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Bittacus rafaeli Machado & Ramos-Pastrana sp. nov. (Figs. 1–12) Diagnosis. Wings maculated, 1 costal crossvein, pterostigma elongated, forewing origin of Rs 1+2 much basal to the level of Sc end, hind wing with Rs 1+2 not forked. Head with frons and vertex light brown. Male epandrial lobe in dorsal view with the internal margins almost parallel at the base, followed by a large concavity; medial area of the concavity with a rounded lobe; apex curving inwards and ending in a rounded protuberance covered by long and robust black setae. Epandrial lobe in lateral view, shorter than basistylus. Description. Male holotype (Figs. 1–7): Body length 15.6 mm, forewing length 18.9 mm, hind wing length 15.6 mm. Head with frons and vertex light brown; ocellar triangle, gena, clypeus, and labrum dark brown (Fig. 2). Mouth parts light brown, except for the two basal palpomeres of the maxillary and labial palpi. Three distinctive ocelli, lateral ones slightly larger than median. Antennae long, filiform, covered with yellowish pubescence, light brown at the basal half, darkening in the distal half towards the apex. Number of flagellomeres 30 or more. Thorax (Fig. 3) dark brown with some lighter areas, particularly at the pleural region, pronotum, and medial area of the meso and metanotum, covered with yellowish pubescence. Legs (Fig. 1) With coxa and trochanter dark brown in all legs. Femur, tibia and tarsi of fore and mid legs mostly light brown, except for some dark areas on femur apex, tibia base and apex, and distal three tarsomeres. Hind leg slightly darker than anterior legs, particularly the femur and tarsi. Femur and tibia with sparse short black setae. Tibia with two long apical spurs; spurs dark brown and shorter than basitarsus. Fore and mid tarsi with tarsomere II longer than tarsomeres III‒V, basal tarsomere twice length of tarsomere II, tarsomere V prehensile. Hind tarsus dark brown, less than half the length of hind tibia; tarsomeres II–V about same length, basitarsus about twice as long as tarsomere II and slightly lighter than the others; tarsomere V prehensile. Wings (Fig. 4) Narrow with apex rounded. Membrane mostly hyaline but with many dark brown marks surrounding some of the transversal veins and major longitudinal bifurcations. Pterostigma dark brown, elongate; thyridium present. Forewing with one subapical costal crossvein; humeral crossvein present; Sc ending beyond first fork of Rs; Rs fork nearly forming a right angle; Rs 1+2 forking near the end of pterostigma; Rs 3+4 forking at level of M 1+2 and M 3+4; one pterostigmal crossvein; M origin basal to Rs origin; Cu 1 ending beyond the apex of Sc; A 1 ending near the level of Rs first fork. Hind wing similar to forewing, except Rs 1+2 not forked. Male abdominal tergites I‒VI brown to light brown medially and dark brown laterally, remaining tergites dark brown (Fig. 1). Sternites mostly light brown except distal sternites dark brown. Terminalia (Figs. 5–7) with epandrium light brown except dorsal margins black, covered with yellowish pubescence. In dorsal view epandrium with a basal medial lobe covered with small setae; epandrial lobe internal margins almost parallel at the base, followed by a large concavity; medial area of the concavity with a rounded lobe; apex curving inwards and ending in a rounded protuberance covered by long, robust black setae. Epandrial lobe in lateral view shorter than basistylus; straight ventrally, but in dorsal view with the posterior half expanded dorsally. Epandrial lobe in posterior view with ventral margin expanding inwards, and apex covered by long, robust black setae. Cercus about as long as sternite IX, dark brown, with yellowish setae. Basystilus in lateral view light brown ventrally and dark brown dorsally; with long yellowish setae; posterior margin with a small concavity at the dorsal half. Penisfilum broad at base, narrowed medially, tapering towards apex, curving backwards at medial region. Holotype male. COLOMBIA: Caquetá, El Doncello, Vda. [Vereda] Villa Rica, Fca.[Finca] La Gabela, 01º36′59″N / 75º09′55″W, 294 m [eters], 17.vii.2021, Captura manual en Theobroma cacao (Malvaceae), Y. Carreño (1♂, LEUA –00000035892). Holotype condition very good, with only the apical ventral margin of the right forewing missing. Female paratype (Figs. 8–10): Body length 17.2 mm, forewing length 19.2 mm, hind wing length 16.8 mm. Identical to the male holotype, except abdomen (Figs. 9–10) with basal segments brown, distal segments mostly dark brown, medial tergites lighter. Terminalia (Figs. 9–10) with cercus shorter than subanal plate and tergite XI in lateral view, dark brown, covered with yellow setae. Subanal plate and tergite XI dark brown, with short yellow setae. Gonocoxosternite dark brown, with yellowish setae, those in the posterior margin longer; gonocoxosternite not fused ventrally, in lateral view with a subapical membranous concavity. Paratype female. COLOMBIA: Caquetá, El Doncello, Vda.[Vereda] Maguaré, Fca.[Finca] Parcela No.[Número] 4, 01º38′40″N / 75º09′34″W, 287 m [eters], 17.vi.2021, Captura manual en dosel de Theobroma cacao, M. Bermúdez (1♀, LEUA –00000035891). In perfect condition. Type locality. Colombia: Caquetá: El Doncello (Fig. 11). Etymology. Named after the entomologist and friend Dr. José Albertino Rafael, for his valuable mentoring to the authors and his significant contribution to the development of Neotropical entomology. Habitat. The specimens were collected with forceps on a cocoa plantation (Theobroma cacao) in the Colombian Amazon foothills at the Departament of Caquetá (Fig. 12)., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Higinio, María Fernanda Bermúdez, Guevara, Yennifer Andrea Carreño & Ramos-Pastrana, Yardany, 2022, A new species of Bittacus Latreille (Mecoptera: Bittacidae) from the Andean-Amazonian foothills, Caquetá, Colombia, pp. 476-482 in Zootaxa 5209 (4) on pages 477-480, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5209.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/7333954

Bittacus rafaeli Machado & Ramos-Pastrana sp. nov. (Figs. 1–12) Diagnosis. Wings maculated, 1 costal crossvein, pterostigma elongated, forewing origin of Rs 1+2 much basal to the level of Sc end, hind wing with Rs 1+2 not forked. Head with frons and vertex light brown. Male epandrial lobe in dorsal view with the internal margins almost parallel at the base, followed by a large concavity; medial area of the concavity with a rounded lobe; apex curving inwards and ending in a rounded protuberance covered by long and robust black setae. Epandrial lobe in lateral view, shorter than basistylus. Description. Male holotype (Figs. 1–7): Body length 15.6 mm, forewing length 18.9 mm, hind wing length 15.6 mm. Head with frons and vertex light brown; ocellar triangle, gena, clypeus, and labrum dark brown (Fig. 2). Mouth parts light brown, except for the two basal palpomeres of the maxillary and labial palpi. Three distinctive ocelli, lateral ones slightly larger than median. Antennae long, filiform, covered with yellowish pubescence, light brown at the basal half, darkening in the distal half towards the apex. Number of flagellomeres 30 or more. Thorax (Fig. 3) dark brown with some lighter areas, particularly at the pleural region, pronotum, and medial area of the meso and metanotum, covered with yellowish pubescence. Legs (Fig. 1) With coxa and trochanter dark brown in all legs. Femur, tibia and tarsi of fore and mid legs mostly light brown, except for some dark areas on femur apex, tibia base and apex, and distal three tarsomeres. Hind leg slightly darker than anterior legs, particularly the femur and tarsi. Femur and tibia with sparse short black setae. Tibia with two long apical spurs; spurs dark brown and shorter than basitarsus. Fore and mid tarsi with tarsomere II longer than tarsomeres III‒V, basal tarsomere twice length of tarsomere II, tarsomere V prehensile. Hind tarsus dark brown, less than half the length of hind tibia; tarsomeres II–V about same length, basitarsus about twice as long as tarsomere II and slightly lighter than the others; tarsomere V prehensile. Wings (Fig. 4) Narrow with apex rounded. Membrane mostly hyaline but with many dark brown marks surrounding some of the transversal veins and major longitudinal bifurcations. Pterostigma dark brown, elongate; thyridium present. Forewing with one subapical costal crossvein; humeral crossvein present; Sc ending beyond first fork of Rs; Rs fork nearly forming a right angle; Rs 1+2 forking near the end of pterostigma; Rs 3+4 forking at level of M 1+2 and M 3+4; one pterostigmal crossvein; M origin basal to Rs origin; Cu 1 ending beyond the apex of Sc; A 1 ending near the level of Rs first fork. Hind wing similar to forewing, except Rs 1+2 not forked. Male abdominal tergites I‒VI brown to light brown medially and dark brown laterally, remaining tergites dark brown (Fig. 1). Sternites mostly light brown except distal sternites dark brown. Terminalia (Figs. 5–7) with epandrium light brown except dorsal margins black, covered with yellowish pubescence. In dorsal view epandrium with a basal medial lobe covered with small setae; epandrial lobe internal margins almost parallel at the base, followed by a large concavity; medial area of the concavity with a rounded lobe; apex curving inwards and ending in a rounded protuberance covered by long, robust black setae. Epandrial lobe in lateral view shorter than basistylus; straight ventrally, but in dorsal view with the posterior half expanded dorsally. Epandrial lobe in posterior view with ventral margin expanding inwards, and apex covered by long, robust black setae. Cercus about as long as sternite IX, dark brown, with yellowish setae. Basystilus in lateral view light brown ventrally and dark brown dorsally; with long yellowish setae; posterior margin with a small concavity at the dorsal half. Penisfilum broad at base, narrowed medially, tapering towards apex, curving backwards at medial region. Holotype male. COLOMBIA: Caquetá, El Doncello, Vda. [Vereda] Villa Rica, Fca.[Finca] La Gabela, 01º36′59″N / 75º09′55″W, 294 m [eters], 17.vii.2021, Captura manual en Theobroma cacao (Malvaceae), Y. Carreño (1♂, LEUA –00000035892). Holotype condition very good, with only the apical ventral margin of the right forewing missing. Female paratype (Figs. 8–10): Body length 17.2 mm, forewing length 19.2 mm, hind wing length 16.8 mm. Identical to the male holotype, except abdomen (Figs. 9–10) with basal segments brown, distal segments mostly dark brown, medial tergites lighter. Terminalia (Figs. 9–10) with cercus shorter than subanal plate and tergite XI in lateral view, dark brown, covered with yellow setae. Subanal plate and tergite XI dark brown, with short yellow setae. Gonocoxosternite dark brown, with yellowish setae, those in the posterior margin longer; gonocoxosternite not fused ventrally, in lateral view with a subapical membranous concavity. Paratype female. COLOMBIA: Caquetá, El Doncello, Vda.[Vereda] Maguaré, Fca.[Finca] Parcela No.[Número] 4, 01º38′40″N / 75º09′34″W, 287 m [eters], 17.vi.2021, Captura manual en dosel de Theobroma cacao, M. Bermúdez (1♀, LEUA –00000035891). In perfect condition. Type locality. Colombia: Caquetá: El Doncello (Fig. 11). Etymology. Named after the entomologist and friend Dr. José Albertino Rafael, for his valuable mentoring to the authors and his significant contribution to the development of Neotropical entomology. Habitat. The specimens were collected with forceps on a cocoa plantation (Theobroma cacao) in the Colombian Amazon foothills at the Departament of Caquetá (Fig. 12).

Bittacus blancheti Pictet, 1836 (Figs. 2b, 8c, 12a) Bittacus blancheti: Pictet, 1836:403; Machado et al., 2009:36; Machado, 2018. Neobittacus blancheti: Esben-Petersen, 1914:131, 1921:155; Penny, 1977:424; Penny & Byers, 1979b:370. Thyridates blancheti: Navás, 1929:23. Holotype male? (figure presented in the original description (Pictet 1836) suggests it is a male): MHNG. Species also known from Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro (Fig. 12a). Bittacus blancheti was determined as the type species of Neobittacus (Esben-Petersen 1914), and together with B. aripuanensis were the two species that comprised the genus (see Machado et al. 2009). Bittacus blancheti is probably the most distinctive species of Bittacus in the New World, based on the characteristic color pattern of the wings. The known distributional records of B. blancheti suggest that it is restricted to the Atlantic rain forest region. Examined specimens. Brazil: Bahia: Encruzilhada, Bahia, 960m, XI/1972, Alvarenga e Seabra (1? DZUP); idem—xi.1977, O. Ropa (1♂ MZUEFS); Senhor do Bonfim, Serra da Maravilha (Fazenda Zumbi), UTM: 367691/ 8850126, 24.i.2006, 693 msnm, Vieira, R. e Chagas, C. (1 ♀ MZUEFS); Espírito Santo: Linhares, Faz. Caliman Agricola S/A, Santa Terezinha, x.2004, 50 m, P. Grossi (1♂ INPA); Córrego do Itá, xi–xii.1959, Zikan col. (1♂ MZSP, 1 ♀ MNRJ)., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 305, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Pictet, F. J. (1836) Description de quelques nouvelles especes de Nevropteres, du Musee de Geneve. Memoires de la Societe de Physique et d'Histoire Naturelle de Geneve, 7, 399 - 404.","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Esben-Petersen, P. (1914) New genera and species of Mecoptera. Entomologiske Meddelelser, 10, 129 - 132.","Penny, N. D. (1977) Two new species of Bittacidae (Mecoptera) from the Amazon Basin. Acta Amazonica, 7 (3), 423 - 427. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921977073423","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check-list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092365","Navas, L. (1929) Insectos exoticos neuropteros y afines del Museo civico de Genova. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria, 53, 354 - 389."]}

Bittacus geniculatus Erichson, 1848 (Figs. 1d, 8l) Bittacus geniculatus: Erichson, 1848:586; Esben-Petersen, 1921:150, 1927:13; Penny & Byers, 1979b:368; Willmann, 1983:55; Machado et al., 2009:36; Machado, 2018. Thyridates geniculatus: Collucci & Amorim, 2000:2. Holotype male: ZMHB (high resolution images examined). Species known from Guyana and Brazil (not possible to determine the state). Bittacus geniculatus is a unique species, and rarely collected. It is known only by the male holotype from Guyana and another specimen from Brazil, reported by Esben-Petersen (1927) and held in the Helsinki museum. This specimen is likely from one of the Amazonian Brazilian states. Willmann (1983) did not include B. geniculatus in Thyridates, mainly because the first fork of Rs in the forewing does not form a right angle. However, the species was transferred to Thyridates by Collucci & Amorim (2000), who includes it in the ���group angrensis ���, based on its falcate forewing. Bittacus geniculatus, can be easily distinguished from the remaining species based on its extremely long pterostigma, Rs 1+2 not forking, and by the elongated male epandrium., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, Jos�� Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 318, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Erichson, W. F. (1848). Neuroptera. In: Schomburgk, R. (Ed.), Reisen in Britisch Guiana in den Jahren 1840 - 1844. Theil 3. Leipzig, pp. 586 - 587.","Esben-Petersen, P. (1921) Mecoptera. Monographic revision. In: Collections Zoologiquesdu Baron Edmond de Selys Longchamps. Catalogue Systematique et Descriptif. Fasc. 5. Hayez, Bruxelles, pp. 1 - 172.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check-list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092365","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8.","Esben-Petersen, P. (1927) New and little-known species of Mecoptera and Neuroptera in the Zoological Museum of Helsingfors. Notulae Entomologicae, 7, 13 - 18."]}

Bittacus angrensis Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942 (Figs. 1a, 8a, 12a) Bittacus angrensis: Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942:336; Penny & Byers, 1979b:367; Machado et al., 2009:36; Machado, 2018. Thyridates angrensis: Willmann, 1983:50, Collucci & Amorim, 2000:7. Holotype male: MNRJ (examined). Probably destroyed in the fire of 2.ix.2018. Species also known from: Paraná (new record), Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo (new record) (Fig. 12a). Bittacus angrensis, B. brunipennis and B. geniculatus form the group of Brazilian species with the apical region of the forewing falcate, referred to as “group angrensis ” by Collucci & Amorim (2000). The relationship between B. angrensis and B. brunipennis needs further investigation; they are very similar and males of the latter are still unknown. Examined specimens. Brazil: Paraná: São Luiz do Purunã, 950 m, 28.x.1986, Mielke & Casagrande (1♀ INPA); São Paulo: Salesópolis, Estação Biológica Boracéia, 23.6543 o S 45.8896 o W, 885m, 26.xi.2008, Grossi, Parizotto, Fernandes & Paladini (1♂ INPA)., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on pages 304-305, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Souza Lopes, H. de & Mangabeira, O. (1942) Sobre algumas especies brasileiras do genero Bittacus Latr., 1807, com a descricao de tres especies novas (Panorpatae, Bittacidae). Revista brasileira de Biologia, 2, 331 - 341.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check-list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092365","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8."]}

Bittacus boraceiensis Morgante, 1967 (Figs. 6b, 8d, 12b) Bittacus boraceiensis: Morgante, 1967:57; Penny & Byers, 1979b:367; Machado et al., 2009:36; Machado, 2018. Thyridates boraceiensis: Willmann, 1983:50; Collucci & Amorim, 2000:2. Holotype: male: MZSP (examined). Species known from São Paulo (Fig. 12b). Bittacus boraceiensis is known only by the holotype from the Biological Station of Boracéia in São Paulo state. The species also has heavily spotted wings, but it can be easily separated from other spotted-wing species by the very characteristic shape of the male epandrium (only species with three actniform processes)., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 306, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Morgante, J. S. (1967) Duas novas especies de Bittacus Latreille 1807 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae). Papeis avulsos do Departamento de Zoologia, 20, 55 - 58.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check-list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092365","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8."]}

Bittacus femoralis Klug, 1838 (Figs. 3b, 6c, 8h, 12b) Bittacus femoralis: Klug, 1838:98; Esben-Petersen, 1921:152, 1927:13; Souza-Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942:338; Penny & Byers, 1979b:367; Penny & Arias, 1982:269; Machado et al., 2009:36, 2010:605; Machado, 2018. Thyridates femoralis: Willmann, 1983:51; Collucci & Amorim, 2000:7, 2001:4. Syntypes: 2 females: ZMHB (high resolution images examined). Species also known from: Bahia (new record), Ceará (new record), Espírito Santo (new record), Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais (new record), Pará (new record), Rondônia (Fig. 12b). Bittacus femoralis is another relatively common species in Brazil, but unlike B. diversinervis it seems to be restricted to open areas. The species is quite abundant in Maranhão state, particularly during the rainy season (Machado et al. 2010). Bittacus femoralis, together with B. omega and another two species from Argentina, B. fritzi Williner and B. golbachi Williner, are the only species in South America known to have an elongated lateral expansion on the male epandrium (Williner 1990). This striking characteristic easily separates these four species from the remaining ones; however, a detailed study of these species will be of great interest in order to assess their respective taxonomic statuses. Examined specimens. Brazil: Bahia: Encruzilhada, 15°34’35’’S– 40°56’51’’W, 15.xii.2012, J.A. Rafael & E.J. Grossi, Arm. Luz, 850m (1♀ INPA); Ceará: Ubajara, P N Ubajara, -3.83830 0 /-40.89803 0, 14–19.ii.2013, ML Oliveira (1♂ INPA); Espírito Santo: Anchieta, Praia de Ubu, i.2006, luz, SA Vanim (1♀ MZSP); Mato Grosso: Cuiabá, 6.xi.1989, Miriam Serrano (1?— CEMT); 24.x.1990, Andréa Netto (1♀ CEMT); Campus UFMT, 09.xi.1990, Noraney Almeida (1♀ CEMT); 25.xi.1990, Herika Matsunaga (1? CEMT); Minas Gerais: Águas Vermelhas, Faz. Faceiro, 15°23’56’’S– 41°23’57’’W, 12.xii.2012, J.A. Rafael & E.J. Grossi, Ar. Luz, 850m (4♀ INPA), Pará: São Geraldo do Araguaia, Serra das Andorinhas, Cerrado, 1–10.xii.2001, Malaise, I.S. Gorayeb, et al. (3 ♀ MPEG), Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 309, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Klug, J. C. F. (1838) Versuch einer systematischen Feststellung der Insekten-Familie: Panorpatae und Auseinandersetzung ihrer Gattungen und Arten. Abhandlungen der koniglichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1836, 81 - 108.","Esben-Petersen, P. (1921) Mecoptera. Monographic revision. In: Collections Zoologiquesdu Baron Edmond de Selys Longchamps. Catalogue Systematique et Descriptif. Fasc. 5. Hayez, Bruxelles, pp. 1 - 172.","Souza Lopes, H. de & Mangabeira, O. (1942) Sobre algumas especies brasileiras do genero Bittacus Latr., 1807, com a descricao de tres especies novas (Panorpatae, Bittacidae). Revista brasileira de Biologia, 2, 331 - 341.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check-list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092365","Penny, N. D. & Arias, J. R. (1982) Notes on Amazonian Bittacidae (Mecoptera) with the descriptions of two new species. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 77 (3), 263 - 274. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / S 0074 - 02761982000300005","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8.","Machado, R. J. P., Limeira-de-Oliveira, F. & Rafael, J. A. (2010) Mecoptera (Insecta) do estado do Maranhao: chave para identificacao das especies e descricao da femea de Bittacus latreillei (Collucci & Amorim). Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 54 (4), 604 - 607. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / S 0085 - 56262010000400011","Williner, G. J. (1990) Nuevas especies de Bittacus Latreille 1907 en la Argentina (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Revista de la Sociedad Entomologica Argentina, 48 (1 - 4), 107 - 114."]}

Bittacus pintoi Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942 (Figs. 8p, 12d) Bittacus pintoi: Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942:332; Penny & Byers, 1979b:369; Machado et al., 2009:36; Dias & Kumagai, 2011:34; Machado, 2018. Thyridates pintoi: Willmann, 1983:52; Collucci & Amorim, 2000:7. Holotype. Male: MNRJ (examined). Probably destroyed in the fire of 2.ix.2018. Species also known from: Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso (new record), Tocantins (new record) (Fig. 12d). Bittacus pintoi seems to be a very common species in Minas Gerais state, based on the large number of specimens reported in different studies, including this paper (Souza Lopes & Mangabeira 1942; Machado et al. 2009; Dias & Kumagai 2011). The adults of B. pintoi also have a flight preference for the rainy months, as demonstrated by Dias & Kumagai (2011), who collected samples of Malaise trap samples monthly for years, resulting in a large number of specimens all captured between October and January (rainy months). The specimens reported here were also collected during the rainy seasons for their respective areas. Examined specimens. Brazil: Minas Gerais: Encruzilhada, 15 0 34’35’’S–40 0 56’51’’W, 15.xii. 2012, 850m, JA Rafael, EJ Grossi, luz (5♂ INPA); Mato Grosso: Barra do Tapirapé, xi.1964, B. Malkin (1♂, 5♀ MZSP); Idem 13– 16.i.1966 (1♀ MZSP); Tocantins: Miracema, P21 E malaise, 29.x.2001, equipe de resgate UHE lajeado (1♂, 3♀ CEUFT); idem—P28 E malaise, 5.xi.2001 (1♀ CEUFT); Palmas, P28 D malaise, 10.xii.2001, equipe de resgate UHE lajeado (5♀ CEUFT)., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 321, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Souza Lopes, H. de & Mangabeira, O. (1942) Sobre algumas especies brasileiras do genero Bittacus Latr., 1807, com a descricao de tres especies novas (Panorpatae, Bittacidae). Revista brasileira de Biologia, 2, 331 - 341.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check-list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092365","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Dias, P. G. & Kumagai, A. F. (2011) Abundancia e Sazonalidade de Bittacidae (Mecoptera) em duas areas de conservacao em Minas Gerais, Brasil. Acta Biologica Paranaense, 40 (1 - 2), 33 - 37. https: // doi. org / 10.5380 / abpr. v 40 i (1 - 4). 25126","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8."]}

Bittacus omega Morgante, 1967 (Figs. 5c, 8o, 12d) Bittacus omega: Morgante, 1967:55; Penny & Byers, 1979b:368; Machado et al., 2009:36; Machado, 2018. Thyridates omega: Willmann, 1983:51, Collucci & Amorim, 2000:7. Holotype. Male: MZSP (examined). Species known from Minas Gerais (Fig. 12d). Bittacus omega is known only by the holotype from Buritis (Minas Gerais State). It is characterized by the shape of the male epandrium, which resembles the Greek letter omega and inspired the species name (Morgante 1967). This particular shape is shared with B. golbachi, which is known only from two specimens from Tucumán, Argentina (Williner 1990). In this sense, a detailed study of the holotypes of B. golbachi and B. omega is of particular interest to determine their taxonomic status. The inclusion of B. femoralis in this study would be interesting, as well, since the lateral elongation of its epandrium presents a large variation, suggesting that both B. golbachi and B. omega could be only an extreme variation within a complex species., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 320, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Morgante, J. S. (1967) Duas novas especies de Bittacus Latreille 1807 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae). Papeis avulsos do Departamento de Zoologia, 20, 55 - 58.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check-list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092365","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8.","Williner, G. J. (1990) Nuevas especies de Bittacus Latreille 1907 en la Argentina (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Revista de la Sociedad Entomologica Argentina, 48 (1 - 4), 107 - 114."]}

Bittacus ferreirai Machado sp. n. (Figs. 4c, 8i, 10 a–f, 12c) Diagnosis. Head mostly pale. Wing membrane maculated; one costal crossvein. Hind wing Rs 1+2 not forked. Male epandrium without actiniform process, its internal margin converging apically. Description. Forewing length 18.2–18.9 mm, hind wing length 16.5–17.0 mm. Head (Figs. 10b, c) mostly pale, except for the brown gena and black ocellar triangle; set with pale pubescence, particularly in the vertex; three ocelli, lateral ocelli slightly larger. Antennae long, filiform, pale, with pale pubescence; flagellum generally slightly darker than scape and pedicel. Number of flagellomeres undetermined but with more than 16. Thorax (Fig. 10c) covered with yellowish pubescence. Pronotum pale to brown. Antepronotum and postpronotum with one long black seta on each lateral margin. Mesonotum and metanotum dark brown with irregular pale marks mostly on medial area; with two long black setae on the anterior half of each segment. Scutella pale, with two long black setae on posterior margin. Pleural region dark brown with scattered small pale areas. Legs (Fig. 4c) with coxae dark brown; yellowish pubescence slightly longer than on other segments. Trochanter pale with small black mark on the femur border. Femur, tibia, and tarsi with sparse short black setae. Fore and middle femora long and thin, pale with apex dark brown. Hind femur broader and slightly darker than anterior femora. Tibia pale with apex slightly darker, longer than femur, with two long apical spurs; spurs in fore and middle leg shorter than half-length of basitarsus, but slightly shorter than basitarsus in hind leg. Fore and mid tarsi pale; basitarsi slightly shorter than tibia half-length, and longer than the remaining four tarsomeres combined; tarsomere III about as long as half-length of tarsomere II and slightly longer than tarsomere IV; tarsomere V about as long as tarsomere IV and prehensile. Hind tarsus darker than the anterior tarsi, slightly longer than half-length of hind tibia; tarsomeres II–V about the same length, basitarsus about three times longer than tarsomere II; tarsomere V prehensile. Wings (Figs. 4c, 10a) narrow with apex rounded. Membrane mostly hyaline, but with dark marks around the main forks, apical crossveins, pterostigma, and areas between R and C and R and Rs 1+2; thyridium present; longitudinal veins brown, covered by short black setae. Forewing with one subapical costal crossvein; humeral crossvein present; Sc ending beyond first fork of Rs; Rs fork nearly forming a right angle; Rs 1+2 forking near the level of the pterostigma end (one varying female paratype with Rs 1+2 not forking); Rs 3+4 forking closer to the level of Sc end than pterostigma; one or two pterostigmal crossveins (holotype with one); M origin basal to Rs origin; M and Rs first forks at the same level; Cu 1 ending at the level of Rs 3+4 fork; A 1 ending slightly basal to Rs first fork. Hind wing similar to forewing except Rs 1+2 not forked. Abdomen (Fig. 4c) with basal segments pale, apical segments dark brown, particularly the apical sternites. Segments covered by pale pubescence. Male terminalia (Fig. 10d; e; f) with epandrium pale, set with pale setae; in dorsal view, internal margin converging apically, posterior margin rounded, internal margin set with short thick black setae; in lateral view, slightly longer than basystilus; in lateral view convex dorsally and concave ventrally; posterior margin almost straight but posterodorsal corner rounded. In posterior view appearing somewhat oval (Fig. 10f). Cercus about as long as sternite IX, pale, set with pale setae. Basistylus set with long yellowish setae, particularly at the posterior margin, dark brown basally but lightening towards the apex; apex acute in lateral view and with a medial dorsal invagination in posterior view. Gonostylus short, brown, with apex rounded, set with long yellowish setae. Penisfilum broad at base, abruptly narrowed medially, tapering towards the apex, curving backwards at the medial region. Paratype female terminalia with cercus short, pale, set with yellowish setae. Subanal plate and tergite XI pale and set with short yellowish setae. Cercus, subanal plate, and tergite XI ending about at the same level. Gonocoxosternite dark brown, set with yellowish setae, not fused ventrally; in lateral view with a subapical membranous concavity. Etymology. Named after the entomologist and colleague André da Silva Ferreira, who collected the whole type series, and made it available to us. Holotype. Male (present designation): MZUEFS: BRASIL: Bahia: Aracatu, Fazenda Lagoa do Tamburi, Rodovia BA 262, km 400 sentido Vit. da Conquista—Brumado, coletado na lâmpada da residência, 11.vi.2011, Ferreira, A.S. leg. / MZFS #56207. Holotype condition. in good condition. Left foreleg broken at the femur-tibia articulation but glued onto the label below. Paratypes. Brazil: Bahia: Aracatu, Fazenda Lagoa do Tamburi, Rodovia BA 262, km 400 sentido Vit. da Conquista—Brumado, coletado na lâmpada da residência, 16.i.2010, Ferreira, A.S. leg. / MZFS #56208 (1♀ MZUEFS); idem — 19.vi.2011 / MZFS #56211 (1♂ MZUEFS); idem —caatinga arbórea, 21–22.xii.2012 / MZFS #56210 (1♀ MZUEFS); idem — 11–12.i.2013 / MZFS #56209 (1♂ MZUEFS). Comments. Because of the maculated wings, Bittacus ferreirai sp. n. is another species that would fit in the “group chilensis ” as proposed by Collucci & Amorim (2000). Within the group, B. ferreirai seems to be closer to B. blancheti; the male epandrium of both species does not present any actiniform process and the internal margins of the lobes converge towards the apex. However, they can be easily separated by the general shape and color of the wings. Based on the wing shape and body color, B. ferreirai sp. n. is similar to B. cruzi sp. n. (1 costal crossvein, Rs 1+2 not forked in the hind wing and legs and antennae not alternating between pale and dark bands), but their head color, mostly pale in B. ferreirai, mostly dark brown in B. cruzi, and male genitalia with internal margin of epandrium converging in B. ferreirai and diverging posteriorly in B. cruzi, easily distinguish them.

Bittacus diversinervis Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942 (Figs. 3a, 6a, 8g, 12b) Bittacus diversinervis: Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942:340; Penny & Byers, 1979b:367; Penny & Arias, 1982:269; Machado et al., 2009:36, 2010:605; Machado, 2018. Thyridates diversinervis: Willmann, 1983:51; Collucci & Amorim, 2000:7. Thyridates willmanni: Collucci & Amorim, 2001:2. New synonym. Bittacus willmanni: Machado et al., 2009:37. Holotype male of B. diversinervis: MNRJ (examined). Probably destroyed in the fire of 2.ix.2018. Holotype male of B. willmanni: LMED (high resolution images examined). Species also known from: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Bahia (new record), Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso (new record), Mato Grosso do Sul (new record), Minas Gerais, Pernambuco, Rondônia, Roraima, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Tocantins (new record) (Fig. 12b). Bittacus diversinervis is the most common and widespread hanging fly in Brazil, with records for all regions of the country, except the southern states. The species has been collected in different habitats, including the Amazon and Atlantic rain forest, some dry areas in the Cerrado, and open grassy areas in Roraima state. Thyridates willmanni was described based on a male specimen, which until today remains as the only known specimen (Colluci & Amorim, 2001). On its original description the authors mentioned that T. willmanni was very similar to B. diversinervis, but justified the description of a new species based on the different number of costal crossveins (three for T. willmanni and two for B. diversinervis), a character known to be very plastic for a long time as discussed by different authors (e.g. Esben-Petersen 1921; Navás 1929; Machado et al. 2009). Another diagnostic trait suggested by the authors is that the internal margins of the male epandrium are almost straight in T. willmanni (Collucci & Amorim 2001); however, the study of the holotype herein clearly indicates that this character was misinterpreted by the authors. The internal margins of the epandirum are divergent, as in all other specimens of B. diversinervis. The image of the epandrium presented in the original description is inaccurate and suggests that the internal margins are almost straight, but it does not correspond with the actual shape in the specimen. Additionally, the holotype of T. willmanni presents the vein Rs 1 forked in the forewing, one of the major characteristics of B. diversinervis. For the reasons mentioned above, we are here synonymizing T. willmanni under B. diversinervis. The two main characters used to distinguish T. willmanni are not robust; the first is based on a historically known plastic character and the second is the result of a misinterpretation. Examined specimens. Brazil: Acre: Rio Branco, 24.ii.1979, Maurício Mendonça (1♀ INPA); Amazonas: Humaitá, 22.ii.1980, Penny & Brasil (3♂, 5♀, 2? INPA); Bahia: Aracatu, Fazenda Lagoa do Tamburi, Rodovia BA 262, km 400 sentido Vit. da Conquita / Brumado, coletado na lâmpada da residência, 16.xii.2010, Ferreira, A.S. col.; (4 MZUEFS); Vitória da Conquista, UFBA/IMS/CAT, LABZOO, 14.i.2012, Ferreira, A.S. col (1 MZUEFS); Espírito Santo: Anchieta, Praia de Ubu, i.2006, luz, SA Vanim (1♀ MZSP); Colatina, 20.i.1960, JH Guimarães (1♀ MZSP); Guarapari, 9.i.1981, Eloy Castellón (1♀ INPA); Minas Gerais: Governador Valadares, 28.xii.1990, Marcio M (1? MZSP); Lagoa Santa, 12.i.1965, J.S. Morgante (1♀ MZSP); Muriaé, 31.xii.1977, Mirian A.S. Serrano (1♂ INPA); Mato Grosso: Nova Mutum, Fazenda Buriti, 15.xii.1996, HF Mendes (1♂, 2♀ MZSP); idem— 14.i.1998 (1♂ MZSP); Mato Grosso do Sul: Porto Murtinho, 21–30.i.2008, S. Sigeo et al (1♂ MZSP); Pernambuco: Arco Verde, vii.1974, N. Papavero (2♂ MZSP); Rio de Janeiro: Guaratiba, iv.1960, JH Guimaraes (1♂ MZSP); Rondônia: Vilhena, 7.xi.1979, Norman D. Penny (1♀ INPA); Roraima: Boa Vista, 10.viii.1977, ND Penny (8♂, 7♀ INPA); Boa Vista, Passarão, 031202 N—603508W, 8.vii.1996, F.F. Xavier, varredura (2♂, 1♀ INPA); São Paulo: Barra Bonita, iii.1957, A. Correia (1♂ MZSP); Barueri, 26.ii.1959, K. Lenko (1♂ MZSP); Campinas, 2.iii.1974, Buhrnheim col. (2♂ 1♀ INPA); Campos do Jordão, Parque Estadual, 2.xi.1985, CG Froehlich (1♀ MZSP); Salesópolis, Boracéia, 5–9.vi.1948, (1♀ MZSP); Santo Amaro, ii.1950, D. Lane (1♀ MZSP); São Paulo, Sumaré. ii.1948, M. Carrera (1♀ MZSP) idem—ii.1947 (1? MZSP); Tocantins: Barrolândia, 24–25.xii.2013, TK Krolow (2♀ CEUFT)., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 308, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Souza Lopes, H. de & Mangabeira, O. (1942) Sobre algumas especies brasileiras do genero Bittacus Latr., 1807, com a descricao de tres especies novas (Panorpatae, Bittacidae). Revista brasileira de Biologia, 2, 331 - 341.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check-list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092365","Penny, N. D. & Arias, J. R. (1982) Notes on Amazonian Bittacidae (Mecoptera) with the descriptions of two new species. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 77 (3), 263 - 274. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / S 0074 - 02761982000300005","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2001) Descricao de uma nova especie de Thyridates Navas, 1908 de Governador Valadares, estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil e redescricao de T. femoralis (Klug, 1836) (Mecoptera, Bittacidae). Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 36, 1 - 6.","Esben-Petersen, P. (1921) Mecoptera. Monographic revision. In: Collections Zoologiquesdu Baron Edmond de Selys Longchamps. Catalogue Systematique et Descriptif. Fasc. 5. Hayez, Bruxelles, pp. 1 - 172.","Navas, L. (1929) Insectos exoticos neuropteros y afines del Museo civico de Genova. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria, 53, 354 - 389."]}

Bittacus varzeanus Machado, sp. n. (Figs. 4a, b, 8q, 11, 12d) Diagnosis. Wing membrane hyaline. Forewing apex not falcate; with 1���2 costal crossveins. Hind wing Rs 1+2 not forked. Male epandrium with two internal lobes and apex emarginated in dorsal view. Description. Forewing length 18.4���21.3 mm, hind wing length 15.3���18.0 mm. Head (Figs. 11b, c) with labrum and gena dark brown; clypeus, frons and vertex pale; ocellar triangle and palpi black. Set with blackish pubescence, particularly on the vertex. Three distinctive ocelli, lateral ocelli slightly larger. Antennae long, filiform, with yellowish pubescence; scape and pedicel pale; flagellum brown, paler towards the apex. Number of flagellomeres undetermined but with more than 18. Thorax (Fig. 11c) covered with blackish pubescence. Pronotum light brown, with anterior margin slightly darker. Antepronotum and postpronotum with one and two black setae on lateral margins respectively. Mesonotum and metanotum pale but margins darker and scutellum slightly paler. Pleural region with scattered short black setae; uniformly pale except the anterior margin of mesoepisternum darker, and by black marks on the dorsal and ventral posterior corners of meso and metameron. Legs (Figs. 4a, b) with coxa and trochanter pale, with yellowish pubescence slightly longer than on the other segments. Femur and tibia set with sparse short black setae, particularly numerous on basal half of hind femur. Fore and mid femur long, thin, and pale; hind femur broader and slightly darker than anterior ones. Tibia pale with apex dark brown, longer than femur, with two long apical spurs; spurs in fore and mid leg about as long as half-length of basitarsus, slightly shorter than basitarsus in hind leg. Fore and mid tarsi pale, apical tarsomeres sometimes darker; basitarsi slightly shorter than tibia half-length, and longer than the remaining four tarsomeres combined; tarsomere III about as long as half-length of tarsomere II and slightly longer than tarsomere IV; tarsomere V about as long as tarsomere IV, prehensile. Hind tarsus brown, apex of tarsomeres slightly darker; shorter than half-length of hind tibia; tarsomeres II���IV about the same length, basitarsus about twice longer than tarsomere II. Wings (Figs. 4a, b, 11a) narrow with apex rounded. Membrane hyaline, pterostigma and apical margin pale and set with short black setae; thyridium present. Forewing usually with one subapical costal crossvein, a few paratypes with two; humeral crossvein present; Sc ending beyond first fork of Rs; Rs fork nearly forming a right angle; Rs 1+2 forking after end of pterostigma; Rs 3+4 forking at the level of mid distance between Sc end and pterostigma; usually one pterostigmal crossvein, a few paratypes with two; M origin basal to Rs origin; M and Rs first forking at the same level; Cu 1 ending slightly basal to the level of Rs 3+4 fork; A 1 ending basal to Rs first fork. Hind wing similar to forewing except for Rs 1+2 not forked. Abdomen (Figs. 4a, b) with yellowish pubescence. Basal tergites pale with posterior margin darker; last three tergites dark brown. Sternites thin and elongated, colors similar to tergites. Male terminalia (Figs. 8q, 11 d���f) with epandrium pale brown, set with long blackish setae; in dorsal view, broadening towards apex; posterior margin weakly excavated medially; internal margin set with short thickened black setae becoming more numerous at the apex; inner surface with a subapical rounded lobe on each side (margin of lobes set with short thickened black setae); in lateral view, ending before the end of basistylus, convex dorsally, posterior margin excavated medially. Cercus about as long as sternite IX, dark brown, pale basally, set with yellowish setae. Basistylus set with long black setae, particularly at posterior margin; dark brown, but in ventral view with a thin medial pale line that expands towards apex; ventrally convex in lateral view. Gonostylus short, with apex rounded, set with black setae. Penisfilum broad at base, abruptly narrowed medially, tapering towards apex, curving backwards at the medial region. Paratype female terminalia with cercus short; dark brown; set with yellowish setae. Subanal plate and tergite XI pale and set with short yellowish setae. Cercus, subanal plate and tergite XI ending about at the same level. Gonocoxosternite pale, set with yellowish setae and longer black setae at posterior margin, not fused ventrally; in lateral view with a subapical membranous concavity. Etymology. Named after the species habitat, the v��rzea, an area in the Amazon forest seasonally flooded area by white water (varzeanus = ���from v��rzea ���). Holotype. Male (present designation): INPA: BRASIL, Amazonas, Tef��, V��rzea, 3 o 19���45������S��� 64 o 41���13������W, 14���28.x.2017, Malaise, J.A. Oliveira, D.M.M. Mendes & J.A. Rafael���Rede Bia (INPA). Holotype condition. Excellent, mounted in triangle. Paratypes. Brazil: Amazonas: Tef��, V��rzea, 3 o 19���45������S��� 64 o 41���13������W, 5���15.ix.2016, Arm. Malaise, J.A. Oliveira, D.M.M. Mendes & J.A. Rafael (6♀ ��� INPA); idem, 1���5.xi.2016 (6♀ ��� INPA); idem, (1♂, 3♀ ��� CEMT); idem, 1���13.x.2017 (1♂, 3♀ ��� INPA); idem, 14���28.x.2017 (19♂, 27♀ ��� INPA); idem (1♂, 3♀ ���UFRR); idem (1♂, 3♀ ���UFAC); idem (1♂, 3♀ ��� CZMA); idem (1♂, 1♀ ���UNIR); idem (1♂, 3♀ ��� MZSP); idem, 15���30.xi.2017 (2♂, 10♀ ��� INPA); idem, 1���22.xii.2017 (5♀ ��� INPA). Comments. Bittacus varzeanus sp. n. does not fit in any of the species groups proposed by Collucci & Amorim (2000). The shape of the subapical lobes in the inner margin of the male epandrium of B. varzeanus is somewhat similar to B. angrensis; however, the new species lacks the typical falcate apex of the wings of B. angrensis. The general shape of the wings is similar to that of B. flavescens, but the shape of the male epandrium easily distinguishes them. The medial excavation on the posterior margin of the male epandrium of B. varzeanus sp. n. is unique within the South American species of Bittacus., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, Jos�� Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on pages 321-326, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8."]}

Bittacus froehlichi (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) (Figs. 5b, 8k, 12c) Thyridates froehlichi: Collucci & Amorim, 2000:2. Bittacus froehlichi: Machado et al., 2009:36; Machado, 2018. Holotype male: LMED (examined). Known only from São Paulo (Fig. 12c). Bittacus froehlichi is another species with maculated wings, and for this reason it was placed in the “group chilensis ” by Collucci & Amorim (2000). Besides B. froehlichi, the authors also included in this group B. andinus Londt & Byers, B. chilensis Klug and B. maculosus Byers, and also discussed the similarities among their male terminalia, but demonstrated that the shape of the epandrium was different in each species (Collucci & Amorim 2000). Examined specimens. Brazil: São Paulo: Ribeirão Grande, Pq. Est. Intervales—Barra Grande, 13–16/xii/ 2000, Malaise trap, M. T. Tavares et al (1♀ INPA)., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 318, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8.","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)"]}

Bittacus flavescens Klug, 1838 (Figs. 1c, 8j, 12c) Bittacus flavescens: Klug, 1838:99; Esben-Petersen, 1921:151; Souza-Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942:335; Penny & Byers, 1979b:368; Machado et al., 2009:36; Machado, 2018. Klugius flavescens: Navás, 1926:13. Thyridates flavescens: Willmann, 1983:51; Collucci & Amorim, 2000:7. Bittacus affinis: Westwood, 1846:194; Esben-Petersen, 1921:151 synonymized. Holotype: Bittacus flavescens: male: ZMHB (high resolution images examined); Bittacus affinis sex unknown: NHM (not examined). Species also known from Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina (new record), São Paulo (Fig. 12c). Bittacus flavescens seems to be restricted to the region of the Atlantic rain forest in Brazil, but with a wide distribution within this area (Souza Lopes & Mangabeira 1942; Byers 2004; Machado et al. 2009). The species was the only one in Brazil to have a synonym, B. affinis, described based on one specimen with a label only stating Brazil. Walker (1853) mentioned another specimen of B. affinis in the NHM from Pará state; however, it might have been the result of a misidentification based on the current distribution of B. flavescens. Unfortunately, neither specimen was examined during the current study. Another dubious record for B. flavescens was given by Esben- Petersen (1921), one specimen with the abdomen broken, from Puerto Cabello (Venezuela). Navás (1926) erected the genus Klugius and defined B. flavescens as the type species. However, the genus was based on a weak character (pterostigma broad basally and thin apically) and therefore, Klugius was always considered as a synonym of Bittacus by subsequent authors (Souza Lopes & Mangabeira 1942; Penny & Byers 1979a, b; Willmann 1983). Examined specimens. Brazil: Rio de Janeiro: Mury, Nova Friburgo, 12.xi.1970, Gred & Guimarães det. (1? MZSP); Santa Catarina: Nova Teutonia [Seara today], 27°11’B–52°23’L, x.1969, Fritz Plaumann (1♀ INPA); idem—xi.1969 (1♀ INPA); idem—xii.1969 (2♀ INPA); Seara, 16.xii.1977, ND Penny (1♂ INPA)., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 318, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Klug, J. C. F. (1838) Versuch einer systematischen Feststellung der Insekten-Familie: Panorpatae und Auseinandersetzung ihrer Gattungen und Arten. Abhandlungen der koniglichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1836, 81 - 108.","Esben-Petersen, P. (1921) Mecoptera. Monographic revision. In: Collections Zoologiquesdu Baron Edmond de Selys Longchamps. Catalogue Systematique et Descriptif. Fasc. 5. Hayez, Bruxelles, pp. 1 - 172.","Souza Lopes, H. de & Mangabeira, O. (1942) Sobre algumas especies brasileiras do genero Bittacus Latr., 1807, com a descricao de tres especies novas (Panorpatae, Bittacidae). Revista brasileira de Biologia, 2, 331 - 341.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check-list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092365","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Navas, L. (1926) Algunos insectos del Brasil. (3 a serie). Broteria, Zoologica, 23, 5 - 15.","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8.","Westwood, J. O. (1846) A monograph of the genus Panorpa, with descriptions of some species belonging to other allied genera. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London, 4, 184 - 196. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 2311.1846. tb 01352. x","Byers, G. W. (2004) A collection of Mecoptera from Latin America. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 77 (2), 137 - 142. https: // doi. org / 10.2317 / 0309.06.1","Walker, F. (1853) List of the specimens of neuropterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part II. Sialides- Nemopterides. British Museum, London, 284 pp. [pp. 193 - 476]","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 a) Chave para as familias e generos da Mecoptera (Insecta) da America, do sul dos Estados Unidos. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 363 - 364. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092363"]}

Bittacus ferreirai Machado sp. n. (Figs. 4c, 8i, 10 a–f, 12c) Diagnosis. Head mostly pale. Wing membrane maculated; one costal crossvein. Hind wing Rs 1+2 not forked. Male epandrium without actiniform process, its internal margin converging apically. Description. Forewing length 18.2–18.9 mm, hind wing length 16.5–17.0 mm. Head (Figs. 10b, c) mostly pale, except for the brown gena and black ocellar triangle; set with pale pubescence, particularly in the vertex; three ocelli, lateral ocelli slightly larger. Antennae long, filiform, pale, with pale pubescence; flagellum generally slightly darker than scape and pedicel. Number of flagellomeres undetermined but with more than 16. Thorax (Fig. 10c) covered with yellowish pubescence. Pronotum pale to brown. Antepronotum and postpronotum with one long black seta on each lateral margin. Mesonotum and metanotum dark brown with irregular pale marks mostly on medial area; with two long black setae on the anterior half of each segment. Scutella pale, with two long black setae on posterior margin. Pleural region dark brown with scattered small pale areas. Legs (Fig. 4c) with coxae dark brown; yellowish pubescence slightly longer than on other segments. Trochanter pale with small black mark on the femur border. Femur, tibia, and tarsi with sparse short black setae. Fore and middle femora long and thin, pale with apex dark brown. Hind femur broader and slightly darker than anterior femora. Tibia pale with apex slightly darker, longer than femur, with two long apical spurs; spurs in fore and middle leg shorter than half-length of basitarsus, but slightly shorter than basitarsus in hind leg. Fore and mid tarsi pale; basitarsi slightly shorter than tibia half-length, and longer than the remaining four tarsomeres combined; tarsomere III about as long as half-length of tarsomere II and slightly longer than tarsomere IV; tarsomere V about as long as tarsomere IV and prehensile. Hind tarsus darker than the anterior tarsi, slightly longer than half-length of hind tibia; tarsomeres II–V about the same length, basitarsus about three times longer than tarsomere II; tarsomere V prehensile. Wings (Figs. 4c, 10a) narrow with apex rounded. Membrane mostly hyaline, but with dark marks around the main forks, apical crossveins, pterostigma, and areas between R and C and R and Rs 1+2; thyridium present; longitudinal veins brown, covered by short black setae. Forewing with one subapical costal crossvein; humeral crossvein present; Sc ending beyond first fork of Rs; Rs fork nearly forming a right angle; Rs 1+2 forking near the level of the pterostigma end (one varying female paratype with Rs 1+2 not forking); Rs 3+4 forking closer to the level of Sc end than pterostigma; one or two pterostigmal crossveins (holotype with one); M origin basal to Rs origin; M and Rs first forks at the same level; Cu 1 ending at the level of Rs 3+4 fork; A 1 ending slightly basal to Rs first fork. Hind wing similar to forewing except Rs 1+2 not forked. Abdomen (Fig. 4c) with basal segments pale, apical segments dark brown, particularly the apical sternites. Segments covered by pale pubescence. Male terminalia (Fig. 10d; e; f) with epandrium pale, set with pale setae; in dorsal view, internal margin converging apically, posterior margin rounded, internal margin set with short thick black setae; in lateral view, slightly longer than basystilus; in lateral view convex dorsally and concave ventrally; posterior margin almost straight but posterodorsal corner rounded. In posterior view appearing somewhat oval (Fig. 10f). Cercus about as long as sternite IX, pale, set with pale setae. Basistylus set with long yellowish setae, particularly at the posterior margin, dark brown basally but lightening towards the apex; apex acute in lateral view and with a medial dorsal invagination in posterior view. Gonostylus short, brown, with apex rounded, set with long yellowish setae. Penisfilum broad at base, abruptly narrowed medially, tapering towards the apex, curving backwards at the medial region. Paratype female terminalia with cercus short, pale, set with yellowish setae. Subanal plate and tergite XI pale and set with short yellowish setae. Cercus, subanal plate, and tergite XI ending about at the same level. Gonocoxosternite dark brown, set with yellowish setae, not fused ventrally; in lateral view with a subapical membranous concavity. Etymology. Named after the entomologist and colleague André da Silva Ferreira, who collected the whole type series, and made it available to us. Holotype. Male (present designation): MZUEFS: BRASIL: Bahia: Aracatu, Fazenda Lagoa do Tamburi, Rodovia BA 262, km 400 sentido Vit. da Conquista—Brumado, coletado na lâmpada da residência, 11.vi.2011, Ferreira, A.S. leg. / MZFS #56207. Holotype condition. in good condition. Left foreleg broken at the femur-tibia articulation but glued onto the label below. Paratypes. Brazil: Bahia: Aracatu, Fazenda Lagoa do Tamburi, Rodovia BA 262, km 400 sentido Vit. da Conquista—Brumado, coletado na lâmpada da residência, 16.i.2010, Ferreira, A.S. leg. / MZFS #56208 (1♀ MZUEFS); idem — 19.vi.2011 / MZFS #56211 (1♂ MZUEFS); idem —caatinga arbórea, 21–22.xii.2012 / MZFS #56210 (1♀ MZUEFS); idem — 11–12.i.2013 / MZFS #56209 (1♂ MZUEFS). Comments. Because of the maculated wings, Bittacus ferreirai sp. n. is another species that would fit in the “group chilensis ” as proposed by Collucci & Amorim (2000). Within the group, B. ferreirai seems to be closer to B. blancheti; the male epandrium of both species does not present any actiniform process and the internal margins of the lobes converge towards the apex. However, they can be easily separated by the general shape and color of the wings. Based on the wing shape and body color, B. ferreirai sp. n. is similar to B. cruzi sp. n. (1 costal crossvein, Rs 1+2 not forked in the hind wing and legs and antennae not alternating between pale and dark bands), but their head color, mostly pale in B. ferreirai, mostly dark brown in B. cruzi, and male genitalia with internal margin of epandrium converging in B. ferreirai and diverging posteriorly in B. cruzi, easily distinguish them., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on pages 309-310, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8."]}

Bittacus latreillei (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) (Figs. 3c, 6d, 8m, 12c) Thyridates latreillei: Collucci & Amorim, 2000:5. Bittacus latreillei: Machado et al., 2009:36, 2010:605; Machado, 2018. Holotype male: LMED (examined). Species also known from Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso (new record), Pará, Tocantins (new record) (Fig. 12c). Bittacus latreillei is a large species, with strongly contrasting colors on the legs (apex of femora and tibiae black), which facilitates its recognition. The unique shape of the male epandrium also helps its identification. Bittacus latreillei is another species in which the adults show an apparent flight activity for the raining seasons (Machado et al. 2010). Examined specimens. Brazil: Mato Grosso: Alta Floresta, aeroporto, 4.xi.2017, F Vaz de Mello (1♀ CEMT); Tocantins: Miracema, P 2 e RV, 30.x.2001, equipe de resgate UHE lajeado (1♂ CEUFT); Paranã, xi.2009, M. Bragança (1♀ CEUFT); Porto Nacional, Campus UFT, 9.xi.2013, coleta manual, HIL Lima (1♂ CEUFT)., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 320, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8.","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Machado, R. J. P., Limeira-de-Oliveira, F. & Rafael, J. A. (2010) Mecoptera (Insecta) do estado do Maranhao: chave para identificacao das especies e descricao da femea de Bittacus latreillei (Collucci & Amorim). Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 54 (4), 604 - 607. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / S 0085 - 56262010000400011"]}

Bittacus brunipennis (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) (Figs: 5a, 12a) Thyridates brunipennis: Collucci & Amorim, 2000:3. Bittacus brunipennis: Machado et al., 2009:36; Machado, 2018. Holotype female: LMED (examined). Brazil: São Paulo (Fig. 12a). Bittacus brunipennis is one of the three species of the “group angrensis ” (see comments in B. angrensis) (Collucci & Amorim 2000). The species is known only by the female holotype, which is very similar to specimens of B. angrensis. This similarity was noted by Collucci & Amorim (2000), who mentioned the color of the pterostigma as the main character to distinguish these two species. This character however, does not seem very strong, since it shows some plasticity in other species of Bittacus, suggesting that B. brunipennis might be a synonym of B. angrensis. Because the species was described from a female, the identification of B. brunipennis remains uncertain mainly because the shape of the male epandrium is one of the most important characters to distinguish Bittacus species. The collection of male specimens close to the type locality, Campos do Jordão State Park (São Paulo), will be needed to solve this question., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 306, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8.","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)"]}

Bittacus cruzi Machado sp. n. (Figs. 8f, 9 a–f, 12b) Diagnosis. Wing membrane maculated. One costal crossvein. Hind wing Rs 1+2 not forked. Male epandrium with one medial actiniform process. Description. Forewing length 16.7–17.1 mm, hind wing length 13.8–14.2 mm. Head (Figs. 9c, d) uniformly dark brown, except area behind ocellar triangle and distal palpomeres slightly paler; covered with yellowish pubescence. Three ocelli, lateral ocelli slightly larger. Antennae long, filiform, with yellowish pubescence; dark brown but lighter towards the apex. Number of flagellomeres undetermined but more than 15. Female frons and antennae pale brown. Thorax (Fig. 9d) covered with yellowish pubescence. Pronotum brown with sparse dark spots. Antepronotum and postpronotum with one and two black setae on lateral margins respectively. Mesonotum and metanotum brown but darker laterally. Pleural region dark brown with scattered paler areas (Fig. 9a). Legs (Fig. 9a) with coxa and trochanter dark brown, yellowish pubescence (slightly longer than on other segments). Femur and tibia with sparse short black setae. Fore and middle femur long and thin, mostly pale, but base laterally brown and apex dark brown. Hind femur broader and slightly darker than on other legs. Tibia pale with apex dark brown; longer than femur; with two long apical spurs; spurs on fore and middle legs about as long as half-length of basitarsus, but slightly shorter than basitarsus in hind leg. Fore and mid tarsi pale; basitarsi slightly shorter than tibial half-length, and longer than the remaining four tarsomeres combined; tarsomere III about as long as half-length of tarsomere II and slightly longer than tarsomere IV; tarsomere V about as long as tarsomere IV and prehensile. Hind tarsus shorter than half-length of hind tibia; tarsomeres IĪIV about the same length, basitarsus about twice longer than tarsomere II. Wings (Figs. 9a, b) narrow with apices rounded. Membrane mostly light brown, but with dark marks around the main forks, apical crossveins, pterostigma, and areas between R and C and R and Rs 1+2; with large hyaline area before the beginning of the pterostigma, thyridium present; longitudinal veins pale and covered by short black setae. Forewing: one subapical costal crossvein; humeral crossvein present; Sc ending beyond first fork of Rs; Rs fork nearly forming a right angle; Rs 1+2 forking after the end of pterostigma; Rs 3+4 forking at the level of mid distance between Sc end and pterostigma; one pterostigmal crossvein; M origin basal to Rs origin; M and Rs first forks at the same level; Cu 1 ending at the level of Rs 3+4 fork; A 1 ending slightly basal to Rs first fork. Hind wing similar to forewing except by Rs 1+2 not forked. Abdomen (Fig. 9a) mostly brown with dark spots, mainly in the posterior border of tergites. Male terminalia (Figs. 8f, 9e, f) with epandrium pale brown, set with long yellowish setae; in dorsal view, both sides diverging posteriorly; apex slightly thinner than medial area; posterior margin rounded; internal margin set with short black setae (setae getting longer towards the apex); with a medial rectangular lobe at the base (lobe covered by short black spines); in lateral view, ending slightly after the end of basystilus; convex dorsally; posterior margin rounded. Cercus about as long as sternite IX, dark brown with yellowish setae. Basistylus set with long yellowish setae, particularly at the posterior margin; dark brown; ventrally convex in lateral view. Gonostylus short, dark brown, with apex rounded, set with yellowish setae. Penisfilum broad at base, abruptly narrowed medially, tapering towards the apex, curving backwards at the medial region. Paratype female terminalia with cercus short, brown, set with yellowish setae. Subanal plate and tergite XI dark brown and set with short yellowish setae. Cercus, subanal plate, and tergite XI ending about at the same level. Gonocoxosternite dark brown, set with yellowish setae and longer black ones at the posterior margin; not fused ventrally. Etymology. Named after Mr. Valdir Bernardo Cruz, who owns the property where the holotype was collected and has allowed our collection trips many times over the years. Holotype male (present designation): INPA: BRASIL, Amazonas, Presidente Figueiredo, AM 240, Km 24, 2°00’55’’S– 59°49’40’’W, viii/2005, luz mista/mercurio, Xavier-Filho leg. Holotype condition. Pinned; in relative good condition, but with some parts missing: left foretarsus, mid legs beyond femur base, left hind leg beyond apex of femur; terminalia in microvial. Paratypes. Brazil, Amazonas: Presidente Figueiredo, AM 240, Km 24, 2°00’55’’S– 59°49’40’’W, 6–7.ix.2008, Malaise trap, F.F. Xavier F°, T.K. Krolow, G. Lourido (1♀ INPA); Manaus, AM 0 10, km 26, Reserva Ducke, 14.iii.1978, Malaise trap, Jorge Arias coll. (1♀ INPA). Comments. Based on its maculated wings, Bittacus cruzi sp. n. fits in the “group chilensis ” as proposed by Collucci & Amorim (2000). Within the group, it shares with B. ferreirai and B. maculosus the number of costal crossveins in the wings (one). However, the shape of the male epandrium suggests a closer relationship between Bittacus cruzi and B. boraceiensis; both species present a medial actiniform process, but the subapical processes of B. boraceiensis are absent in the new species, easily separating them.

Bittacus pintoi Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942 (Figs. 8p, 12d) Bittacus pintoi: Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942:332; Penny & Byers, 1979b:369; Machado et al., 2009:36; Dias & Kumagai, 2011:34; Machado, 2018. Thyridates pintoi: Willmann, 1983:52; Collucci & Amorim, 2000:7. Holotype. Male: MNRJ (examined). Probably destroyed in the fire of 2.ix.2018. Species also known from: Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso (new record), Tocantins (new record) (Fig. 12d). Bittacus pintoi seems to be a very common species in Minas Gerais state, based on the large number of specimens reported in different studies, including this paper (Souza Lopes & Mangabeira 1942; Machado et al. 2009; Dias & Kumagai 2011). The adults of B. pintoi also have a flight preference for the rainy months, as demonstrated by Dias & Kumagai (2011), who collected samples of Malaise trap samples monthly for years, resulting in a large number of specimens all captured between October and January (rainy months). The specimens reported here were also collected during the rainy seasons for their respective areas. Examined specimens. Brazil: Minas Gerais: Encruzilhada, 15 0 34’35’’S–40 0 56’51’’W, 15.xii. 2012, 850m, JA Rafael, EJ Grossi, luz (5♂ INPA); Mato Grosso: Barra do Tapirapé, xi.1964, B. Malkin (1♂, 5♀ MZSP); Idem 13– 16.i.1966 (1♀ MZSP); Tocantins: Miracema, P21 E malaise, 29.x.2001, equipe de resgate UHE lajeado (1♂, 3♀ CEUFT); idem—P28 E malaise, 5.xi.2001 (1♀ CEUFT); Palmas, P28 D malaise, 10.xii.2001, equipe de resgate UHE lajeado (5♀ CEUFT).

Bittacus varzeanus Machado, sp. n. (Figs. 4a, b, 8q, 11, 12d) Diagnosis. Wing membrane hyaline. Forewing apex not falcate; with 1–2 costal crossveins. Hind wing Rs 1+2 not forked. Male epandrium with two internal lobes and apex emarginated in dorsal view. Description. Forewing length 18.4–21.3 mm, hind wing length 15.3–18.0 mm. Head (Figs. 11b, c) with labrum and gena dark brown; clypeus, frons and vertex pale; ocellar triangle and palpi black. Set with blackish pubescence, particularly on the vertex. Three distinctive ocelli, lateral ocelli slightly larger. Antennae long, filiform, with yellowish pubescence; scape and pedicel pale; flagellum brown, paler towards the apex. Number of flagellomeres undetermined but with more than 18. Thorax (Fig. 11c) covered with blackish pubescence. Pronotum light brown, with anterior margin slightly darker. Antepronotum and postpronotum with one and two black setae on lateral margins respectively. Mesonotum and metanotum pale but margins darker and scutellum slightly paler. Pleural region with scattered short black setae; uniformly pale except the anterior margin of mesoepisternum darker, and by black marks on the dorsal and ventral posterior corners of meso and metameron. Legs (Figs. 4a, b) with coxa and trochanter pale, with yellowish pubescence slightly longer than on the other segments. Femur and tibia set with sparse short black setae, particularly numerous on basal half of hind femur. Fore and mid femur long, thin, and pale; hind femur broader and slightly darker than anterior ones. Tibia pale with apex dark brown, longer than femur, with two long apical spurs; spurs in fore and mid leg about as long as half-length of basitarsus, slightly shorter than basitarsus in hind leg. Fore and mid tarsi pale, apical tarsomeres sometimes darker; basitarsi slightly shorter than tibia half-length, and longer than the remaining four tarsomeres combined; tarsomere III about as long as half-length of tarsomere II and slightly longer than tarsomere IV; tarsomere V about as long as tarsomere IV, prehensile. Hind tarsus brown, apex of tarsomeres slightly darker; shorter than half-length of hind tibia; tarsomeres II–IV about the same length, basitarsus about twice longer than tarsomere II. Wings (Figs. 4a, b, 11a) narrow with apex rounded. Membrane hyaline, pterostigma and apical margin pale and set with short black setae; thyridium present. Forewing usually with one subapical costal crossvein, a few paratypes with two; humeral crossvein present; Sc ending beyond first fork of Rs; Rs fork nearly forming a right angle; Rs 1+2 forking after end of pterostigma; Rs 3+4 forking at the level of mid distance between Sc end and pterostigma; usually one pterostigmal crossvein, a few paratypes with two; M origin basal to Rs origin; M and Rs first forking at the same level; Cu 1 ending slightly basal to the level of Rs 3+4 fork; A 1 ending basal to Rs first fork. Hind wing similar to forewing except for Rs 1+2 not forked. Abdomen (Figs. 4a, b) with yellowish pubescence. Basal tergites pale with posterior margin darker; last three tergites dark brown. Sternites thin and elongated, colors similar to tergites. Male terminalia (Figs. 8q, 11 d–f) with epandrium pale brown, set with long blackish setae; in dorsal view, broadening towards apex; posterior margin weakly excavated medially; internal margin set with short thickened black setae becoming more numerous at the apex; inner surface with a subapical rounded lobe on each side (margin of lobes set with short thickened black setae); in lateral view, ending before the end of basistylus, convex dorsally, posterior margin excavated medially. Cercus about as long as sternite IX, dark brown, pale basally, set with yellowish setae. Basistylus set with long black setae, particularly at posterior margin; dark brown, but in ventral view with a thin medial pale line that expands towards apex; ventrally convex in lateral view. Gonostylus short, with apex rounded, set with black setae. Penisfilum broad at base, abruptly narrowed medially, tapering towards apex, curving backwards at the medial region. Paratype female terminalia with cercus short; dark brown; set with yellowish setae. Subanal plate and tergite XI pale and set with short yellowish setae. Cercus, subanal plate and tergite XI ending about at the same level. Gonocoxosternite pale, set with yellowish setae and longer black setae at posterior margin, not fused ventrally; in lateral view with a subapical membranous concavity. Etymology. Named after the species habitat, the várzea, an area in the Amazon forest seasonally flooded area by white water (varzeanus = “from várzea ”). Holotype. Male (present designation): INPA: BRASIL, Amazonas, Tefé, Várzea, 3 o 19’45’’S– 64 o 41’13’’W, 14–28.x.2017, Malaise, J.A. Oliveira, D.M.M. Mendes & J.A. Rafael—Rede Bia (INPA). Holotype condition. Excellent, mounted in triangle. Paratypes. Brazil: Amazonas: Tefé, Várzea, 3 o 19’45’’S– 64 o 41’13’’W, 5–15.ix.2016, Arm. Malaise, J.A. Oliveira, D.M.M. Mendes & J.A. Rafael (6♀ — INPA); idem, 1–5.xi.2016 (6♀ — INPA); idem, (1♂, 3♀ — CEMT); idem, 1–13.x.2017 (1♂, 3♀ — INPA); idem, 14–28.x.2017 (19♂, 27♀ — INPA); idem (1♂, 3♀ —UFRR); idem (1♂, 3♀ —UFAC); idem (1♂, 3♀ — CZMA); idem (1♂, 1♀ —UNIR); idem (1♂, 3♀ — MZSP); idem, 15–30.xi.2017 (2♂, 10♀ — INPA); idem, 1–22.xii.2017 (5♀ — INPA). Comments. Bittacus varzeanus sp. n. does not fit in any of the species groups proposed by Collucci & Amorim (2000). The shape of the subapical lobes in the inner margin of the male epandrium of B. varzeanus is somewhat similar to B. angrensis; however, the new species lacks the typical falcate apex of the wings of B. angrensis. The general shape of the wings is similar to that of B. flavescens, but the shape of the male epandrium easily distinguishes them. The medial excavation on the posterior margin of the male epandrium of B. varzeanus sp. n. is unique within the South American species of Bittacus.

Bittacus cruzi Machado sp. n. (Figs. 8f, 9 a–f, 12b) Diagnosis. Wing membrane maculated. One costal crossvein. Hind wing Rs 1+2 not forked. Male epandrium with one medial actiniform process. Description. Forewing length 16.7–17.1 mm, hind wing length 13.8–14.2 mm. Head (Figs. 9c, d) uniformly dark brown, except area behind ocellar triangle and distal palpomeres slightly paler; covered with yellowish pubescence. Three ocelli, lateral ocelli slightly larger. Antennae long, filiform, with yellowish pubescence; dark brown but lighter towards the apex. Number of flagellomeres undetermined but more than 15. Female frons and antennae pale brown. Thorax (Fig. 9d) covered with yellowish pubescence. Pronotum brown with sparse dark spots. Antepronotum and postpronotum with one and two black setae on lateral margins respectively. Mesonotum and metanotum brown but darker laterally. Pleural region dark brown with scattered paler areas (Fig. 9a). Legs (Fig. 9a) with coxa and trochanter dark brown, yellowish pubescence (slightly longer than on other segments). Femur and tibia with sparse short black setae. Fore and middle femur long and thin, mostly pale, but base laterally brown and apex dark brown. Hind femur broader and slightly darker than on other legs. Tibia pale with apex dark brown; longer than femur; with two long apical spurs; spurs on fore and middle legs about as long as half-length of basitarsus, but slightly shorter than basitarsus in hind leg. Fore and mid tarsi pale; basitarsi slightly shorter than tibial half-length, and longer than the remaining four tarsomeres combined; tarsomere III about as long as half-length of tarsomere II and slightly longer than tarsomere IV; tarsomere V about as long as tarsomere IV and prehensile. Hind tarsus shorter than half-length of hind tibia; tarsomeres IĪIV about the same length, basitarsus about twice longer than tarsomere II. Wings (Figs. 9a, b) narrow with apices rounded. Membrane mostly light brown, but with dark marks around the main forks, apical crossveins, pterostigma, and areas between R and C and R and Rs 1+2; with large hyaline area before the beginning of the pterostigma, thyridium present; longitudinal veins pale and covered by short black setae. Forewing: one subapical costal crossvein; humeral crossvein present; Sc ending beyond first fork of Rs; Rs fork nearly forming a right angle; Rs 1+2 forking after the end of pterostigma; Rs 3+4 forking at the level of mid distance between Sc end and pterostigma; one pterostigmal crossvein; M origin basal to Rs origin; M and Rs first forks at the same level; Cu 1 ending at the level of Rs 3+4 fork; A 1 ending slightly basal to Rs first fork. Hind wing similar to forewing except by Rs 1+2 not forked. Abdomen (Fig. 9a) mostly brown with dark spots, mainly in the posterior border of tergites. Male terminalia (Figs. 8f, 9e, f) with epandrium pale brown, set with long yellowish setae; in dorsal view, both sides diverging posteriorly; apex slightly thinner than medial area; posterior margin rounded; internal margin set with short black setae (setae getting longer towards the apex); with a medial rectangular lobe at the base (lobe covered by short black spines); in lateral view, ending slightly after the end of basystilus; convex dorsally; posterior margin rounded. Cercus about as long as sternite IX, dark brown with yellowish setae. Basistylus set with long yellowish setae, particularly at the posterior margin; dark brown; ventrally convex in lateral view. Gonostylus short, dark brown, with apex rounded, set with yellowish setae. Penisfilum broad at base, abruptly narrowed medially, tapering towards the apex, curving backwards at the medial region. Paratype female terminalia with cercus short, brown, set with yellowish setae. Subanal plate and tergite XI dark brown and set with short yellowish setae. Cercus, subanal plate, and tergite XI ending about at the same level. Gonocoxosternite dark brown, set with yellowish setae and longer black ones at the posterior margin; not fused ventrally. Etymology. Named after Mr. Valdir Bernardo Cruz, who owns the property where the holotype was collected and has allowed our collection trips many times over the years. Holotype male (present designation): INPA: BRASIL, Amazonas, Presidente Figueiredo, AM 240, Km 24, 2°00’55’’S– 59°49’40’’W, viii/2005, luz mista/mercurio, Xavier-Filho leg. Holotype condition. Pinned; in relative good condition, but with some parts missing: left foretarsus, mid legs beyond femur base, left hind leg beyond apex of femur; terminalia in microvial. Paratypes. Brazil, Amazonas: Presidente Figueiredo, AM 240, Km 24, 2°00’55’’S– 59°49’40’’W, 6–7.ix.2008, Malaise trap, F.F. Xavier F°, T.K. Krolow, G. Lourido (1♀ INPA); Manaus, AM 0 10, km 26, Reserva Ducke, 14.iii.1978, Malaise trap, Jorge Arias coll. (1♀ INPA). Comments. Based on its maculated wings, Bittacus cruzi sp. n. fits in the “group chilensis ” as proposed by Collucci & Amorim (2000). Within the group, it shares with B. ferreirai and B. maculosus the number of costal crossveins in the wings (one). However, the shape of the male epandrium suggests a closer relationship between Bittacus cruzi and B. boraceiensis; both species present a medial actiniform process, but the subapical processes of B. boraceiensis are absent in the new species, easily separating them., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on pages 307-308, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8."]}

Bittacus maculosus Byers, 1965 (Figs. 2c, 8n, 12d) Bittacus maculosus: Byers, 1965:137, 1996:542; Penny & Byers, 1979b:368; Penny & Arias, 1982:269; Machado et al., 2009:36; Machado, 2018. Thyridates maculosus: Willmann, 1983:51; Collucci & Amorim, 2000:7. Holotype female: NMNH. Species also known from: Amazonas, Roraima (new record) (Fig. 12d), and Trinidad. Bittacus maculosus is another species with highly maculated wings that was placed in the “group chilensis ” by Collucci & Amorim (2000). The species was described based on a female specimen from Trinidad, but the author (Byers 1965) justified it based on its color pattern alternating between pale and dark bands on both legs and antennae, and the pattern of spots in the wings. The later discovery of a male specimen confirmed the distinctiveness of the species (Byers 1996). Until now B. maculosus was known by a single report in Brazil (Manaus) (Penny & Arias 1982), but two specimens have been studied, another female from Manaus and a female from Roraima state. Examined specimens. Brazil: Amazonas: Manaus, INPA, 6.xii.1977, Eloy Castellon (1♀ INPA); Reserva Ducke, 14.ii.1978, Jorge Arias (1♀ INPA); Roraima: Tepequém, 15–31.ii.2016, R. Boldrini (1♀ INPA)., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Rafael, José Albertino, 2018, The genus Bittacus Latreille (Insecta: Mecoptera) in Brazil: key to species, distribution maps, new synonym, and three new species, pp. 303-330 in Zootaxa 4526 (3) on page 320, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/2611647, {"references":["Byers, G. W. (1965) New and uncommon Neotropical Mecoptera. Journal of theKansas Entomological Society, 38 (2), 135 - 144.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check-list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / 1809 - 43921979092365","Penny, N. D. & Arias, J. R. (1982) Notes on Amazonian Bittacidae (Mecoptera) with the descriptions of two new species. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 77 (3), 263 - 274. https: // doi. org / 10.1590 / S 0074 - 02761982000300005","Machado, R. J. P., Godoi, F. S. P. & Rafael, J. A. (2009) Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): new generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species. Zootaxa, 2148, 27 - 38.","Machado, R. J. P. (2018) Bittacidae. Catalogo Taxonomico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. Available from: http: // fauna. jbrj. gov. br / fauna / faunadobrasil (accessed 20 February 2018)","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8.","Byers, G. W. (1996) Descriptions and distributional records of American Mecoptera. IV. University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 55 (14), 519 - 547."]}

Bittacus pignatelli Nav��s, 1932 (Figs. 2, 6) This species was previously recorded from Costa Rica and Panama (Byers & Roggero, 1992; Machado et al., 2009). In the present work, we reported this species in Colombia for the first time, with a single record from Antioquia department. This bittacid species is distinguished by its wing coloration pattern, consisting in the presence of numerous dark amber spots on the membrane inside cells and bordering crossveins (Byers, 1996). Additionally, its head, thorax and abdomen are mainly reddish brown, and femora and tibiae yellow except by their dark reddish brown apices (Byers, 1996). Specimen examined. Antioquia, Chigorod��, 07��39���47,7���N; 76��40���20,77���W, 36 m, 25.IV.1974, A. L��pez, in flight (1♀ - CTNI), Published as part of Ardila-Camacho, Adrian, Vargas, Juan Felipe, Arango, Carlos Julio, Garc��a-Garc��a, Alexander & Machado, Renato Jose Pires, 2017, New distributional records of Mecoptera (Insecta) from Colombia, pp. 221-229 in Pap��is Avulsos de Zoologia (S��o Paulo) (S��o Paulo) 57 (18) on page 224, DOI: 10.11606/0031-1049.2017.57.18, http://zenodo.org/record/4674875, {"references":["BYERS, G. W. & ROGGERO, R. J. 1992. Hanging-flies of Panama (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). In: Quintero, D. & Aiello, A. (Eds.). Insects of Panama and Mesoamerica: selected studies. Oxford, Oxford University Press. p. 594 - 599.","BYERS, G. W. 1996. Descriptions and Distributional Records of American Mecoptera. IV. The University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 55 (14): 519 - 547."]}

Pazius gorgonensis Ascuntar-Osnas, Torres-Domínguez & Chacón, n. sp. Figs. 2–4 Description. Occiput, ocellar triangle, and ocelli dark brown, the latter two with surrounding pubescence. Eyes large, occupying most of head, almost touching beneath antennal bases, (Fig. 3 A). Antennae with scape and pedicel pale yellow, 18 dark brown flagellomeres, distal eight flagellomeres very slender, antennal length 4.37 mm. Gena and rostrum with basal half pale yellow, turning light brown when preserved, apical half dark brown; scattered short setae present. Clypeus oval, labrum enlarged, five times longer than wider, both dark brown. Maxillary palpi dark brown, with four segments, first segment about 1.8 mm long, second (length 0.52 mm) about as long as third (0.25 mm) and fourth (0.23 mm) combined. Mandibular palpi dark brown, with two segments. Pronotum in dorsal view pale yellow, turning dark brown when preserved; propleura pale yellow. Mesonotum in dorsal view black with a pale yellow median line ending on posterior margin forming a circular area. Mesopleuron with episternum dark brown and epimeron mostly pale yellow but dark yellow around coxa insertion. Metanotum in dorsal view dark brown with a triangular area in posterior margin pale yellow. Metapleuron with episternum pale yellow in distal half and dark brown in remaining, epimeron pale yellow; in general, pleuron with pattern of dark and light bands (Figs. 2, 3 B). Fore and middle legs with coxa and trochanter pale yellow. Fore and middle femur length 7.8 mm, light brown, apically darker with a light brown line; tibia (length 9.3 mm) and tarsi light brown. Hind femur (length 7.1 mm) similar to those of other legs, hind tibia (7.6 mm) pale yellow basally and apically with a medial dark brown band. Femora and tibia in all legs with a ringed pattern formed by slender, short, erect setae and by scattered short spines distributed throughout. Tibial apex with two strong spurs of different lengths, one three times longer than the other. Tarsi mostly dark brown, light brown basally; fourth tarsomere with a serrated line in internal margin, fifth tarsomere internal margin crenulated for two-thirds of its length, allowing coupling with fourth tarsomere. Tarsal claws simple, light brown. Wings petiolate, iridescent with a slight light brown tone (Fig. 3 C), Sc region and pterostigma dark brown; microtrichiae present at the membrane, costal vein with short and wide spines. Two thyridia at the longitudinal center of the wings. Forewing length 18 mm. Abdominal segments I to VIII with terga and sterna dark brown and pleura pale yellow. Tergum VIII with dark median line giving appearance of two light spots on each side. Tergum IX (epandrial lobe) with many setae, dorsally with seven short spines (twice longer than wide), and with medial acute projection in ventral margin (Fig. 4 A, B); in dorsal view, two projections and the ventral bifurcated process medially located, with sclerotized margins (Fig. 4 C). Longer branch of ventral process oriented towards anterior part of the epandrium, three times longer than wide, narrowed apically and ending in bifurcated apex, shorter branch as long as wide, with apex rounded (Fig. 4 C). Sternum IX with sclerotized projection on dorsal margin (Fig. 4 A), basistylus hexagonal (Fig. 4 A) and aedeagus without ventral projection (Fig. 4 D). Etymology. named after the type locality, Gorgona Island. Comments. Pazius gorgonensis n. sp. seems to be closer to P. obtusus and P. spinosus because of the thoracic color pattern and shape of the epandrial lobe. However, the presence of dorsal spines at the epandrium in P. spinosus and P. gorgonensis n. sp. differentiate them from P. ob t us u s. Pazius gorgonensis n. sp. can be differentiated from P. spinosus by the spine of the ventral process at the epandrial lobe, which is short and apically rounded in P. gorgonensis n. sp. but long and acute in P. spinosus. Furthermore, in dorsal view, the P. gorgonensis n. sp. epandrium posterior parts present the apex converged to the center, touching each other, with discontinuous border (Fig. 4 B), whereas in P. spinosus the epandrium parts do not touch each other on the posterior part, and the border is continuous. The basistylus has a hexagonal shape in P. gorgonensis n. sp., whereas in P. spinosus it is squared. Finally, P. gorgonensis n. sp. is distinct from the other Colombian record of Pazius (not formally described, García et al. 2009) because the latter has a bifurcated ventral projection on the aedeagus, being more related to the “ furcatus group”. Although the species description is based on only one specimen, it is justified by its unique characteristics, especially in the male terminalia. Furthermore, the extremely difficult access to the type locality hinders further opportunities to collect more specimens. Examined material. Holotype male, Colombia. Cauca, Parque Nacional Natural Isla Gorgona, Sendero vía La Azufrada, 2 ° 57 '01.6"N, 78 ° 11 ' 15.2 "W, 26 -IV- 2011, direct capture with net, coll. Equipo Gorgona Entomología [MUSENUV: GOR- 4751]

Identification key for males of Pazius spp. (Adapted from Byers, 1977) 1 Aedeagus with a bifurcated ventral projection basally (Fig. 5: A, E and G) “ furcatus group ”.......................... 2 - Aedeagus without a bifurcated ventral projection basally (Figs. 6 A, B and 7 A, C)................................. 5 2 Aedeagus with a ventral process over the bifurcated projection (Figs. 5 A, C)..................................... 3 - Aedeagus without a ventral process over the bifurcated projection (Figs. 5 E, G).................................... 4 3 Epandrial appendix in dorsal view with large spines posteriorly (Fig. 5 D, arrow) (Brazil)................. P. ornaticaudus - Epandrial appendix in dorsal view without large spines posteriorly, ventral process as in Fig. 5 B (Brazil, Colombia).................................................................................................... P. cinctipes 4 Ventral process of the epandrial appendix bifurcated and placed around the longitudinal middle of the lobe in dorsal view; branches with different lengths (Fig. 5 F) (Panama)..................................................... P. flinti - Ventral process of the epandrial appendix bifurcated and placed on the posterior margin of the lobe in dorsal view; branches with similar lengths (Fig. 5 H) (Venezuela)........................................................ P. furcatus 5 Epandrial appendix in lateral view not convex (Fig. 6 A, B) “ gracilis group ”...................................... 6 - Epandrial appendix in lateral view convex (Fig. 4 A, 7 A, C) “ obtusus group ”...................................... 7 6 Epandrial appendix in lateral view with acute apex and directed upwards (Fig. 6 A) (Peru)..................... P. gracilis - Epandrial appendix in lateral view without apex directed upwards (Fig. 6 B), in dorsal view with wide and black spines on the mesal surface (Fig. 6 C) (Ecuador).............................................................. P. pectinatus 7 Epandrial appendix with short spines on the dorsal margin (Figs. 4 A, 7 C)......................................... 8 - Epandrial appendix without short spines on the dorsal margin, with ventral process as in Fig. 7 B (Panama, Costa Rica).................................................................................................... P. obtusus 8 Epandrial lobe ventral margin with a medial projection, basistylus hexagon-shaped (Fig. 4 A); ventral process as in Fig. 4 C; short branch with spine truncated (Fig. 4 C) (Colombia)...................................... P. gorgonensis n. sp. - Epandrial lobe ventral margin without a medial projection, basistylus squared-shaped (Fig. 7 C); ventral process as in Fig. 7 D; short branch with spine long and acute (Panama).................................................... P. spinosus, Published as part of Ascuntar-Osnas, Oscar, Domínguez, Diana Torres, Ulloa, Patricia Chacón De & Machado, Renato Jose Pires, 2016, First record of the order Mecoptera (Insecta) for the Gorgona Island (Colombia), with the description of a new species, pp. 271-279 in Zootaxa 4097 (2) on pages 277-278, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4097.2.9, http://zenodo.org/record/257146, {"references":["Byers, G. W. (1977) Revision of the genus Pazius (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Revista de Biologia Tropical, 25, 109 - 121."]}

Pazius gorgonensis Ascuntar-Osnas, Torres-Dom��nguez & Chac��n, n. sp. Figs. 2���4 Description. Occiput, ocellar triangle, and ocelli dark brown, the latter two with surrounding pubescence. Eyes large, occupying most of head, almost touching beneath antennal bases, (Fig. 3 A). Antennae with scape and pedicel pale yellow, 18 dark brown flagellomeres, distal eight flagellomeres very slender, antennal length 4.37 mm. Gena and rostrum with basal half pale yellow, turning light brown when preserved, apical half dark brown; scattered short setae present. Clypeus oval, labrum enlarged, five times longer than wider, both dark brown. Maxillary palpi dark brown, with four segments, first segment about 1.8 mm long, second (length 0.52 mm) about as long as third (0.25 mm) and fourth (0.23 mm) combined. Mandibular palpi dark brown, with two segments. Pronotum in dorsal view pale yellow, turning dark brown when preserved; propleura pale yellow. Mesonotum in dorsal view black with a pale yellow median line ending on posterior margin forming a circular area. Mesopleuron with episternum dark brown and epimeron mostly pale yellow but dark yellow around coxa insertion. Metanotum in dorsal view dark brown with a triangular area in posterior margin pale yellow. Metapleuron with episternum pale yellow in distal half and dark brown in remaining, epimeron pale yellow; in general, pleuron with pattern of dark and light bands (Figs. 2, 3 B). Fore and middle legs with coxa and trochanter pale yellow. Fore and middle femur length 7.8 mm, light brown, apically darker with a light brown line; tibia (length 9.3 mm) and tarsi light brown. Hind femur (length 7.1 mm) similar to those of other legs, hind tibia (7.6 mm) pale yellow basally and apically with a medial dark brown band. Femora and tibia in all legs with a ringed pattern formed by slender, short, erect setae and by scattered short spines distributed throughout. Tibial apex with two strong spurs of different lengths, one three times longer than the other. Tarsi mostly dark brown, light brown basally; fourth tarsomere with a serrated line in internal margin, fifth tarsomere internal margin crenulated for two-thirds of its length, allowing coupling with fourth tarsomere. Tarsal claws simple, light brown. Wings petiolate, iridescent with a slight light brown tone (Fig. 3 C), Sc region and pterostigma dark brown; microtrichiae present at the membrane, costal vein with short and wide spines. Two thyridia at the longitudinal center of the wings. Forewing length 18 mm. Abdominal segments I to VIII with terga and sterna dark brown and pleura pale yellow. Tergum VIII with dark median line giving appearance of two light spots on each side. Tergum IX (epandrial lobe) with many setae, dorsally with seven short spines (twice longer than wide), and with medial acute projection in ventral margin (Fig. 4 A, B); in dorsal view, two projections and the ventral bifurcated process medially located, with sclerotized margins (Fig. 4 C). Longer branch of ventral process oriented towards anterior part of the epandrium, three times longer than wide, narrowed apically and ending in bifurcated apex, shorter branch as long as wide, with apex rounded (Fig. 4 C). Sternum IX with sclerotized projection on dorsal margin (Fig. 4 A), basistylus hexagonal (Fig. 4 A) and aedeagus without ventral projection (Fig. 4 D). Etymology. named after the type locality, Gorgona Island. Comments. Pazius gorgonensis n. sp. seems to be closer to P. obtusus and P. spinosus because of the thoracic color pattern and shape of the epandrial lobe. However, the presence of dorsal spines at the epandrium in P. spinosus and P. gorgonensis n. sp. differentiate them from P. ob t us u s. Pazius gorgonensis n. sp. can be differentiated from P. spinosus by the spine of the ventral process at the epandrial lobe, which is short and apically rounded in P. gorgonensis n. sp. but long and acute in P. spinosus. Furthermore, in dorsal view, the P. gorgonensis n. sp. epandrium posterior parts present the apex converged to the center, touching each other, with discontinuous border (Fig. 4 B), whereas in P. spinosus the epandrium parts do not touch each other on the posterior part, and the border is continuous. The basistylus has a hexagonal shape in P. gorgonensis n. sp., whereas in P. spinosus it is squared. Finally, P. gorgonensis n. sp. is distinct from the other Colombian record of Pazius (not formally described, Garc��a et al. 2009) because the latter has a bifurcated ventral projection on the aedeagus, being more related to the ��� furcatus group���. Although the species description is based on only one specimen, it is justified by its unique characteristics, especially in the male terminalia. Furthermore, the extremely difficult access to the type locality hinders further opportunities to collect more specimens. Examined material. Holotype male, Colombia. Cauca, Parque Nacional Natural Isla Gorgona, Sendero v��a La Azufrada, 2 �� 57 '01.6"N, 78 �� 11 ' 15.2 "W, 26 -IV- 2011, direct capture with net, coll. Equipo Gorgona Entomolog��a [MUSENUV: GOR- 4751], Published as part of Ascuntar-Osnas, Oscar, Dom��nguez, Diana Torres, Ulloa, Patricia Chac��n De & Machado, Renato Jose Pires, 2016, First record of the order Mecoptera (Insecta) for the Gorgona Island (Colombia), with the description of a new species, pp. 271-279 in Zootaxa 4097 (2) on pages 273-277, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4097.2.9, http://zenodo.org/record/257146, {"references":["Garcia A., Angarita, A. & Arango, C. (2009) Nueva especie de moscas colgantes (Mecoptera: Bittacidae) para el mundo. En: Resumenes XXXVI Congreso Sociedad Colombiana de Entomologia. Medellin - Colombia. Alex Enrique Bustillo Pardey, Compilador."]}

Ascuntar-Osnas, Oscar, Domínguez, Diana Torres, Ulloa, Patricia Chacón De, Machado, Renato Jose Pires (2016): First record of the order Mecoptera (Insecta) for the Gorgona Island (Colombia), with the description of a new species. Zootaxa 4097 (2): 271-279, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4097.2.9

Identification key for males of Pazius spp. (Adapted from Byers, 1977) 1 Aedeagus with a bifurcated ventral projection basally (Fig. 5: A, E and G) “ furcatus group ”.......................... 2 - Aedeagus without a bifurcated ventral projection basally (Figs. 6 A, B and 7 A, C)................................. 5 2 Aedeagus with a ventral process over the bifurcated projection (Figs. 5 A, C)..................................... 3 - Aedeagus without a ventral process over the bifurcated projection (Figs. 5 E, G).................................... 4 3 Epandrial appendix in dorsal view with large spines posteriorly (Fig. 5 D, arrow) (Brazil)................. P. ornaticaudus - Epandrial appendix in dorsal view without large spines posteriorly, ventral process as in Fig. 5 B (Brazil, Colombia).................................................................................................... P. cinctipes 4 Ventral process of the epandrial appendix bifurcated and placed around the longitudinal middle of the lobe in dorsal view; branches with different lengths (Fig. 5 F) (Panama)..................................................... P. flinti - Ventral process of the epandrial appendix bifurcated and placed on the posterior margin of the lobe in dorsal view; branches with similar lengths (Fig. 5 H) (Venezuela)........................................................ P. furcatus 5 Epandrial appendix in lateral view not convex (Fig. 6 A, B) “ gracilis group ”...................................... 6 - Epandrial appendix in lateral view convex (Fig. 4 A, 7 A, C) “ obtusus group ”...................................... 7 6 Epandrial appendix in lateral view with acute apex and directed upwards (Fig. 6 A) (Peru)..................... P. gracilis - Epandrial appendix in lateral view without apex directed upwards (Fig. 6 B), in dorsal view with wide and black spines on the mesal surface (Fig. 6 C) (Ecuador).............................................................. P. pectinatus 7 Epandrial appendix with short spines on the dorsal margin (Figs. 4 A, 7 C)......................................... 8 - Epandrial appendix without short spines on the dorsal margin, with ventral process as in Fig. 7 B (Panama, Costa Rica).................................................................................................... P. obtusus 8 Epandrial lobe ventral margin with a medial projection, basistylus hexagon-shaped (Fig. 4 A); ventral process as in Fig. 4 C; short branch with spine truncated (Fig. 4 C) (Colombia)...................................... P. gorgonensis n. sp. - Epandrial lobe ventral margin without a medial projection, basistylus squared-shaped (Fig. 7 C); ventral process as in Fig. 7 D; short branch with spine long and acute (Panama).................................................... P. spinosus

Bittacus and Neobittacus The genus Neobittacus Esben-Petersen, 1914 was proposed for the Brazilian species Bittacus blancheti Pictet, 1836 and the generic characters pointed out by the author were: wings long, slender, and decorated with distinct bands and dots; costal area with about five crossveins; first anal vein joining the hind margin distal to the fork of the medial vein; cubital cell very narrow; third anal vein present in the forewing; hind tarsi with the first tarsomere slightly longer than second and third together, third tarsomere slightly shorter than the second and fourth tarsomeres and half the length of the first tarsomere; female subgenital plate large and strongly haired. These seven characters were considered quite variable by Nav��s (1929), who synonymized Neobittacus with Thyridates, thus transferring B. blancheti to Thyridates. Nav��s��� decision was ignored by Penny (1977) who described a second species in the genus, Neobittacus aripuanaensis Penny, 1977, from northern Mato Grosso state, Brazil. The author argued that N. aripuanaensis appeared to be closely related to Bittacus andinus Londt & Byers, 1974, but the character that placed it in Neobittacus was the large number of crossveins in the costal area. Penny and Byers (1979 a) published a key to the families and genera of the Mecoptera of the Americas south of the United States and separated Bittacus from Neobittacus by the number of costal crossveins: more than two costal crossveins in Neobittacus and two or less in Bittacus. This character is essentially the same as that pointed out by Esben-Petersen (1914). Neobittacus more recently also has been cited by Willmann (1983) and Petrulevičius (2003). During our analysis, we found the main character used by Penny and Byers (1979 a) to be quite variable; we commonly found specimens of B. diversinervis and B. latreillei with more than two crossveins in one wing and two or less in the other. This character is similar to the second proposed synapomorphy of Thyridates introduced by Willmann (1983), which has already been discussed and considered as a very plastic character by Collucci and Amorim (2000) and Petrulevičius (2003). The other six characters of Esben-Petersen (1921) are also inconsistent, and all of them are found in other species such as B. chilensis, B. femoralis, and B. diversinervis. Because of the inconsistency of the characters and the absence of a comprehensive phylogenetic work based on many characters related to these taxa, we synonymize Neobittacus with Bittacus, and transfer Neobittacus aripuanaensis Penny, 1977 to Bittacus (B. aripuanaensis (Penny, 1977) comb. nov.) The other species treated in Neobittacus, N. blanchetti, was originally described in Bittacus., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Godoi, Fabio Siqueira P. & Rafael, Jos�� Albertino, 2009, Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): New generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species, pp. 27-38 in Zootaxa 2148 on page 31, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.275008, {"references":["Navas, L. (1929) Insectos exoticos neuropteros y afines del Museo civico de Genova. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria, 53, 354 - 389.","Penny, N. D. (1977) Two new species of Bittacidae (Mecoptera) from the Amazon Basin. Acta Amazonica, 7 (3), 423 - 427.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 a) Chave para as familias e generos da Mecoptera (Insecta) da America, do sul dos Estados Unidos. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 363 - 364.","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Petrulevicius, J. F. (2003) Phylogenetic and biogeographical remarks on Thyridates (Mecoptera: Bittacidae), with the first fossil record of the taxon. Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 46 (suppl. - Fossil Insects), 257 - 265.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8."]}

Bittacus and Neobittacus The genus Neobittacus Esben-Petersen, 1914 was proposed for the Brazilian species Bittacus blancheti Pictet, 1836 and the generic characters pointed out by the author were: wings long, slender, and decorated with distinct bands and dots; costal area with about five crossveins; first anal vein joining the hind margin distal to the fork of the medial vein; cubital cell very narrow; third anal vein present in the forewing; hind tarsi with the first tarsomere slightly longer than second and third together, third tarsomere slightly shorter than the second and fourth tarsomeres and half the length of the first tarsomere; female subgenital plate large and strongly haired. These seven characters were considered quite variable by Navás (1929), who synonymized Neobittacus with Thyridates, thus transferring B. blancheti to Thyridates. Navás’ decision was ignored by Penny (1977) who described a second species in the genus, Neobittacus aripuanaensis Penny, 1977, from northern Mato Grosso state, Brazil. The author argued that N. aripuanaensis appeared to be closely related to Bittacus andinus Londt & Byers, 1974, but the character that placed it in Neobittacus was the large number of crossveins in the costal area. Penny and Byers (1979 a) published a key to the families and genera of the Mecoptera of the Americas south of the United States and separated Bittacus from Neobittacus by the number of costal crossveins: more than two costal crossveins in Neobittacus and two or less in Bittacus. This character is essentially the same as that pointed out by Esben-Petersen (1914). Neobittacus more recently also has been cited by Willmann (1983) and Petrulevičius (2003). During our analysis, we found the main character used by Penny and Byers (1979 a) to be quite variable; we commonly found specimens of B. diversinervis and B. latreillei with more than two crossveins in one wing and two or less in the other. This character is similar to the second proposed synapomorphy of Thyridates introduced by Willmann (1983), which has already been discussed and considered as a very plastic character by Collucci and Amorim (2000) and Petrulevičius (2003). The other six characters of Esben-Petersen (1921) are also inconsistent, and all of them are found in other species such as B. chilensis, B. femoralis, and B. diversinervis. Because of the inconsistency of the characters and the absence of a comprehensive phylogenetic work based on many characters related to these taxa, we synonymize Neobittacus with Bittacus, and transfer Neobittacus aripuanaensis Penny, 1977 to Bittacus (B. aripuanaensis (Penny, 1977) comb. nov.) The other species treated in Neobittacus, N. blanchetti, was originally described in Bittacus.

Bittacus and Thyridates The genus Bittacus was created for the European species, B. italicus (M��ller, 1766) (= B. tipularia (Fabricius, 1775). Subsequent to that, the first New World species, B. stigmaterus Say, 1823, was described. Nowadays Bittacus is the most diverse genus of Bittacidae, with species in all biogeographical regions. Nav��s (1908) proposed the creation of the genus Thyridates for Bittacus chilensis Klug, 1838, but Esben- Petersen (1921) considered the differentiating characters proposed by Nav��s inconsistent and synonymized Thyridates with Bittacus, which was accepted by subsequent authors (Byers 1972; Penny 1975; Penny & Byers 1979 a, b). The synonymy between Thyridates and Bittacus was questioned by Willmann (1983), who proposed the revalidation of Thyridates and transferred 12 species from Bittacus to it. This author pointed out two characters to support the group: the origin of Rs 1 + 2 forming nearly a right angle and extra costal crossveins present beyond the humeral crossvein. In the same paper the author also used a biogeographical discussion to support his hypothesis, pointing out that Bittacus is broadly distributed in Eurasia and North America (Laurasian distribution) but does not occur in the Australian region, and thus, Bittacus cannot be the predominant genus of Bittacidae in South America. Collucci and Amorim (2000, 2001) adopted Willmann���s classification, described four new species of Thyridates, and transferred another three species from Bittacus to Thyridates. These authors pointed out that Bittacus is probably Holarctic, while Thyridates is a Neotropical genus. They also proposed another five synapomorphies to emphasize the consistency of the group: fork of Rs more basal than the apex of Sc; crossvein sc-r apical; thyridium evident; pterostigma elongate; and species relatively large. Petrulevičius (2003) reiterated the consistency of Thyridates and discussed the characters introduced by Willmann (1983) and Collucci and Amorim (2000). The author considered two of the characters as least problematic: origin of Rs 1 + 2 making nearly a right angle as proposed by Willmann (1983), and elongated pterostigma as proposed by Collucci and Amorim (2000); he emphasized that the strongest character was the presence of two or three pterostigmal crossveins, which distinguish an elongated pterostigma (Fig. 1). In addition to these two characters Petrulevičius (2003) also proposed one more: presence of a forked Kreuz der Bittaciden (bifurcations of veins Rs 3 + 4, M 1 + 2 and M 3 + 4, arising at the same level, where the bifurcation in M 1 + 2 becomes more basal, almost at the same level as crossveins rs 4 -m 1 + 2 and m 1 + 2 -m 3 + 4). Based on these three characters the author described a fossil species from Argentina (Thyridates novokschonovi Petrulevičius, 2003) and transferred seven African species from Bittacus to Thyridates, thus expanding the geographical distribution of Thyridates. He suggested a Gondwanan origin for the group, before it became restricted to the Neotropical region. Although these authors considered Thyridates a valid genus and introduced some putative synapomorphies, other authors have ignored these works and have not accepted Thyridates (Byers 1996, 2004; Byers & Roggero 1992), which has caused nomenclatural instability. For the development of this work we have examined specimens of 25 species (see examined specimens below) from the New World, mainly to analyze the three characters pointed out by Petrulevičius (2003). The first one, the origin of Rs 1 + 2 at nearly a right angle, is the most constant character state among the South American species now classified in Thyridates. However, this character state is not present in all species from South America and Africa (Petrulevičius 2003) and also can be found in some Nearctic species of Bittacus, such as B. chlorostigma MacLachlan, 1881, B. occidentis Walker, 1853, B. pilicornis Westwood, 1846, B. punctiger Westwood, 1846, and B. stigmaterus Say, 1823. The second character state, an elongate pterostigma with two or three crossveins, is also variable. Bittacus maculosus Byers, 1965, B. diversinervis Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942, B. pintoi Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942, and B. femoralis Klug, 1838 contain specimens with only one crossvein and sometimes with one crossvein on one side of the body and two or three on the other side. Other genera, such as Pazius and Kalobittacus, also share this character state. The third character, the presence of a forked Kreuz der Bittaciden, occurs practically in all species of Thyridates and Bittacus that we have examined, but in the majority of them the bifurcation M 1 + 2 is a little more apical than the others, and does not reach the level of crossveins rs 4 -m 1 + 2 and m 1 + 2 -m 3 + 4, the opposite of what Petrulevičius (2003) indicated and exactly the same as occurs in some Kalobittacus species. The biogeographical discussion in Willmann (1983) was strongly based on the absence of Bittacus in the Australian region to explain why Bittacus could not occur in the Neotropical region. However this conclusion no longer can be considered valid as Lambkin (1988) has described the first Australian Bittacus (B. eremus Lambkin, 1988). The Andes Mountains is one of the most formidable biogeographical barriers for insects in South America. The mecopteran fauna in the lowlands west of the Andes is almost completely different than that east of the Andes; only Bittacus occurs in both regions, but with just a single species, B. chilensis, on the west side. This species, the basis for Thyridates (Nav��s, 1908), has some peculiar characteristics, such as the large body size and large eleventh tergite. When a comprehensive phylogenetic study related to all of these taxa is done we may have to reconsider resurrection of Thyridates, but only for this particular species, not for the others. Because of the inconsistency of the three characters discussed we opt to not accept Thyridates as a valid genus, as Esben-Petersen had concluded in 1921. Thus, we transfer to Bittacus all species recently described in Thyridates: Bittacus brunnipenis (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) n. comb., B. froehlichi (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) n. comb., B. latreillei (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) n. comb., B. novokschonovi (Petrulevičius, 2003) n. comb. and B. willmanni (Collucci & Amorim, 2001) n. comb.. As Thyridates is again synonymized with Bittacus all of the African species that Petrulevičius transferred to Thyridates must again be treated in Bittacus: B. chevalieri Nav��s, 1908, B. erythrostigma Byers, 1975, B. nebulosus Klug, 1838, B. oreinus Nav��s, 1914, B. stanleyi Byers, 1968, B. testaceous Klug, 1838, and B. weelei Esben-Petersen, 1913., Published as part of Machado, Renato Jose Pires, Godoi, Fabio Siqueira P. & Rafael, Jos�� Albertino, 2009, Neotropical Mecoptera (Insecta): New generic synonymies, new combinations, key to families and genera, and checklist of species, pp. 27-38 in Zootaxa 2148 on pages 28-29, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.275008, {"references":["Navas, L. (1908) Neuropteros nuevos. Memorias de la real Academia de Ciencias y Artes de Barcelona, 6 (3), 401 - 423.","Esben - Petersen, P. (1921) Mecoptera. Monographic revision. Collections Zoologiques du Baron Edmond de Selys Longchamps. Catalogue Systematique et Descriptif. Fasc. 5. 172 pp.","Byers, G. W. (1972) A new genus of Mecoptera from Brazil. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 45 (3), 341 - 346.","Penny, N. D. (1975) Evolution of the extant Mecoptera. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 48, 331 - 350.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 a) Chave para as familias e generos da Mecoptera (Insecta) da America, do sul dos Estados Unidos. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 363 - 364.","Penny, N. D. & Byers, G. W. (1979 b) A check - list of the Mecoptera of the world. Acta Amazonica, 9 (2), 365 - 388.","Willmann, R. (1983) Die phylogenetischen Beziehungen unter den sudamerikanischen Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera). Zoologische Beitrage Neue Folge, 28, 47 - 65.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2000) Three new species of Thyridates Navas, 1908 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from Brazil, with new combinations and some comments about phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 21, 1 - 8.","Collucci, E. & Amorim, D. S. (2001) Descricao de uma nova especie de Thyridates Navas, 1908 de Governador Valadares, estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil e redescricao de T. femoralis (Klug, 1836) (Mecoptera, Bittacidae). Contribuicoes Avulsas Sobre a Historia Natural do Brasil, Serie Zoologia, 36, 1 - 6.","Petrulevicius, J. F. (2003) Phylogenetic and biogeographical remarks on Thyridates (Mecoptera: Bittacidae), with the first fossil record of the taxon. Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 46 (suppl. - Fossil Insects), 257 - 265.","Byers, G. W. (1996) Descriptions and distributional records of American Mecoptera. IV. University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 55 (14), 519 - 547.","Byers, G. W. (2004) A collection of Mecoptera from Latin America. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 77 (2), 137 - 142.","Byers, G. W. & Roggero, R. J. (1992) Hanging - flies of Panama (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). In: Quintero, D. & Aiello, A. (eds.). Insects of Panama and Mesoamerica: selected studies. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 594 - 599.","Lambkin, K. J. (1988) An Australian species of the genus Bittacus Latreille (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 25 (2), 439 - 444."]}

Bittacus and Thyridates The genus Bittacus was created for the European species, B. italicus (Müller, 1766) (= B. tipularia (Fabricius, 1775). Subsequent to that, the first New World species, B. stigmaterus Say, 1823, was described. Nowadays Bittacus is the most diverse genus of Bittacidae, with species in all biogeographical regions. Navás (1908) proposed the creation of the genus Thyridates for Bittacus chilensis Klug, 1838, but Esben- Petersen (1921) considered the differentiating characters proposed by Navás inconsistent and synonymized Thyridates with Bittacus, which was accepted by subsequent authors (Byers 1972; Penny 1975; Penny & Byers 1979 a, b). The synonymy between Thyridates and Bittacus was questioned by Willmann (1983), who proposed the revalidation of Thyridates and transferred 12 species from Bittacus to it. This author pointed out two characters to support the group: the origin of Rs 1 + 2 forming nearly a right angle and extra costal crossveins present beyond the humeral crossvein. In the same paper the author also used a biogeographical discussion to support his hypothesis, pointing out that Bittacus is broadly distributed in Eurasia and North America (Laurasian distribution) but does not occur in the Australian region, and thus, Bittacus cannot be the predominant genus of Bittacidae in South America. Collucci and Amorim (2000, 2001) adopted Willmann’s classification, described four new species of Thyridates, and transferred another three species from Bittacus to Thyridates. These authors pointed out that Bittacus is probably Holarctic, while Thyridates is a Neotropical genus. They also proposed another five synapomorphies to emphasize the consistency of the group: fork of Rs more basal than the apex of Sc; crossvein sc-r apical; thyridium evident; pterostigma elongate; and species relatively large. Petrulevičius (2003) reiterated the consistency of Thyridates and discussed the characters introduced by Willmann (1983) and Collucci and Amorim (2000). The author considered two of the characters as least problematic: origin of Rs 1 + 2 making nearly a right angle as proposed by Willmann (1983), and elongated pterostigma as proposed by Collucci and Amorim (2000); he emphasized that the strongest character was the presence of two or three pterostigmal crossveins, which distinguish an elongated pterostigma (Fig. 1). In addition to these two characters Petrulevičius (2003) also proposed one more: presence of a forked Kreuz der Bittaciden (bifurcations of veins Rs 3 + 4, M 1 + 2 and M 3 + 4, arising at the same level, where the bifurcation in M 1 + 2 becomes more basal, almost at the same level as crossveins rs 4 -m 1 + 2 and m 1 + 2 -m 3 + 4). Based on these three characters the author described a fossil species from Argentina (Thyridates novokschonovi Petrulevičius, 2003) and transferred seven African species from Bittacus to Thyridates, thus expanding the geographical distribution of Thyridates. He suggested a Gondwanan origin for the group, before it became restricted to the Neotropical region. Although these authors considered Thyridates a valid genus and introduced some putative synapomorphies, other authors have ignored these works and have not accepted Thyridates (Byers 1996, 2004; Byers & Roggero 1992), which has caused nomenclatural instability. For the development of this work we have examined specimens of 25 species (see examined specimens below) from the New World, mainly to analyze the three characters pointed out by Petrulevičius (2003). The first one, the origin of Rs 1 + 2 at nearly a right angle, is the most constant character state among the South American species now classified in Thyridates. However, this character state is not present in all species from South America and Africa (Petrulevičius 2003) and also can be found in some Nearctic species of Bittacus, such as B. chlorostigma MacLachlan, 1881, B. occidentis Walker, 1853, B. pilicornis Westwood, 1846, B. punctiger Westwood, 1846, and B. stigmaterus Say, 1823. The second character state, an elongate pterostigma with two or three crossveins, is also variable. Bittacus maculosus Byers, 1965, B. diversinervis Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942, B. pintoi Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942, and B. femoralis Klug, 1838 contain specimens with only one crossvein and sometimes with one crossvein on one side of the body and two or three on the other side. Other genera, such as Pazius and Kalobittacus, also share this character state. The third character, the presence of a forked Kreuz der Bittaciden, occurs practically in all species of Thyridates and Bittacus that we have examined, but in the majority of them the bifurcation M 1 + 2 is a little more apical than the others, and does not reach the level of crossveins rs 4 -m 1 + 2 and m 1 + 2 -m 3 + 4, the opposite of what Petrulevičius (2003) indicated and exactly the same as occurs in some Kalobittacus species. The biogeographical discussion in Willmann (1983) was strongly based on the absence of Bittacus in the Australian region to explain why Bittacus could not occur in the Neotropical region. However this conclusion no longer can be considered valid as Lambkin (1988) has described the first Australian Bittacus (B. eremus Lambkin, 1988). The Andes Mountains is one of the most formidable biogeographical barriers for insects in South America. The mecopteran fauna in the lowlands west of the Andes is almost completely different than that east of the Andes; only Bittacus occurs in both regions, but with just a single species, B. chilensis, on the west side. This species, the basis for Thyridates (Navás, 1908), has some peculiar characteristics, such as the large body size and large eleventh tergite. When a comprehensive phylogenetic study related to all of these taxa is done we may have to reconsider resurrection of Thyridates, but only for this particular species, not for the others. Because of the inconsistency of the three characters discussed we opt to not accept Thyridates as a valid genus, as Esben-Petersen had concluded in 1921. Thus, we transfer to Bittacus all species recently described in Thyridates: Bittacus brunnipenis (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) n. comb., B. froehlichi (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) n. comb., B. latreillei (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) n. comb., B. novokschonovi (Petrulevičius, 2003) n. comb. and B. willmanni (Collucci & Amorim, 2001) n. comb.. As Thyridates is again synonymized with Bittacus all of the African species that Petrulevičius transferred to Thyridates must again be treated in Bittacus: B. chevalieri Navás, 1908, B. erythrostigma Byers, 1975, B. nebulosus Klug, 1838, B. oreinus Navás, 1914, B. stanleyi Byers, 1968, B. testaceous Klug, 1838, and B. weelei Esben-Petersen, 1913.