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ABSTRACT Heptozus Lindner, with a known distribution in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama, is recorded for the first time in Brazil with the occurrence of Heptozus hansoni James in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Launched in 2015, the large-scale initiative Indonesian Biodiversity Discovery and Information System (IndoBioSys) is a multidisciplinary German-Indonesian collaboration with the main goal of establishing a standardised framework for species discovery and all associated steps. One aspect of the project includes the application of DNA barcoding for species identification and biodiversity assessments. In this framework, we conducted a large-scale assessment of the insect fauna of the Mount Halimun-Salak National Park which is one of the largest tropical rain-forest ecosystems left in West Java. In this study, we present the results of processing 5,034 specimens of Phoridae (scuttle flies) via DNA barcoding. Despite limited sequencing success, we obtained more than 500 clusters using different algorithms (RESL, ASAP, SpeciesIdentifier). Moreover, Chao statistics indicated that we drastically undersampled all trap sites, implying that the true diversity of Phoridae is, in fact, much higher. With this data release, we hope to shed some light on the hidden diversity of this megadiverse group of flies.

Pronomopsis rubripes Hermann, and Pronomopsis talabrensis Artigas are reported for the first time from Argentina (Salta and Jujuy) and the male terminalia of P. chalybea Hermann and P. talabrensis are described and illustrated for the first time. An updated distribution map and a key of the species of Pronomopsis Hermann are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the unique morphology of their adult visual system, stalk‐eyed flies represent an important model of exaggerated trait evolution through sexual selection. Early physiological measurements indicated wavelength sensitivity peaks in the ultraviolet (360 nm), blue (450), blue‐green (490 nm), and red (>550 nm) ranges in the compound eye retina of the stalk‐eyed fly Teleopsis dalmanni, consistent with the trichromatic color and broad range motion detection vision system of brachyceran Diptera. A previous study of dipteran opsin gene diversification, however, detected only homologs of members of the long wavelength range sensitive opsin subfamilies Rh2 and Rh6 in T. dalmanni. Here, I report findings from analyzing the most recent T. dalmanni genome assembly, which revealed the conservation of most brachyceran opsin homologs except for the UV wavelength range‐sensitive homolog Rh4. These results and other examples highlight the caution that needs to be applied to gene loss conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wuyishan National Park is well known for its rich biodiversity. Previously, only five species of Hybos Meigen, 1803 were known to occur in this region. In this study, 27 species of the genus Hybos from Wuyishan National Park are reviewed based on comparative morphological characteristics. Among these, nine species are described as new to science: Hybos brevidigitatus sp. nov., Hybos constractus sp. nov., Hybos curvitibia sp. nov., Hybos dazhulanus sp. nov., Hybos fujianensis sp. nov., Hybos leucopogus sp. nov., Hybos longidigitatus sp. nov., Hybos modificatus sp. nov., and Hybos wuyishanus sp. nov. Diagnoses, detailed descriptions, remarks, colored illustrations, distributions, and some of the female terminalia characteristics are provided for nine new species. In addition, 13 species of this genus are reported for the first time in Wuyishan National Park. A key to Hybos species from Wuyishan National Park is also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon is a socio-ecological system comprising a rich landscape mosaic of beaches, dunes, sandflats, mudflats, sea-grasses, and small water channels. The lagoon is one of the largest saltmarsh areas in Portugal and Europe, supporting coastal food webs and serving as a nursery area for several species. Because of these features, Ria de Aveiro is a Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research platform (LTSER) site and integrates the Natura 2000 network. Despite this, only recently has research been conducted regarding its entomofauna. In this study, field collections were carried out in seven locations along Ria de Aveiro saltmarshes areas by sweep-netting the dominant halophyte vegetation in September 2020. A total of 222 Diptera specimens from 13 families (Asteiidae, Canacidae, Chamaemyiidae, Chyromyidae, Hybotidae, Lauxaniidae, Milichiidae, Scathophagidae, Sciomyzidae, Sepsidae, Sphaeroceridae, Therevidae and Ulidiidae), belonging to 19 genera and 23 species, are presented in this paper. From these, 1 genus and 4 species are new records for Portuguese territory. Sphaeroceridae was the most species-rich family, with Rachispoda fuscipennis being the most abundant species recorded. This study provides a snapshot into coastal insect communities in Portuguese coastal lagoons and highlights the need to continue to access insect biodiversity in these coastal areas, which are threatened mostly by sea-level rise, coastal squeeze, and saline intrusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caraway (Carum carvi L.) is a crop species that is gaining in importance in Europe, especially as a condiment and medicinal plant. Here, we present the plant–pollinator network of caraway in a central European agricultural landscape, focusing on two diverse potential pollinator taxa, Diptera: Brachycera (= true flies) and Hymenoptera (sawflies, bees, and wasps). We specifically studied qualitative differences in interactions between the two insect taxa as well as the intraday and intraseasonal variability of the network. Insect and pollen plant species determination was done via morphological identification and DNA (meta)barcoding. In total, 121 species representing 33 families of Hymenoptera and Brachycera were found to carry caraway pollen. These taxa included many nonhoneybee and nonhoverfly species, showing a wide taxonomic breadth of potential pollinators and a higher network complexity than previously anticipated. There are distinct qualitative differences between Brachycera and Hymenoptera networks, suggesting complementary roles of both taxa in the pollination of native and crop plants. Strong intraday differences in potential pollinator diversity make it necessary to collect insects and pollen at different times of the day to compile complete plant–pollinator networks. Intraseasonal analyses of the plant–pollinator network of caraway show the potential of caraway as an important food source for insect species with an activity peak in late summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present 7418 records of insects of the order Diptera, corresponding to 7569 specimens deposited in the Entomological Collection of the University of Antioquia (CEUA) with information associated with plant taxa. The specimens were collected in and/or reared from small bodies of water accumulated in parts of terrestrial plants, denoted as Phytotelmata in a tropical rain forest in the department of Chocó. The dataset is public access through Biodiversity Information System (SiB-Colombia). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Launched in 2015, the large-scale initiative Indonesian Biodiversity Discovery and Information System (IndoBioSys) is a multidisciplinary German-Indonesian collaboration with the main goal of establishing a standardised framework for species discovery and all associated steps. One aspect of the project includes the application of DNA barcoding for species identification and biodiversity assessments. In this framework, we conducted a large-scale assessment of the insect fauna of the Mount Halimun-Salak National Park which is one of the largest tropical rain-forest ecosystems left in West Java. In this study, we present the results of processing 5,034 specimens of Phoridae (scuttle flies) via DNA barcoding. Despite limited sequencing success, we obtained more than 500 clusters using different algorithms (RESL, ASAP, SpeciesIdentifier). Moreover, Chao statistics indicated that we drastically undersampled all trap sites, implying that the true diversity of Phoridae is, in fact, much higher. With this data release, we hope to shed some light on the hidden diversity of this megadiverse group of flies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In equine stables and their surroundings, a large number of insects are present that can be a nuisance to their equine hosts. Previous studies about dipterans transmitting infectious agents to Equidae have largely focused on Nematocera. For the preparation of this systematic review, the existing literature (until February 2022) was systematically screened for various infectious agents transmitted to Equidae via insects of the suborder Brachycera, including Tabanidae, Muscidae, Glossinidae and Hippoboscidae, acting as pests or potential vectors. The PRISMA statement 2020 (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for systematic reviews were followed. The two concepts, Brachycera and Equidae, were combined for the search that was carried out in three languages (English, German and French) using four different search engines. In total, 38 articles investigating Brachycera as vectors for viral, bacterial and parasitic infections or as pests of equids were identified. Only 7 of the 14 investigated pathogens in the 38 reports extracted from the literature were shown to be transmitted by Brachycera. This review clearly shows that further studies are needed to investigate the role of Brachycera as vectors for pathogens relevant to equine health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Although the species richness of Stratiomyidae (Diptera) in Brazil (~340 species) is one of the highest for the family worldwide, we still do not know the actual number of species, the extent of their distribution, or the species seasonal dynamics for a single area in the Neotropics. The soldier fly fauna in the semideciduous seasonal forests, which cover a major area of the countryside of the state of São Paulo, is poorly known compared to the best-known areas in the Atlantic Forest for stratiomyids, such as the ombrophilous forests on the southeast coast. With the constant habitat fragmentation of the remnants of the semideciduous forests in the state for crops and pastures for cattle, we are losing valuable data about biodiversity. This study details the stratiomyids for a single area in the Neotropical Region, using a standardized collecting methodology with Malaise traps, from May 2010 to December 2011. Here, we provide a list of 41 stratiomyid species and 25 genera in eight subfamilies from a total of 1,533 specimens collected in the Reserva Biológica e Ecológica Augusto Ruschi, Sertãozinho, Brazil. The current number of species/morphospecies reported for the state of São Paulo is raised to 113, with Merosargus golbachi James, 1971 in James and McFadden, 1971 and M. tripartitus James, 1971 in James and McFadden, 1971 reported for the first time to Brazil. Our analyses estimate even higher richness in the studied area, probably between 48 to 114 species, indicating that further collection efforts are needed.

The Australian and Oriental genus Formosargus James, 1939 (Stratiomyidae: Sarginae), until recently only known from three described species – F. kerteszi James, 1939, F. melanogrammus Lessard and Woodley, 2020, and F. variegatus James, 1969 – is herein revised. The monotypic sargine genus Amsaria Adisoemarto, 1974 is considered to be a synonym of Formosargus, and examination of material accumulated over the years resulted in the description of five new species to science: F. berezovskiyi sp. nov., F. borneensis sp. nov., F. mangoleensis sp. nov., F. trivittatus sp. nov. and F. woodleyi sp. nov. The genus, which was previously thought to be restricted to the Oriental Region only – known from species from Taiwan and the Philippines, though recently discovered in northern Australia and West Java, Indonesia (F. melanogrammus) – is here shown to be widespread in Southeast Asia. It reaches not only the transition zone between the Oriental and Australian regions and beyond, with first records from Papua New Guinea, but is also reported from the continental portion of Asia, with first records from Malaysia and Thailand. Rare in collections and with virtually no biological information available, Formosargus may have a hidden diversity in the Southeast Asia tropical wet forests, so additional species are expected to be found with future collecting efforts in the area. A key to all the species of Formosargus (which now includes 10 species), detailed descriptions of the species, and a map expanding the geographical distribution of the genus are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify promising entomophagous species from the order Diptera (suborder Brachycera), insects in the microreserve and botanical garden in Krasnodar krai, as well as in garden, field, and forest cenoses of North Ossetia, have been trapped. To determine species composition and abundance of insects, Malaise traps, sweeping with entomological nets, and methods of mass and individual breeding of parasites (cocoons, pupae or adults of parasites are placed for individual hatching in isolated containers together with the host insect or clutches) were used. In urban and suburban habitats of Krasnodar, 59 species of flies have been identified. There are 30 entomophagous species among them (51% of the total number of species). The largest number of species belongs to the families Asilidae (22%) and Syrphidae (14%). The superfamily Empidoidea accounted for 12% of the fauna of all identified Diptera with reduced antenna segmentation (representatives of the suborder Brachycera). The main predatory taxa of the dipterous insects are united into two superfamilies: Asiloidea and Empidoidea. Among 26 Brachycera species identified in North Ossetia 50% belong to entomophagous species. The largest taxa of identified entomophages are the families Asilidae (23%) and Tachinidae (15%). The faunistic explorations in various ecosystems in Krasnodar krai and North Ossetia revealed 94 species from 16 families. There are 54 entomophagous species among them. The vast majority of Diptera species found in Krasnodar and its suburban habitats are ecologically plastic, eurytopic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae) were studied in northwestern Iran. Specimens were collected using sweeping net and Malaise traps during 2010–2019. A total of 27 species were collected and identified, of which five species are recorded for the first time from Iran: Aneomochtherus mundus urartorum (Richter, 1960), Dysmachus cochleatus (Loew, 1854), Erax hayati Tomasovic, 2002, Leptogaster stackelbergi Lehr, 1963, and Stenopogon porcus Loew, 1871. A new species, Crobilocerus flavus Sakhvon & Mohammadi sp. n., is described and illustrated. Nine species are recorded from northwestern Iran for the first time. A key to males of Crobilocerus is provided. An updated list of 309 species and subspecies belonging to ten subfamilies of the robber flies from Iran is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Totally, 3368 species belonging to 84 families of the suborder Brachycera have been reported from Bulgaria. The families Tachinidae (425 species), Syrphidae (303 species), Muscidae (267 species), Phoridae (231 species) and Dolichopodidae (214 species) comprise the greatest number of species. Of the recorded species, 21 are pests on the forestry or agriculture and 49 species have a significance for the human or veterinary medicine. The distribution of dipterans in the different regions of Bulgaria is presented. The greatest number of species has been found in the zone of the xerothermic oak forests (2275 species or 67.5%). The brachycerans belong to 139 zoogeographical categories, divided into 2 supergroups: (1) species with Mediterranean type of distribution (384 species or 11.4%) - more thermophilic and distributed mainly in the southern parts of the Palaearctic and the lower parts of the mountains; 2) species with Palaearctic and Eurosiberian type of distribution (2916 species or 86.6%) - more eurybiontic and widely distributed. Totally, 68 (2.0%) endemics have been found. The distribution of the zoogeographical categories per vegetation belts of Bulgaria is scrutinised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miniaturization can strongly affect the structure of insects, and both common and unique features have been found in different groups. However, there have been no previous studies focused on the anatomy of miniature Brachycera. In this work, the internal structure of the adults of two miniature Brachycera, Leptocera sp. (Diptera, Sphaeroceridae) and Hydrellia albilabris (Meigen, 1830) (Diptera, Ephydridae) was studied for the first time using series of histological sections and computerized 3D reconstructions. Despite the small size of these miniature flies, all their organ systems retain a complex level of organization characteristic of larger representatives of related taxa. Even the tracheal system shows no essential simplification, even though it was revealed earlier in most miniature insects. A comparative analysis of changes in the relative volumes of organ systems has been carried out. The general trends of organ allometry identified earlier have been shown to be also valid for miniature Diptera; however, the reproductive systems of Leptocera sp. and Hydrellia albilabris occupy a much smaller relative volume than that of miniature insects from other orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A year-long entomological survey was performed in 2016-2017 using carrion-baited traps (chicken, pork, squid, or beef) to assess the diversity of necrophagous flies in the municipality of Yautepec, Morelos, Mexico. A total of 4,765 flies from 18 families were collected, more than 50 percent of the specimens collected (2,644) belonged to Calliphoridae represented by five genera and eight species. Out of these eight species we evaluated if the species presented a preference for a specific type of bait, our results show that Chrysomya rufifacies and C. megacephala preferred squid, while Cochliomyia macellaria, Hemilucilia segmentaria, and Lucilia mexicana preferred chicken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In equine stables and their surroundings, a large number of insects are present that can be a nuisance to their equine hosts. Previous studies about dipterans transmitting infectious agents to Equidae have largely focused on Nematocera. For the preparation of this systematic review, the existing literature (until February 2022) was systematically screened for various infectious agents transmitted to Equidae via insects of the suborder Brachycera, including Tabanidae, Muscidae, Glossinidae and Hippoboscidae, acting as pests or potential vectors. The PRISMA statement 2020 (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for systematic reviews were followed. The two concepts, Brachycera and Equidae, were combined for the search that was carried out in three languages (English, German and French) using four different search engines. In total, 38 articles investigating Brachycera as vectors for viral, bacterial and parasitic infections or as pests of equids were identified. Only 7 of the 14 investigated pathogens in the 38 reports extracted from the literature were shown to be transmitted by Brachycera. This review clearly shows that further studies are needed to investigate the role of Brachycera as vectors for pathogens relevant to equine health.

The peacock fly Callopistromyia annulipes (Macquart, 1855) is recorded for the first time in Romania, from several locations. Its current distribution in Europe and some data regarding the ecology of the species are presented.

Gene duplication is an important source of evolutionary innovation. To explore the relative impact of gene duplication during the diversification of major insect model system lineages, we performed a comparative analysis of lineage-specific gene duplications in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Brachycera), the mosquito Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicomorpha), the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera), and the honeybee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera). Focusing on close to 6,000 insect core gene families containing maximally six paralogs, we detected a conspicuously higher number of lineage-specific duplications in Drosophila (689) compared to Anopheles (315), Tribolium (386), and Apis (223). Based on analyses of sequence divergence, phylogenetic distribution, and gene ontology information, we present evidence that an increased background rate of gene duplicate accumulation played an exceptional role during the diversification of the higher Diptera (Brachycera), in part by providing enriched opportunities for intralocus sexual conflict resolution, which may have boosted speciation rates during the early radiation of the megadiverse brachyceran subclade Schizophora.

A new species of fossil hoverfly (Syrphidae: Eristalinae), i.e., Blera miocenica sp. nov. is described from the Early Miocene (Burdigalian) of Bílina mine in the Most Basin, Czech Republic. The species description is based on a well preserved compressed fossil and it represents the first known fossil record of the genus Blera Billberg, 1820 so far. B. miocenica sp. nov. diagnosis is based on the wing venation and other body characters like the coloration pattern of abdomen. The resemblance of the new fossil to extant species of Blera is briefly discussed. The previously suggested palaeoenvironmental conditions at the type locality are in agreement with the knowledge on autecology of recent representatives of the genus Blera (i.e., larval feeding strategy, adult habitat preferences and flower visitation). Thus, we conclude that fossil hoverflies could be a helpful tool for the indication of past habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the generic limits and classification of the little studied Australian fauna of the soldier fly subfamily Chiromyzinae. Among chiromyzines are many species that are confirmed agricultural pests of sugar cane, maize and grasses, including Inopus rubriceps (Macquart, 1847) that has been introduced in New Zealand and the United States. A taxonomic treatment is provided for the genera that occur in Australia, including illustrations and the first robust identification key. Several nomenclatural changes are made. The monotypic genera Archimyza Enderlein, 1921, and Stenimas Enderlein, 1921, are synonymised under Chiromyza Wiedemann, 1820, and the status of four species is revised: Inopus grandicornis (Hardy, 1920a) comb. nov. and Inopus longicornis (Hardy, 1924) comb. nov. are transferred from their previous position in Chiromyza; and Chiromyza australis (Macquart, 1850) stat. rev. and Chiromyza matruelis (Enderlein, 1921) stat. rev. are transferred from their previous position in Hylorops Enderlein, 1921, rendering Hylorops a monotypic genus, endemic to Chile. A total of 13 genera are now recognised in the Chiromyzinae, with four genera and 18 described species known from Australia. We also present the first record for New Zealand of the Australian species Boreoides tasmaniensis Bezzi, 1922, which was most likely accidentally introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have assembled and annotated the mitochondrial genome of Tinda javana (Macquart, 1838) (a species of soldier fly) in this study. It is 15,495 bp in length, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and a large non-coding control region (length: 704 bp). The nucleotide composition of whole mitochondrial genome biases toward A and T (75.5%). Most PCGs use ATN as initiation codon, except for cox1 which starts with CGA. All PCGs end with common termination codon TAA/G. Phylogenetic analyses based on the nucleotide sequence data supported the monophyly of Stratiomyidae and the sister relationship between Pachygastrinae and the clade (Nemotelinae + (Hermetiinae + Sarginae)).

The complete mitochondrial genome of Parastratiosphecomyia szechuanensis Lindner, 1954 was sequenced and analyzed in this study. The mitochondrial genome is 16,414 bp in length, including the 37 typical insect mitochondrial genes and a large control region. All PCGs end with complete termination codon TAA or TAG. Most PCGs initiated by standard start codon ATN, except for cox1 which starts with TCG. The phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequence data of 13 PCGs recovered the monophyly of Stratiomyidae and the sister relationship between Xylomyidae and Stratiomyidae.

Intensively managed shade coffee plantations are expanding in SW Ethiopia, at the cost of the more natural coffee agroforestry systems. Here, we investigated consequences for the potential pollinator community of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) in its natural range. We surveyed coffee flower visitors at six different sites in the Jimma region in SW Ethiopia, and compared species richness and abundance between semi-natural coffee forests and shaded coffee plantations. Overall, we found six bee (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) and twenty fly species (Diptera: Brachycera) visiting C. arabica flowers. Species richness and overall abundance of flower visitors was significantly higher in the semi-natural forests compared to the plantations. A significantly higher abundance of non-Apis bees and hoverflies (Syrphidae) visiting C. arabica flowers was observed in the semi-natural forest plots, but numbers for other Diptera and honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) did not differ significantly between the agroforestry systems. Our results show an impoverishment of the coffee flower visiting insect community in response to agricultural intensification. This suggests a functional shift of the coffee pollinator community and, hence, may influence the stability of the provided pollination ecosystem services and coffee yield in the long term. We did, however, not quantify pollination services in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparing ecologically relevant communities of insects in heterogeneous environments requires methods capable of sampling a sufficient number of individuals and diversity of species to measure β diversity.A battery‐operated computer fan powers a 1.5 m high Voegtlin suction trap. These traps are efficient at capturing small, weakly flying insects, and can be used to sample the α and β diversity of Microhymenoptera in discrete habitats within a temperate forest ecosystem.During a preliminary study comparing Voegtlin‐style suction and Townes‐style Malaise traps, we found that the suction traps caught a greater number and a greater diversity of Hymenoptera than the Malaise traps, especially of those OTUs smaller than 1.5 mm.Placed along a transect at 50 m intervals, the suction traps also yielded more heterogeneous samples than the Malaise traps, suggesting they may be particularly useful for quantifying β diversity at small spatial scales. The same analyses with brachyceran Diptera were more nuanced. Malaise traps outperformed suction traps in terms of measuring α diversity, but suction traps resolved a higher degree of brachyceran community heterogeneity using β diversity.Insofar as Hymenoptera are amongst the most diverse of insect orders and the vast majority of species are specialist parasitoids of other insects, suction trapped Hymenoptera diversity may be a useful proxy for measuring α and β insect diversity in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the course of evolution, mutualism between pollinators and plants was likely first developed between insects and gymnosperms, since the occurrence of long-proboscid Mecoptera, Neuroptera and Diptera predates the diversification of flowering plants in the Early Cretaceous by at least 60 million years. Here we report one of the most advanced pre-angiosperm pollinator, the Late Jurassic acrocerid fly Archocyrtus kovalevi (Nartshuk, 1996). Re-examination of the holotype specimen has shown that A. kovalevi had an extremely long siphonate proboscis (12 mm) almost twice the length of its body. Relatively, this kind of mouthpart was the longest of all long-proboscid Mesozoic insects hitherto. While long-proboscid species of extant Acroceridae are known as pollinators of flowers with long corolla tubes, we hypothesize that A. kovalevi pollinated bisexual bennettitalean cones such as Williamsoniella karataviensis Tur.-Ket., 1963 from the same deposits. Unlabelled Image • Mouthparts of Late Jurassic acrocerid fly Archocyrtus kovalevi have been re-examined • Archocyrtus kovalevi has the longest proboscis relative to body size of all the Mesozoic insects • Archocyrtus kovalevi was a probable pollinator of Bennettitaleans [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Zhangsolvidae is an extinct family of brachycerous flies with long proboscis that is known only from the Cretaceous. This family is considered a pollinator of Cretaceous gymnosperms. Two new species, Burmomyia rossi gen. et sp. nov. and Cratomyia zhuoi sp. nov., are described in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber from the Hukawng Valley in northern Myanmar. An updated key to all known genera and species of Zhangsolvidae is also given. Our study suggests that zhangsolvids had a relatively high diversity in the mid-Cretaceous and reveals zhangsolvid lacked distinct sexual dimorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chyromyidae of Turkey are reviewed and all 15 species known from the country are listed. The following are new records: Chyromya miladae Andersson, 1976, Gymnochiromyia inermis (Collin, 1933), Aphaniosoma approximatum Becker, 1903, A. micromacro Carles-Tolrá, 2001, A. propinquans Collin, 1949 and A. proximum Ebejer, 1998. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of gene duplication in developmental body plan evolution is well-established, but for many megadiverse clades such as true flies (Diptera), a comprehensive understanding is still just emerging through comparative genomics. In a survey of 377 developmental gene families, we found that in addition to the pea aphid, which has been previously shown to be genome-wide enriched with gene duplicates and was included as positive control, more than twice as many expanded developmental gene families were observed in Drosophila (49) compared to mosquito (21), flour beetle (20), and honeybee (14). Synonymous sequence divergence estimates and ortholog conservation analyses in additional dipteran genomes revealed that most Drosophila gene duplicates are ancient and accumulated during a time window that reaches back to the origin of brachyceran flies, ~180 million years ago. Further, available genetic data suggest that more than half of the Drosophila developmental gene duplicates remained partially or even fully redundant despite their ancient separation. We therefore speculate that the exceptional accumulation of developmental gene duplicates in Drosophila and the higher Diptera was proximally driven by the evolution of fast development, benefiting from increased genetic robustness. At the same time, the concomitant increase of opportunities for gene duplicate diversification appears to have been a source for developmental and phenotypic innovation during the unparalleled diversification of brachyceran Diptera.

Among all species of flies, Xylophagidae is one of the most primitive Brachycera families. We sequenced and annotated the mitochondrial genome of Heterostomus sp., the first representative of subfamily Xylophaginae with complete mitochondrial data. This mitogenome is 15,897 bp totally, which consists of 22 transfer RNAs, 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNAs and non-coding control regions. All genes have the conservational arrangement like other published species of Brachycera. The nucleotide composition biases toward A and T, the overall A + T% was up to 78.7% of the entire mitogenome. Both Bayesian inference and ML analysis strongly supported the monophyly of Xylophagidae. Our results also suggested that Xylophagomorpha is the sister group to Stratiomyomorpha.

Fauna Europaea provides a public web-service with an index of scientific names (including important synonyms) of all extant multicellular European terrestrial and freshwater animals and their geographical distribution at the level of countries and major islands (east of the Urals and excluding the Caucasus region). The Fauna Europaea project comprises about 230,000 taxonomic names, including 130,000 accepted species and 14,000 accepted subspecies, which is much more than the originally projected number of 100,000 species. Fauna Europaea represents a huge effort by more than 400 contributing taxonomic specialists throughout Europe and is a unique (standard) reference suitable for many user communities in science, government, industry, nature conservation and education. The Diptera–Brachycera is one of the 58 Fauna Europaea major taxonomic groups, and data have been compiled by a network of 55 specialists. Within the two-winged insects (Diptera), the Brachycera constitute a monophyletic group, which is generally given rank of suborder. The Brachycera may be classified into the probably paraphyletic 'lower brachyceran grade' and the monophyletic Eremoneura. The latter contains the Empidoidea, the Apystomyioidea with a single Nearctic species, and the Cyclorrhapha, which in turn is divided into the paraphyletic 'aschizan grade' and the monophyletic Schizophora. The latter is traditionally divided into the paraphyletic 'acalyptrate grade' and the monophyletic Calyptratae. Our knowledge of the European fauna of Diptera–Brachycera varies tremendously among families, from the reasonably well known hoverflies (Syrphidae) to the extremely poorly known scuttle flies (Phoridae). There has been a steady growth in our knowledge of European Diptera for the last two centuries, with no apparent slow down, but there is a shift towards a larger fraction of the new species being found among the families of the nematoceran grade (lower Diptera), which due to a larger number of small-sized species may be considered as taxonomically more challenging. Most of Europe is highly industrialised and has a high human population density, and the more fertile habitats are extensively cultivated. This has undoubtedly increased the extinction risk for numerous species of brachyceran flies, yet with the recent re-discovery of Thyreophora cynophila (Panzer), there are no known cases of extinction at a European level. However, few national Red Lists have extensive information on Diptera. For the Diptera–Brachycera, data from 96 families containing 11,751 species are included in this paper.

Although dipteran communities play a fundamental role in the ecosystem, little is known about their diversity, richness and abundance in different environments. In spite of the importance of Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) as reservoirs of biological diversity, information about community parameters of most insects, including Diptera, are practically unknown in these areas. In this study, we described and compared the composition and structure of Dipteran communities (considering Tabanidae, Asilidae and Syrphidae families) within six (NPAs) of Yucatan, Southeast Mexico, comprising four main vegetation types: seasonally flooded forest, tropical deciduous forest, semi-deciduous tropical forest and coastal dune. We used Malaise-traps to collect samples during a period of two days, twice a month, for one year (2006-2007) within each NPAs. A total of 6 910 specimens belonging to 33 genera and 78 species/morphospecies were recorded. Our results show that the four vegetation types host a vast diversity of dipterans. However, species richness, abundance, diversity and similarity were higher in the communities of tropical deciduous forests compared with those from semi-deciduous forests and coastal dune vegetation, probably as a result of microhabitat differences between sites. We highlight the role of tropical deciduous forests as a refuge for Diptera species and the importance of these forests for conservation of dipteran communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Ommatius erythropus Schiner, 1867 is redescribed and a lectotype is established. The female of Ommatius trifidus Vieira, Bravo & Rafael, 2010 is described and a new record is provided. Ommatius ruficaudus Curran, 1928 is established as a new synonym of Ommatius pulcher (Engel, 1885). An identification key is presented to the Ommatius costatus species group. A map with the geographic records is provided.

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