A Review of the Genus Juriniopsis Townsend (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Problems of identification and the characters of the male genitalia are reviewed, with a key to the seven species. Lectotypes are designated for Juriniopsis adusta (Wulp), its synonym J. myrrhea (Brauer and Bergenstamm), and Parafabricia nitidula (Wulp), the last a new generic reference that clarifies a badly mixed series which involved Juriniopsis in part. The genus Juriniopsis consists of large, heavily-spined tachinids of typically dejeaniine habitus. It may or may not survive as a distinct taxon when the generic classification is studied on a broad basis, but it is at least a closely knit species group. Townsend (1916) proposed Juriniopsis for a new species, J. fioridensis. Curran (1960) reviewed the genus and recognized five species, including two new species from Cuba and Peru. However, his key did not include adusta (Wulp, 1888), mnyrrhea (Brauer and Bergenstamm 1889), and lampuris Reinhard, 1953, and only the first of these is mentioned. In the Catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico, Sabrosky and Arnaud (1965) listed adusta as apparently not n. of Mexico, and floridensis as the species in eastern United States (Mo. to Mass., s. to Tex. and Fla.). J. myrrhea was recognized as an available name in Juriniopsis, but it was not further identified though the authors questioned that it might be a senior synonym of floridensis. Subsequently, I recognized that Florida specimens were narrowly but consistently different from specimens collected elsewhere in the eastern United States, and I suspected that myrrhea, described from Pennsylvania, would apply to that eastern population. Through the kindness of A. Kaltenbach of the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna, I was able to borrow the type of myrrhea and to confirm its identity. A revised key that would reflect these conclusions seemed appropriate, but this project involved the correct recognition of species described from Mexico. Through the good offices of R. W. Crosskey, I was able to study representatives of the type series of van der Wulp species and the male genitalia of Tachina basalis (Walker 1849) from the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). To both these colleagues, I express my sincere appreciation.