Cyphomyia mexicana sp. nov., a new species of soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) in Mexican amber

A new soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) in Mexican amber is described as Cyphomyia mexicana sp. nov. Diagnostic features of the new fossil include a tapering antennal flagellum, with the last three flagellomeres nearly cylindrical in shape, the terminal flagellomere appearing as an arista-like style, the presence of three transverse light bands fused on the posterior portion of the scutum, and the scutellum entirely covered by short and appressed setae. While the new fossil species has the typical wing venation and body shape found in extant Neotropical species of Cyphomyia, the body, wing colour and setal pattern on the thorax and abdomen resembles that of a group of species containing C. wiedemanni Gerstaecker, 1857. The fossil cannot be assigned to any extant or extinct species of Cyphomyia, due to its unique antennae. This is the first fossil species of Cyphomyia in amber and the fourth fossil species of Stratiomyidae from Mexican amber. Cyphomyia rohweri, the only other fossil species assigned to the genus, is more similar to undescribed stratiomyids from Florissan beds, which are not Cyphomyia, so, in this paper, we place C. rohweri as incertae sedis in the Clitellariinae.