Revision of the New World Heteromeringia (Diptera: Clusiidae: Clusiodinae)

Lonsdale, Owen; Marshall, Stephen

ABSTRACT: The 18 New World species of Heteromeringia CZERNY, 1903 are revised, with 10 species described as new: H. apholis sp. n. (Mexico), H. aphotisma sp. n. (Brazil), H. decora sp. n. (Mexico), H. lateralis sp. n. (Costa Rica), H. mediana sp. n. (Brazil), H. nanella sp. n. (Brazil), H. nervosa sp. n. (Costa Rica), H. quadriseta sp. n. (Ecuador, Peru), H. volcana sp. n. (Costa Rica) and H. zophina sp. n. (Mexico). The Nearctic H. nitida nigripes MELANDER & ARGO, 1924 is raised from subspecies to species. The H. nitida species group and the H. czernyi species group are erected, and species relationships are discussed for the latter (entirely neotropical) group. Sobarocephala subfasciata CURRAN, 1939 is included as a junior synonym of H. czernyi KERTESZ, 1903. Heteromeringia dimidiata HENNIG, 1938 is moved to Sobarocephala CZERNY, 1903 comb. n. Heteromeringia tephrinos nomen n. is provided as a replacement name for the Afrotropical H. nigrifrons LAMB, 1914, which is a junior primary homonym of H. nigrifrons KERTESZ, 1903. The biology of Heteromeringia is discussed, and a key is provided for all New World species. Agonistic interactions are described for this genus for the first time, with H. nitida JOHNSON, 1913 males recorded as using bicoloured forelegs to defend mating territories.