Review of the Afrotropical Genus Aphasmaphleps Grichanov (Diptera: Dolichopodidae)

ABSTRACT The Afrotropical genus Aphasmaphleps Grichanov is reviewed. The type-species, A. bandia Grichanov, is redescribed based on material from Botswana and Tanzania, and three new species are described from Madagascar: A. bickeli sp. n., A. paulyi sp. n. and A. stuckenbergi sp. n. Females of the genus are reported for the first time, and hypopygial and oviscapt morphologies are described and illustrated in detail. A key to all named species of Aphasmaphleps is provided, and the systematic position of the genus among the diaphorines is briefly discussed.

The Afrotropical genus Aphasmaphleps Grichanov is reviewed. The type-species, A. bandia Grichanov, is redescribed based on material from Botswana and Tanzania, and three new species are described from Madagascar: A. bickeli sp. n., A. paulyi sp. n. and A. stuckenbergi sp. n. Females of the genus are reported to all named species of Aphasmaphleps is provided, and the systematic position of the genus among the Aphasmaphleps et al.
remains heterogeneous and some genera were also referred to other subfamilies, such et al. We here review the formerly monotypic Afrotropical genus Aphasmaphleps. The type species, A. bandia, is redescribed and three new species are described from Madagascar. New data have allowed revising the systematic position of Aphasmaphleps among the diaphorine genera. point of the wing, both measurements given as ranges. Measurements for antennomeres and podomeres are representative ratios, given in the following order: scape, pedicel, postpedicel, 1 st stylomere, 2 nd length to the length of the distal section of the cubital vein.
The following abbreviations are used in this paper: I, II, III: pro-, meso-, metathoracic

Male. Head
Thorax num, in front of anterior spiracle, with 1 seta. Scutellum with single pair of setae (lateral setae absent). The availability of additional material of A. bandia and discovery of new species allowed revisiting some of the characters, which had been previously regarded by Grichanov (2010)  and M slightly diverging apically, M evanescent. IIt 1 with ventral and anterior rows of stiff hairs, IIt 2 shorter than IIIt 3 .

et al
A. bickeli sp. n. is similar to A. stuckenbergi sp. n., but can be distinguished from the latter by having the antennal stylus with the apical lamella.

Figs 5, 10
Etymology: The species is named for Alain Pauly (Brussels, Belgium), who collected and M slightly diverging apically, M evanescent. IIt 1 with ventral and anterior rows of stiff hairs, IIt 2 shorter than IIIt 3 . Very similar to A. bandia for the following features. (All specimens are quite discolourated due to long-term storage in alcohol.)

Female.
A. paulyi sp. n. is similar to A. bandia, but can be distinguished from the latter by having the antennal stylus with apical lamella.
Aphasmaphleps stuckenbergi sp. n. Very similar to A. bickeli for the following features. (All specimens are quite discolourated due to long-term storage in alcohol.)

Female.
A. stuckenbergi sp. n. is similar to A. bickeli sp. n., but can be distinguished from the latter by having the antennal stylus without an apical lamella.
Aphasmaphleps sp. A Fig. 9 and M slightly diverging apically, M evanescent. IIt 1 with ventral and anterior rows of stiff hairs, IIt 2 shorter than IIIt 3 . Very similar to A. paulyi for the following features.

Head.
A Cryptophleps species from Madagascar revealed that all possess a single seta on that sclerite, suggesting that this feature is widespread through these genera. When describing Aphasmaphleps, Grichanov (2010) regarded it as close to Phasmaphleps, mainly due to similarities in the A. bickeli sp. n. and A. stuckenbergi sp. n. A. bandia and A. paulyi sp. n. and in Phasmaphleps can be interpreted as independently evolved. Particularly, in Aphasmaphleps, a strong vein M can even be secondarily decharacters previously used to infer relationships of these genera are doubtful, the position of Aphasmaphleps remains to be investigated.
The pre-abdominal morphology of Aphasmaphleps resembles those of Asyndetus and Cryptophleps, rather than the morphology of Phasmaphleps. While in Phasmaphleps

Cryptophleps
Cryptophleps species (C. cyplus, C. nova C. papuanus, C. rothii C. vitiensis C. yungaburra to be a groundplan feature for the entire genus. of surstyli and cercus) of Aphasmaphleps is more similar to those of Asyndetus and Cryptophleps et al.
Asyndetus (A. decaryi Parent, A. infernus A. interruptus from Brazil) and Cryptophleps (C. cyplus, C. yungaburra, and an undescribed species from Madagascar), suggesting a close relationship between these genera and Aphasmaphleps.
The position of Shamshevia regarding Aphasmaphleps is still debatable. Shamshevia has previously been regarded close to Dactylonotus (Grichanov 2012a, b), but it shares