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Records of 19 species of the dipteran families Bombyliidae (1 species), Mythicomyiidae (1 species), Therevidae (2 species), Empididae (3 species), Hybotidae (1 species), Dolichopodidae (8 species) and Syrphidae (3 species) from glacial sand deposits in the Czech Silesia (NE Czech Republic) are presented and their association with sandy habitats discussed. All of them are recorded from the Czech Silesia for the first time, 13 are new additions to the fauna of Moravia of which 9 are also new for the whole of the Czech Republic. Dialineura anilis (Linnaeus, 1761) (Therevidae) and Schistostoma truncatum (Loew, 1864) (Dolichopodidae) are classified as psammobiont, 6 species as psammophilous, viz. Exhyalanthrax afer (Fabricius, 1794) (Bombyliidae), Cliorismia rustica (Panzer, 1804) (Therevidae), Cryptophlebs kerteszi Lichtwardt, 1898, Melanostolus melancholicus (Loew, 1869) (both Dolichopodidae) and Paragus constrictus Šimić, 1986 and Pelecocera tricincta Meigen, 1822 (Syrphidae), and 3 species as probably psammophilous, viz. Medetera annulitarsus von Roser, 1840, M. grunini Negrobov, 1966 and Sciapus basilicus Meuffels & Grootaert, 1990 (all Dolichopodidae). Medetera grunini is recorded for the first time from Europe and represents a new westernmost limit of its distribution range in the Palaearctic. New southernmost records of Rhamphomyia murina Collin, 1926 (Empididae) and Drapetis monsmargila Grootaert, Beuk & Shamshev, 2020 (Hybotidae) are also given.

The daggerfly, Tachypeza yinyang Papp & Földváry, 2002, originally described from Hungary is recorded for the first time in Croatia. Additional notes on its description and illustrations of habitus and male terminalia are provided.

A lectotype (male) and paralectotypes (male, female) of Pneumia vittata (Tonnoir, 1919) comb. nov. (= Pericoma crispi Freeman, 1953 syn. nov.) from Belgium are designated. The species is redescribed and illustrated, and a differential diagnosis is given. The former designation of a holotype, paratypes and paratypoids by Jung is invalid because it was not published. In addition, a problem with Tonnoiriella obtusa (Tonnoir, 1919) comb. nov. (= Tonnoiriella anchoriformis Salamanna, 1975 syn. nov.) from Belgium is resolved. A female specimen is designated as a lectotype, but only the dissected wings from this specimen are in condition suitable for redescription. There is additional non-type material collected later by Tonnoir; this material, including 3 females and 1 male, was the basis for redescription, illustrations and differential diagnosis. The unpublished male lectotype designated by Jung is invalid. Two species are added to the last checklist of Psychodidae from Belgium, raising the total number to 94.

Platypalpus pilifer Grootaert et van der Weele, sp. n. is described from the Caucasus region in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia. The species belongs to the Platypalpus pallidiventris-cursitans group and is characterised by very long ventral bristles on the spindle-shaped dilated fore tibia in the male. Mid femur in both male and female has a ventral black stripe over the entirely length. An extended diagnosis of the related species Platypalpus infectus (Collin, 1926) is given with new illustrations of the male terminalia. It lacks long bristles on the fore tibia. The left epandrial lamella bears a lobe at the right side facing the left cercus and a long lobe at the left side. These distinct lobes are lacking in the new species. In addition numerous spinules are present on the right surstylus in P. infectus lacking in the new species.

All known records of aquatic dance flies (Empididae, Clinocerinae: 21 species; Hemerodromiinae: eight species) from the island of Corsica (France) are summarized, including previously unpublished data and data on the newly described species Chelipoda puschae Ivković, Perović & Grootaert, sp. nov. This species was collected during the “La Planète Revisitée Corsica 2019” survey and represents the first description of a new species in the genus Chelipoda from the European–Mediterranean region in more than 180 years. A key to European species of Chelipoda is provided. Including the new species, five species are recorded from Corsica for the first time: Dolichocephala malickyi Wagner, 1995, Dolichocephala oblongoguttata (Dale, 1878), Dolichocephala ocellata (Costa, 1854), Chelifera subangusta Collin, 1961, and Hemerodromia unilineata Zetterstedt, 1842. The new species is described and illustrated, and new records of aquatic dance flies from Corsica are given, with new data on 17 species in eight different genera. At present, 29 species of aquatic dance flies are known from Corsica, with 10 species endemic to the island.

Phylogenetic inference, based on five molecular markers (COI, 28S, AATS, 12S, PGD), corroborates the synonymy of the flightless genera Pieltainia Arias, 1919 and Ariasella Gil, 1923 with Tachydromia Meigen, 1803. The secondary structure of the 28S rRNA gene is used for the first time in this family to align the multiple sequences. Molecular and morphological data are largely congruent for all known species of flightless Tachydromia. This paper treats ten western Mediterranean species (nine Iberian and one Italian) in detail, including the description of four new species: T. ebejeri Gonçalves, Grootaert & Andrade sp. nov., T. stenoptera Gonçalves, Grootaert & Andrade sp. nov., T. cantabrica Gonçalves, Grootaert & Andrade sp. nov. and T. nigrohirta Gonçalves, Grootaert & Andrade sp. nov. The male of Tachydromia pieltaini (Gil Collado, 1936) and the female of Tachydromia apterygon Plant & Deeming, 2006 are described for the first time, while a lectotype is assigned to Tachydromia pandellei (Séguy, 1941). A key to all non-macropterous Tachydromia is supplied. Knowledge on the geographic distribution of most species is considerably enhanced. The mating behaviour of Tachydromia semiaptera (Gil Collado, 1923) and Tachydromia iberica (Arias, 1919) is documented for the first time, and we propose a change in the definition of terms apterous and micropterous to properly accommodate the diversity of wing states in this cluster of species.

Background The world’s fast disappearing mangrove forests have low plant diversity and are often assumed to also have a species-poor insect fauna. We here compare the tropical arthropod fauna across a freshwater swamp and six different forest types (rain-, swamp, dry-coastal, urban, freshwater swamp, mangroves) based on 140,000 barcoded specimens belonging to ca. 8500 species. Results We find that the globally imperiled habitat “mangroves” is an overlooked hotspot for insect diversity. Our study reveals a species-rich mangrove insect fauna (>3000 species in Singapore alone) that is distinct (>50% of species are mangrove-specific) and has high species turnover across Southeast and East Asia. For most habitats, plant diversity is a good predictor of insect diversity, but mangroves are an exception and compensate for a comparatively low number of phytophagous and fungivorous insect species by supporting an unusually rich community of predators whose larvae feed in the productive mudflats. For the remaining tropical habitats, the insect communities have diversity patterns that are largely congruent across guilds. Conclusions The discovery of such a sizeable and distinct insect fauna in a globally threatened habitat underlines how little is known about global insect biodiversity. We here show how such knowledge gaps can be closed quickly with new cost-effective NGS barcoding techniques.

Platypalpus cylleneus sp. n. belonging to the subgroup of Platypalpus candicans and cursitans is described from Mt Killini in the Peloponnesus, Greece. A review and a key to the members of the subgroup, P. candicans (Fallen, 1815), P. cursitans (Fabricius, 1775), P. cylleneus sp. nov. and P. nigrimanus Strobl, 1880, is provided.

The daggerfly, Tachypeza yinyang Papp & Földváry, 2002, originally described from Hungary is recorded for the first time in Croatia. Additional notes on its description and illustrations of habitus and male terminalia are provided., Muha bodežica Tachypeza yinyang Papp & Földváry, 2002 koja je opisana iz Mađarske po prvi put je zabilježena u Hrvatskoj. Dodatni podaci o njenom opisu te crteži habitusa i genitalija mužjaka su također priloženi.

In the present paper the Oriental species of the genusLichtwardtiaEnderlein, 1912 are revised based on the type material of known species and new material from Singapore and Cambodia. A re-description and illustration of the holotype female ofLichtwardtiaziczac(Wiedemann, 1824) is given but since it has been described on the basis of a female only and its provenance India Orientalis is only a vague indication of its type locality, it is considered as a nomen dubium. All the species put as junior synonyms by Becker (1922) ofL.ziczacare re-established to their original status with diagnosis:Lichtwardtiapolychroma(Loew, 1864) andLichtwardtiaformosanaEnderlein, 1912. However,L.coxalisis now also considered as a nomen dubium since the original description is too short to distinguish it from other species and the holotype female is lost. In addition a re-description and illustrations ofL.hirsutiseta(de Meijere, 1916) are provided. Eight new species for science are described and illustrated:LichtwardtiacambodiensisTang & Grootaert,sp. n.(Cambodia),LichtwardtiaconspicabilisTang & Grootaert,sp. n.(Cambodia),LichtwardtiainfuscataTang & Grootaert,sp. n.(Cambodia),LichtwardtiamonstruosaTang & Grootaert,sp. n.(Cambodia),LichtwardtianodulataGrootaert & Tang,sp. n.(Singapore),LichtwardtiasemakauGrootaert & Tang,sp. n.(Singapore) andLichtwardtiasingaporensisGrootaert & Tang,sp. n.(Singapore).LichtwardtiazhangaeTang & Grootaert,sp. n.(Bali, Indonesia) is a new name for the species described by Zhang, Masunaga & Yang, 2009, asLichtwardtiaziczac(Wiedemann, 1824). There are only a few good diagnostic non-genitalic characters for the species, but the male terminalia are distinctive, from simple to very complicated and armed structures. A key is given to the species of the Oriental region. Barcodes are provided for the Singaporean species.AlthoughLichtwardtiais a common genus in Southeast Asia it is generally not abundant locally. It is often found in anthropogenic disturbed habitats only. Four species are recorded from Singapore while eight species are sympatric and very abundant at the locality of Siem Reap in Cambodia.

Phacaspis (Meuffels and Grootaert 1988) is a true marine dolichopodid fly genus. They are common on the mud flats in the front of mangroves where they deal with extreme conditions. The genus is represented in southern Thailand by Phacaspis mitis (Grootaert and Meuffels 2001) (Diptera: Dolichopodidae). Previous studies have focused on both taxonomy and classification of this genus, but there are a few studies focusing on this species in terms of molecular genetics. The objective of the present study was to investigate genetic variation and phylogenetic relationships of P. mitis using ribosomal DNA subunit 12S, ribosomal DNA subunit 16S, and cytochrome oxidase subunit I of mitochondrial genes. The specimens were collected in six coastal provinces from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. The phylogenetic relationship of combined mitochondrial genes revealed that P. mitis in peninsular Thailand is a monophyletic group that can be divided into two distinct clades. According to the haplotype network, 16 haplotype patterns were observed in P. mitis, but P. mitis was separated into two major haplotype networks. In addition, a positive correlation between genetic distance (FST) and geographical distance (km) was found among the populations of peninsular Thailand. The level of genetic differentiation between populations is influenced by geographic isolation. Moreover, P. mitis arose in late Eocene (35.5 Mya) and it diversified during the Plio-Pleistocene (3.14 Mya). Although, P. mitis is divided into two populations in this study, it is a well-supported monophyletic group.

Protomedeteragen. n.(Diptera: Dolichopodidae), a new genus of the subfamily Medeterinae, is described from the Oriental and Australasian realms based on four new species.ProtomedeterasingaporensisGrootaert & Tang,sp. n.is designated as type of the new genus. The genus is peculiar because of the small body size, the small globular first flagellomere (postpedicel), the simple male genitalia with indistinct or small epandrial lobe and half-hidden cercus. The following four new species are described and illustrated:P.biconvexasp. n.,P.bisetasp. n.,P.glabrasp. n., andP.singaporensissp. n.A key to the species of the new genus is provided.

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Empidoidea is one of the largest extant lineages of flies, but phylogenetic relationships among species of this group are poorly investigated and global diversity remains scarcely assessed. In this context, one of the most enigmatic empidoid families is Hybotidae. Within the framework of a pilot study, we barcoded 339 specimens of Old World hybotids belonging to 164 species and 22 genera (plus two Empis as outgroups) and attempted to evaluate whether patterns of intra- and interspecific divergences match the current taxonomy. We used a large sampling of diverse Hybotidae. The material came from the Palaearctic (Belgium, France, Portugal and Russian Caucasus), the Afrotropic (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and the Oriental realms (Singapore and Thailand). Thereby, we optimized lab protocols for barcoding hybotids. Although DNA barcodes generally well distinguished recognized taxa, the study also revealed a number of unexpected phenomena: e.g., undescribed taxa found within morphologically very similar or identical specimens, especially when geographic distance was large; some morphologically distinct species showed no genetic divergence; or different pattern of intraspecific divergence between populations or closely related species. Using COI sequences and simple neighbour-joining tree reconstructions, the monophyly of many species- and genus-level taxa was well supported, but more inclusive taxonomical levels did not receive significant bootstrap support. We conclude that in hybotids DNA barcoding might be well used to identify species, when two main constraints are considered. First, incomplete barcoding libraries hinder efficient (correct) identification. Therefore, extra efforts are needed to increase the representation of hybotids in these databases. Second, the spatial scale of sampling has to be taken into account, and especially for widespread species or species complexes with unclear taxonomy, an integrative approach has to be used to clarify species boundaries and identities.

International audience; The worldwide decline of pollinators is an emerging threat and is a matter both for ecological and economic concerns. Population genetics can be used to correlate bumblebee decline with genetic parameters. In order to do so, historical data are needed. We used eight microsatellite loci to genotype pinned museum specimens of the declining bumblebee Bombus veteranus. Bumblebee samples were collected spanning a period of three decades (1895–1923). We detected low genetic diversity and inbreeding in the samples collected during the respective time periods. Inbreeding was also confirmed by the occurrence of sterile diploid males. Based on the data obtained, we speculate that low genetic diversity and inbreeding did not directly result in the collapse of B. veteranus in Belgium. However, inbreeding might still play an indirect role in the decline of bumblebee populations because of the appearance of diploid males and because a low H E might reduce the capacity to react to the drivers of bumblebee decline.

First data on the genus Tachydromia Meigen from Australia are provided including descriptions of five new species: T. australiensis n.sp. (New South Wales), T. bickeli n.sp. (New South Wales), T. carnarvonensis n.sp. (Queensland), T. corticola n.sp. (New South Wales, Queensland), T. nowendociensis n.sp. (New South Wales). Hypothesized phylogenetic relationships of the new species (also T. papuana Grootaert known from Papua New Guinea) are briefly discussed. A key to Australasian Tachydromia is provided.

Two new species of the genus Tachydromia Meigen are described: T. freidbergi sp. n. (Ethiopia) and T. stuckenbergi sp. n. (Uganda). Re-descriptions of T. lilaniensis Smith, 1969 and T. petrabilis Smith, 1969, known from South Africa and Lesotho, are given. A key to Afrotropical Tachydromia is provided. Hypothesized phylogenetic relationships and the biogeography of Afrotropical species of Tachydromia are briefly discussed.

The number of colonies of red wood ants (Formica rufa group) in the north western part of Belgium has declined by more than half over the past 20 years. In the study area of 20 × 50 km there are currently only 36 colonies of two species of red wood ants (Formica rufa and F. polyctena). Both species form both monodomous and polydomous colonies. Monodomous F. rufa colonies occur in large areas of open woodland dominated by Pinus sylvestris. The other three types of red wood ant (F. rufa polydomous, F. polyctena mono- and polydomous) occur in clearings or along the margins of small areas of deciduous or mixed woodland. The extinction of red wood ants cannot be attributed to a loss of their main habitat. Their decline in abundance, however, appears to be due to the deterioration in their habitat caused by several factors. Shading by overgrowing shrubs and the closure of the tree canopy, nearby intensive agriculture, urbanisation and use of the forest for recreation are the more important factors threatening and ulti- mately leading to the extinction of colonies. At poor quality sites there are no or very few nests of Serviformica ants, which initially serve as host ants and are necessary for recolonization by red wood ants. Thus, it is unlikely that these sites will be recolonized. To conserve red wood ants and maintain populations there is an urgent need to undertake certain measures, especially in areas outside nature reserves. For this there is a need to create clearings in the woodland, reduce shading due to overgrowing shrubs and closure of the tree canopy, and mitigate the effects of intensive agriculture, urbanisation and recreation. It is important that the effects of these measures should be monitored.

The Dolichopodidae is a species-rich dipteran group with almost 7000 described species. The monophyly of the subfamilies and their relationships remain largely unknown because the polarities of key morphological characters are unclear and molecular data are available only for 9 of the 19 proposed subfamilies. Here we test whether molecular data from two nuclear (18S, 28S) and four mitochondrial (12S, 16S, Cytb, COI) genes can resolve the higher-level relationships within the family. Our study is based on 76 Oriental species from 12 dolichopodid subfamilies and uses eight species of Empididae and Hybotidae as outgroups. Parsimony and likelihood analyses confirm the monophyly of the Dolichopodidae, as well as the monophyly of five of the ten subfamilies represented by more than two species [Sympycninae, Sciapodinae, Dolichopodinae, Hydrophorinae (excluding tribe Aphrosylini), Neurigoninae]. There is strong support for restoring the tribe Aphrosylini as a separate subfamily Aphrosylinae. The monophyly of Medeterinae, Peloropeodinae and Diaphorinae is dependent on which tree reconstruction technique is used, how indels are coded, and whether the fast-evolving sites are excluded. Overall, we find that our sample of Oriental species is largely compatible with the subfamily concepts that were developed for the northern temperate fauna. However, our data provide little support for relationships between the subfamilies. Branch lengths, saturation, and distance plots suggest that this is probably the result of the rapid origin of dolichopodid subfamilies over a relatively short time. We find that genera that are difficult to place into subfamilies based on morphological characters are generally also difficult to place using molecular data. We predict that a dense, balanced taxon sample and protein-encoding nuclear genes will be needed to resolve the higher-level relationships in the Dolichopodidae.

Two new species, Hybos bilobatus sp. nov. and H. constrictus sp. nov., are described from Oriental China. Their relationships with the related species are discussed.

Two new species of Euhybus are described: Eubybus nanlingensis n. sp. and E. xui n. sp. A key to the species from the Oriental Region is given.

The following three species of the genus Syneches from Guangdong, South China are described as new to science: S. nanlingensis sp. n., S. sublatus sp. n. and S. xiaohuangshanensis sp. n. An updated key to the species of the genus from Guangdong is presented. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Two new species of Elaphropeza Macquart, 1827 are described from the northeast coast of Bali (Indonesia): Elaphropeza triseta sp. nov. belonging to the ephippiata-group and E. balinensis sp. nov. belonging to the biuncinata-group. A COI Neighbour-Joining tree is given for the Southeast Asian Elaphropeza species showing large genetic distances between the species. The morphological characterisation of the ephippiata-group and the biuncinata-group sensu Shamshev & Grootaert 2007 is confirmed.

A new species, Oedalea nanlingensis sp. n., is described from China. A key to the known species of the genus from Asia is presented.

Two species are described as new to science from Taiwan: Teuchophorus elongatus sp. n. and T. taiwanensis sp. n. Currently three Teuchophorus species are known from Taiwan. A key is given to help identify the Chinese species.

The first records on the genus Platypalpus Macquart from Thailand are presented including 10 species new to science: P. fai sp. nov., P. gaemluang sp. nov., P. hualuang sp. nov., P. isaanensis sp. nov., P. nuadkhao sp. nov., P. phomyaaw sp. nov., P. seedam sp. nov., P. seeluang sp. nov., P. siamensis sp. nov., and P. thaicus sp. nov.. A key to these species is provided. All species of Platypalpus known from the Oriental Region (totally 54) are arranged into the species groups currently established for the genus. Eight species groups are recognized from the Oriental Realm and the distribution of each group is briefly discussed. The P. albiseta‐group is most diverse in the Orient with 16 species recorded. Two species of this group possess a modified structure and vestiture of certain abdominal segments that is the first record of this phenomenon in Platypalpus. Also, within the P. albiseta‐group a complex of closely related species sharing an apomorphous condition of the hypoproct has been recognized. In th...

Six clades are inferred from a phylogenetic analysis including 42 species belonging to the Empis (Coptophlebia) hyalea-group. These clades are named as follows: E. (C.) acris, E. (C.) aspina, E. (C.) atratata, E. (C.) hyalea, E. (C.) jacobsoni and E. (C.) nahaeoensis. The presence of two dorsal more or less developed epandrial projections is considered autapomorphic for the E. (C.) hyalea-group in addition to two characters previously found to support the monophyly of this group (presence of an unsclerotized zone in the middle of labella and epandrium unpaired). Amongst the cladistically analysed species, 24 are newly described [E. (C.) acris, E. (C.) aspina, E. (C.) cameronensis, E. (C.) duplex, E. (C.) incurva, E. (C.) inferiseta, E. (C.) kuaensis, E. (C.) lachaisei, E. (C.) lamellalta, E. (C.) lata, E. (C.) loici, E. (C.) longiseta, E. (C.) mengyangensis, E. (C.) menglunensis, E. (C.) missai, E. (C.) nimbaensis, E. (C.) padangensis, E. (C.) parvula, E. (C.) projecta, E. (C.) pseudonahaeoensis, E. (C.) submetallica, E. (C.) urumae, E. (C.) vitisalutatoris and E. (C.) woitapensis], five are reviewed [E. (C.) hyalea Melander, E. (C.) jacobsoni De Meijere, E. (C.) ostentator Melander, E. (C.) sinensis Melander and E. (C.) thiasotes Melander] and 13 were recently described in two previous papers. Two additional species, E. (C.) abbrevinervis De Meijere and E. (C.) multipennata Melander, are also reviewed but not included in the cladistic analysis since they are only known from the female. A lectotype is designated for E. (C.) jacobsoni. A key is provided to the six clades of the E. (C.) hyalea-group as well as to species of each clade. A catalogue of the E. (C.) hyalea-group, including 72 species, is given. The taxonomic status of 25 additional species mainly described by Bezzi and Brunetti, from the Oriental and Australasian regions, is discussed. The E. (C.) hyalea-group is firstly recorded from the Palaearctic Region and Australia. Finally, the distribution and the habitats of the species compared with their phylogeny suggest a possible relationship between the diversification of the group and forest fragmentations during the Quaternary. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 145, 339–391.