Morphological phylogeny of the variable fly family Stratiomyidae (Insecta, Diptera)

Stratiomyidae is a dipteran family distributed worldwide and containing 2800 species classified into 12 subfamilies. Previous phylogenetic work on the Stratiomyidae consisted of a 20-character morphological analysis of the subfamilies [World Catalog of the Stratiomyidae (Insect: Diptera). Leiden: Backhuys Publishers, 2001], and a molecular study using 69 taxa and two gene regions [Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 43, 2007, 660]. In this study, we present an expanded morphological cladistic analysis using 92 characters and 80 taxa, representing 36 of 39 described genera and all 12 Stratiomyidae subfamilies, as well as Xylomyidae and Pantophthalmidae outgroups. Data are analysed under maximum parsimony with all characters unordered and weighted equally; nodal support is assessed with the bootstrap and Bremer index. The strict consensus of all shortest trees is well resolved, and many of the deeper nodes are supported, although the root is ambiguous. Antissinae, Stratiomyinae, Sarginae and the diverse Clitellariinae are not monophyletic. Clitellariinae are positioned across several lineages, with most species grouped into a single, unsupported clade. Many of the well-supported relationships are consistent with several aspects of the previous studies. The position of Exodontha remains elusive. Character support for subfamilies and other major clades is discussed.