Comprehensive Inventory Of True Flies (Diptera) At A Tropical Site

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

Comprehensive inventory of true flies (Diptera) at a tropical site

Peer reviewe

Comprehensive inventory of true flies (Diptera) at a tropical site

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

Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others

<p><strong>Gynandromorphs in <em>Chrysotus spectabilis</em> (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) and considerations for sclerite homology for the Diptera terminalia</strong></p>

Field-collected gynandromorph specimens of Chrysotus spectabilis (Loew) (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from the Brazilian State of Paraná are described and illustrated, with special reference to their terminalia morphology and intersexual homology between sclerites. Based both on the position of the male clasping structures in the female gynander (arising dorsally from the acanthophorites) and the acanthophorites in the male gynander (arising from the genital capsule), it is argued that the “revised epandrial hypothesis” offers a more robust explanation for the male terminalia homology in Diptera than alternative hypotheses (namely, periandrial and hinge hypotheses). Additionally, the segmental origin of female acanthophorites is re-evaluated and assumed to be a product of fusion between tergites 9 and 10, rather than the tergite 10 only.</jats:p

Aphasmaphleps paulyi Capellari & Grichanov 2012, sp. n.

Aphasmaphleps paulyi sp. n. &lt;p&gt;Figs 5, 10&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Etymology: The species is named for Alain Pauly (Brussels, Belgium), who collected all known specimens of this species.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Diagnosis: Male. Antennal stylus with apical lamella. Distal stylomere of arista-like stylus about 7&times; as long as basal stylomere. Veins R 4+5 and M slightly diverging apically, M evanescent. IIt 1 with ventral and anterior rows of stiff hairs, IIt 2 shorter than IIIt 3.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Description:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Very similar to &lt;i&gt;A. bandia&lt;/i&gt; in all respects including morphology of hypopygium, except for the following features. (All specimens are quite discolourated due to long-term storage in alcohol.)&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Male.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Body length 2.0 mm (in alcohol). Antenna 1.5 mm. Wing 1.4 mm long, 0.6 mm wide. &lt;i&gt;Head.&lt;/i&gt; Antenna (Fig. 5): 10, 7, 15, 20, 102; stylus with apical lamella.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Wing.&lt;/i&gt; CuAx proportion 0.07.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Legs.&lt;/i&gt; It: 1.5, 1.0, 0.6, 0.6, 0.6. IIt: 3.6, 0.7, 1.4, 1.0, 0.7. IIIt: 2.3, 2.0, 1.5, 1.1, 0.9. IIt 1 (Fig. 10) with somewhat weaker ventral and anterior hairs.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Female.&lt;/i&gt; Unknown.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Holotype: &male; (in glycerol) MADAGASCAR: Tul [&eacute;ar Province], Morondava [19&deg;53'S 44&deg;28'E], 50 km N, 13 xii.1991, A. Pauly, for&ecirc;t, rivi&egrave;re de sale (ISNB).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Paratypes: 3&male; (in alcohol), same data as holotype (ISNB).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Comments: &lt;i&gt;A. paulyi&lt;/i&gt; sp. n. is similar to &lt;i&gt;A. bandia&lt;/i&gt;, but can be distinguished from the latter by having the antennal stylus with apical lamella.&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Capellari, Renato S. &amp; Grichanov, Igor Ya., 2012, Review of the Afrotropical genus Aphasmaphleps Grichanov (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), pp. 35 in African Invertebrates 53 (1)&lt;/i&gt; on page 42, DOI: 10.5733/afin.053.0102, &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/7918260"&gt;http://zenodo.org/record/7918260&lt;/a&gt

Aphasmaphleps , Grichanov 2010

Key to species of &lt;i&gt;Aphasmaphleps&lt;/i&gt; based on male characters &lt;p&gt; 1 Vein M reduced to a faint trace; IIt 1 with anterior and ventral rows of stiff hairs, IIt 2 about half as long as IIt 3; distal stylomere of arista-like stylus about 7&times; as long as basal stylomere..................................................................................................2&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &ndash; Vein M distinct; IIt 1 without rows of stiff hairs; IIt 2 about as long as IIt 3; distal stylomere of arista-like stylus about 4&times; as long as basal stylomere......................3&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 2 Arista-like stylus with apical flag (Fig. 5)........................................... &lt;b&gt;paulyi&lt;/b&gt; sp. n.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &ndash; Arista-like stylus without apical flag (Grichanov 2010, fig. 3).................................................................................................................................... &lt;b&gt;bandia&lt;/b&gt; Grichanov&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 3 Arista-like stylus with apical flag (Fig. 7)........................................... &lt;b&gt;bickeli&lt;/b&gt; sp. n.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &ndash; Arista-like stylus without apical flag (Fig. 6)........................... &lt;b&gt;stuckenbergi&lt;/b&gt; sp. n.&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Capellari, Renato S. &amp; Grichanov, Igor Ya., 2012, Review of the Afrotropical genus Aphasmaphleps Grichanov (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), pp. 35 in African Invertebrates 53 (1)&lt;/i&gt; on page 38, DOI: 10.5733/afin.053.0102, &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/7918260"&gt;http://zenodo.org/record/7918260&lt;/a&gt

Aphasmaphleps stuckenbergi Capellari & Grichanov 2012, sp. n.

Aphasmaphleps stuckenbergi sp. n. &lt;p&gt;Figs 6, 11&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Etymology: The species is named for the late Brian Stuckenberg (1930&ndash;2009), the doyen of Afrotropical dipterology.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Diagnosis: Male. Antennal stylus without apical lamella. Distal stylomere of arista-like stylus about 4&times; longer than basal stylomere. Veins R 4+5 and M parallel, M strong. Tarsomeres of mid leg unmodified, IIt 1 without rows of stiff hairs, IIt 2 about as long as IIt 3.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Description:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Very similar to &lt;i&gt;A. bickeli&lt;/i&gt; in all respects including morphology of hypopygium, except for the following features. (All specimens are quite discolourated due to long-term storage in alcohol.)&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Male.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Body length 2.3 mm (in alcohol). Antenna 1.2 mm. Wing 1.6 mm long, 0.6 mm wide. &lt;i&gt;Head.&lt;/i&gt; Antenna (Fig. 6): 9, 6, 11, 21, 82; stylus without apical lamella.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Wing.&lt;/i&gt; CuAx proportion 0.05.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Legs.&lt;/i&gt; It: 1.5, 1.2, 0.8, 0.9, 0.8. IIt: 3.5, 1.3, 1.5, 1.1, 0.7. IIIt: 2.3, 2.4, 1.5, 1.1, 0.9. IIt 1 (Fig. 11) unmodified. IIt 1 without rows of stiff hairs; IIt 2 about as long as IIt 3.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Female.&lt;/i&gt; Unknown.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Holotype: &male; (in glycerol) MADAGASCAR: Tul [&eacute;ar Province], Morondava [19&deg;53'S 44&deg;28'E], 50 km N, 13 xii.1991, A. Pauly, for&ecirc;t, rivi&egrave;re de sale (ISNB).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Paratypes: 24&male; (in alcohol), same data as holotype (ISNB).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Additional material: MADAGASCAR: 4&male; (in alcohol, strongly damaged), same data as holotype; 1&male; (in glycerol, damaged) Fia[narantsoa Province], Ranomafana [National Park, 21&deg;00'S 47&deg;30'E], 19.i.1992, A. Pauly, for&ecirc;t (ISNB).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Comments: &lt;i&gt;A. stuckenbergi&lt;/i&gt; sp. n. is similar to &lt;i&gt;A. bickeli&lt;/i&gt; sp. n., but can be distinguished from the latter by having the antennal stylus without an apical lamella.&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Capellari, Renato S. &amp; Grichanov, Igor Ya., 2012, Review of the Afrotropical genus Aphasmaphleps Grichanov (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), pp. 35 in African Invertebrates 53 (1)&lt;/i&gt; on pages 42-43, DOI: 10.5733/afin.053.0102, &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/7918260"&gt;http://zenodo.org/record/7918260&lt;/a&gt

Palpi aplenty: new species in the Chrysotus longipalpus species group (Diptera: Dolichopodidae)

Runyon, Justin B., Capellari, Renato S. (2018): Palpi aplenty: new species in the Chrysotus longipalpus species group (Diptera: Dolichopodidae). Zootaxa 4399 (4): 579-585, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4399.4.