Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1958 The eN arctic Miltogramminae (Diptera, Sarcophagidae) and certain allies William Lawrence Downes Jr. Iowa State College Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Downes, William Lawrence Jr., "The eN arctic Miltogramminae (Diptera, Sarcophagidae) and certain allies " (1958). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 2250. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/2250 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE NE&RCTIC MILTOGHAMMINAE (DIPTERâ, SÂRCQPHÂGIDAE) AH) CERTAIN ALLIES by William Lawrence Donnes, Jr. A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Partirai Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major Subject: Entomology Approved: Signature was redacted for privacy. In Charge of !£aJor Work Signature was redacted for privacy. Signature was redacted for privacy. Iowa State College 1958 ii TABIB OF CONTESTS INÏBODDCIIQH . .. 1 TECHHÎQDES 3 Male Terminalia ......................... 3 Female Termina]!a ........................ 7 Miscellaneous Techniques ........ ...... .... 8 MOHPHOLOGT ID Head 11 Thorax »... • 18 Preabdomen 20 Male Postabdcgaen ... .. ....... .. ...... 20 Immature Stages ......................... 26 Glossary of Less Familiar Terms ... .. ... .. ... 27 PHTKXSHT 34 Methodology. .... ........ .... 35 A. basic hypothesis .. ............ 35 An extension of the basic hypothesis ............ 38 Primitive Characters .................. 40 list of primitive characters .. ... .. oo 41 The recognition of primitive characters .......... 44 Evolutionary Tendencies ..................... k£> Flight 47 Viviparity ................. 68 Parasitism .................... 70 Some Soprageneric Relationship Problems ............. 70 Relationships of the calyptrate families .......... 70 Relationships Hithin the Sarccphagidae ........... 99 The position of Melanomya and allies ("Opelousia group"). 113 The position of Helicobosca ........... 114 The problem of Sarcofahrtiopsis ..... .. ... H5 Material Examined .. ..... .. .. ... H7 119 World List of Genera 119 iii Family-Group Names 147 Names pertaining to Melanomya and allies (Calliphoridae) and a few others 1kB Names pertaining to the Sarcophagidae 149 Names pertaining to the Hhinophoridae 154 Notes on Descriptions and Synonymies .............. 154 Melanoaya and Allies ... ............. 155 The Sarcophagidae 184 Miltogramminae 189 BEFEEEHCES 246 àCKN0ÏES2X3£ENTS 270 PLATES ... 273 INDEX. TO GENERIC NAMES 298 INDEX TO SPECIES NfiMES., 303 1 INTRODUCTION In the past few decades a considerable number of papers have appeared ozx the classification of the Sarcophagidae# These papers range the Bay from Townsend* s (1935b, 1937, 1938) generic and. tribal revision for the world to lesser papers suggesting more limited groupings» !B.th an this effort one might expect some sort of classification to emerge; which, if not approximately natural, would at least be practical and reasonably stable. This classification has not emerged, nor do succeeding publica­ tions seem to suggest a gradual evolution towards greater stability. There are almost as many classifications as there are major publications en this matter. The morphological treatments given the Sarcophagidae present a very similar, although not quite so chaotic picture, A degree of uniformity has been obtained, in the American taxonomxc literature through the common use of terms proposed by early taxenosists» European workers are apt to use many of the same terms, but not all of their terms are the same by any means. Some taxenesists prefer to follow morphologie* s in attempting to indicate more far-reaching homologies with terms originating in other groups, This, of course, would be a very desirable practice were it not for the fact that the morphologists themselves frequently disagree on what is homologous with what. Yet the troubles would not end, even if all the above conflicts were settled. There are many undescribed species and some unde scribed genera to contend with, and a sizable number of the described species are but poorly characterized. In a sense the Sarccphaginae are not even half 2 classified, since the females have been almost entirely neglected. They are seldom identifiable, and then only by a very few specialists in lim­ ited groups. The accumulated fund of published information on the biology, fe­ males, and immature stages of sarcophagids is meager, and is ambiguous in cases where complexes have been treated as single species. As would be esiiected from the classification difficulties, the nomenclature includes many unsettled problems; and the phylogeny is almost unknown, although it has often been guessed at in greater or lesser detail. One of the principle reasons for the continuance of these conditions is the vay in trtiich the classification of the family has been approached, Hth a few notable exceptions the publications are preoccupied with "dif­ ferences,11 and almost obsessed with the description of "new™ taxa—not that such work is not valuable; it is essential. But without some bal­ ancing efforts along more synthetic lines the field soon becomes highly disorganized. At present the literature has reached such a state that isolated descriptions of new species are next to being useless burdens to further work. This study is an attempt to restore some balance to the classifica­ tion of the Sarcophagidae, From the standpoint of the amount of work yet to be done, it has not been possible to attain any semblance of complete­ ness; but it has been possible to provide a more complete survey of the total situation than is usually presented. The more critical general problems of the family as a whole and the taxonomy of the North American MUtogramcrinae have been given the most consideration* 3 TECHNIQUES Male Ternrlnalia The usual technique for spreading the terodnalia of dried Sarccphag- inae is too likely to result in damage for this to be an acceptable tech­ nique for any bat the largest Miltogramminae. The miltograonine termina— lia, besides being small, are not easily spread; and. altogether too many specimens have been broken and parts lost by past efforts with this method* The pollen patterns frequently become "greased" over in the relating chamber as well* A superior technique involves breaking off the abdomen without attempting to relax it, and boiling it whole* The attachment of the abdomen to the thorax is relatively weak in dried specimens, and a slight upward pressure exerted at the tip of the abdomen by a needle will separate the abdomen from the thorax vent rally* The dorsal attachments can be severed by gently forcing the abdomen to one side in either a slight downward or upward direction, depending on how the abdomen continues to separate. The abdomen almost invariably comes off whole, although the first sternum or portions of syntergum 1*2 occasional­ ly remain on the thorax. The needle or forceps used in breaking off the abdomen may be inserted beneath the edge of the fifth tergum or si milar point to avoid breaking off bristles. TShen this is done properly a very minimum of damage results. It is not uncommon for the abdomen to separate completely with a snap on the first upward pressure; consequently, it is wise to dip the needle in glue or water as a precaution so that the abdomen will stick to it in­ 4 stead of catapulting into space, especially in the case of small specimens —there is less danger of this with more rigid needles or pointed forceps. The 'whole abdomen, is boiled gently in a solution containing roughly ten percent potassium hydroxide. Air spaces in the abdomen will partially impede the action of the potassium hydroxide solution; and the process can be facilitated by removing the abdomen, men soft, from the solution to distilled water and tearing the membrane between the pre— and postabdomen. Fine-pointed forceps are convenient for this, as the fifth tergum and postabdomen can be torn apart quite readily by grasping the edges adjacent to the membrane and pulling. If the membrane should not part immediately, the point of one of the forceps can be pushed through the membrane. It usually takes only a minute or two in a boiling solution to clear the ab­ domen after this operation, "When the abdomen is cleared, it is removed to distilled water and the postabdomen and fifth sternum separated front the remainder of the abdomen. The preabdominal sterna left in place serve to hold the terga in a more natural position nil en the preabdomen is reattached to the specimen. The ni nth segment and posterior parts can be separated from the preceding seg­ ments in a fashion similar to that used in separating the pre— and postab­ domen, that is by tearing the intersegmental membrane with forceps. Most species can be identified by characters thus exposed, but it does help to separate the "ninth sterni te" and associated structures (tenth sternites, pre- and postgonites, basal apodeme, pump sclerite) from the other parts. The preabdomen should be washed in distilled water and dehydrated in a fluid, such as glacial acetic acid. After a few minutes in the fluid