Asyndetus

Loew, 1869

Asyndetus is a large of in the , containing over 100 described with worldwide distribution. The genus was established by Loew in 1869. Species occur across diverse biogeographic regions including the West Indies, the Palaearctic, and Scandinavia. Several species have been subject to taxonomic revision, with numerous synonymizations and transfers to other genera.

Asyndetus by (c) Francisco Farriols Sarabia, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Francisco Farriols Sarabia. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Asyndetus: /æsɪnˈdɛtəs/

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Identification

Identification of Asyndetus relies on male genitalic characters and secondary sexual features. Diagnostic characters include details of the , which in some species are partly sclerotized and -like—a rare condition in . Other features include the structure of abdominal 5 (some Palaearctic species bear two of long black bristles), patterns such as the condition of M1+2 and presence of vein dm-m, and number. Species-level identification requires examination of and reference to published keys.

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Habitat

associations are poorly documented at the level. One , Asyndetus longicornis, has been recorded from mangrove habitats in Iran. Many species appear to occupy coastal and insular environments, as evidenced by concentration of species in the West Indies and other island systems.

Distribution

distribution with records from the West Indies (Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, Bahamas), the Palaearctic Region including Iran and neighbouring countries, and Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden). The shows particular diversity on Caribbean islands.

Similar Taxa

CryptophlepsThree formerly placed in Asyndetus (A. izius, A. minutus, A. vividus) were transferred to Cryptophleps based on revised generic concepts, indicating close morphological similarity requiring careful examination of diagnostic characters.

More Details

Taxonomic history

The has undergone extensive revision. Notable synonymizations include the consolidation of multiple (A. deficiens, A. dominicensis, A. exiguus, A. currani) under A. fratellus in the West Indies. Previous reports of A. syntormoides from the West Indies have been determined to be erroneous. A preoccupied species name (A. tibialis De Meijere, 1916) was renamed to A. semarangensis.