Neodialineura Mann

Neodialineura Mann, 1928: 171. Type species: Neodialineura striatithorax Mann, 1928: 172.

Could be confused with: Nanexila, Manestella, undescribed genus 'N', undescribed genus 'M'.

Systematic grouping: Taenogera genus-group.

Diagnosis: Antennae positioned low on frons; scape wider than pedicel, sometimes much wider; setae on antennae enlarged; frons slightly rounded and lower frons either flat or grealy swollen with glabrous antennal tubercle; male occiput concave, single row of postocular setae in male, 2-3 poorly defined rows in female; wing with dark mottling, cell m3 open; anteroventral apical seta absent; fore and hind femora without velutum patches; gonocoxites boat shaped, hypandrium small or absent; medial atrium absent; aedeagus reduced in size, dorsal apodeme of parameral sheath reduced; lateral ejaculatory apodeme small; anterior process of female tergite 8 broad; three spermathecae; spermathecal sac simple, spherical.

Distribution: East and southern states: South Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria and southern Queensland.

Comments: This small genus was described by Mann (1928) to accommodate the autapomorphic species N. striatithorax. Metz (2003) subsequently transferred N. nitens and N. saxatilis from Psilocephala to Neodialineura, all of which lack the enlarged scape and antennal tubercle. The phylogenetic position of this genus is difficult to determine, and may be highly diverse in arid Australia based on a series of undescribed species in collections. Spot characters to look for when identifying this genus include velutum patches on the fore and hind femora absent, wing cell m3 open, apical setae on hind femur absent, aedeagus reduced, and hypandrium absent.

Included species: N. nitens (White), N. saxatilis (White), N. striatithorax Mann.

Relevant Literature:
Kröber, O. (1912e) Die Thereviden der indoaustralischen Region. (Dipt). [part]. Entomologische Mitteilungen, 1, 242-256.

Mann, J.S. (1928) Revisional notes on Australian Therevidae. Part 1. Australian Zoologist, 5, 151-194.

Metz, M.A., Webb D.A., & Irwin M.E. (2003) A review of the genus Psilocephala Zetterstedt (Diptera: Therevidae) with the description of four new genera. Studia Dipterologica 10: 227-266.

White, A. (1915) The Diptera-Brachycera of Tasmania. Part II. Families Tabanidae and Therevidae. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, 1915, 2-60.

Neodialineura striatithorax Mann (female). Image copyright: A.O'Toole.

Neodialineura striatithorax Mann (female). Image copyright: A.O'Toole.

Neodialineura spp., heads. Image copyright: S.L Winterton.

Neodialineura striatithorax Mann. Image copyright: S.L. Winterton.