Search

Our world is becoming increasingly urbanized with a growing human population concentrated around cities. The expansion of urban areas has important consequences for biodiversity, yet the abiotic drivers of biodiversity in urban ecosystems have not been well characterized for the most diverse group of animals on the planet, arthropods. Given their great diversity, comparatively small home ranges, and ability to disperse, arthropods make an excellent model for studying which factors can most accurately predict urban biodiversity. We assessed the effects of (i) topography (distance to natural areas and to ocean) (ii) abiotic factors (mean annual temperature and diurnal range), and (iii) anthropogenic drivers (land value and amount of impervious surface) on the occurrence of six arthropod groups represented in Malaise trap collections run by the BioSCAN project across the Greater Los Angeles Area. We found striking heterogeneity in responses to all factors both within and between taxonomic groups. Diurnal temperature range had a consistently negative effect on occupancy but this effect was only significant in Phoridae. Anthropogenic drivers had mixed though mostly insignificant effects, as some groups and species were most diverse in highly urbanized areas, while other groups showed suppressed diversity. Only Phoridae was significantly affected by land value, where most species were more likely to occur in areas with lower land value. Los Angeles can support high regional arthropod diversity, but spatial community composition is highly dependent on the taxonomic group., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Stridulatory sound-making organs evolved in a group of flies-the family Phoridae-by modifications of the microstructure of foreleg segments present in the shared ancestor of the clade (Phoridae + Opetiidae). The opetiids are the only group amongst the lower Cyclorrhapha in which plausible homologous structures could be found, though in a less derived condition. On the forefemur of Opetia there are numerous elongate, flattened microtrichia that in basal phorids are organized into a curved linear group (the scraper) which are scraped against a curved, ridged carina on the forecoxa (the file). The file was possibly derived from an extremely unusual set of three setae that have transverse sculpturing and sockets that limit lateral motion, and which are distributed across the opetiid forecoxa. In some phorid lineages, these setae seem to be fused into the forecoxa forming the linear ridged surface against which the scraper on the forefemur could be moved. The relationship between opetiids and phorids dates back to the Cretaceous, and this pattern of file and scraper can be clearly seen in some 100 mya Myanmar amber phorid fly fossils. These structures shared between opetiids and phorids suggest that these two families may be sister groups amongst the Platypezoidea. Different modifications of the forelegs of other higher flies may have similar roles., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

When a vertebrate carcass begins its decay in terrestrial environments, a succession of different necrophagous arthropod species, mainly insects, are attracted. Trophic aspects of the Mesozoic environments are of great comparative interest, to understand similarities and differences with extant counterparts. Here, we comprehensively study several exceptional Cretaceous amber pieces, in order to determine the early necrophagy by insects (flies in our case) on lizard specimens, ca. 99 Ma old. To obtain well-supported palaeoecological data from our amber assemblages, special attention has been paid in the analysis of the taphonomy, succession (stratigraphy), and content of the different amber layers, originally resin flows. In this respect, we revisited the concept of syninclusion, establishing two categories to make the palaeoecological inferences more accurate: eusyninclusions and parasyninclusions. We observe that resin acted as a "necrophagous trap". The lack of dipteran larvae and the presence of phorid flies indicates decay was in an early stage when the process was recorded. Similar patterns to those in our Cretaceous cases have been observed in Miocene ambers and actualistic experiments using sticky traps, which also act as "necrophagous traps"; for example, we observed that flies were indicative of the early necrophagous stage, but also ants. In contrast, the absence of ants in our Late Cretaceous cases confirms the rareness of ants during the Cretaceous and suggests that early ants lacked this trophic strategy, possibly related to their sociability and recruitment foraging strategies, which developed later in the dimensions we know them today. This situation potentially made necrophagy by insects less efficient in the Mesozoic., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

A collection of 16,521 barcoded phorid flies from rea de Conservacin Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica contains 1,498 recognized BINs (Barcode Index Numbers) in the BOLD database. These BINs were identified to genus, based on photographs, and the collection was found to be composed largely (893/1,498=60%) of specimens of the enormous genus Megaselia Rondani. The nine most common ACG Megaselia, represented by 100 or more specimens each, are briefly described, and diagnosed largely based on DNA barcodes. This study is a prelude and pilot to naming the many less-common species in a similar format.

Two new genera and four new species of metopinine phorid fly are described from Costa Rica. Macgrathphora new genus is described with the following new species: M. caribbea, M. longifurca, and M. pacifica. In particular, M. caribbea is one of the most abundant phorids collected in a recent inventory project in Northwestern Costa Rica. Aurisetiphora new genus is described for a single species, A. maggiesnowae new species, from a site in the Central Valley, near San Jos. Guidelines for describing new genera within the Phoridae, especially the Metopininae, are given, and genus Synaptophora Brown is synonymized with Dohrniphora Dahl (new synonymy).

Tropical forests are among the most biodiverse biomes on the planet. Nevertheless, quantifying the abundance and species richness within megadiverse groups is a significant challenge. We designed a study to address this challenge by documenting the variability of the insect fauna across a vertical canopy gradient in a Central Amazonian tropical forest. Insects were sampled over two weeks using 6-m Gressitt-style Malaise traps set at five heights (0 m-32 m-8 m intervals) on a metal tower in a tropical forest north of Manaus, Brazil. The traps contained 37,778 specimens of 18 orders of insects. Using simulation approaches and nonparametric analyses, we interpreted the abundance and richness of insects along this gradient. Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Coleoptera had their greatest abundance at the ground level, whereas Lepidoptera and Hemiptera were more abundant in the upper levels of the canopy. We identified species of 38 of the 56 families of Diptera, finding that 527 out of 856 species (61.6%) were not sampled at the ground level. Mycetophilidae, Tipulidae, and Phoridae were significantly more diverse and/or abundant at the ground level, while Tachinidae, Dolichopodidae, and Lauxaniidae were more diverse or abundant at upper levels. Our study suggests the need for a careful discussion of strategies of tropical forest conservation based on a much more complete understanding of the three-dimensional distribution of its insect diversity., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Tropical rainforests are among the most diverse biomes on Earth. While species inventories are far from complete for any tropical rainforest, even less is known about the intricate species interactions that form the basis of these ecological communities. One fascinating but poorly studied example are the symbiotic associations between army ants and their rich assemblages of parasitic arthropod guests. Hundreds of these guests, or myrmecophiles, have been taxonomically described. However, because previous work has mainly been based on haphazard collections from disjunct populations, it remains challenging to define species boundaries. We therefore know little about the species richness, abundance and host specificity of most guests in any given population, which is crucial to understand co-evolutionary and ecological dynamics. Here, we report a quantitative community survey of myrmecophiles parasitizing the six sympatric Eciton army ant species in a Costa Rican rainforest. Combining DNA barcoding with morphological identification of over 2,000 specimens, we discovered 62 species, including 49 beetles, 11 flies, one millipede and one silverfish. At least 14 of these species were new to science. Ecological network analysis revealed a clear signal of host partitioning, and each Eciton species was host to both specialists and generalists. These varying degrees in host specificities translated into a moderate level of network specificity, highlighting the system's level of biotic pluralism in terms of biodiversity and interaction diversity. By providing vouchered DNA barcodes for army ant guest species, this study provides a baseline for future work on co-evolutionary and ecological dynamics in these species-rich host-symbiont networks across the Neotropical realm., (© 2021 The Authors. Molecular Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Three new genera are described: Michener (Proteropinae), Bioalfa (Rogadinae), and Hermosomastax (Rogadinae). Keys are given for the New World genera of the following braconid subfamilies: Agathidinae, Braconinae, Cheloninae, Homolobinae, Hormiinae, Ichneutinae, Macrocentrinae, Orgilinae, Proteropinae, Rhysipolinae, and Rogadinae. In these subfamilies 416 species are described or redescribed. Most of the species have been reared and all but 13 are new to science. A consensus sequence of the COI barcodes possessed by each species is employed to diagnose the species, and this approach is justified in the introduction. Most descriptions consist of a lateral or dorsal image of the holotype, a diagnostic COI consensus barcode, the Barcode Index Number (BIN) code with a link to the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD), and the holotype specimen information required by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. The following species are treated and those lacking authorship are newly described here with authorship attributable to Sharkey except for the new species of Macrocentrinae which are by Sharkey & van Achterberg: AGATHIDINAE: Aerophiluspaulmarshi , Mesocoelusdavidsmithi , Neothlipsisbobkulai , Plesiocoelusvanachterbergi , Pneumagathiserythrogastra (Cameron, 1905), Therophilusbobwhartoni , T.donaldquickei , T.gracewoodae , T.maetoi , T.montywoodi , T.penteadodiasae , Zacremnopsbrianbrowni , Z.coatlicue Sharkey, 1990, Zacremnopscressoni (Cameron, 1887), Z.ekchuah Sharkey, 1990, Z.josefernandezi , Zelomorphasarahmeierottoae . BRACONINAE: Braconalejandromarini , B.alejandromasisi , B.alexamasisae , B.andresmarini , B.andrewwalshi , B.anniapicadoae , B.anniemoriceae , B.barryhammeli , B.bernardoespinozai , B.carlossanabriai , B.chanchini , B.christophervallei , B.erasmocoronadoi , B.eugeniephillipsae , B.federicomatarritai , B.frankjoycei , B.gerardovegai , B.germanvegai , B.isidrochaconi , B.jimlewisi , B.josejaramilloi , B.juanjoseoviedoi , B.juliodiazi , B.luzmariaromeroae , B.manuelzumbadoi , B.marialuisariasae , B.mariamartachavarriae , B.mariorivasi , B.melissaespinozae , B.nelsonzamorai , B.nicklaphami , B.ninamasisae , B.oliverwalshi , B.paulamarinae , B.rafamoralesi , B.robertofernandezi , B.rogerblancoi , B.ronaldzunigai , B.sigifredomarini , B.tihisiaboshartae , B.wilberthbrizuelai , Digonogastramontylloydi , D.montywoodi , D.motohasegawai , D.natwheelwrighti , D.nickgrishini . CHELONINAE: Adeliusadrianguadamuzi , A.gauldi Shimbori & Shaw, 2019, A.janzeni Shimbori & Shaw, 2019, Ascogastergloriasihezarae , A.grettelvegae , A.guillermopereirai , A.gustavoecheverrii , A.katyvandusenae , A.luisdiegogomezi , Chelonusalejandrozaldivari , C.gustavogutierrezi , C.gustavoinduni , C.harryramirezi , C.hartmanguidoi , C.hazelcambroneroae , C.iangauldi , C.isidrochaconi , C.janecheverriae , C.jeffmilleri , C.jennyphillipsae , C.jeremydewaardi , C.jessiehillae , C.jesusugaldei , C.jimlewisi , C.jimmilleri , C.jimwhitfieldi , C.johanvalerioi , C.johnburnsi , C.johnnoyesi , C.jorgebaltodanoi , C.jorgehernandezi , C.josealfredohernandezi , C.josefernandeztrianai , C.josehernandezcortesi , C.josemanuelperezi , C.josephinerodriguezae , C.juanmatai , C.junkoshimurae , C.kateperezae , C.luciariosae , C.luzmariaromeroae , C.manuelpereirai , C.manuelzumbadoi , C.marianopereirai , C.maribellealvarezae , C.markmetzi , C.markshawi , C.martajimenezae , C.mayrabonillae , C.meganmiltonae , C.melaniamunozae , C.michaelstroudi , C.michellevanderbankae , C.mingfangi , C.minorcarmonai , C.monikaspringerae , C.moniquegilbertae , C.motohasegawai , C.nataliaivanovae , C.nelsonzamorai , C.normwoodleyi , C.osvaldoespinozai , C.pamelacastilloae , C.paulgoldsteini , C.paulhansoni , C.paulheberti , C.petronariosae , C.ramyamanjunathae , C.randallgarciai , C.rebeccakittelae , C.robertoespinozai , C.robertofernandezi , C.rocioecheverriae , C.rodrigogamezi , C.ronaldzunigai , C.rosibelelizondoae , C.rostermoragai , C.ruthfrancoae , C.scottmilleri , C.scottshawi , C.sergioriosi , C.sigifredomarini , C.stevearonsoni , C.stevestroudi , C.sujeevanratnasinghami , C.sureshnaiki , C.torbjornekremi , C.yeimycedenoae , Leptodrepanaalexisae , L.erasmocoronadoi , L.felipechavarriai , L.freddyquesadai , L.gilbertfuentesi , L.manuelriosi , Phanerotomaalmasolisae , P.alvaroherrerai , P.anacordobae , P.anamariamongeae , P.andydeansi , P.angelagonzalezae , P.angelsolisi , P.barryhammeli , P.bernardoespinozai , P.calixtomoragai , P.carolinacanoae , P.christerhanssoni , P.christhompsoni , P.davesmithi , P.davidduthiei , P.dirksteinkei , P.donquickei , P.duniagarciae , P.duvalierbricenoi , P.eddysanchezi , P.eldarayae , P.eliethcantillanoae , P.jenopappi , Pseudophanerotomaalanflemingi , Ps.albanjimenezi , Ps.alejandromarini , Ps.alexsmithi , Ps.allisonbrownae , Ps.bobrobbinsi . HOMOLOBINAE: Exasticolusjennyphillipsae , E.randallgarciai , E.robertofernandezi , E.sigifredomarini , E.tomlewinsoni . HORMIINAE: Hormiusanamariamongeae , H.angelsolisi , H.anniapicadoae , H.arthurchapmani , H.barryhammeli , H.carmenretanae , H.carloswalkeri , H.cesarsuarezi , H.danbrooksi , H.eddysanchezi , H.erikframstadi , H.georgedavisi , H.grettelvegae , H.gustavoinduni , H.hartmanguidoi , H.hectoraritai , H.hesiquiobenitezi , H.irenecanasae , H.isidrochaconi, H.jaygallegosi , H.jimbeachi , H.jimlewisi , H.joelcracrafti , H.johanvalerioi , H.johnburleyi , H.joncoddingtoni , H.jorgecarvajali , H.juanmatai , H.manuelzumbadoi , H.mercedesfosterae , H.modonnellyae , H.nelsonzamorai , H.pamelacastilloae , H.raycypessi , H.ritacolwellae , H.robcolwelli , H.rogerblancosegurai , H.ronaldzunigai , H.russchapmani , H.virginiaferrisae , H.warrenbrighami , H.willsflowersi . ICHNEUTINAE: Oligoneuruskriskrishtalkai , O.jorgejimenezi , Paroligoneuruselainehoaglandae , P.julianhumphriesi , P.mikeiviei . MACROCENTRINAE: Austrozelejorgecampabadali , A.jorgesoberoni , Dolichozelegravitarsis (Muesebeck, 1938), D.josefernandeztrianai , D.josephinerodriguezae , Hymenochaoniakalevikulli , H.kateperezae , H.katherinebaillieae , H.katherineellisonae , H.katyvandusenae , H.kazumifukunagae , H.keithlangdoni , H.keithwillmotti , H.kenjinishidai , H.kimberleysheldonae , H.krisnorvigae , H.lilianamadrigalae , H.lizlangleyae , Macrocentrusfredsingeri , M.geoffbarnardi , M.gregburtoni , M.gretchendailyae , M.grettelvegae , M.gustavogutierrezi , M.hannahjamesae , M.harisridhari , M.hillaryrosnerae , M.hiroshikidonoi , M.iangauldi , M.jennyphillipsae , M.jesseausubeli , M.jessemaysharkae , M.jimwhitfieldi , M.johnbrowni , M.johnburnsi , M.jonathanfranzeni , M.jonathanrosenbergi , M.jorgebaltodanoi , M.lucianocapelli . ORGILINAE: Orgilusamyrossmanae , O.carrolyoonae , O.christhompsoni , O.christinemcmahonae , O.dianalipscombae , O.ebbenielsoni , O.elizabethpennisiae , O.evertlindquisti , O.genestoermeri , O.jamesriegeri , O.jeanmillerae , O.jeffmilleri , O.jerrypowelli , O.jimtiedjei , O.johnlundbergi , O.johnpipolyi , O.jorgellorentei , O.larryspearsi , O.marlinricei , O.mellissaespinozae , O.mikesmithi , O.normplatnicki , O.peterrauchi , O.richardprimacki , O.sandraberriosae , O.sarahmirandae , O.scottmilleri , O.scottmorii , Stantoniabillalleni , S.brookejarvisae , S.donwilsoni , S.erikabjorstromae , S.garywolfi , S.henrikekmani , S.luismirandai , S.miriamzunzae , S.quentinwheeleri , S.robinkazmierae , S.ruthtifferae . PROTEROPINAE: Hebichneutestricolor Sharkey & Wharton, 1994, Proteropsiangauldi , P.vickifunkae , Michenercharlesi . RHYSIPOLINAE: Pseudorhysipolisluisfonsecai , P. mailyngonzalezaeRhysipolisjulioquirosi . ROGADINAE: Aleiodesadrianaradulovae , A.adrianforsythi , A.agnespeelleae , A.alaneaglei , A.alanflemingi , A.alanhalevii , A.alejandromasisi , A.alessandracallejae , A.alexsmithi , A.alfonsopescadori , A.alisundermieri , A.almasolisae , A.alvarougaldei , A.alvaroumanai , A.angelsolisi , A.annhowdenae , A.bobandersoni , A.carolinagodoyae , A.charlieobrieni , A.davefurthi , A.donwhiteheadi , A.doylemckeyi , A.frankhovorei , A.henryhowdeni , A.inga Shimbori & Shaw, 2020, A.johnchemsaki , A.johnkingsolveri , A.gonodontovorus Shimbori & Shaw, 2020, A.manuelzumbadoi , A.mayrabonillae , A.michelledsouzae , A.mikeiviei , A.normwoodleyi , A.pammitchellae , A.pauljohnsoni , A.rosewarnerae , A.steveashei , A.terryerwini , A.willsflowersi , Bioalfapedroleoni , B.alvarougaldei , B.rodrigogamezi , Choreborogasandydeansi , C.eladiocastroi , C.felipechavarriai , C.frankjoycei , Clinocentrusandywarreni , Cl.angelsolisi , Cystomastaxalexhausmanni , Cy.angelagonzalezae , Cy.ayaigarashiae , Hermosomastaxclavifemorus Quicke sp. nov., Heterogamusdonstonei , Pseudoyeliconesbernsweeneyi , Stiropiusbencrairi , S.berndkerni , S.edgargutierrezi , S.edwilsoni , S.ehakernae , Triraphisbillfreelandi , T.billmclarneyi , T.billripplei , T.bobandersoni , T.bobrobbinsi , T.bradzlotnicki , T.brianbrowni , T.brianlaueri , T.briannestjacquesae , T.camilocamargoi , T.carlosherrerai , T.carolinepalmerae , T.charlesmorrisi , T.chigiybinellae , T.christerhanssoni , T.christhompsoni , T.conniebarlowae , T.craigsimonsi , T.defectus Valerio, 2015, T.danielhubi , T.davidduthiei , T.davidwahli , T.federicomatarritai , T.ferrisjabri , T.mariobozai , T.martindohrni , T.matssegnestami , T.mehrdadhajibabaei , T.ollieflinti , T.tildalauerae , Yeliconesdirksteinkei , Y.markmetzi , Y.monserrathvargasae , Y.tricolor Quicke, 1996. Y.woldai Quicke, 1996. The following new combinations are proposed: Neothlipsissmithi (Ashmead), new combination for Microdussmithi Ashmead, 1894; Neothlipsispygmaeus (Enderlein), new combination for Microduspygmaeus Enderlein, 1920; Neothlipsisunicinctus (Ashmead), new combination for Microdusunicinctus Ashmead, 1894; Therophilusanomalus (Bortoni and Penteado-Dias) new combination for Plesiocoelusanomalus Bortoni and Penteado-Dias, 2015; Aerophilusareolatus (Bortoni and Penteado-Dias) new combination for Plesiocoelusareolatus Bortoni and Penteado-Dias, 2015; Pneumagathiserythrogastra (Cameron) new combination for Agathiserythrogastra Cameron, 1905. Dolichozelecitreitarsis (Enderlein), new combination for Paniscozelecitreitarsis Enderlein, 1920. Dolichozelefuscivertex (Enderlein) new combination for Paniscozelefuscivertex Enderlein, 1920. Finally, Bassusbrooksi Sharkey, 1998 is synonymized with Agathiserythrogastra Cameron, 1905; Paniscozelegriseipes Enderlein, 1920 is synonymized with Dolichozelekoebelei Viereck, 1911; Paniscozelecarinifrons Enderlein, 1920 is synonymized with Dolichozelefuscivertex (Enderlein, 1920); and Paniscozelenigricauda Enderlein,1920 is synonymized with Dolichozelequaestor (Fabricius, 1804). (originally described as Ophionquaestor Fabricius, 1804)., (Michael J. Sharkey, Daniel H. Janzen, Winnie Hallwachs, Eric G. Chapman, M. Alex Smith, Tanya Dapkey, Allison Brown, Sujeevan Ratnasingham, Suresh Naik, Ramya Manjunath, Kate Perez, Megan Milton, Paul Hebert, Scott R. Shaw, Rebecca N. Kittel, M. Alma Solis, Mark A. Metz, Paul Z. Goldstein, John W. Brown, Donald L. J. Quicke, C. van Achterberg, Brian V. Brown, John M. Burns.)

Objective: The objective of this study was to quantify the impact of the South African antiretroviral treatment programme on the age-standardised incidence rate of Kaposi sarcoma among black South African residents of all ages., Methods: We performed an interrupted time series analysis using routinely collected, histologically confirmed surveillance data from the South African National Cancer Registry for the years 1999 to 2016. The analysis was performed using R statistical software. The total number of cases was 29,623 (12,475 females and 17,166 males). The background antiretroviral treatment coverage was less than 1% at the time that the antiretroviral programme was introduced and increased to over 50% in 2016., Results: In 1999, the age-standardised rates were 1.48 and 2.82 cases per 100,000 per year for black females and males, respectively. These rates increased to 5.52 and 7.46 in 2008 before declining. The antiretroviral treatment programme was started in 2004. Five years after 2008 (nine years after the antiretroviral programme was introduced), the predicted standardised rates were 58.3% and 50.3% lower for females and males, respectively, than what they would have been without the treatment programme., Conclusion: Introduction of the antiretroviral treatment programme was associated with a decrease of over 50% in the predicted age-standardised incidence rates of Kaposi sarcoma., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors report no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Forty-one new species of the mostly neotropical genus Coniceromyia Borgmeier are described. The descriptions follow the methodology of recent works on the genus taxonomy and illustrate habitus, foremetatarsus, wing, hind femur, and hypopygium for each species. Unique features of some species are also illustrated, including several male features possibly related to sexual selection such as processes on different tarsomeres of the foreleg. New records for the known species are presented, as well as an identification key for the species of the genus and maps with their updated distribution. Coniceromyia brandaoi Ament Amorim is synonymized with Coniceromyia plaumanni Borgmeier. Even though this work examined the Coniceromyia of the major collections of neotropical Phoridae, the high number of singletons and doubletons indicates that the real diversity of the genus may still be far from understood.

The Oriental Region phorid genus Epicnemis Borgmeier is revised, resulting in the recognition of 15 species, 10 of which are new to science: E. alus, chaweewanae, digitalis, disjunctus, dorsalis, latus, projectus, ratanae, setosus, and sinuosus. Only males are treated, as females are highly modified and cannot be associated with their males based on morphology alone.

Local community structure is shaped by processes acting at local and landscape scales. The relative importance of drivers operating across different spatial scales is difficult to test without observations across regional or latitudinal gradients. Cities exhibit strong but predictable environmental gradients overlaying a mosaic of highly variable but repeated habitat types within a constrained area. Thus, cities present a unique opportunity to explore how both local and landscape factors influence local biotic communities. We used insect communities to examine the interactions among local environmental variables (such as temperature and relative humidity), local habitat characteristics (such as plant community composition), and broad-scale patterns of urbanization (including biophysical, human-built, and socioeconomic variables) on local insect abundance, species richness, and species composition in Los Angeles, a hot, dry, near-desert city. After accounting for seasonal trends, insect species richness and abundance were highest in drier and hotter sites, but the magnitude of local environmental effects varied with the degree of urbanization. In contrast, insect species composition was best predicted by broad-scale urbanization trends, with the more native communities occurring in less urbanized sites and more cosmopolitan insects occurring in highly urbanized sites. However, insect species richness and abundance were >30% higher and insect composition was similar across sites that hosted either native or drought-tolerant plants, regardless of the degree of urbanization. These results demonstrate that urban insect biodiversity is a product of interacting mechanisms working at both local and landscape scales. However, local-scale changes to urban habitats, such as cultivating plants that are adapted to the natural environment nearest the city, can positively impact urban biodiversity regardless of location., (© 2020 The Authors. Ecological Applications published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Ecological Society of America.)

Background: Phorid flies are amongst the most biologically diverse and species-rich groups of insects. Ways of life range from parasitism, herbivory, fungivory, to scavenging. Although the lifestyles of most species are unknown, many are parasitoids, especially of social insects. Some species of ant-parasitoids are attracted to injured hosts for feeding purposes to develop eggs, as well as for oviposition, requiring each female to find two injured hosts., New Information: Females of the phorid fly Megaselia steptoeae Hartop et al. (Diptera: Phoridae) were found to be quickly attracted to crushed glass snails of the species Oxychilus draparnaudi (Beck) (Gastropoda: Oxychilidae). Most females were without mature eggs and apparently were attracted for feeding purposes only; other injured molluscs offered at the same time were not attractive. One female laid eggs in captivity and offspring were reared to the pupal stage. The lifestyle of this species is similar to that of parasitoids of injured ants, which also require separate hosts of the same species for feeding and oviposition. We conclude that injured hosts must be common in the environment to attract these host-specific scavengers., (Brian V. Brown, Jann E. Vendetti.)

The urban heat island effect is a worldwide phenomenon that has been linked to species distributions and abundances in cities. However, effects of urban heat on biotic communities are nearly impossible to disentangle from effects of land cover in most cases because hotter urban sites also have less vegetation and more impervious surfaces than cooler sites within cities. We sampled phorid flies, one of the largest, most biologically diverse families of true flies (Insecta: Diptera: Phoridae), at 30 sites distributed within the central Los Angeles Basin, where we found that temperature and the density of urban land cover are decoupled. Abundance, richness, and community composition of phorids inside urban Los Angeles were most parsimoniously accounted for by mean air temperature in the week preceding sampling. Sites with intermediate mean temperatures had more phorid fly individuals and higher richness. Communities were more even at urban sites with lower minimum temperatures and sites located further away from natural areas, suggesting that communities separated from natural source populations may be more homogenized. Species composition was best explained by minimum temperature. Inasmuch as warmer areas within cities can predict future effects of climate change, phorid fly communities are likely to shift nonlinearly under future climates in more natural areas. Exhaustive surveys of biotic communities within cities, such as the one we describe here, can provide baselines for determining the effects of urban and global climate warming as they intensify.

Background: The phorid fly genus Megaselia Rondani is a large, poorly-known taxon whose species are found worldwide., New Information: A new species of Megaselia Rondani, M. simunorum , is described from both urban and rural sites in southern California. With a large area of white colour on the posterior part of the abdominal dorsum, it closely resembles the much more common species M. sulphurizona , but M. simunorum has distinctly thicker ventral setae on the abdomen and a differently-shaped white spot.

The seasonal migration of huge numbers of hoverflies is frequently reported in Europe from mountain passes or spurs of land. The movement of such large numbers of beneficial insects is thought to provide significant ecosystem services in terms of pollination and pest control. Observations from the East Coast of the USA during the 1920s indicate the presence of migratory life histories among some hoverfly species there, but 90 years have now passed since the last reported observation of hoverfly migration in the USA. Here, we analyse video footage taken during a huge northward migration of hoverflies on 20 April 2017 on the West Coast of California. The quantification of migrant numbers from this footage allows us to estimate the passage of over 100 000 hoverflies in half an hour over a 200 m section of headland in Montaña de Oro State Park (San Luis Obispo County). Field collections and analysis of citizen science data indicate different species from the previously reported Eristalis tenax migrations on the East Coast of the USA and provide evidence for migration among North American hoverflies. We wish to raise awareness of this phenomenon and suggest approaches to advance the study of hoverfly migration in North America and elsewhere., Competing Interests: We have no competing interests.

By 2030, ten percent of earth's landmass will be occupied by cities. Urban environments can be home to many plants and animals, but surveying and estimating biodiversity in these spaces is complicated by a heterogeneous built environment where access and landscaping are highly variable due to human activity. Citizen science approaches may be the best way to assess urban biodiversity, but little is known about their relative effectiveness and efficiency. Here, we compare three techniques for acquiring data on butterfly (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) species richness: trained volunteer Pollard walks, Malaise trapping with expert identification, and crowd-sourced iNaturalist observations. A total of 30 butterfly species were observed; 27 (90%) were recorded by Pollard walk observers, 18 (60%) were found in Malaise traps, and 22 (73%) were reported by iNaturalist observers. Pollard walks reported the highest butterfly species richness, followed by iNaturalist and then Malaise traps during the four-month time period. Pollard walks also had significantly higher species diversity than Malaise traps.

When conservation strategies require new, field-based information, practitioners must find the best ways to rapidly deliver high-quality survey data. To address this challenge, several rapid-assessment approaches have been developed since the early 1990s. These typically involve large areas, take many months to complete, and are not appropriate when conservation-relevant survey data are urgently needed for a specific locale. In contrast, bioblitzes are designed for quick collection of site-specific survey data. Although bioblitzes are commonly used to achieve educational or public-engagement goals, conservation practitioners are increasingly using a modified bioblitz approach to generate conservation-relevant data while simultaneously enhancing research capacity and building working partnerships focused on conservation concerns. We term these modified events expert bioblitzes. Several expert bioblitzes have taken place on lands of conservation concern in Southern California and have involved collaborative efforts of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, botanic gardens, museums, and universities. The results of expert bioblitzes directly informed on-the-ground conservation and decision-making; increased capacity for rapid deployment of expert bioblitzes in the future; and fostered collaboration and communication among taxonomically and institutionally diverse experts. As research and conservation funding becomes increasingly scarce, expert bioblitzes can play an increasingly important role in biodiversity conservation., (© 2018 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.)

Study of all flies (Diptera) collected for one year from a four-hectare (150 x 266 meter) patch of cloud forest at 1,600 meters above sea level at Zurquí de Moravia, San José Province, Costa Rica (hereafter referred to as Zurquí), revealed an astounding 4,332 species. This amounts to more than half the number of named species of flies for all of Central America. Specimens were collected with two Malaise traps running continuously and with a wide array of supplementary collecting methods for three days of each month. All morphospecies from all 73 families recorded were fully curated by technicians before submission to an international team of 59 taxonomic experts for identification.        Overall, a Malaise trap on the forest edge captured 1,988 species or 51% of all collected dipteran taxa (other than of Phoridae, subsampled only from this and one other Malaise trap). A Malaise trap in the forest sampled 906 species. Of other sampling methods, the combination of four other Malaise traps and an intercept trap, aerial/hand collecting, 10 emergence traps, and four CDC light traps added the greatest number of species to our inventory. This complement of sampling methods was an effective combination for retrieving substantial numbers of species of Diptera. Comparison of select sampling methods (considering 3,487 species of non-phorid Diptera) provided further details regarding how many species were sampled by various methods.        Comparison of species numbers from each of two permanent Malaise traps from Zurquí with those of single Malaise traps at each of Tapantí and Las Alturas, 40 and 180 km distant from Zurquí respectively, suggested significant species turnover. Comparison of the greater number of species collected in all traps from Zurquí did not markedly change the degree of similarity between the three sites, although the actual number of species shared did increase.        Comparisons of the total number of named and unnamed species of Diptera from four hectares at Zurquí is equivalent to 51% of all flies named from Central America, greater than all the named fly fauna of Colombia, equivalent to 14% of named Neotropical species and equal to about 2.7% of all named Diptera worldwide. Clearly the number of species of Diptera in tropical regions has been severely underestimated and the actual number may surpass the number of species of Coleoptera.        Various published extrapolations from limited data to estimate total numbers of species of larger taxonomic categories (e.g., Hexapoda, Arthropoda, Eukaryota, etc.) are highly questionable, and certainly will remain uncertain until we have more exhaustive surveys of all and diverse taxa (like Diptera) from multiple tropical sites.        Morphological characterization of species in inventories provides identifications placed in the context of taxonomy, phylogeny, form, and ecology. DNA barcoding species is a valuable tool to estimate species numbers but used alone fails to provide a broader context for the species identified.

Estimations of tropical insect diversity generally suffer from lack of known groups or faunas against which extrapolations can be made, and have seriously underestimated the diversity of some taxa. Here we report the intensive inventory of a four-hectare tropical cloud forest in Costa Rica for one year, which yielded 4332 species of Diptera, providing the first verifiable basis for diversity of a major group of insects at a single site in the tropics. In total 73 families were present, all of which were studied to the species level, providing potentially complete coverage of all families of the order likely to be present at the site. Even so, extrapolations based on our data indicate that with further sampling, the actual total for the site could be closer to 8000 species. Efforts to completely sample a site, although resource-intensive and time-consuming, are needed to better ground estimations of world biodiversity based on limited sampling., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Myriophora is the most species-rich group of parasitoids that attack toxic, chemically defended millipedes in the superorder Juliformia and order Polydesmida-a resource that few insect predators and parasitoids are able to exploit. Worldwide, there are an estimated 200 species of Myriophora, with the majority of the diversity centred in the Neotropical region. The phylogeny of Myriophora is unknown, biogeographical patterns are not documented, and known host associations have not been assessed in a phylogenetic context. We provide the first phylogenetic study of the genus from a data set composed of 52 taxa primarily from the Neotropical region including 10 outgroups, 40 morphological characters, and molecular data from three mitochondrial (16S, COI and ND1) and one nuclear marker (AK). We find that Myriophora dispersed from the New World to the Old World in a single event before subsequently spreading to the Afrotropical region. The ancestral hosts reconstructed for Myriophora are the benzoquinone-producing Juliformia, and this association has been retained in the Old World clade. In the Neotropical region, Myriophora that are associated with cyanide-producing polydesmidan millipedes are confined to a single clade that shows remarkably little genetic variation between clearly morphologically diagnosable species., (© The Willi Hennig Society 2017.)

Background: Flies of the family Phoridae (Insecta: Diptera) are amongst the most diverse insects in the world, with an incredible array of species, structures and life histories. Wiithin their structural diversity is the world's smallest fly, Euryplatea nanaknihali Brown, 2012., New Information: A second minute, limuloid female phorid parasitoid fly (Diptera: Phoridae) is described. Known from a single specimen from a site near Manaus, Brazil, Megapropodiphora arnoldi gen. n., sp. n. is only 0.395 mm in body length, slightly smaller than the currently recognised smallest fly, Euryplatea nanaknihali from Thailand. The distinctive body shape of M. arnoldi , particularly the relatively enormous head, mesothorax and scutellum, the latter of which covers most of the abdomen, easily separates it from other described phorids. Most remarkably, the forelegs are extremely enlarged, whereas mid- and hind legs are reduced to small, possibly vestigial remnants. A possible male specimen, unfortunately destroyed during processing, is briefly described.

A mysterious female phorid fly, known for many years to be associated with fungal sporophores ("mushrooms") is identified as Megaselia marquezi Hartop et al. 2015. Male and female flies were collected emerging from the fungus Psathyrella candolleana (Fr.) Maire, and females were observed swarming over the sporophores.

Toxic defensive secretions produced by millipedes in the orders Julida, Spirobolida, Spirostreptida, and Polydesmida are highly repellent to most vertebrate and invertebrate natural enemies, but a few insects have evolved mechanisms to overcome these defenses. We demonstrate that highly specialized parasitic phorid flies in the species-rich genus Myriophora use volatile millipede defensive compounds as kairomones for host location. Of the two predominant quinone components in the defensive blend of juliform millipedes, 2-methoxy-3-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone alone was sufficient to attract adult flies of both sexes; however, a combination of 2-methoxy-3-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone and 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone increased attractiveness nearly threefold. We further discuss oviposition behavior, adult and larval feeding habits, life history parameters, and the potential competitive interactions between phorid flies in the genus Myriophora and other millipede-associated insects.

Background: Numerous well-documented associations occur among species of scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) and ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), but examples of brood parasitism are rare and the mechanisms of parasitism often remain unsubstantiated., New Information: We present two video-documented examples of ant brood (larvae and pupae) parasitism by scuttle flies. In footage from Estação Biológica de Boracéia in Brazil, adult females of Ceratoconus setipennis Borgmeier can be seen attacking workers of Linepithema humile (Mayr) species group while they are carrying brood, and ovipositing directly onto brood in the nest. In another remarkable example, footage from the Soltis Center, near Peñas Blancas in Costa Rica, shows adult females of an unidentified species of the Apocephalus grandipalpus Borgmeier group mounting Pheidole Westwood brood upside-down and ovipositing while the brood are being transported by workers. Analysis of evolutionary relationships (in preparation) among Apocephalus Coquillett species shows that this is a newly derived behavior within the genus, as the A. grandipalpus group arises within a group of adult ant parasitoids. In contrast, relationships of Ceratoconus Borgmeier have not been studied, and the lifestyles of the other species in the genus are largely unknown.

A second species, and first Central American record, of the phorid fly genus Lenkoa Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae).        Many species of phorid flies have wingless or brachypterous females. Mostly, they belong to a group classified within the subfamily Metopininae corresponding to the Metopina group of genera of Brown (1992a) or the tribe Metopinini of Disney (2003, not 1987). The males of this group are much more typical in appearance, with well-developed wings, larger eyes, and fully developed abdominal tergites. These males carry females during a mating flight, often dispersing them to new breeding sites (Miller 1984). Generally, the sexual dimorphism is so great that the sexes cannot be confidently associated unless they are collected in copula. This has led to a profusion of species being described as males and females in separate genera. Some of these brachypterous females, both within the Metopinini and elsewhere in other Phoridae, have been correctly associated with their males when they are found together (e.g., Brown 1986, 1992b, 1994), but many remain unassociated.

The Phoridae recorded from Colombia are catalogued, totaling 226 species distributed in 19 genera and three subfamilies. For each species, distribution, hierarchic position and cited references are presented.

Background: Presented are continued results from the BioSCAN Project, an urban biodiversity study sampling primarily from private backyards in Los Angeles, California (USA). Presented are continued results from the BioSCAN Project, an urban biodiversity study sampling primarily from private backyards in Los Angeles, California (USA)., New Information: Twelve new species of Megaselia (Diptera: Phoridae) are described: M. baileyae, M. friedrichae, M. gonzalezorum, M. joanneae, M. losangelensis, M. phyllissunae, M. pongsaiae, M. shatesae, M. stoakesi, M. studentorum, M. voluntariorum, M. wongae.

Background: The genus Melaloncha is a large group of species of parasitoid phorid flies that attack Hymenoptera, mostly stingless bees (Meliponinae, Apidae) in the Neotropical Region., New Information: Two new Brazilian species, Melaloncha (Melaloncha) peacockorum sp. n. and Melaloncha (Udamochiras) nielsi sp. n., are described and their identification clarified.

The New World species of the millipede-parasitic genus Myriophora Brown are revised. Sixty-five species based on the female sex are treated, mostly from the Neotropical Region. Of these, fifty-seven are new to science: Myriophora alexandrae sp. nov., Myriophora alienipennis sp. nov., Myriophora angustifascia sp. nov., Myriophora annetteae sp. nov., Myriophora annulata sp. nov., Myriophora bicuspidis sp. nov., Myriophora bilsae sp. nov., Myriophora bimaculata sp. nov., Myriophora borealis sp. nov., Myriophora brevitarsus sp. nov., Myriophora browni sp. nov. Hash, Myriophora brunneipleuron sp. nov., Myriophora communis sp. nov., Myriophora curvata sp. nov., Myriophora curvicacumen sp. nov., Myriophora dennisoni sp. nov., Myriophora discalis sp. nov., Myriophora diversa sp. nov., Myriophora dividida sp. nov., Myriophora dolionatis sp. nov., Myriophora flavicosta sp. nov., Myriophora fuscidorsum sp. nov., Myriophora gigantea sp. nov., Myriophora gobaleti sp. nov., Myriophora harwoodi sp. nov., Myriophora hebes sp. nov., Myriophora heratyi sp. nov., Myriophora inaequalisetarum sp. nov., Myriophora infirmata sp. nov., Myriophora jeffersoni sp. nov., Myriophora kerri sp. nov., Myriophora kungae sp. nov., Myriophora longisetarum sp. nov., Myriophora luteitergum sp. nov., Myriophora magnilabellum sp. nov., Myriophora misionesensis sp. nov., Myriophora nigra sp. nov., Myriophora nigralinea sp. nov., Myriophora obscuritergum sp. nov., Myriophora pallida sp. nov., Myriophora parva sp. nov., Myriophora pectinata sp. nov., Myriophora perpendicularis sp. nov., Myriophora plana sp. nov., Myriophora porrasae sp. nov., Myriophora porrecta sp. nov., Myriophora reminatis sp. nov., Myriophora scopulata sp. nov., Myriophora simplex sp. nov., Myriophora sinesplendida sp. nov., Myriophora smithi sp. nov., Myriophora spicaphora sp. nov., Myriophora spicaticonus sp. nov., Myriophora tenuis sp. nov., Myriophora uruguaiensis sp. nov., Myriophora vancouverensis sp. nov., Myriophora wellsorum sp. nov. The first key to the species of Myriophora is provided.

A new approach to inventory Diptera species in tropical habitats is described. A 150 x 266 m patch of cloud forest at Zurquí de Moravia, Costa Rica (10.047N, 84.008W) at 1585 meters asl was sampled with two Malaise traps for slightly more than one year (Sept. 12, 2012-Oct. 18, 2013). Further concomitant sampling with a variety of trapping methods for three days every month and collecting during a one-week intensive "Diptera Blitz", with 19 collaborators collecting on-site, provided diverse additional samples used in the inventory. Two other Costa Rican sites at Tapantí National Park (9.720N, 83.774W, 1600 m) and Las Alturas (8.951N, 82.834W, 1540 m), 40 and 180 km southeast from Zurquí de Moravia, respectively, were each sampled with a single Malaise trap to allow for beta-diversity assessments. Tapantí National Park was sampled from Oct. 28, 2012-Oct. 13, 2013 and Las Alturas from Oct. 13, 2012-Oct. 13, 2013. A worldwide group of 54 expert systematists are identifying to species level all 72 dipteran families present in the trap samples. Five local technicians sampled and prepared material to the highest curatorial standards, ensuring that collaborator efforts were focused on species identification. This project, currently in its final, third year of operation (to end Sept. 1, 2015), has already recorded 2,348 species and with many more yet expected. Unlike previous All Taxon Biodiversity Inventories, this project has attainable goals and will provide the first complete estimate of species richness for one of the four megadiverse insect orders in a tropical region. Considering that this is the first complete survey of one of the largest orders of insects within any tropical region of the planet, there is clearly great need for a consistent and feasible protocol for sampling the smaller but markedly more diverse smaller insects in such ecosystems. By weight of their species diversity and remarkable divergence of habit, the Diptera are an excellent model to gauge microhabitat diversity within such systems. Our model appears to be the first to provide a protocol that can realistically be expected to provide a portrayal of the true species diversity of a megadiverse order of insects in the tropics.

An urban biodiversity study sampling primarily from private backyards in Los Angeles, California (USA), reveals the presence of fifty-six species of Megaselia within the first few months of sampling. Thirty of these are described as new to science: M. armstrongorum, M. bradyi, M. brejchaorum, M. carthayensis, M. ciancii, M. creasoni, M. defibaughorum, M. donahuei, M. francoae, M. fujiokai, M. hardingorum, M. heini, M. hentschkeae, M. hoffmanorum, M. hoggorum, M. hoguei, M. isaacmajorum, M. kelleri, M. lombardorum, M. marquezi, M. mikejohnsoni, M. oxboroughae, M. pisanoi, M. renwickorum, M. rodriguezorum, M. sacatelensis, M. seaverorum, M. sidneyae, M. steptoeae, and M. wiegmanae. M. largifrontalis is newly reported from the Nearctic Region. The implications these findings have for future taxonomic work in Megaselia, particularly in urban areas, are discussed.

The behavior of females of a species of Megaselia is described. Females perch on leaves and occasionally "dance", fluttering their wings while rapidly running on the leaf surface. During this dance, they evert bright white abdominal sacs that apparently constitute part of a visual display to attract males. The evolutionary basis of these behaviors is discussed.

The genus Dohrniphora is a hyperdiverse group of phorid flies, a family whose species are commonly characterized as generalized scavengers. The lifestyle of most species of Dohrniphora is unknown, although one cosmopolitan, synanthropic species, D.cornuta (Bigot) fits the general scavenger mold. Here we show that flies of the D.longirostrata species group exhibit highly specific "headhunting" behavior in which injured Odontomachus ants are decapitated, the heads dragged away, and females either feed on their contents or lay an egg nearby. Since most females studied lacked eggs in their ovaries, we conclude that this bizarrely specialized feeding is necessary to provide nutrients for reproduction in these flies. Our study provides further evidence that injured ants are a common, stable resource in tropical ecosystems that support a wide array of phorid flies. Such narrowly constrained lifestyles, as exemplified by exclusively feeding on and breeding in the head contents of certain ponerine worker ants, could allow the co-existence of a huge community of saprophagous flies.

A new Megaselia species, M.shadeae, with a large, central, pigmented and bubble-like wing spot and a greatly enlarged radial wing vein fork, is described from Zurquí de Moravia, Costa Rica. As part of the Zurquí All Diptera Biodiversity Inventory (ZADBI) project, it represents the first of an incredible number of new phorid species to be described from this one Costa Rican cloud forest site. A new, streamlined method of description for species of this enormous genus of phorid flies is presented.

The species of the mostly Neotropical Region Apocephalus analis group are revised, and found to comprise 21 species, 19 of which are new to science: A. bilineatus, A. euryacanthus, A. holdenae, A. mexacanthus, A. paracanthus, and A. rectisetus in the newly recognized A. comatus series, and the following unclassified species: A. amacayacuensis, A. amati, A. amenti, A. amorimi, A. camarae, A. criniventris, A. gonzalezae, A. marinhoi, A. papei, A. pittadearaujoi, A. riccardae, A. strazhnikae, and A. xavierfilhoi. Little is known of the natural history of this group, other than that the two previously known species, A. analis Borgmeier and A. comatus Borgmeier, were collected with the army ant Labidus coecus (Latreille).

Two new species of parasitoids, Eibesfeldtphora trifurcata and Eibesfeldtphora inornata, are described. Both species were collected in Brazil. A new key is provided and illustrated for the twenty one known species.

The National Cancer Registry (NCR) of South Africa publishes the pathology-based cancer incidence in the country and is the main cancer data source. The data published by the NCR have been used extensively in the development of the draft national guidelines for cancer prevention and control as well as for cancer research. The list of contributing pathology laboratories is fairly inclusive. Data from the NCR and the University of Limpopo, Department of Oral Pathology for the five years 1997-2001 were combined and then filtered for sites in the oral and oropharyngeal region. Age-Standardised Incidence Rates (ASIR) and the Cumulative Lifetime Risk (LR) for males and females in the different population groups were determined. Comprehensive reporting of oral and oropharyngeal cancer incidence will influence the allocation of government resources for prevention and treatment of oral cancers.

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis and HIV incidence, mortality, and the progression of silicosis and lung function impairment are described over a 1-year period in migrant ex-gold miners from Lesotho., Methods: Seven hundred seventy-nine Basotho miners were followed for 1 year starting 18 months after lay-off from a South African gold mine in 1998. At baseline and follow-up, they underwent a respiratory symptom interview, physical examination, HIV test, chest radiograph, and spirometry., Results: Five hundred thirteen of 779 (65.9%) participants attended both baseline and follow-up visits. HIV incidence was 5.4/100 person-years (95% CI: 3.4-8.2). Prevalence of silicosis (ILO score > or =1/1) was 26.6% at baseline and 27.0% at follow-up. Active tuberculosis diagnosed at baseline was a strong predictor of radiological progression of silicosis. Lung function as measured by FEV(1) declined an average of 91 ml between visits (95% CI: 67-116 ml). Calculated minimum incidence of tuberculosis was 3,085/100,000/years (95% CI: 1,797-4,940) at follow-up. Of those seen at baseline, 18 died before their scheduled follow-up visit (mean age: 51 years)., Conclusions: High rates of mortality and of HIV infection and pulmonary tuberculosis were found in this cohort after leaving the South African goldmines. Continuing lung function loss was also apparent. A partnership between the South African mining industry and governments in labor-sending areas of Southern Africa is needed to provide continuity of care and access to HIV and tuberculosis treatment and prevention services. Active silicosis surveillance and an improved statutory compensation system are also needed. These findings can serve as a baseline against which the impact of such interventions can be assessed., (Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Federal statistical agencies have spent decades developing a robust system for monitoring the health of America's adolescents at the national and state levels. More recently, the health of young adults (roughly 18-24 years of age) has received greater attention in public health and health policy discussions, yet relatively little is known about the nation's capacity to effectively monitor the health of this age group. This article reviews existing federal data collection efforts and reporting systems to identify what pieces currently exist to support an effective health monitoring system for young adults and what is still needed, and makes recommendations for enhancing the current system by improving data access and quality. In particular, a major step toward establishing a recognizable health monitoring system for young adults can be taken simply by pulling together existing data into organized chartbooks and web portals that focus on this age group.

Background: The burden of silicosis, pulmonary tuberculosis and COPD is described in 624 South African gold miners 18 months after cessation of work., Methods: This was a prevalence study. Questionnaires were administered, and spirometry, chest radiography, tuberculosis investigations, and urine HIV antibody assays were performed., Results: Attendance was 80.1% (624/779), mean age 49.4 years, and mean employment duration 25.6 years. Most subjects had had medium (26.5%) or high (65.4%) dust-exposure jobs. Current smoking rate was 35%, with ever smoking 61%. HIV antibodies were detected in the urine in 22.3%. Prevalences were: silicosis 24.6%, past tuberculosis 26%, current tuberculosis 6.2%, airflow obstruction 13.4%, and chronic productive cough 17.7%. Almost 50% of these miners had at least one of these respiratory conditions., Conclusions: A heavy burden of silicosis, tuberculosis and COPD was present in this group of former goldminers. Intensification of work place dust control measures and TB and HIV prevention activities are needed on South African gold mines. In labor sending communities investment is needed in silicosis and tuberculosis surveillance as well as HIV treatment and care., (Published 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

The Phora of Costa Rica were reviewed and three species, all belonging to Schmitz's Group III, were recognized: P. americana Schmitz and Wirth, P. truncata new species and P. paramericana new species. Of the three species, P. americana is by far the most abundant, with the other two species being rarely collected. All specimens were collected in the central highlands of the country. The previous record of the Holarctic Region species P. stictica Meigen from Costa Rica was found to be based on a misidentification of P. truncata.

Parasitoids in the insect order Diptera include an estimated 16,000 species, or approximately 20% of the total number of species with this life-style. Parasitoids in this order are exceedingly diverse in both their habits and evolutionary origins, which makes them an underutilized but highly suitable group for quantitative studies of character convergence and adaptive radiation. This review focuses on several aspects of the bionomics of dipteran parasitoids that have received little comprehensive treatment, including processes associated with host location and attack, patterns of host use, and the evolutionary and ecological consequences of host-parasitoid interactions. Throughout the review we contrast the patterns found within the parasitic Diptera against those found in the better studied parasitic Hymenoptera. We conclude that more intensive study of dipteran parasitoids is required before we can understand the general conditions that favor the evolution of insect parasitoids and the truly magnifying themes of their behavior and ecology.

8-Methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and 4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (TMP) were assessed for their effects on cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation in normal human fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and mononuclear leukocytes in vitro. In the absence of ultraviolet A radiation, 8-MOP and TMP caused an increase in the concentration of cAMP, but not cyclic GMP, in all of these cells. The effect was seen within 1 min and was sustained over control levels for at least 6 h. At 15 min, the highest dose of 8-MOP or TMP increased the cAMP concentration of fibroblasts by 52% and 69%, respectively. In mononuclear leukocytes, 8-MOP led to a 142% increase in cAMP after 20 min. Several analogs of 8-MOP and TMP had no effect on the cyclic nucleotide system of the cells. The pattern of the time-dependent increase in cAMP indicated that the effect was probably due to an inhibition of phosphodiesterase, rather than an activation of adenylyl cyclase. These results demonstrate that clinically effective psoralens, in the absence of UV radiation, can alter the cAMP concentration of human fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and mononuclear leukocytes in vitro.