Catalogue of Syringogastridae (Diptera, Diopsoidea)

The catalogue of the Syringogastridae is updated, including now 21 extant species and two fossil records, all belonging to the genus Syringogaster Cresson. References to all known bibliography are given, totaling 27 records. A full list of the type-series and distribution records are also presented

Catalogue of Neotropical Curtonotidae (Diptera, Ephydroidea)

As espécies Neotropicais de Curtonotidae são atualizadas e catalogadas. Um total de 33 nomes específicos é listado, incluindo dois táxons fósseis e um nomem dubium. Nomes válidos e inválidos e sinônimos são apresentados, totalizando 45 nomes. Referências bibliográficas são dadas para todas as espécies listadas, incluindo informações sobre o nome, autor, ano de publicação, número de página, espécie-tipo e localidade-tipo. Lectótipo e paralectótipos são designados para Curtonotum punctithorax (Fischer, 1933).The Neotropical species of Curtonotidae are updated and catalogued. A total of 33 species names are listed, including two fossil taxa and one nomem dubium. Valid and invalid names and synonyms are presented, totaling 45 names. Bibliographic references are given to all listed species, including information about name, author, year of publication, page number, type species and type locality. Lectotype and paralectotypes are designated to Curtonotum punctithorax (Fischer, 1933). Curtonotum simplex Schiner, 1868 stat. rev. is recognized as a valid name

Nova espécie de Dasineura Rondani, 1840 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) em capítulos de Hypochaeris chillensis (Kunth) Britton (Asteraceae) para o Brasil

Uma nova espécie de Dasineura Rondani, 1840 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) para o Brasil, Dasineura occulta sp. nov., é descrita associada a Hypochaeris chillensis (Kunth) Britton (Asteraceae), uma espécie invasora e característica de ambientes antropizadas. Esta nova espécie foi encontrada ocupando capítulos e não há formação de galhas ou alterações no tecido das inflorescências que possam ser reconhecidas externamente. São apresentados desenhos de caracteres morfológicos de adultos (macho e fêmea), larva e pupa. Pranchas da ocupação do hospedeiro também são incluídas

Nova espécie de Dasineura Rondani, 1840 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) em capítulos de Hypochaeris chillensis (Kunth) Britton (Asteraceae) para o Brasil

A new species of Dasineura Rondani, 1840 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) from Brazil, Dasineura occulta sp. nov., is described associated with Hypochaeris chillensis (Kunth) Britton (Asteraceae), an invasive and common species in anthropic environments. This new species was found occupying capitula and does not form galls or any external modifications in inflorescence tissue that can be recognized externally. Drawings of adult morphological structures (male and female), larva and pupa are presented. Plates showing the host occupation are included.Uma nova espécie de Dasineura Rondani, 1840 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) para o Brasil, Dasineura occulta sp. nov., é descrita associada a Hypochaeris chillensis (Kunth) Britton (Asteraceae), uma espécie invasora e característica de ambientes antropizadas. Esta nova espécie foi encontrada ocupando capítulos e não há formação de galhas ou alterações no tecido das inflorescências que possam ser reconhecidas externamente. São apresentados desenhos de caracteres morfológicos de adultos (macho e fêmea), larva e pupa. Pranchas da ocupação do hospedeiro também são incluídas

Systematics of the Neotropical genus Loxozus (Diptera: Neriidae), with notes on distribution and sexual dimorphism

The monotypic genus Loxozus Enderlein, 1922 is redescribed. After examining the holotypes of Tetanocera cornuta Walker, 1853 and Loxozus clavicornis Enderlein, 1922, we confirm that these species are synonyms and reiterate that the correct name of the nominal species is Loxozus cornutus (Walker, 1853). The male of L. cornutus is described for the first time and notes on the species’ sexual dimorphism and illustrations of the genitalia are provided, together with distribution data, including new records for Venezuela, Brazil and Peru

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

Remarkable fly (Diptera) diversity in a patch of Costa Rican cloud forest : Why inventory is a vital science

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 Zurqui de Moravia, San Jose Province, Costa Rica (hereafter referred to as Zurqui), 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 Zurqui with those of single Malaise traps at each of Tapanti and Las Alturas, 40 and 180 km distant from Zurqui respectively, suggested significant species turnover. Comparison of the greater number of species collected in all traps from Zurqui 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 Zurqui 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.Peer reviewe

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

Peer reviewe