Search

The male of a new species Arisemus venustus sp. n. from Nicaragua, the Cerro Musun Natural Reserve, is described. A. atrasetus (Rapp, 1945) and Platyplastinx tango Quate et Brown, 2004 (Diptera: Psychodidae: Psychodinae) from Nicaragua are redescribed and illustrated on the basis of male morphological characters.

The study presents results of colour preference of insects (Insecta), mainly from the order Hymenoptera (families Apidae, Formicidae). The research was carried out in the vicinity of the Beniakovce village (near the Košice city) over the years 2010–2012. Trapping by coloured water traps was conducted at ten sites with 50 Moerick′s water traps coloured with five different colours (white, yellow, blue, purple, and red). On the study area there were 12 357 individuals captured, belonging to 17 higher taxa (class, order, suborder) or genus morpho group of families Apidae and Formicidae. The highest abundance was found in Diptera followed by Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. Obtained results were in accordance with literature data, which showed that yellow colour was the most preferred by insects. Our results confirmed high degree of diversity of insect’s fauna in the study area. Our study suggested that a modified Moerick′s water traps may be a valuable tool in studies on insect diversity, distribution, seasonal abundance, and foraging behaviour as well.

Records of 46 Psychodidae (Sycoracinae 1, Trichomyiinae 1, Psychodinae 44) species/subspecies are presented in this paper based on specimens collected by sweep-netting in Azerbaijan and Georgia in 2019. Nine species are recorded for the first time since their original description; 12 species are new for Transcaucasia; 22 species are new for Azerbaijan; and 17 species are new for Georgia. Saraiella ressli montana Ježek, 1990 is proposed as a synonym of S. ressli Wagner, 1983, syn. nov. Knowledge of some aspects of the ecology and biogeography of selected (especially rare) species has been expanded and a clear pattern was found in species richness, rare species, and new records in relation to land use, habitat diversity, and preservation of the environment surrounding the sampling site.

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

Dolichopodid specimens were collected during a field work in Prešov town in 2019. Systenus slovakiensis sp. nov. from anthropogenic habitats is described. Differential diagnoses are given and illustrated. A key to females of Systenus species of the Palearctic is provided. From all other Palaearctic species of this genus, the new species is distinguished by snow-white trochanters and black femora.

Rain pools (pluviotelmata or puddles) are common, small and non-permanent aquatic ecosystems. Data on the use of rain pools by amphibian taxa in the Carpathian Mountains, especially in Slovakia, are rare. In this study we describe the occurrence of Bombina variegata (Linnaeus, 1758), which may use these small aquatic ecosystems as part of their complex life cycle or where they spend their larval period. The most important hydroperiodic factors affecting the vertebrate fauna were the volume and area of the rain pools, the presence (respectively the absence) of shade, water temperature, biotope structure and the presence of several chemical compounds (NO− 3, GH, KH, pH). This study confirms that micro-habitats, such as rain pools, may play an important role for suitable reproduction sites of B. variegata, as stated by several authors from the different countries and regions of its large distributional range. At the same time, data on the presence or absence of different taxa with important conservation status in the monitored habitat aid in the detection of species.

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

Records of 16 species of the family Dolichopodidae from Azerbaijan and Georgia are given. Four species Campsicnemus armeniacus Negrobov, Manko, Hrivniak & Obona, 2017, Chrysotus pennatus Lichtwardt, 1902, Medetera kowarzi Negrobov, 1974, Rhaphium brevicorne Curtis, 1835 represent new records for Azerbaijan and increase species richness to 90 taxa. The completed checklist of long-legged flies of Georgia is presented. With five new country records, namely: Campsicnemus umbripennis Loew, 1856, Medetera murina Becker, 1917, Medetera truncorum Meigen, 1824, Sybistroma crinipes Stæger, 1842, Sympycnus pulicarius (Fallén, 1823), the checklist covers 71 taxa now.

Many phoretic relationships between insects are understudied because of taxonomic impediments. We here illustrate for avian lice riding on hippoboscid flies how new natural history data on phoretic relationships can be acquired quickly with NGS barcoding. Most avian lice are host-specific, but some can arrive on new hosts by riding hippoboscid flies that feed on bird blood. Our summary of the literature yielded 254 published records which we here show to belong to two large and 13 small interaction networks for birds, flies, and lice. In order to generate new records, we then developed a new protocol based on screening bird carcasses sourced by citizen scientists. The inspection of 131 carcasses from Singapore lead to the first record of a Guimaraesiella louse species riding on Ornithoica momiyamai flies collected from a pitta carcass. Phoresy may explain why this louse species is now known from three phylogenetically disparate hosts (Pitta moluccensis, Ficedula zanthopygia; Pardaliparus elegans). A second new case of phoresy enhances a large interaction network dominated by Ornithophila metallica, a cosmopolitan and polyphagous hippoboscid fly species. Overall, we argue that many other two- and three-way phoretic relationships between arthropods (e.g., mites, pseudoscorpiones, beetles, flies) can be resolved using cost-effective large-scale NGS barcoding, which can be used to pre-sort specimens for taxonomic revision and thus partially overcome some taxonomic impediments.

The unpublished zoogeographical views of louse flies from genus Hippobosca deposited in Collection of the Zoological institute of Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg, Russia from Transcaucasia are summarized. A total 248 deposited samples and one recent sample belonging to species Hippobosca equina Linnaeus, 1758 and Hippobosca longipennis Fabricius, 1805 from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Southern Caucasus and north-western Iran are presented.

Two new species of the genus Molophilus Curtis, 1833 are described, Molophilus (Molophilus) rohacekisp. nov. (Italy: Calabria) and M. (M.) soldanisp. nov. (Azerbaijan), and their male terminalia are illustrated.

Psychodid specimens were sorted from samples collected during fieldwork in areas in and around the Caucasus Mountains in 2019. Thornburghiella montana sp. nov. (from Georgia) and Pericoma inopinata sp. nov. (from Azerbaijan and Georgia) are described. Differential diagnoses are given and diagnostic characters illustrated.

Known Plecoptera data published from Azerbaijan are critically reviewed. New records of 28 species are enumerated on the basis of specimens collected between 2017 and 2019, among them 16 are new for the fauna of Azerbaijan. Nemoura irani Aubert, 1964 is new for the whole Caucasian region, Leuctra sanainica Zhiltzova, 1960 and Plesioperla sakartvella (Zhiltzova, 1956) are new for the Greater Caucasus. The female and larva of an unknown Protonemura Kempny, 1898 species, collected in the Talysh Mts, are illustrated and described under temporary name Protonemura sp. AZE-1. A new species of Protonemura, collected both in the Azerbaijan and Georgian areas of the Greater Caucasus, will be formally described in a further paper. A male Protonemura specimen was found to be infected by mermithid worms, morphological lesions are illustrated and commented; this is the second documented case of mermithid infection in stoneflies. Subspecies level identity of Azerbaijani populations of Leuctra fusca (Linnaeus, 1758) proved to be problematic, morphological characters of the specimens are illustrated. Synonymy of Isoperla caucasica Balinsky, 1950 and I. pulchra Balinsky, 1950 under I. bithynica (Kempny, 1908) is disputed, the two names are combined under I. grammatica (Poda, 1761) sensu lato.

Background Invasive mosquitoes of the genus Aedes are quickly spreading around the world. The presence of these alien species is concerning for both their impact on the native biodiversity and their high vector competence. The surveillance of Aedes invasive mosquito (AIM) species is one of the most important steps in vector-borne disease control and prevention. Methods In 2020, the monitoring of AIM species was conducted in five areas (Bratislava, Zvolen, Banská Bystrica, Prešov, Košice) of Slovakia. The sites were located at points of entry (border crossings with Austria and Hungary) and in the urban and rural zones of cities and their surroundings. Ovitraps were used at the majority of sites as a standard method of monitoring. The collected specimens were identified morphologically, with subsequent molecular identification by conventional PCR (cox1) and Sanger sequencing. The phylogenetic relatedness of the obtained sequences was inferred by the maximum likelihood (ML) method. The nucleotide heterogeneity of the Slovak sequences was analysed by the index of disparity. Results A bush mosquito, Aedes japonicus japonicus, was found and confirmed by molecular methods in three geographically distant areas of Slovakia—Bratislava, Zvolen and Prešov. The presence of AIM species is also likely in Košice; however, the material was not subjected to molecular identification. The nucleotide sequences of some Slovak strains confirm their significant heterogeneity. They were placed in several clusters on the ML phylogenetic tree. Moreover, Ae. j. japonicus was discovered in regions of Slovakia that are not close to a point of entry, where the mosquitoes could find favourable habitats in dendrothelms in city parks or forests. Conclusion Despite being a first record of the Ae. j. japonicus in Slovakia, our study indicates that the established populations already exist across the country, underlining the urgent need for intensified surveillance of AIM species as well as mosquito-borne pathogens. Graphical Abstract

The former monotypic genus Armillipora Quate, known only from Costa Rica and Panama, is redescribed, including the type species A. selvica Quate, this time collected on the Caribbean side of Nicaragua, RAAN department, and illustrated based on male morphological characters. The male of a new species, A. suapiensis sp. nov., from Bolivia, La Paz department, is described here and also figured.

Records of 81 Psychodidae (Sycoracinae 4 spp., Psychodinae 76 spp.) species/subspecies are presented in this paper based on specimens collected in Bulgaria. 46 species are new records for Bulgaria (Sycoracinae 3 spp., Psychodinae 43 spp.). The Psychodidae fauna of Bulgaria now comprises 99 species (Phlebotominae 5 spp., Sycoracinae 5 spp., Trichomyiinae 1 sp., and Psychodinae 88 spp.).

Type material of moth flies of Neoarisemus leponti sp. nov. was collected in Madagascar, Toamasina province, environments of Analamazaotra and Amboditafonana. Hemimormia nyangerensis sp. nov. and Iranotelmatoscopus kenyensis sp. nov. were captured in Equatorial Africa near Victoria Lake during a fieldwork in Uganda (Gaba) and Kenya (Kusa, Nyangera). The mentioned three species are described, differential diagnoses included, and diagnostic characters illustrated.

First records of the following species of the family Dolichopodidae are given for Armenia: Asyndetus latifrons (Loew, 1857), Sybistroma obscurella Fallen, 1823, Hercostomus chetifer (Walker, 1849), H. vivax (Loew, 1857), Chrysotimus molliculus (Fallen, 1823), Rhaphium discigerum Stenhammar, 1851, Sympycnus pulicarius (Fallen, 1823), Teuchophorus monacanthus Loew, 1859, and Xanthochlorus tenellus (Wiedemann, 1817). The records of A. latifrons and R. discigerum represent the first ones from Transcaucasia. Campsicnemus armeniacus sp. n. is described. The first checklist of long-legged flies of Armenia is enclosed, containing 77 species (including one subspecies).

A species inventory of Diptera from the families Empididae and Hybotidae from 5 selected Sites of Community Importance in the Pieniny Mts. (Slovakia) is presented. The checklist comprises 43 taxa (34 taxa of the family Empididae and 9 species of the family Hybotidae), including first records of Empis (E.) ciliatopennata Strobl, 1893 and Hilara curtisi Collin, 1927 for the territory of Slovakia. The species-richness of the empidid fauna in Slovakia is increased to 285 species by this paper.

The first comprehensive Kenyan hippoboscid checklist is presented. All reliable and available data of louse flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) from Kenya are summarised. First records of two species of louse flies from Kenya are given: Icosta (Icosta) mecorrhina Maa, 1964 and Ornithomya marginalis Maa, 1964. A louse fly collected from Narina's Trogon Apaloderma narina (Stephens, 1815) is published for the first time. This list increases the Kenyan species-richness of the hippoboscid fauna to 22 species.

Records of species of the families Limoniidae and Pediciidae are presented from Armenia. A total of 38 species of Limoniidae and four species of Pediciidae are listed. Of these, 27 species of Limoniidae and one species of Pediciidae represent the first records from Armenia. The first checklist of these families from Armenia is appended, containing 77 species of Limoniidae and six species of Pediciidae.

We provide the first commented checklist of Armenian mayflies, based on all relevant literature and recent extensive sampling of 72 localities throughout Armenia during 2011, 2014, and 2015. Altogether 46 species are listed, eight of them reported from Armenia for the first time. One new species, Ecdyonurus (Ecdyonurus) eurycephalus sp. nov. is described (larva and male imago) based on morphological and molecular (COI) data. The species is characterized by a unique head shape in male imago and by the presence of tracheal filaments on gill plate VII in the larval stage.