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The abdominal and pregenital segments and genitalia were studied in males of Zaphne barbiventris (Zetterstedt, 1845) and Delia fabricii (Holmgren, 1872) (Anthomyiidae). The examined species are very similar in the structure of the sclerites and muscles of their terminal segments. Differences between Delia Robineau‐Desvoidy, 1830 and Zaphne Robineau‐Desvoidy, 1830 were found only in the structure of the pregenital segments and their muscles. Delia has well‐developed and well‐identified tergite VI, while tergite VI of Zaphne is fused in syntergosternite VI + VII + VIII as indicated by the insertion of muscles of ITM 5 running from tergite V. Within members of the muscoid grade, the skeleton and musculature of male terminalia of the Anthomyiidae were similar to that in the subfamily Azeliinae of the Muscidae and the Scathophagidae. The complete set of phallapodeme muscles, as well as the complete set of muscles of the pregenital sclerites and the position of cercal muscles M 26, has shown that the Anthomyiidae have more plesiomorphic character states than other members of the muscoid grade. Descriptions and figures of the terminal sclerites and muscles of Zaphne barbiventris are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthomyiidae is a family of flies distributed worldwide comprising approximately 2,000 species, which, based on molecular analyses, belong to the Muscoidea grade. The phylogenetic data for this family are limited and the Neotropical lineages have never been studied at the molecular level. Herein, we present the first phylogenetic analyses of Anthomyiidae including Neotropical taxa. The resulting phylogenetic trees – inferred using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian criteria and based on two nuclear and three mitochondrial genes and 56 terminals, including 13 Neotropical anthomyiid species – confirmed Anthomyiidae as a monophyletic lineage and sister group of Scathophagidae, which is also monophyletic. The clade Coenosopsia + Phaonantho was not recovered as a sister group of the remaining anthomyiids, as previously indicated by the results of morphological analyses. These and other generic relationships are discussed in the light of morphological data from previous studies. The divergence time estimation suggested that after a split from the Oestroidea clade approximately 51.7 Ma, the radiation of Anthomyiidae + Scathophagidae began during the Eocene, with the oldest common ancestor of both families living approximately 40.5 Ma and with the oldest anthomyiid ancestor living approximately 36.8 Ma. The split of the clade Coenosopsia + Phaonantho was dated to the Oligocene (c. 23 Ma). These results provide new insights into the timing and rate of anthomyiid and scathophagid fly evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The male genital and pregenital skeleton and musculature were studied in males of the following species of the Muscidae subfamily Azeliinae: Drymeia firthiana (Huckett, 1965), Drymeia longiseta Sorokina & Pont, 2015, Drymeia segnis (Holmgren, 1883), Thricops nigritellus (Zetterstedt, 1838), Thricops hirtulus (Zetterstedt, 1838), Hydrotaea dentipes (Fabricius, 1805), Muscina stabulans (Fallén, 1817), and Muscina levida (Harris, 1780). Descriptions and figures of the genital sclerites and muscles of D. firthiana and M. stabulans 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 (Scathophaga stercoraria (Linnaeus, 1758)) and Anthomyiidae (Delia platura (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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Spiny pollen has evolved independently in multiple entomophilous lineages. Sexual selection may act on exine traits that facilitate male mating success by influencing the transfer of pollen from the anther to the body of the pollinator, while natural selection acts to increase pollen survival. We postulated that relative to sexual congeners, apomictic dandelions undergo relaxed selection on traits associated with male mating success. Methods: We explored sexual selection on exine traits by measuring the propensity for Taraxacum spp. pollen to attach to hairs of flower‐visiting bumblebees (Bombus spp.) or flies (Diptera: Syrphidae and Muscoidea) and assessed natural selection by testing whether pollen traits defend against consumption. Results: Pollen picked up by bumblebees exhibited a narrower subset of spine‐spacing phenotypes, consistent with stabilizing selection. Flies picked up larger pollen from flowers than expected at random. Surveys of corbiculae (pollen basket) contents from foraging bumblebees and feces of flies showed that pollen grains consumed by both kinds of visitors are similar in spine characteristics and size to those produced by the donor. When bees visit inflorescences of apomictic T. officinale, they pick up pollen with spine‐spacing phenotypes above the mean and shifted toward those of sexual T. ceratophorum. Conclusions: We demonstrate that traits under sexual selection during pollen pickup vary among pollinators, while natural selection for pollen defense is nil in T. ceratophorum. In hybrid zones between apomictic and sexual dandelions, pollen traits place apomictic donors at a dispersal disadvantage, potentially reinforcing reproductive isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five new species of Mydaea are described from China, namely M. adhesipeda Xue, sp. nov., M. combiniseriata Xue, sp. nov., M. qingyuanensis Xue, sp. nov., M. quinquiseta Xue, sp. nov., M. wusuensis Xue, sp. nov., and an addendum to the key of the Mydaea in China is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is some literature published on insect visitation to open pollinated carrot seed crops in several regions around the world, there is none in Australasia and none on insect visitation to hybrid carrot seed crops worldwide. With a growing hybrid carrot seed crop industry in southern Australia and New Zealand, a survey of insect visitation to carrot seed crops is timely as the first step in elucidating which insects may be pollinators. Surveys of insect visitation were thus undertaken over two consecutive seasons in the south of Tasmania in order to identify potential pollinators in carrot seed crops. Sticky traps, water traps and observations were conducted within five carrot crops at three geographically independent sites to determine the variety and quantity of insects present in carrot crops. Nearly 42,000 insects were counted from observations, sticky traps and water traps. More than 100 morphological groupings were discerned. Small insects (<5 mm), most of which were thrips, made up 78% of the catch on sticky traps. Among the insects observed visiting umbels, nectar scarabs (Phyllotocus spp.) were the most abundant taxa but honey bees (Apis mellifera), muscoid flies and ladybirds were more often observed but at lower numbers. Nectar scarabs, soldier beetles and muscoid flies warrant further investigation of their role as pollinators of carrot flowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genomic analysis of the kelp fly Fucellia costalis (Family Anthomyiidae) from Asilomar beach, Pacific Grove, California, resulted in the assembly of its complete mitogenome. The mitogenome is 16,175 bp in length, A + T biased (78.1%), contains 37 genes, a large 1356 bp control region, and has a high-level of gene synteny to other Muscoidea. Phylogenetic analysis of F. costalis fully resolves it in a clade with two members of the Anthomyiidae, Delia platura (8.2% pairwise genetic distance) and D. antiqua (9.2% distance), in a sister position to Scathophaga stercoraria (7.8% distance) from the Scathophagidae. The phylogenetic position and genetic distances of F. costalis support the continued recognition of the subfamily Fucellinae. This identification and data extends the distributional range of F. costalis northward from California to Vancouver Island, Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genomes ofMusca domestica(Muscidae) andScathophaga stercoraria(Scathophagidae) are circular molecules of 16,108 bp and 16,223 bp in length, respectively. The first complete mitochondrial genome of Scathophagidae is reported here. Both genomes contain all 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and a large control region, with conserved arrangement pattern reported in all cyclorrhaphan flies. All PCGs start with standard ATN codons except for theCO1which starts with TCG in both species. All PCGs terminate with the common stop codons TAA or TAG, except for theCO2andND5in both species andND4inS. stercorariawhich end with a single T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]