Musculature of the male abdominal segments and terminalia of Tachina nupta Rondani (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Abstract

The abdominal and pregenital segments and genitalia were studied in males of Tachina nupta Rondani, 1859. The examined species is very similar in the structure of the sclerites and muscles of their terminal segments to Calliphora erythrocephala Meigen, 1826 previously studied by R. Salzer. Despite the same set of pregenital muscles, a completely membranous tergite VI was found in Tachina in contrast to Calliphora. The discovery of membranous tergite VI in Tachina nupta indicates that it was not included in the syntergosternite VII +VIII. The membranous tergite VI, as well as the reduced set of muscles of the phallapodeme (absence of muscles of postgonites) in Tachina compared with Calliphora, indicates the result of apomorphic reduction in Tachina. Descriptions and figures of the genital sclerites and muscles of Tachina nupta are given.