Dufouriini

Domingos, Marcelo, 2024, Revision of the Neotropical Obscure Genus Ebenia Macquart 1846 (Diptera, Tachinidae, Dufouriini), Neotropical Entomology 53 (4), pp. 833-853 : 836

Key to Dufouriini Genera

The dufouriines, as recognized by Santis & Nihei (2022), are difficult to be succinctly characterized as many characters vary among its genera. Usually, dufouriines are small blackish tachinids with males bearing big eyes, almost touching on top, while females have eyes that are widely separated. In addition, females bear specialized terminalia that are particularly adapted to infect adult beetles utilizing different strategies and forms. To further assist the reader, a generalized description of the tribe is given: the head is always without orbital setae in males, parafacial is bare, facial carina absent, antennal axis at or below middle level of eye; lower facial margin not prominent, prementum shorter than head height. Thorax with bare prosternum, with two equal-sized notopleural setae, scutellum usually with strong apicals and basals; wing with cell R 5 open, just closed at the wing margin, or long petiolate. Abdomen is ovalate to somewhat cylindrical, chaetotaxy is irregular, with variation in both numbers and strength of setae, it may be absent, with just setulae, as in Rondania dorsalis (Coquillett, 1902) or with numerous strong setae, as in Dufouria chalybeata (Meigen, 1824) .

The following key is constructed in order to facilitate the recognition of dufouriini genera.

1 – Antennae with plumose or pubescent arista, wing with costal spine developed in various lengths, cell R 5 open or just closed at the wing margin, abdomen shiny black or dark metallic, females with terminalia not exposed externally ……………………………….… 2.

– Antennae with pubescent or bare arista, wing without costal spine and cell R 5 closed at the wing margin or petiolate, abdomen with grey and yellow/orange coloration, females with terminalia exposed externally with 6th and 7th segment tubular and posteriorly directed (see Fig. 19B of Santis & Nihei 2022) ……..………..… Rondania Robineau-Desvoidy, 1850 .

2 – Eyes with setulae, appearing in different degrees, fronto-orbital plate with several setae on the antennal socket, females with terminalia presenting tergite 8 fused with sternite 8 in a cone shape and posteriorly directed ( Fig. 11B ) ………………………………… 3.

– Eyes bare, fronto-orbital plate without several setae on the antennal socket, females with terminalia presenting tergite 8 fused with sternite 8 in a peak shape and ventrally directed (see Fig. 20B of Santis & Nihei 2022) ………………….......…. Chetoptilia Rondani, 1862 .

3 – Thorax with prosternum setulose or bare, anatergite setulose on upper region, abdomen without dense, erected and long setulae, without discal setae …………………………… Ebenia Macquart 1846a , b

- Thorax with prosternum bare, anatergite bare, abdomen with dense, erected and long setulae, with discal setae ……......……... Dufouria Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 .

Figures

Fig.11 Ebenia spinosa (Bigot 1889), Cartago, Costa Rica (MNCR). A. Spermathecae. B. female terminalia. Abbrevia- tions: C=cercus; S=sternite; T=tergite