Apterachalcus

Apterachalcus is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It has only one described species, Apterachalcus borboroides, known from New Zealand. It was originally described by Harold Oldroyd in 1955, who placed the species in Acropsilus. However, Daniel J. Bickel determined that the species did not belong to Acropsilus, and created a new genus for it in 1991.[1]

Apterachalcus
Apterachalcus borboroides, male (body length about 1.2 mm)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Dolichopodidae
Subfamily:	Achalcinae
Genus:	Apterachalcus Bickel, 1992[1]
Species:	A. borboroides
Binomial name
Apterachalcus borboroides (Oldroyd, 1955)
Synonyms
Acropsilus borboroides Oldroyd, 1955

It is wingless and somewhat laterally compressed, giving it a somewhat flea-like appearance. It has been found in the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island in the New Zealand subantarctic. This or closely related undescribed species have also been found at high altitude above the Paparoa Range and Stewart Island.[1][2]

The generic name is derived from the stem apter- of apteros (Greek for "wingless") and Achalcus, the name of a closely related genus.[1]

References

1. Bickel, D. J. (1991). "Sciapodinae, Medeterinae (Insecta: Diptera) with a generic review of the Dolichopodidae" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand (published 13 Jan 1992). 23: 1–74. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
2. Oldroyd, H. (1955). "The Diptera of Auckland and Campbell Islands. Part 4.] A wingless dolichopodid (Diptera) from Campbell Island". Records of the Dominion Museum. 2 (4): 243–246. ISSN 0373-7233. Retrieved 31 December 2015.