O. G. Ovtshinnikova

Musculature of the male genitalia of a member of the genus Teleopsis Rondani, 1875 (Diopsidae, Diptera)

Abstract Secondary symmetry of pregenital sclerites and muscles, and also the presence of syntergosternite 7 + 8 and muscles between it and six segment in Diopsidae close this family to Psilidae and Nothybidae. Musculature of male genitalia in Teleopsis (Diopsidae, Diptera) is revealed and described for the first time. Morphology of hypandrium and its splitted muscles close this family to Nothybidae and advanced families of Cyclorrhapha, as Sciomyzidae, Scathophagidae and Calliphoridae.

The Ovipositor Musculature of Bactrocera depressa Shiraki (Diptera, Tephritidae)

Structure of the ovipositor sclerites and musculature was studied in the tephritid fly Bactrocera depressa Shiraki, whose larvae develop in the fruits of Cucurbita moschata and other Cucurbitaceae. The functioning and adaptations of the ovipositor of this species to laying eggs into soft fruits are discussed with respect to their differences from the ovipositor characteristics in species with different host specializations, e.g., Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Hanna, 1938), Lenitovena trigona Matsumura (Ovtshinnikova, 2008), Urophora affinis Frauenfeld and U. quadrifasciata (Meigen) (Berube and Zacharuk, 1983) and Campiglossa plantaginis (Haliday, 1833) (Ovtshinnikova, 2010). The ovipositor musculature of Bactrocera depressa is very similar to that of Ceratitis capitata, a species which lays eggs in soft tissues of various fruits. The sclerites and musculature of the ovipositor, especially the basal part of syntergosternite VII, in the fruit infesting Bactrocera (also in Ceratitis) is intermediate between that in Lenitovena laying eggs in the (soft) decaying wood, and Urophora and Campiglossa that deposit eggs in the hard flowerheads of asteraceans. Species of the latter genera have still more complicated structure of the basal part of syntergosternite VII enabling a more intense protruding of the ovipositor and its more closely controlled operating during oviposition in the harder plant tissues. The discussed morpho-functional rearrangements proceed within species of a single lineage of the modern classification (Korneyev, 1999) from the basal Lenitovena to the terminal Urophora and Campiglossa, Bactrocera occupying an intermediate position in this row. In this way, the technology changes (from a muscul lever to a pump) resulting in an increase of the ovipositor mobility during piercing of the substrate.

Musculature of the male genitalia in Rivellia (Diptera: Platystomatidae).

Abstract The musculature of male genitalia was studied hitherto only in two species of Tephritidae, one species of Platystomatidae, one species of Pallopteridae, and three species of Ulidiidae of the superfamily Tephritoidea. The split of the hypandrium from one structure into three (the hypandrium and two lateral sclerites) is traced. The hypandrial origin of the lateral sclerites of the hypandrial complex is shown based on the localization of muscle attachment sites. The subepandrial origin of the inner lobes of the surstyli is also confirmed.

X-ray microtomography (microCT) of male genitalia of Nothybus kuznetsovorum (Nothybidae) and Cothornobata sp. (Micropezidae)

Abstract The results of manual dissection of the musculature of the male genitalia in Nothybus kuznetsovorum are fully confirmed by the modern methods of Micro-CT. A comparative analysis of Neria commutata and Cothornobata sp. shows that an increase in the flexion in the genitalia of males and the displacement of syntergosternite VII to the ventral side in Cothornobata sp. caused the disappearance of the muscles ITM6–7r and ITM7–8r. In addition, this increase in flexion apparently caused the fusion of the M18 muscles into one bundle. The muscle ISM5-6c goes on to moving the second segment of the forcipate appendages of sternite V.

The male abdominal, genital and pregenital sclerites and musculature in Neria commutata (Czerny, 1930) (Diptera, Micropezidae)

The muscles of the male abdomen and genitalia of Micropezidae were studied for the first time by the example of Neria commutata (Czerny, 1930). Based on analysis of the sclerites and musculature of the male genitalia of Micropezidae as compared to those of the previously studied Acalyptratae and Aschiza, we revealed several apomorphies of this group. The hypandrial complex is characterized by the presence of the phallic retractors and protractors M1 and M2, and the epandrial complex, by the presence of muscles M3 of the subepandrial sclerite, muscles M4 of the surstyli, muscles M7 of the cerci, and also the tergosternal muscles M5; all these muscles correspond to the ground plan of Cyclorrhapha. The following characters are considered apomorphic: the splitting of intersegmental sternal muscles ISM5–6 into 4 pairs that ensure the functioning of the forcipate appendages of sternite V; development of syntergosternite VII and reduction of muscles ISM6–7; the splitting of muscles M3 of the subepandrial sclerite into 4 pairs, enhancing the function of this sclerite; the appearance of pregonites with the associated muscles M42, which probably occurred independently several times in the evolution of different groups of Cyclorrhapha; asymmetry of syntergosternites VII and VIII and their muscles. The sclerites and muscles of the epandrium and hypandrium are characterized by complete symmetry.

Musculature of the abdomen and male genitalia of a member of Celyphidae (Diptera, Cyclorrhapha)

Abstract Musculature of male genitalia is for the first time revealed and described in Celyphidae (Diptera). We have defined the specific features of sclerites and muscles of Celyphidae male genitalia on the basis of the comparative analysis of these anatomical structures in other acalyptrate flies. The secondary symmetry of male pregenital and genital sclerites, muscles, and merged segments 7 and 8 (forming syntergosternite 7 + 8) in Celyphidae possibly indicates that this family is closely related to Lauxaniidae and Diopsoidea. Moreover, Celyphidae is similar to Psilidae in terms of syntergosternite 7 + 8 decreased, pregenital muscles partially reduced, hypandrial structures partially reduced, muscles M1 and M2 merged, and muscle M25 reduced. Celyphidae are characterized by the presence of pregonites (gonopods sensu) and associated muscles M42. We suppose that pregonites (and corresponding muscles) connected with hypandrium originated independently in different groups of Cyclorrhapha.

Skeleton and musculature of the male genitalia in the family Nothybidae (Diptera)

Sclerites and musculature of the male genitalia of Nothybidae (Diptera) were studied for the first time. Symmetry of the genital and pregenital sclerites, similar to that in Psilidae, was revealed. The muscles of the male genitalia of Nothybus resemble the apomorphic plan of Cyclorrhapha (Sciomyzidae, Scathophagidae and Calliphoridae) due to the splitting of the hypandrium and hypandrial muscles.

Musculature of the male genitalia of Chyliza vittata Meigen (Diptera, Psilidae)

The skeleton and muscles of the male genitalia of Chyliza vittata Meigen, 1826 (Diptera, Psilidae) are described. Secondary symmetry of the male genital sclerites and development of secondary pregenital muscles in Chyliza may have resulted from reduction of segments VII and VIII. The absence of the ejaculator compressors M23 is recorded for the first time in Cyclorrhapha. Reduction has also partly affected the muscles of the epandrial complex. It is shown that the sclerites extending from the surstyles to the hypandrium in Chyliza vittata correspond to the subepandrial sclerite. In whole, the morphology of the male genital muscles in Chyliza is close to the ground plan of Cyclorrhapha, most probably due to reduction processes.

Provinciality as the main principle in biogeographic regionalization

Methods of biogeographic regionalization are discussed. One of these methods is ranging of different territories based on three principles: zonality, sectorality, and provinciality. This primary type of regionalization, established in classical biogeography by P.L. Sclater (1858) and A.R. Wallace (1876), was widely used in phytogeography and zoogeography of insects starting from A.P. Semenov-Tian-Shansky (1936) and developed for the Palaearctic by A.F. Emeljanov (1974). Zonality and sectorality are constructive principles associated with the biospheric abiotic factors and determining the boundaries of major biogeographic entities (not provinces). Provinciality is considered the main principle of biogeography because the province has a predicative status with faunistic substantiation at the species level. Species of a certain provincial fauna can be combined in a group with a particular habitus which may be taken as a characteristic biogeographic “fashion,” or a province-specific style. Examples of such provincial styles for Myrmeleontidae (Neuroptera) and Tephritidae (Diptera) are discussed. These styles can be used for biogeographic indication in parallel with individual indicatory species.

Musculature of the Ovipositor of Timia erythrocephala Wiedemann, 1824 (Diptera, Ulidiidae)

The structure of the ovipositor sclerites and musculature was investigated in Timia erythrocephala Wiedemann, 1824 (Ulidiidae), whose larvae are saprophagous. The ovipositor musculature of this species is compared with that of the previously investigated Tephritidae. Based on morphological analysis, characters common to Ulidiidae and primitive Tephritidae and supposedly plesiomorphic for Tephritidae are revealed. Abdominal segment VII in Timia is compact and consists of tergite and stemite VII fused into a syntergostemite with a visible suture. The preserved suture between the stemite and tergite of segment VII should be regarded as an intermediate state in the process of syntergostemite formation in tephritoid flies, which was completed already in Lenitovena.