First record of the genus Rutylapa from China, with description of a new species (Diptera: Keroplatidae)

This is the first report of the genus Rutylapa Edwards, 1929, from China. Rutylapa longa Cao & Xu sp. n. is described and figured, and it is compared to the other Palaearctic species of the genus, R. ruficornis Zetterstedt

Two peculiar new Orfelia Costa species from Georgia (Diptera: Keroplatidae)

Two new Keroplatidae species, Orfelia georgica sp. n. and Orfelia trifida sp. n., are described on the basis of male material collected from Georgia (Caucasus). The two species, representing the first records of the genus in the country, are photographed, their terminalia illustrated and systematics discussed

Generic diversity of the predaceous fungus gnats (Diptera: Keroplatidae) from Colombia

Keroplatidae is a family of Diptera that is poorly known and with scarce previous studies in Colombia, with only five species in four genera, and another five genera with non-identified species. This paper provides an extensive revision of the Keroplatidae from Colombia, with specimens collected along different altitudinal gradients, from Amazonian areas to Andean mountains. We found 17 genera, nine of these represent new records for Colombia (Cerotelion, Heteropterna, Placoceratias, Platyroptilon, Lapyruta, Micrapemon, Plautyra, Pyrtaula and Xenoplatyura). Additionally, the distribution in Colombia is extended for the genera Isoneuromyia, Keroplatus, Lyprauta, Macrocera, Neoceroplatus, Neoditomyia, Neoplatyura and Proceroplatus. For each genus we present a diagnosis, annotations of their biology based on literature and new field observations, and a distribution map

Faunal composition, diversity and spatial heterogeneity of the arboreal arthropod community in a temperate rainforest canopy, New Zealand

The composition, diversity and spatial heterogeneity of forest canopy arthropods was examined for the first time in New Zealand at 15 sites in the Blue Duck Scientific Reserve, Kaikoura. Arboreal arthropods were sampled using flight intercept traps suspended in tree canopies in three distinguishable habitat types: beech (Fagaceae), podocarp (Podocarpaceae) and tawa (Lauraceae). Variations in arthropod composition, species diversity, faunal similarity and community structure were assessed relative to habitat type, tree species and site microenvironmental conditions. Community composition was in many respects atypical of the 'known' arthropod fauna of New Zealand. Diptera dominated the fauna in terms of both abundance and number of species, whilst the relative proportions of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera were disproportionately low. Examining species composition, it was found that selected families and genera were unexpectedly well represented relative to their importance in the described New Zealand fauna. Mycetophilidae dominated the dipteran fauna, with 100 recognized taxonomic units, equivalent to 56% of the known mycetophilid fauna of New Zealand. A large number of undescribed species were identified in the genera Pwvicellula, Mycetophila, Exechia, Cycloneura and Tetragoneura. Ten new species are described from the genus Tetragoneura (Diptera: Mycetophilidae). I believe that the exceptionally high densities, habitat specificity and abundance of new species within these mycetophilid genera reflects their specialization for life in the upper canopy. Many large coleopteran families were poorly represented in the canopy (e.g. Byrrhidae, Carabidae, Pselaphidae, Elateridae and Chrysomelidae ). Only Coccinellidae were exceptionally well represented. Arboreal Coleoptera were generally poorly sampled. Despite these differences in arthropod composition, the New Zealand arboreal fauna showed strong affinities with other temperate canopy faunas, including: high population densities of dominant species,abundant non-insect predators and low proportions of ants. Species diversity was heavily influenced by variation in habitat type. Coleoptera and Diptera were more diverse and abundant in beech than in either podocarp or tawa habitats. Variation in species diversity did not correlate with tree species or canopy architecture. The principle cause of high arthropod abundance in beech sites was the attraction of the honeydew secretions of the sooty beech scale (Ultracoelostoma assimile, Hemiptera: Margarodidae ), while the principle cause of variations in species diversity could not be conclusively isolated from the influences of honeydew secretions and forest edge effects. The influence of 'mass effects' (sensu Schmida & Wilson 1985) increased a diversity in areas adjacent to beech forest due to species influx. Measurement of faunal similarity using Grassle & Smith's (1976) Cm index showed that while species composition in beech and non-beech habitats was relatively unique, tawa habitat was not distinct from podocarp habitat and each host-tree did not act as a distinct sub-habitat. Fauna! similarity between tree crowns was greatest for highly vagile Diptera, whereas Coleoptera showed a higher degree of habitat fidelity and conservative internal site variability. Despite the poor influence of tree species and site structure on arthropod community composition, DECORANA ordination and TWINSPAN site classification showed that a characteristic subset of arthropods was associated with each tree species, and in fact the arthropod communities in beech, matai, rimu, totara and tawa trees were distinguishable, structured entities within larger habitat units

Checklist of the dipterofauna (Insecta) from Roraima, Brazil, with special reference to the Brazilian Ecological Station of Maracá

Roraima is a Brazilian state located in the northern portion of the Amazon basin, with few studies regarding its biodiversity. The Ecological Station of Maracá (Brazil, state of Roraima) harbors the third largest Brazilian pluvial island and is composed of a transitional landscape of savanna and Amazon rainforest components. Despite its ecological importance and strategic localization, few studies covered the dipterofauna of this locality. An updated checklist addressing 41 families of true flies (Diptera) occurring in Roraima is presented based on the literature and the specimens collected during a field expedition that occurred in 2015. This checklist brings several improvements such as new records of 165 taxa to the state of Roraima, 29 taxa to Brazil, and 259 morphotypes, mostly likely representing undescribed species

Orfeliini Matile 1990

Tribe Orfeliini Matile, 1990 Genus Micrapemon Edwards, 1925: 523 . Type species: Platyura parva Williston, 1896, by original designation. Diagnosis. Head with three ocelli present; palpus with four palpomeres and palpifer, fifth segment cylindrical; antenna with 13 flagellomeres compressed; scutum with longitudinal stripes; anepisternum setose; laterotergite bare; tibiae each with one apical spur; tibial setae in regular rows; wing membrane without macrotrichia, R 2+3 ending in R 1; gonocoxites with a pair of fingerlike posterolateral processes (the terminalia male of M. majusculum (Edwards) has not been described in detail); gonostyle with black setae.Published as part of Huerta, Heron, 2019, A new species and the first record of the genus Micrapemon Edwards (Diptera: Keroplatidae) from Mexico, pp. 539-548 in Zootaxa 4604 (3) on page 540, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4604.3.9, http://zenodo.org/record/283956

A remarkable new genus of Keroplatidae (Insecta, Diptera) from the Afrotropical region, with DNA sequence data

A new genus and species of Keroplatidae—Kibaleana apicospinosa gen. & sp. n.—is described from Kibale National Park in Uganda. The new genus is preliminarily placed to the tribe Orfeliini and it is characterized by a unique combination of diagnostic characters: wing vein R4 missing, vein A1 shortened, palpi short but five-segmented, fore tibia with apical comb of setae, absence of apical comb of setae on mid and hind tibiae, and male terminalia with relatively long and narrow gonostyli, each bearing a subapical tooth. The sequences of four fragments of mitochondrial DNA (COI, CytB, 12S, 16S) are provided along with a brief discussion about taxonomic position of the new genus

Hidden in Plain Sight: Comprehensive Molecular Phylogeny of Keroplatidae and Lygistorrhinidae (Diptera) Reveals Parallel Evolution and Leads to a Revised Family Classification

We provide the first molecular phylogeny of Keroplatidae and Lygistorrhinidae, families of fungus gnats (Diptera: Bibionomorpha: Sciaroidea). Phylogenies reconstructed by Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian methods, based on four nuclear and four mitochondrial gene markers (5106 base pairs) sequenced for 75 genera and 105 species, show Keroplatidae as monophyletic only with the family Lygistorrhinidae included, herewith treated as the subfamily Lygistorrhininae stat. nov. The subfamily Arachnocampinae is retained in the family, although lowering its overall support. An early branching clade, comprising species of Platyura Meigen, 1803 and Paleoplatyura melanderi Fisher, 1941, forms subfamily Platyurinae Loew, 1850 stat. nov. The subfamilies Sciarokeroplatinae and Macrocerinae grouped together with three genera considered here as Keroplatidae incertae sedis. Subfamily Lygistorrhininae forms a sister clade to subfamily Keroplatinae, both retained monophyletic with high support. The traditional division of the subfamily Keroplatinae into the tribes Orfeliini and Keroplatini appears as outdated, resting largely on adaptive characters prone to parallel evolution. We find support for an alternative tribe corresponding to the Cloeophoromyia–Asindulum genus group, but a tribal reclassification of the Keroplatinae is left for future studies. The genus Heteropterna Skuse, 1888 is considered as identical with Ctenoceridion Matile, 1972 syn. nov

Hidden in Plain Sight: Comprehensive Molecular Phylogeny of Keroplatidae and Lygistorrhinidae (Diptera) Reveals Parallel Evolution and Leads to a Revised Family Classification

We provide the first molecular phylogeny of Keroplatidae and Lygistorrhinidae, families of fungus gnats (Diptera: Bibionomorpha: Sciaroidea). Phylogenies reconstructed by Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian methods, based on four nuclear and four mitochondrial gene markers (5106 base pairs) sequenced for 75 genera and 105 species, show Keroplatidae as monophyletic only with the family Lygistorrhinidae included, herewith treated as the subfamily Lygistorrhininae stat. nov. The subfamily Arachnocampinae is retained in the family, although lowering its overall support. An early branching clade, comprising species of Platyura Meigen, 1803 and Paleoplatyura melanderi Fisher, 1941, forms subfamily Platyurinae Loew, 1850 stat. nov. The subfamilies Sciarokeroplatinae and Macrocerinae grouped together with three genera considered here as Keroplatidae incertae sedis. Subfamily Lygistorrhininae forms a sister clade to subfamily Keroplatinae, both retained monophyletic with high support. The traditional division of the subfamily Keroplatinae into the tribes Orfeliini and Keroplatini appears as outdated, resting largely on adaptive characters prone to parallel evolution. We find support for an alternative tribe corresponding to the Cloeophoromyia–Asindulum genus group, but a tribal reclassification of the Keroplatinae is left for future studies. The genus Heteropterna Skuse, 1888 is considered as identical with Ctenoceridion Matile, 1972 syn. nov.</jats:p