Atlatlia
Atlatlia is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It was originally established for two species found in eucalypt forests in Australia, and was later expanded to include a third Australian species, three species from New Caledonia, and a number of extinct species found in Baltic and Bitterfeld amber from the Paleogene. The appearance of Atlatlia in Baltic/Bitterfeld amber suggests that the genus once had a much wider distribution. In males of the Atlatlia grisea species group, the seventh segment of the abdomen is extremely elongated, forming a hypopygial peduncle. The name of the genus is derived from atlatl, the Nahuatl word for "spear-thrower", in reference to the male preabdomen which appears to act as an atlatl for the hypopygial peduncle.
Species
The genus includes fifteen species, which are divided into two species groups:Atlatlia grisea group:Atlatlia acra Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – New CaledoniaAtlatlia argenticoxa Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – New CaledoniaAtlatlia cowanae Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – New CaledoniaAtlatlia flaviseta Bickel, 1986 – Australia Atlatlia grisea Bickel, 1986 – Australia Atlatlia isolata Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – Australia Atlatlia corynoura Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – Baltic amber, Eocene/OligoceneAtlatlia electrica Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – Baltic amber and Bitterfeld amber, Eocene/OligoceneAtlatlia licina Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – Baltic amber, Eocene/Oligocene
Atlatlia ulrichi group:Atlatlia angulicauda Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – Baltic amber, Eocene/OligoceneAtlatlia cryptica Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – Baltic amber, Eocene/OligoceneAtlatlia penicillata Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – Baltic amber, Eocene/OligoceneAtlatlia ramosa Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – Baltic amber, Eocene/OligoceneAtlatlia tonsa Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – Baltic amber, Eocene/OligoceneAtlatlia ulrichi Bickel in Bickel & Martin, 2025 – Baltic amber and Bitterfeld amber, Eocene/Oligocene