Rhamphempis, a New Genus of Empidini (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae) of the New World, with Descriptions of Five New Species from French Guiana and the Eastern United States.

ABSTRACT

The genus Rhamphempisgen. nov. (Diptera Empididae Empidinae Empidini) is described and includes the following five new species from French Guiana and the USA Rhamphempis concavasp. nov. (France French Guiana, Roura); R. distinctasp. nov. (France French Guiana, Roura); R. mirificasp. nov. (France French Guiana, Régina); R. montreuilisp. nov. (Type species, France French Guiana, Mitaraka, Roura, St-Georges-de-l'Oyapock); and R. septentrionalissp. nov. (USA Maryland, College Park). The genus differs from other empidine genera by the following combination of characters scape and postpedicel lengthened, proboscis long, strongly sclerotised with labella as long as prementum bearing annulations, wing with R2+3 somewhat shortened, more or less recurved at pterostigma, R4+5 unforked, base of abdomen yellowish in male, brownish to blackish in female, male pregenital segments strongly modified and postabdomen more or less downcurved, presence of large surstylus, very fine and long phallus. The genus is fully illustrated and keyed along with a discussion of its peculiar disjunct geographic distribution and its phylogenetic relationship within the tribe Empidini.