Phylogeny, evolution and male terminalia functionality of Sarcophaginae (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

The first comprehensive genus-level phylogeny of the subfamily Sarcophaginae is presented. A morphology-based phylogenetic analysis using parsimony is performed with 141 terminal taxa representing all 50 nominal genera of Sarcophaginae. In total, 222 morphological characters are coded, 150 of which are from the male terminalia. The homology of relevant male terminalia structures is assessed for the first time across the entire subfamily. Of 38 polyspecific genera represented by more than one species, the monophyly of 33 genera was recovered. This cladistic study found the genera Lepidodexia, Retrocitomyia, Sarcodexiopsis and Titanogrypa to be non-monophyletic as currently defined. Of nine monospecific genera, Mecynocorpus changes its status from monospecific to polyspecific with the discovery of a new species, Promayoa also becomes polyspecific with the transfer of one Titanogrypa species and the remaining seven monospecific genera remain as such. Support was obtained for treating Sarcodexia as a subgenus of Peckia, and for treating Helicobia and Lipoptilocnema as valid genera rather than subgenera of Sarcophaga, and Halliosca as a valid genus rather than a subgenus of Lepidodexia. Morphological synapomorphies are discussed for all genera, including reviewed character interpretations of previous authors. We are here presenting a much more unifying interpretation of the Sarcophaginae acrophallus. New insights into the functional aspects of the sarcophagine phallus are presented. Our phylogeny shows the early lineages in Sarcophaginae as being mostly dung breeding, while lineages emerging later have more diverse life habits, including necrophagy and parasitism. Based on our phylogeny, 46 genera are recognized. The following nominal genus-group taxa are synonymized, with the junior synonym receiving a new status as subgenus under its respective senior synonym: under genus Dexosarcophaga Townsend, 1917 is subgenus Cistudinomyia Townsend, 1917, syn. nov. & stat. nov.; under Lepidodexia Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1891 is subgenus Archimimus Reinhard 1952, syn. nov. & stat. nov.; under Malacophagomyia Lopes, 1966 is subgenus Dodgeisca Rohdendorf, 1971, syn. nov. & stat. nov.; under Sarcofahrtiopsis Hall, 1933 is subgenus Pacatuba Lopes, 1975, syn. nov. & stat. nov.; and under Udamopyga Hall, 1938 is subgenus Carinoclypeus Dodge, 1965, syn. nov. & stat. nov. One nominal taxon is raised from subgenus to valid genus: Halliosca Lopes, 1975, stat. nov. (from Lepidodexia Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1891). A morphological circumscription is provided for all the genera of Sarcophaginae.