The position of the Azeliinae in the Muscidae (Diptera) based on musculature of the male terminalia.

The male genital and pregenital skeleton and musculature were studied in males of the following species of the Muscidae subfamily Azeliinae: (Huckett, 1965), Sorokina & Pont, 2015, (Holmgren, 1883), (Zetterstedt, 1838), (Zetterstedt, 1838), (Fabricius, 1805), (Fallén, 1817), and (Harris, 1780). Descriptions and figures of the genital sclerites and muscles of and are given. A comparison was made between the genital segments and muscles of previously studied species of Mydaeinae and Muscinae and those of the Azeliinae. Based on the structure of the skeleton and muscles of syntergosternite VII + VIII and the phallapodeme muscles, significant differences were found between the subfamily Azeliinae and the subfamilies Mydaeinae and Muscinae. The basal position of the Azeliinae within the family Muscidae was confirmed. A comparison of the genital segments and muscles of the Muscidae with those of the Scathophagidae ( (Linnaeus, 1758)) and Anthomyiidae ( (Meigen, 1826)) was made. Tendencies in reduction of the pregenital segments and musculature, as well as of the phallapodeme muscles in the evolution of the Muscoidea have been revealed. The complete set of phallapodeme muscles in the Scathophagidae and Anthomyiidae corresponds to the basal state, and therefore the structure of the genital sclerites and muscles in the Muscidae shows a certain degree of reduction. The progressive changes in the Muscidae from the Azeliinae through the Mydaeinae to the Muscinae were traced.