like setae). Use the key in Skevington and Yeates (2001) to identify Claraeola.

Regional revisions include: Australia – Skevington (2002), Europe – Kehlmaier (2005), and Korea – Kozánek and Kwon (1991, 2003). A revision of the African species of Eudorylini is expected soon (Földvári, submitted).

Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships

A tribal phylogeny of the Eudorylini (Skevington and Yeates, 2001) includes several Claraeola exemplars. A phylogeny of the Australian Claraeola species is presented in Skevington (2002).

References

Földvári, M. 2003. New Afrotropical species from the tribe Eudorylini (Diptera, Pipunculidae). Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici 95:161-171.

Kehlmaier, C. 2005. Taxonomic revision of European Eudorylini (Insecta, Diptera, Pipunculidae). Verhandlungen des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins in Hamburg 41:45-353.

Kehlmaier, C. (2005): Taxonomic studies on Palaearctic and Oriental Eudorylini (Diptera: Pipunculidae), with the description of three new species.- Zootaxa 1030: 1-48; Brisbane.

Kozánek, M., and C. Kehlmaier. 2004. Pipunculidae of Slovakia: additions and corrections to faunal list, with a description of a new Eudorylas (Diptera). Entomological Problems 34:21-36.

Kozánek, M., and Y. J. Kwon. 1991. Classification of the Family Pipunculidae from Korea (Diptera) Part I. On the genus Moriparia gen.nov. from North Korea. Insecta Koreana 8:76-84.

Kozánek, M., S. J. Suh, and Y. J. Kwon. 2003. Taxonomy of the genus Moriparia Kozanek et Kwon (Diptera: Pipunculidae) from Korea. Korean Journal of Entomology 33:99-103.

Shatalkin, A. I. 1981. Claraeola crassula sp.n. (Pipunculidae) and Strongylophthalmyia raricornis sp.n. (Strongylophthalmyiidae) new peculiar Diptera from the USSR. Zoologicheskii Zhurnal 60:791-793.

Skevington, J. H. 2002. Phylogenetic revision of Australian members of the Allomethus genus group (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Insect Systematics and Evolution 33:133-161.

Skevington, J. H., and D. K. Yeates. 2001. Phylogenetic classification of Eudorylini (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Systematic Entomology 26:421-452.