Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 78 (3): 519-588, 2005
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Review and phylogeny of the genus Tillobroma Hull with the description of ten
new species and its relation with the genus Hypenetes Loew (Diptera, Asilidae, Stenopogoninae)
This paper examines the status and geographic distribution of the genera
Hypenetes Loew and Tillobroma Hull; the status of the latter was shifted to generic level by Artigas &
Papavero 1991. The genus Clavator Philippi, which is preoccupied, becomes synonymous to Tillobroma Hull,
this has been proposed by Artigas & Papavero (1991), and is confirmed here. Hypenetes and
Tillobroma have a possible common Gondwanan origin of approximately 180 millions years ago. Even though
the external characters barely allow separation between the two genera, the obvious differences in spermathecae
structures permit the inference of other internal differences and reinforce the independent status of the genera. This
conclusion is also supported by 180 million years of interrupted genetic drift and the 8,500 km distance between the
populations. A key to separate the species of Tillobrama is provided. Of a total of 21 species, ten are new
for science: aconcaguana, angulata, fucosoides, huasquina,
leucoptera, leucotrica, nahuelbutae, purpurea, spinipes and
tregualemuensis. The species belonging to this genus are distributed in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay,
Peru and especially Chile (where 19 of 21 are found). A phylogenetic study for the species in the genus was performed.
Two South African species, Hypenetes grisescens Engel and Hypenetes stigmatias Loew, were used as
external group. The software used was NONA 2.0 (heuristic search). The tree of strict consensus separated the out group
by nine synapomorphies from the species H. stigmatias with four autopomorphies.
Key words:
taxonomy, Asilidae,
Tillobroma, Hypenetes, new species, morphology
