Aulacigaster mcalpinei

Aulacigaster mcalpinei can be distinguished from congeners by the specific combination of morphological characters described in the original description by Mathis and Freidberg (1994), including details of the male terminalia. The species name honors entomologist David K. McAlpine. Identification to species level requires examination of genitalic structures and comparison with type specimens.

Species in the genus Aulacigaster are associated with sap flows on wounded or damaged trees, particularly in forested environments. The specific microhabitat preferences of A. mcalpinei have not been documented separately from congeners.

The type locality and precise distribution of Aulacigaster mcalpinei have not been published in widely accessible sources. The genus Aulacigaster has a primarily Holarctic distribution with some species in other regions.

Members of Aulacigastridae function as decomposers in forest ecosystems, utilizing fermenting tree sap as a larval resource. Their specific ecological contributions have not been quantified.

• Aulacigaster leucopezaAnother species in the same genus; differentiation requires examination of male terminalia and specific thoracic and abdominal coloration patterns described in taxonomic revisions.
• Other Aulacigaster speciesCongeners share similar adult morphology and sap-feeding ecology; species-level identification relies on subtle differences in genitalic structures and chaetotaxy.

• Diptera
• Aulacigastridae
• sap flies
• acalyptrate
• forest insects

• BugGuide
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life