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The family Dolichopodidae (Diptera) from the Eocene amber of the Cambay and Kutch, India is reviewed. Based on a sample of 38 inclusions, the fauna preserved in amber reveals that the family was well-differentiated by early the Eocene. Palaeomedeterus cambayensis Bickel sp. nov. is described and provisionally assigned to the Peloropeodinae, and is congeneric with European Baltic amber species, suggesting the genus was widespread for a considerable time period in both Europe and India. Two small-sized new monotypic genera are also described, Gujaratmyia rotunda Bickel gen. et sp. nov. and Rajpardia grimaldii Bickel gen. et sp. nov. Also included are undescribed members of the dolichopodid subfamilies Diaphorinae and Medeterinae, and unplaced species. The Baltic amber species Prohercostomus noxialis (Meunier, 1907) is regarded as the new senior synonym of Sympycnites primaevus Grimaldi & Cumming, 1999, described with a mistaken provenance of Cretaceous Lebanese amber.

Micromorphus albipes (Zetterstedt), the type species of the genus Micromorphus Mik (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), was based on a female collected in Sweden. Diagnostic males have not been directly associated with the species, even though at least three distinct congeners based on male genitalia occur in northern Europe. Despite being inadequately described, the name has been applied to species in the New World, New Zealand and Nepal. Micromorphus albipes is demonstrated not to occur in the New World, and Micromorphus caudatus (Aldrich), new status, is redescribed and regarded as the valid name for these incorrect identifications. The records of Micromorphus albipes from New Zealand and Nepal are also unsubstantiated. As well, the enigmatic Central American Micromorphus micidus Parent is redescribed and figured. The genus Micromorphus as a whole is discussed.

The South American monotypic genus Notobothrus Parent (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), previously known only from its type locality in lowland Amazonian Peru, is newly recorded from the northwestern Brazilian Acre State. The single included species, N. longilamellatus Parent, is redescribed in detail, including the associated female for the first time. The genus is excluded from the subfamily Peloropeodinae and provisionally left incertae sedis within the Dolichopodidae. Key words: Taxonomy, Neotropical, Brazil, Neurigoninae, Peloropeodinae

We present a summary and analysis of the Diptera-related information published in Zootaxa from 2001 to 2020, with a focus on taxonomic papers. Altogether, 2,527 papers on Diptera were published, including 2,032 taxonomic papers and 1,931 papers containing new nomenclatural acts, equivalent to 22% of all publications with new nomenclatural acts for Diptera. The new nomenclatural acts include 7,431 new species, 277 new genera, 2,003 new synonymies, and 1,617 new combinations. A breakdown by family of new taxa and new replacement names proposed in the journal during the last two decades is provided, together with a comparison of Zootaxa’s output to that of all other taxonomic publications on Diptera. Our results show that the journal has contributed to 20% of all biodiversity discovery in this megadiverse insect order over the last 20 years, and to about 31% in the last decade.

The contribution of urban greenspaces to support biodiversity and provide benefits for people is increasingly recognized. However, ongoing management practices favor vegetation oversimplification, often limiting greenspaces to lawns and tree canopy rather than multi-layered vegetation that includes under- and midstorey, and the use of nonnative species. These practices hinder the potential of greenspaces to sustain indigenous biodiversity, particularly for taxa like insects that rely on plants for food and habitat. Yet, little is known about which plant species may maximize positive outcomes for taxonomically and functionally diverse insect communities in greenspaces. Additionally, while cities are expected to experience high rates of introductions, quantitative assessments of the relative occupancy of indigenous vs. introduced insect species in greenspace are rare, hindering understanding of how management may promote indigenous biodiversity while limiting the establishment of introduced insects. Using a hierarchically replicated study design across 15 public parks, we recorded occurrence data from 552 insect species on 133 plant species, differing in planting design element (lawn, midstorey, and tree canopy), midstorey growth form (forbs, lilioids, graminoids, and shrubs) and origin (nonnative, native, and indigenous), to assess (1) the relative contributions of indigenous and introduced insect species and (2) which plant species sustained the highest number of indigenous insects. We found that the insect community was overwhelmingly composed of indigenous rather than introduced species. Our findings further highlight the core role of multi-layered vegetation in sustaining high insect biodiversity in urban areas, with indigenous midstorey and canopy representing key elements to maintain rich and functionally diverse indigenous insect communities. Intriguingly, graminoids supported the highest indigenous insect richness across all studied growth forms by plant origin groups. Our work highlights the opportunity presented by indigenous understory and midstorey plants, particularly indigenous graminoids, in our study area to promote indigenous insect biodiversity in urban greenspaces. Our study provides a blueprint and stimulus for architects, engineers, developers, designers, and planners to incorporate into their practice plant species palettes that foster a larger presence of indigenous over regionally native or nonnative plant species, while incorporating a broader mixture of midstorey growth forms.

The contribution of urban greenspaces to support biodiversity and provide benefits for people is increasingly recognised. However, ongoing management practices still favour (1) vegetation oversimplification, often limiting greenspaces to lawns and tree canopy rather than multi-layered vegetation that includes under and midstorey; and (2) the use of nonnative plant species. These practices likely hinder the potential of greenspaces to sustain indigenous biodiversity, particularly for taxa like insects, that rely on plants for food and habitat. Yet, little is known about which plant species may maximise positive outcomes for taxonomically and functionally diverse insect communities in urban greenspaces. Additionally, while urban environments are expected to experience high rates of introductions, quantitative assessments of the relative occupancy of indigenous vs. introduced insect species in greenspace are rare – hindering understanding of how greenspace management may promote indigenous biodiversity while limiting the establishment of introduced insects. Using a hierarchically replicated study design across 15 public parks, we recorded occurrence data from 552 insect species on 133 plant species – differing in planting design element (lawn, midstorey and tree canopy), midstorey growth form (forbs, lilioids, graminoids and shrubs) and origin (nonnative, native and indigenous) – to assess: (1) the relative contributions of indigenous and introduced insect species and (2) which plant species sustained the highest number of indigenous insects. Our data indicates that the insect community was predominately composed of indigenous rather than introduced species. Our findings further highlight the core role of multi-layered vegetation in sustaining high insect biodiversity in urban areas, with indigenous midstorey and canopy representing key elements to maintain rich and functionally diverse indigenous insect communities. Intriguingly, graminoids supported the highest indigenous insect richness across all studied growth forms by plant origin groups. Taken together, our study emphasise the opportunity posed by indigenous understory and midstorey plants, particularly indigenous graminoids in our study area, to promote indigenous insect biodiversity in urban greenspaces. Our work provides a blueprint and stimulus for built-environment professionals to incorporate into their practice plant species palettes that foster a larger presence of indigenous over regionally native or nonnative plant species, whilst incorporating a broader mixture of midstorey growth forms.

The Northern Hemisphere dominates our knowledge of Mesozoic and Cenozoic fossilized tree resin (amber) with few fndings from the high southern paleolatitudes of Southern Pangea and Southern Gondwana. Here we report new Pangean and Gondwana amber occurrences dating from ~230 to 40 Ma from Australia (Late Triassic and Paleogene of Tasmania; Late Cretaceous Gippsland Basin in Victoria; Paleocene and late middle Eocene of Victoria) and New Zealand (Late Cretaceous Chatham Islands). The Paleogene, richly fossiliferous deposits contain signifcant and diverse inclusions of arthropods, plants and fungi. These austral discoveries open six new windows to diferent but crucial intervals of the Mesozoic and early Cenozoic, providing the earliest occurrence(s) of some taxa in the modern fauna and flora giving new insights into the ecology and evolution of polar and subpolar terrestrial ecosystems. Tis publication represents aresearch output from Australian Research Council Discovery Grant ARC-DP140102515 (2014–2017) to J.S., D.B.and D.C., a Robert Blackwood Seed grant to J.S., and from Spanish AEI/FEDER, UE Grant CGL2017–84419 (theCRE project) to A.A. and E.P. Additional funds provided to C.M. for feldwork and preparation by the NationalGeographic Society (Grant 9761–15) and the Paleontological Society

Cyttaromyia lynnae De Jong, sp. nov. Figures 5, 6 zoobank.org/ D2C5FED7-813C-418A-B1B4-A35C286BD427 Etymology. The specific epithet is the Latin genitive case of the first name of the wife of the author (HDJ). Holotype. USNM 621109, deposited in the Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian Institution, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. Type horizon. Middle Eocene Coal Creek Member, Kishenehn Formation. Type locality. Park site, Middle Fork of the Flathead River (Pinnacle, Montana, USA). Differential diagnosis. This species of Cyttaromyia is distinguished by the presence of an additio- nal crossvein r'-m', a wide and long discal cell, four complete but relatively short medial veins, and a female terminalia with a long and curved extension of tergite 10, slender and curved cerci and broad hypogynial valves. Description Adult female (Figure 5.1), body length about 10 mm, wing length about 10 mm. Specimen preserved in dorsal view. Head. Eyes well-developed, large, dorsally widely separated though distance not measurable due to crushed state of head (Figure 6.3). Occiput dark brown colored. Antenna 2.4 mm long, about as long as head and thorax combined, consisting of short scape and pedicel, and slender flagellum including 14 cylindrical flagellomeres. Some verticils at base of flagellomeres preserved, distinctly shorter than length of flagellomeres. Rostrum short. Palp with third to fifth segments visible, this part measuring about 0.9 mm, third and fourth segments robust, fifth irregularly shaped and about as long as third and fourth combined (Figure 6.1). Thorax. Pronotum with well-developed antepronotum and broad postpronotum, scutum with visible transverse suture in posterior part. Thorax brownish in groundcolor, dark-brown on postpronotum and with broad dark-brown medial stripe and lateral sides on scutum. Wings. Elongate and slender, anal areas folded under in both wings (Figure 5.2-3). Pterostigma distinct, located between C and first section of R 2+3+4, dark-brown. Sc long, terminating in C well beyond level of first fork of Rs and anterior to pterostigma. The positions of crossvein sc-r and R 1, if they exist, are uncertain. Rs long, almost 2.0 mm, about 0.75 X as long as entire R 2+3+4. R 5 evenly curved towards wing margin. Crossvein r-m connecting Rs with discal cell slightly distad of first fork of Rs. Vein M long, forking at proximad end of discal cell in a long first section of M 1+3 and a short first section of M 3+4. Discal cell elongate, gradually widening towards wing margin, cell remarkably longer than apical sections of M 1 -M 4. M 1+2 shortly petiolate distad of discal cell where it forks into M 1 and M 2. Base of apical part of M 1 almost perpendicular to M 2, before turning towards apex of wing; M 1 here connected to R 5 by additional crossvein (r'- m'). Apical section of M 2 almost continuous with petiole of fork of M 1+2. M 3+4 forks at distal part of discal cell, apical section of M 4 almost continuous with M 3+4 and base of M 3 making angle of about 70 o with M 3+4 and M 4. Apical section of M 3 subsinuous from discal cell towards wing margin. Crossvein m-cu located at proximad corner of dis- cal cell. CuA only very slightly bent at point of contact with crosvein m-cu; visible part of apical section of CuA straight. Remainder of venation invisible. Legs. Front legs and left midleg almost completely preserved; what appears as right midleg with femur and part of tibia preserved. Femora somewhat broader at tip, apex darkened. Tibiae without visible apical spurs. No claws detected. Abdomen and genitalia. Abdomen, 7.6 mm long, broadening from segment one to five and from there narrowing towards ovipositor. Ovipositor preserved in lateral view, showing long curved extension of tergite ten dorsal of cerci and hypogynial valves. Cerci long, curved and rather slender, hypogynial valves shorter than cerci and broad (Figure 6.2). Allotype. Male unknown. Syncompressions. Gastropods (8). Remarks Cylindrotomidae is a small family of Tipuloidea with only nine recent genera, including 70 species (Oosterbroek, 2018). The recent genera occurring in North America are Cylindrotoma Macquart, 1834 (with two recent North American species), Liogma Osten Sacken, 1869 (1), Phalacrocera Schiner, 1863 (4), and Triogma Schiner, 1863 (1). The genera can be easily separated using wing venational characters (Alexander and Byers, 1981). In a phylogenetic analysis of both molecular and morphological data, Petersen et al. (2010) recovered this group as monophyletic and sister to Tipulinae but were unable to confidently resolve the combined group within Tipuloidea; they treat the group as a subfamily within Tipulidae. Fossil Cylindrotomidae have been described in the extant genera Cylindrotoma and Diogma Edwards, 1938 and the extinct genus Cyttaromyia Scudder, 1877 (Table 1) (Cockerell 1921 a, 1925, 1926; Freiwald, 1991; Freiwald and Krzemiński, 1991; Krzemiński, 1998; Podenas, 2000; Scudder, 1877, 1894; Séguy, 1934). All fossil Cylindrotomidae are characterized by the presence of four medial veins reaching the wing margin (recent Diogma always show only three medial veins). The genus Cyttaromyia was created by Scudder (1877) based on the apical half of an isolated wing. Scud- der redefined the genus in 1894 based on several more intact specimens from the Florissant Formation. Members of Cyttaromyia differ from most Cylindrotoma and Diogma (and the other recent Cylindrotomidae) by the presence of additional crossvein r'-m'. This additional crossvein connec- ting the base of M 1 with R 5 is sometimes also found in aberrant specimens of both the North American and Palaearctic subspecies of the recent Cylindrotoma distinctissima Meigen, 1818 (cf. Brodo, 1967, fig. 46; Peus, 1952, fig. 14) and in the Eastern Palaearctic and Oriental C. taiwanica Alexander, 1929 (Alexander, 1929, fig. 4). Scudder (1894) described Cyttaromyia as lacking tibial spurs. This character state, in addition to the presence of r'-m', could more definitively define Cyttaromyia relative to Cylindrotoma. Howe- ver, Cyttaromyia frelloi Krzemiński, 1998, the only specimen of the genus in Baltic amber, was described as with ”distinct tibial spurs present; single on the forelegs and midlegs, paired on hind legs. The spur of the foreleg is especially large, of a size not met till now in the Tipulidae and Limoniidae.” Tibial spurs have not been reported in the more poorly preserved compression fossils of this genus. The structure of the ovipositor of the fossil described here (Figure 6.2) shows close similarity with that known from recent Cylindrotoma, where tergite ten is posteriorly extended into a long, curved and apically forked extension that is positioned dorsal of the cerci (cf Brodo, 1967, figs. 21, 22; Peus, 1952, figure 7b, c, 30). Krzemiński (1991a) previously suggested the similarity of the ovipositor of Cyttaromyia to that of Cylindrotoma. The species is placed in the genus Cyttaromyia because of the presence of additional crossvein r'-m', which it shares with all other species of Cyttaromyia. The crossvein can be present in aberrant specimens of some species of the extant genus Cylindrotoma. Cyttaromyia lynnae differs from C. vahldieki Freiwald, 1991, and C. rayona Freiwald and Krzemiński, 1991, in not having a distinct patterning of the wings and from C. frelloi, C. quievreuxi Séguy, 1934, and C. reclusa Cockerell, 1925, in being female. There are numerous differences in the venation of C. lynnae compared to both C. princetoniana Scudder, 1894, and C. fenestrate Scudder, 1877. In the former, Rs is relatively short (Rs/R 2+3 = 1.4; 1.8 in C. lynnae), R 1 is distinct and the distance between the 1 st fork of M and m-cu is subequal to the length of r-m whereas that value is C. lynnae. The ratio of the discal cell’s L/ W = 2.4 in C. fenestrata and 3.3 in C. lynnae. In addition, Sc terminates in C in-line with the 2 nd half of the supplemental discal cell in C. fenestrata but just beyond the r-m in C. lynnae. Cells m 1 and m 2 are equal in length in C. fenestrata whereas m 2 is longer in C. lynnae. The terminus of r-r is in line with r'-m' in C. fenestrata but greatly basad of r'-m' in C. lynnae. Given the poor preservation of C. scudderi, it is difficult to identify differences with respect to C. lynnae except perhaps the shape of the pterostigma. The venation of C. obdurescens Cockerell, 1925 is also very similar to C. lynnae, although Cockerell (1926) stated that it was “similar” to C. oligocena Scudder, 1894 and “may prove a synonym of C. reclusa ”. The reliance on slight differences in venational morphology potentially diminishes the probable status of many of the fossil Cyttaromyia as separate species. Brodo (1967) has figured a large degree of intraspecific variability in the venation of multiple different specimens of the extant species Cylindrotoma distinctissima and C. tarsalis Johnson, 1912, as well as in specimens from three additional related genera. Given the existence of numerous specimens of some of the North American species (for example, there are 12 specimens of Cyttaromyia reclusa [Brown, 1988]), it would be of interest to study the intraspecific variability in their venation patterns.

Aenigmatias kishenehnensis Brown, sp. nov. Figure 35 zoobank.org/ 28A4C2F4-40E2-45AF-83A4-FADAD0EBD616 Etymology. The specific epithet denotes the geological Formation in which the specimen was preserved. Holotype. USNM 625132, deposited in the Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian Institution, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. Type horizon. Middle Eocene Coal Creek Member, Kishenehn Formation. Type locality. The Spring site, Middle Fork of the Flathead River (Pinnacle, Montana, USA). Differential diagnosis. This species of Aenigmatias is distinguished by the presence of wings, very short C, R 1 and Rs veins, the absence of R 2+3 and an apparently nonlimuloid body shape. Description Body length (head to the end of tergite 6) 1.5 mm. Female (Figure 35.1). Head. Four large setae present at vertex and at least six large setae on frons (all frontal setae absent in modern species, often reduced in num- ber and size in fossils). Postpedicel rounded. Palpus with well-developed setae. Thorax. Most details of thorax not visible, but not appearing to be highly limuloid. One pair of short setae visible (possibly posterior dorsocentral setae) and one longer pair (scutellars?) near base of wing. Wings. C short, but costal setae long. R 2+3 absent. Base of radial veins possibly with row of setulae. Legs. Foretibia not preserved. Midtibia with one large seta near base. Hind legs preserved, but details not visible. Abdomen and genitalia. Abdomen unmodified, unlike flattened modern species. Abdominal segment 7 with dense striation and blunt thick setae. (Figure 35.2, bts; as in modern species, Figure 35.3). Allotype. Male unknown. Syncompressions. None. Remarks The family Phoridae consists of 302 genera and about 4,300 species. The fossil record of the family is quite good, with 103 fossil species (47 genera), 95% of which are in amber (about half of these in Baltic amber). Many extant phorids exhibit a parasitoid lifestyle and several genera are myr- mecophilous (Brown, 2018). The 14 extant species of the genus Aenigmatias are presumed to be larval parasitoids of ant pupae. Members of the genus are markedly sexually dimorphic, with the female wingless and limuloid in shape, the latter an adaptation that provides defense against attack by ants (Brown, 2017; Brown et al., 2017). Brown (1999), in an examination of fossil phorids in Baltic and Fushun amber, concluded that many of the specimens assigned to extant genera actually belong to more primitive stem-groups. Protophorites fimbriatus Brues, 1939, was synonymized with Protoplatyphora tertiaria Brues, 1939 (holotype lost), which was thought to be a stem group of a clade with the modern Aenigmatias species, based on a less limuloid body shape, the presence of wings (Protophorites fimbriatus is a female) and the presence of large setae on the vertex and scutellum. Brown (2017), in a phylogenetic analysis of the fossil Aenigmatias and related genera, transferred Protoplatyphora tertiaria and Chaetopleurophora multisetosa Brown, 2007 to Aenigmatias and described three new species from Baltic amber. With Aenigmatias kishenehnensis, there are currently a total of six fossil species in the genus: A. tertiarius Brues, 1939, A. bisetosa Brown, 2007, A. longicornis Brown, 2017, A. primitivus Brown, 2017 and A. nigeroticus Brown, 2017. Only A. tertiarius, Brues 1939, A. kishenehnensis and an additional specimen (LACM 159804) are females. Aenigmatias kishenehnensis can be differentiated from A. tertiaria in having a much shorter costa (0.24 mm vs. 0.5 mm), R 2+3 vein absent, and the frons with large setae; from A. bisetosa in having a much shorter body length (1.5 mm vs. 4.3– 4.4 mm), a much shorter costa and R 2+3 absent; from A. longicornis in having a rounded first flagellomere (vs. elongate) and a much shorter costa (0.24 mm vs. 0.43 mm); from A. primitivus in having a much shorter costa (0.24 mm vs. 0.48 mm); and from A. nigeroticus in having a much shorter costa (0.24 mm vs. 0.48 mm), R 2+3 absent and the frons with large setae. Aenigmatias kishenehnensis is also differentiated from Aenigmatias sp. indet. (LACM ENT 159804; Brown, 2017), a female, in having a much shorter costa (0.24 mm vs. 0.71 mm). Apparently, the set of extinct species of Aenigmatias do not constitute a clade sister to the extant species of the genus, but rather a grade. The 21 fossil phorid flies of the Kishenehn formation are intriguing. With the exception of A. kishenehnensis, they are difficult to place to any modern group. None of the specimens exhibit proclinate supra-antennal setae, a condition found in most phorids of the subfamily Metopininae, which is the numerically dominant group today. The earliest undoubted metopinines are known from Baltic amber, and even there they are a smaller portion of the fauna than today, suggesting that the metopinine radiation is indeed an evolutionarily recent (i.e., post-Eocene) event. Other character states visible in the Kishenehn phorids are not considered synapomorphic of any modern groups, with a single exception of A. kishenehnensis. Modern Aenigmatias, and most fossil species of the genus (Brown, 2017), have a series of setulae along the radial vein, more than four scutellar setae and longitudinal, irregular rows of tightlypacked setulae (setal palisades) on the hind tibia in addition to the limuloid body form. None of these character states was convincingly observed in A. kishenehnensis, but the much more distinctive structure of the female terminal segments is clearly visible: the ovipositor has heavily striate membrane and thick, peglike setae. This structure is known from at least one fossil species, A. tertiarius, and all examined modern species, but no other phorids. The life history of two of the 14 modern species has been studied and both found to be parasitoids of Formica Linnaeus 1758 ant pupae (Donisthorpe, 1927). No studies have been done on the function of this peculiar ovipositor, which is unlike those of other parasitoid phorids that attack adult ants, but it is likely related to the parasitic lifestyle.

Lapita Bickel (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Sciapodinae), previously known only from New Caledonia, is newly described from Fiji and nearby Pacific archipelagoes, and includes 21 species in four species groups. The vakalevu group comprises four new species, Lapita vakalevu from Fiji and Tonga, and L. morleyi, L. savura and L. tavuki, all from Fiji. The tuimerekei group comprises two new Fijian species, L. batiqere and L. tuimerekei. The paradoxa group comprises two new species from Viti Levu, Fiji, L. paradoxa and L. maafusalatu. The denticauda group includes 13 species, L. greenwoodi (Bezzi), comb. n., from Viti Levu, L. sanma, a new species from Vanuatu (Espiritu Santo), and eleven additional new species, all from Fiji: L. adusta, L. macuata, L. coloisuva, L. delaco, L. timocii, L. bicolor, L. veilaselase, L. kuitarua, L. denticauda, L. sarnati, and L. vatudiri. Most Lapita species are known only from single or adjacent sites, suggesting a high level of local endemicity. As demonstrated elsewhere for the Sciapodinae, there is a strong connection between Fiji and Vanuatu, with species groups shared between the two archipelagoes. Biogeographical processes to account for the distribution of Lapita on Fiji and New Caledonia are discussed.

A monotypic new genus, Minjerribah (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), and an included new species, M. litoura, are described from North Stradbroke Island in southeastern Queensland. The genus is assigned to the subfamily Hydrophorinae based on the pair of distinct converging postvertical setae on the dorsal postcranium, out of line with the postocular setae. Other diagnostic characters in Minjerribah include the highly encapsulated and reduced male postabdomen, the antennal pedicel with a conus (visible both in lateral and median view) projecting into the postpedicel, strong setation on tibia I, and very few male secondary sexual characters. It has only been collected in August from low coastal habitat and is probably a winter flying species.

This study is based on more than 25,000 specimens of the superfamily Empidoidea (Diptera) collected throughout a full year on a 2000 m elevational habitat succession gradient along a 21 km transect on Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand. The samples were sorted to 58 genera and 458 morphospecies (Empididae, 73; Hybotidae, 203; Dolichopodidae, 179; Brachystomatidae, 3). The data were used to prepare the first thorough taxon-focussed description of how diversity of a major group of Diptera is structured in tropical forest biotopes. We found significant spatial (elevation / habitat) and temporal (seasonal) variations in richness (α-diversity) and abundance at family-level. α-Diversity of the four families was maximal in damp evergreen forests at higher elevation (1500–2500 m), but Dolichopodidae also had a major subsidiary peak in lowland dry evergreen forest at 500–1000 m. Genus-, tribe- and subfamily level α-diversity / elevation profiles were varied, indicating that overall family-level richness is a composite of many taxa that contribute low, high or mid-elevation specialisms. We provide a detailed analysis of these specialisms for each of the 58 genera. Adult phenology was correlated with the monsoon and had three characteristic phases: (i) pre-monsoon commencement during the latter part of the hot dry season, (ii) a ‘flush’ of maximal richness during the early-monsoon, and (iii) a secondary richness maximum associated with the late-monsoon. Maximum α-diversity occurred in phases (i) and (ii) but communities in phase (iii) had characteristically low evenness in which a few abundant species were dominant. Cluster analysis and ordination resolved three well-founded communities with different species-abundance distributions, high levels of species-level specialism and habitat-fidelity associated with moist hill evergreen forest (MHE) at >2000 m; mid elevation evergreen forests (EM) at 1000–2000 m and dry lowland forest (DL) at

La familia Dolichopodidae (Diptera) en el ambar Mexicano de Chiapas es analizada. Se describen seis nuevas species: Mesorhagapseudolacrymans, Amblypsilopus monicae, Medetera totolapa, Medetera amissa, Peloropeodes paleomexicana y Neoparentia chiapensis. Todos los generos existen actualmente en la fauna mesoamericana moderna, y tres de las nuevas especies pueden estar estrechamente relacionadas con grupos o especies modernas. Esto sugiere que muchos elementos de la fauna moderna de dolichopodidos neotropicales han estado presentes desde el Mioceno

Adults of the fly family Dolichopodidae (Diptera) are general predators on small soft-bodied invertebrates, and often are abundant in agroecosystems. However, information about their diversity and spatial distribution in agricultural landscapes are scarce. Using structured sampling, we identified the species of Dolichopodidae associated with organic vegetable crops, fallow, agroforestry, and native vegetation in the Federal District of Brazil, and evaluate their richness and abundance. We collected 70 species Dolichopodidae distributed in 17 genera and 9 subfamilies. Of these, some 80% of the specimens belong to the following 5 taxa: Chrysotus spectabilis (Loew), Thrypticus violaceous Van Duzee, Condylostylus depressus (Aldrich), Condylostylus “caudatus group” females, and Condylostylus erectus Becker (all Diptera: Dolichopodidae). Habitats with vegetable crops harbored a higher abundance and number of species (diversity α), with a gradual reduction towards more forested environments of native vegetation. This is an inverse gradient with the general patterns of community studies with other taxa. We also verified the importance of less disturbed habitats over time in the agricultural landscape, such as agroforestry and native vegetation, as complementary habitats for the maintenance and conservation of dolichopodid species in particular, a scenario to be tested for other insect groups. Resumo Os adultos da familia das moscas Dolichopodidae (Diptera) sao predadores generalistas de pequenos invertebrados de corpo mole, sendo geralmente abundantes em agroecossistemas. No entanto, informacoes sobre sua diversidade e distribuicao espacial em paisagens agricolas sao escassas. A partir de amostragens locais, identificamos as especies de Dolichopodidae associadas a hortalicas orgânicas, pousio, agrossilvicultura e vegetacao nativa no Distrito Federal, Brasil, e avaliamos sua riqueza e abundância. Foram coletadas 70 especies de Dolichopodidae distribuidas em 17 generos e 9 subfamilias. Destes, cerca de 80% dos especimes pertencem aos seguintes 5 taxons: Chrysotus spectabilis (Loew), Thrypticus violaceous Van Duzee, Condylostylus depressus (Aldrich), Condylostylus “grupo caudatus” e Condylostylus erectus Becker (todos dipteros: Dolichopodidae). Habitats com hortalicas abrigavam a maior abundância e numero de especies (diversidade α), com uma reducao gradual em direcao a ambientes mais florestados de vegetacao nativa. Este e um gradiente inverso com os padroes gerais de estudos comunitarios com outros taxons. Tambem verificamos a importância de habitats menos perturbados ao longo do tempo na paisagem agricola, como agrofloresta e vegetacao nativa, como habitats complementares para a manutencao e conservacao de especies de diclopodideos em particular. Este e um cenario a ser testado para outros grupos de insetos. Key Words: biological control; Neotropical region; Cerrado; habitat management; species richness; organic agro-ecosystems View this article in BioOne

The New Zealand endemic genus Scorpiurus Parent is known from marine littoral habitats. A new species, S. aramoana sp. nov., is described from coastal Otago of the South Island. Males have diagnostic flattened and modified tarsomeres on legs I and II. A key is provided to the New Zealand genera of Hydrophorinae and the three described species of Scorpiurus.

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.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T15:56:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-12-01 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. Entomology Section Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Boulevard Royal British Columbia Museum and the American Museum of Natural History, 691-8th Ave. SE Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences Poole Agricultural Center Clemson University, 130 McGinty Court, E-143 Depto. de Biologia FFCLRP Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900 Great Lakes Forestry Centre Canadian Forest Service Natural Resources Canada, 1219 Queen St. E. Australian Museum, 1 William Street Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Macdonald Campus Canadian National Collection of Insects Invertebrate Biodiversity Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, K.W. Neatby Building, 960 Carling Avenue Department of Biological Sciences Spaulding Hall University of New Hampshire Department of Biological Sciences Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy Instituto Federal do Triângulo Mineiro – Campus Uberaba. Rua João Batista Ribeiro 4000 Distrito Industrial II Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Jardim das Américas Mississippi Entomological Museum Mississippi State University, 100 Old Highway 12, P.O. Drawer 9775 Department of Biology Western Kentucky University Integrative Research Center Field Museum of Natural History Independent Investigator California State Collection of Arthropods, 2683 Tam O’ Shanter Dr., El Dorado Hills California Department of Food and Agriculture California State Collection of Arthropods, 3294 Meadowview Rd. The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Ben Franklin Parkway American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St. Department of Entomology University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave. Zoological Museum Biodiversity Unit FI-20014 University of Turku Instituto de Ecología A.C. (INECOL) Red Ambiente y Sustentabilidad, Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, Col El Haya, Xalapa Station Linné, Ölands Skogsby 161 I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Bogdan Chmielnicki St. 15 Universidad de Panama Department of Natural History University Museum of Bergen University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7800 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Avenue School of Environmental Sciences University of Guelph Department of Entomology Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, MRC 169 Natural History Museum of Denmark, Universitetsparken 15 Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190 Systematic Entomology Laboratory USDA ARS c/o National Museum of Natural History, MRC-168, P.O. Box 37012 Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia CCEN Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Castelo Branco, s/n Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25 Research Group Terrestrial Ecology (TEREC) Ghent University, K.L.Ledeganckstraat 35 Entomology Unit Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences (RBINS), Vautierstraat 29 USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 1648 S. 7th Avenue Department of Biological Sciences Bishop’s University, 2600 College Street UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal; Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane s/n Canadian National Collection of Insects & Canadian Food Inspection Agency OPL-Entomology, K.W. Neatby Bldg., C.E.F., 960 Carling Ave. Department of Biological Sciences University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW Finnish Museum of Natural History Zoology Unit University of Helsinki Washington State University, 2533 Inter Avenue Bohart Museum of Entomology University of California, One Shields Avenue Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio) UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal; Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane s/n

The purpose of this application, under Article 23.9.3 of the Code, is to conserve the generic name Argyra Macquart, 1834 (Diptera, dolichopodidae), a widely distributed and well-established genus of dolichopodid flies. It is threatened by its infrequently used senior objective synonym, Porphyrops Meigen, 1824. It is proposed that Argyra Macquart, 1834 be conserved by suppressing Porphyrops Meigen, 1824 under the Commission plenary power, in the interest of nomenclatural stability.

Pinacocerus Van Duzee and Yumbera Bickel are reviewed. Pinacocerus is found in Chile and Argentina and comprises two species, Pinacocerus nodicornis Van Duzee and Pinacocerus candiptorumsp. nov. from Chile. Yumbera comprises six species, five from eastern mainland Australia and Yumbera trisignatasp. nov. from Tasmania. The two genera show remarkable parallel evolution in modification of the male antenna.

Medetera johnthomasi (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) is described from a large population collected in San Mateo County, California. This is the third Nearctic species in the Medetera aberrans species group, a lineage that otherwise is pan-tropical in distribution, but particularly diverse in the Neotropical region. Males of most species in this species group have the tarsomeres 2–4 of leg I flattened. The position of this species group within Medetera is discussed.

The Costa Rican Systenus Loew (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Medeterinae) are described, illustrated and keyed, and comprise nine new species: Systenus divericatus sp. nov., S. eboritibia sp. nov., S. emusorum sp. nov., S. flavifemoratus sp. nov., S. maculipennis sp. nov., S. naranjensis sp. nov., S. parkeri sp. nov., S. tenorio sp. nov., and S. zurqui sp. nov. Eight species are known only from Malaise traps at a locale in Guanacaste Province, in contrast to a single species collected as part of the long running INBio survey of the Costa Rican insect fauna. On a global scale, Systenus is uncommon in collections, possibly the result of its known larval tree hole habitat and adult arboreal associations, making the genus less likely to be captured by ground-level trapping. This makes the high level of sympatry at one site even more remarkable and suggesting that more cryptic species-rich arboreal faunas await discovery.

Munburra bulbicornis n.gen and n.sp. (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae) is described from the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia. This monotypic genus is distinguished by a large, raised ocellar triangle with enlarged ocelli, and two distinctive male secondary sexual characters, a greatly swollen postpedicel, and a long dorsoapical seta on a narrow unswollen leg I first tarsomere. Although it clearly belongs in the Hilarini, its relationship with other members of the tribe is unclear.

Eugowra n.gen. (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae: Hilarini) from southeastern Australia and Tasmania comprises three new species: E. colei, E. fusca, and E. uniseta. Males have a distinctive genitalic structure, with the hypandrium reduced to a narrow curved channel that barely covers a mostly free aedeagus. Species fly during the cooler months, and E. colei was collected throughout the winter in Tasmania. This genus is part of the Hilara-Hilarempis complex of genera. This paper describes Eugowra (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae), a new genus comprising three new species from southeastern Australia and Tasmania. The genus is within the Hilara-Hilarempis complex, characterized by having swollen male fore basitarsi, ostensibly used to produce silk for wrapping nuptial gifts. Eugowra is cool adapted, and species fly during the winter months. The hypandrium of the male genitalia is reduced to a narrow curved channel that is distally free from the epandrium, and which barely covers the aedeagus along its length. Materials and methods

Nine new species of Thrypticus (Diptera, Dolichopodidae) are described from South America: T. truncatus, T. sagittatus, T. yanayacu, T. circularis, T. chanophallus, T. romus, T. azuricola, T. formosensis, and T. taragui. All nine species were reared from the petioles and stems of aquatic and semiaquatic Pontederiaceae, five of them from water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes. These species appear to comprise the monophyletic truncatus Group characterized by a short and rather weakly sclerotised oviscapt, probably adapted to egg-laying in the soft petioles of Pontederiaceae. By contrast, most other Thrypticus species have a longer and more strongly sclerotised oviscapt for oviposition in hard-stemmed Poaceae, Cyperaceae, and Juncaceae. T. truncatus and T. sagittatus have potential as biological control agents for Eichhornia crassipes, which is a serious invasive weed in the Old World tropics. Notes are presented on the life history of these two species, based on field and rearing chamber observations.

Bandella n.gen. (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae: Hilarini) is described from mainland Australia and Tasmania, and comprises nine new species: B. albitarsis, B. cerra, B. allynensis, B. costalis, B. duvalli, B. maxi, B. montana, B. noorinbee , and B. tasmanica. Bandella is distinguished from other genera in the Hilarini by the following combination of characters: mesonotum glabrous, without pruinosity, but with diagnostic colour patterns; mesonotal vestiture highly reduced, comprising only short setulae; male tarsus I unmodified; and male abdominal terga 7 and 8 reduced or modified to form flaps so that hypopygium can be flexed forward. The genus is distinctive in having an almost fully formed vein CuP running lengthwise across the centre of cell cup. Although vein CuP is part of the wing groundplan in Diptera, it has variable expression in the lower Brachycera. In other Empididae, this vein is either residual and positioned closely posteriad of vein CuA 2, or totally absent. Also, Bandella has a divided and sclerotised male cercus, a character also shared by the endemic Tasmanian hilarine genus Cunomyia Bickel. Bandella has a predominately temperate Bassian distribution: Tasmania, southeastern and southwestern Australia, with an outlying species in submontane rainforest of tropical Queensland.

Three Australian species of the genus Antyx Meuffels and Grootaert (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) are newly described and illustrated. They comprise A. fagina and A. werrikimbe from eastern New South Wales, and A. edita from north-eastern Queensland. All occur in moist forests, especially submontane rainforests above 1000 m. Antyx was previously known from five species in New Caledonia, and its present distribution is regarded as relictual Gondwanan. The genus Antyx does not belong to the subfamily Sympycninae, where it was originally referred, but is more closely related to the Neurigoninae.

The Dolichopodidae (Diptera) of the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador) are reviewed. The fauna comprises 17 species, which are described, illustrated, and keyed. Further, relevant New World taxa are discussed, with information on diagnostic characters, species groupings and new synonyms. Nine species are newly described: Amblypsilopus depilis, Medetera galapagensis, Paraclius desenderi, Chrysotus baerti, Asyndetus wigginsi, A. maelfaiti, A. cavagnaroi, A. mystacinus, and A. bursericola. The following synonyms are newly established: Condylostylus longicornis (Fabricius) (=C. detitaticauda Van Duzee), Chrysotus brevicornis Van Duzee (= C. brevispina Van Duzee, = C. latifacies Van Duzee, = C. mexicanus Robinson), and Asyndetus tibialis (Thomson) (= A. ridiculus Parent). The ecology and origin of the Galápagos Dolichopodidae are discussed, and the fauna is regarded as an extension of the New World mainland coastal and littoral fauna. New distributional records from North and South America are included, and the systematic relationships of Galápagos species are discussed.

The genus Thinempis (Diptera: Empididae) is newly described and includes six species, four from Australia –T.austera sp.n., T.esperance sp.n., T.minuta sp.n., and T.turimetta sp.n., and two from New Zealand –T.otakouensis (Miller) comb.n., and T.takaka sp.n. It occurs in coastal habitats and is defined by a unique synapomorphy, a modified triangular female oviscapt (tergum 10). However, the genus shows variable expression in characters considered to be of higher taxonomic importance in the Empidinae. The tribes Hilarini and Empidini are discussed and redefined.

The following five species of Medetera are described as new from Sri Lanka: M. peradeniya, M. kandyensis, M. colombensis, M. nuwarensis, M. subgrisescens. A key is provided to males of the ten known Sri Lankan species of Medetera.

The Mesoamerican Mesorhaga Schiner are revised, illustrated and keyed, and include twelve species, ten of them newly described: Mesorhaga lacrymans Parent (Costa Rica and Panama), M. cocori n. sp., M. hule n. sp., M. sarukhani n. sp., M. baadsvicki n. sp., M. villanuevi n. sp. (all Costa Rica), M. isthmia n. sp. (Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Mexico), M. adunca (Van Duzee) (Guatemala), M. mexicana n. sp., M. falciunguis n. sp., M. minatitlan n. sp., and M. nayaritensis n. sp. (all Mexico). A checklist of the New World Mesorhaga fauna is provided along with notes on selected species. M funebris Parent from the tropical Andes is redescribed and the male postabodomen of M. caudata Van Duzee from Georgia, U.S.A. is illustrated.

The genus Phrudoneura Meuffels & Grootaert (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Is-lands, and New Caledonia is revised, and four new species are described. Phrudoneura collessi sp. nov. occurs in tropical and subtropical Australia, and is named in honour of the Australian Dipterist, Don Colless. Phrudoneura popondetta sp. nov. is from lowland Papua New Guinea, and P. abbreviata Meuffels & Grootaert, originally described from Papua New Guinea, is now recorded from tropical Australia and the Solomon Islands. The previously described fauna of New Cale-donia of five species is reviewed and two new species are described, P. adusta and P. hibernalis. All species are keyed and illustrated. Phrudoneura is not placed in any established subfamily but is regarded as incertae sedis, perhaps having clos-est affinity with the Sympycninae.

Donald Henry Colless (24 August 1922–16 February 2012) was a taxonomist at the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) from 1960 until his retirement in 1987. He continued working in ANIC as an Honorary Fellow until his death in 2012. Don’s main scientific interests were in the taxonomy and biology of true flies, and in the theory of phylogenetic reconstruction and classification. Don was trained in entomology at the University of Sydney, and spent nearly two decades of his early career in Asia studying mosquitoes and disease transmission, first in the Army during the Second World War in New Guinea and Borneo (1942–45), then after the war in North Borneo (1947–1952) and as a lecturer in the Department of Parasitology at the University of Malaya (1952–1960) in Singapore. We list the 127 scientific papers and book chapters that Don published during his scientific career that spanned 64 years. Six of these papers were published in the prestigious international journal Nature, and he was Chief Curator of the ANIC from 1971–1977. Don had extremely broad taxonomic interests, publishing on the taxonomy of 18 families of Diptera that spanned the phylogenetic breadth of the order. He described as new to science the fly families Perissommatidae and Axiniidae, thirteen new genera and over 120 species and, with David McAlpine, authored the Diptera chapters in both editions of The Insects of Australia (Melbourne University Press, 1970 and 1991). He published a number of influential critiques of cladistic theory in the 1960's and 1970's, and advocated a phenetic approach to the discovery of taxonomic groups, and phylogenetic reconstruction.