Growing the Rhinophorid Tree: Three New Species and Their Phylogenetic Implications (Diptera: Rhinophoridae)

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Rhinophoridae is a family of oestroid flies which was once considered of strictly Palaearctic distribution. This presupposition has been increasingly contradicted in recent years with the discovery and description of many non-Palaearctic rhinophorid species. In this context, the present research article aims to describe three additional species, namely Aporeomyia elaphocera sp. nov., Baniassa pennata sp. nov. and Phyto mambilla sp. nov., from the Oriental and Afrotropical regions. Their genus-level affiliation is supported by a morphology-based phylogeny and these species are described and illustrated, and a comparison with congeners as well as two identification keys are provided. The phylogeny resulting from the addition of these three new species fits well with previous results but retrieves a paraphyletic Phyto Robineau-Desvoidy. Notwithstanding this, the authors were taxonomically conservative, avoiding the erection of a new genus for a single species as well as the lumping of three different genera into a single one: the evidence for doing either of such actions is considered premature and more data are needed. ABSTRACT: Three new species of Rhinophoridae (Aporeomyia elaphocera sp. nov., Baniassa pennata sp. nov. from the Oriental Region, and Phyto mambilla sp. nov. from the Afrotropical Region) are described, illustrated and compared with congeners. Genus-level affiliation of the new species is based on a morphology-based phylogeny, preliminarily accepting a paraphyletic Phyto Robineau-Desvoidy awaiting incorporation of molecular data. Keys to the species of the genus Aporeomyia Pape & Shima as well as to the Afrotropical species of the genus Phyto Robineau-Desvoidy are given.