Physocephala abdominalis (Krober, 1915)

Stuke, Jens-Hermann & Clements, David K., 2019, New conopid records from the Afrotropical Region (Diptera) - Part 3: Physocephalini, Bonn zoological Bulletin 68 (2), pp. 209-273 : 214

Physocephala abdominalis species-group

Species of the Physocephala abdominalis group were previously placed in the genus Dacops . Females are easily recognised by the unique spoon-shaped structure which projects ventrally at the apex of the abdomen, and the lack of any theca ( Figs 2, 3 ). The precise morpho- logical derivation of the spoon-shaped structure is not obvious to us, and does not appear to have been estab- lished elsewhere, but given the scarcity of the available material we have not carried out any dissections as the structure is clearly visible without. Males are much more difficult to diagnose because all of the characters used in Key 1 are variable, and atypical forms occur. Males of Physocephala kaplanae may occasionally have a re- duced radial-medial crossvein and barely developed vena spuria, making them easy to misidentify as a member of the microvena group, although the characteristic male postabdomen shape, as described in Key 1, should never- theless allow these to be safely assigned. All members of the abdominalis species-group are confined to the Afro- tropical Region.

Figures

Figs 1–5. Physocephala abdominalis (Kröber, 1915). 1. Wing, dorsal view (♂, Belmont Valley); 2. Tip of ♂ abdomen, lateral view (♂, Belmont Valley); 3. Spoon-shaped structure of ♀ postabdomen (♀, Zambesi Valley); 4. Epandrium, dorsal view (♂, Graham- stown); 5. Postabdomen, lateral view (♂, Grahamstown). ce = cercus; dp = distiphallus; ep = epandrium; pa = phallapodeme; hya = hypandrial arm; psh – phallus sheath.