Genus Cryptocladocera Bezzi, 1923

Cryptocladocera Bezzi, 1923: 653. Type species: Cryptocladocera prodigiosa Bezzi, 1923 (by original designation). References: Townsend (1927: 235, key to South American “muscoids”); Townsend (1936: 168, key to Frontinini genera); Townsend (1940: 319–320, generic diagnosis); Curran (1934: 443, key to genera of North American Diptera); Arnaud (1963: 5–20, revision of Neominthoini genera, Cryptocladocera included in key to Neominthoini genera; description of new species); Guimarães (1971: 155, catalog); Tschorsnig (1985: 74, description of male terminalia of Neominthoini); O’Hara & Henderson (2018: 22, world checklist of tachinid genera); O’Hara et al. (2019: 286, list).

Diagnosis. [Modified from Bezzi (1923) and Arnaud (1963).] Frons broad, with a row of strong bristles directed forward, with three bristles slightly below arista insertion. Fronto-orbital plate setulose with two rows of rather strong but short setulae. Ocellar setae long, weak and divergent. Facial ridge completely ciliate, with 10–13 setulae. Parafacialia bare. Eye with scattered short hairs. Antennae inserted considerably above middle of eye; postpedicel with central stem very thin and bearing 12–16 branches on each side, some of which bifid at the end and all finely pubescent; in lateral view only the extreme tips of the outer branches visible beyond margin of facial cavity. Arista micro-pubescent, arising at base of stem. Thorax with 3 postpronotal setae, two basal and one anterior. Postalar setae 2. Proepisternal seta 1. Katepisternal setae 3. Anepisternal setae 5–6. Anepimeral seta 1, accompanied by a small tuft of setulae. Prosternum with setae along margins. Wing with small costal spine. Vein M 1 ending at wing margin, at the end of vein C. Bend of vein M rounded. Cell r 4+5 open, length of opening shorter than crossvein r-m. Base of vein R 4+5 with one or two dorsal and ventral setulae. Abdomen cylindro-conical. Syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3 with one lateral marginal seta and a pair of median marginal setae. Tergites 4 and 5 with a row of marginal setae; without discal setae. Sternites covered by tergites.

Updated key to males of Cryptocladocera species

[modified from Arnaud (1963)]

1 Femora yellowish with only distal third blackish; postpedicellar branches short, not forming a channel-shaped concavity; fronto-orbital plate with gray pruinosity.................................................... C. arnaudi sp. nov.

- Legs entirely dark brown to blackish; postpedicellar branches long and upcurved, forming a channel-shaped concavity; frontoorbital plate with yellowish to lightly golden pruinosity....................................................... 2

2 Apical portion of distiphallus broad in lateral view, as wide as half its length [see Arnaud (1963: 14, figs. 9–10)]................................................................................................ C. pichilinguensis

- Apical portion of distiphallus narrower in lateral view, less wide than half of its length [see Arnaud (1963: 14, figs 7–8, 11–12)]................................................................................... C. prodigiosa