Diptera Fauna Research Articles

The first records of Callopistromyia annulipes (Macquart, 1855) (Diptera: Ulidiidae) from the Czech Republic

Abstract The peacock fly Callopistromyia annulipes (Macquart, 1855) (Diptera: Ulidiidae) is recorded from the localities Libušín and Praha, both in Central Bohemia. The species represents a new addition to the fauna of Diptera of the Czech Republic. An updated distribution of this alien species in Europe is briefly summarised.

BAZI HERBİVOR BÖCEKLER HAKKINDA BİYOLOJİK GÖZLEMLER

Some biological characteristics of the herbivorous Archips rosana (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Melitaea didyma (Esper) (Lep.: Nymphalidae), Melitaea cinxia (Linnaeus) (Lep.: Nymphalidae), Allophyes oxyacanthae (Linnaeus) (Lep.: Noctuidae), Aporia crataegi (Linnaeus) (Lep.: Pieridae), Periclistus brandtii (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), Lymantria dispar (Linnaeus) (Lep.: Erebidae) and Mustha spinosula (Lefèbvre) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) obtained from Thrace Region during field studies in the period of 2013-2016 were monitored in laboratory conditions and the observations were evaluated. The carnivorous behaviour of A. rosana and M. didyma larvae, egg production by adult females of A. oxyacanthae through parthenogenesis, the defense/predatory behaviour of M. spinosula adults on L. dispar larvae and the association of P. brandtii with Pyrus communis (Linnaeus) plant are the observations reported for the first time. Furthermore, from Melitaea cinxia larva, the parasitoid Erycia festinans (Meigen) (Diptera: Tachinidae) emerged. E. festinans is a new record for Diptera fauna of Turkey. Correspondingly, M. cinxia and E. festinans is a new host-parasitoid association for Turkey.

Fauna europaea: Diptera - brachycera.

Fauna Europaea provides a public web-service with an index of scientific names (including important synonyms) of all extant multicellular European terrestrial and freshwater animals and their geographical distribution at the level of countries and major islands (east of the Urals and excluding the Caucasus region). The Fauna Europaea project comprises about 230,000 taxonomic names, including 130,000 accepted species and 14,000 accepted subspecies, which is much more than the originally projected number of 100,000 species. Fauna Europaea represents a huge effort by more than 400 contributing taxonomic specialists throughout Europe and is a unique (standard) reference suitable for many user communities in science, government, industry, nature conservation and education. The Diptera–Brachycera is one of the 58 Fauna Europaea major taxonomic groups, and data have been compiled by a network of 55 specialists.Within the two-winged insects (Diptera), the Brachycera constitute a monophyletic group, which is generally given rank of suborder. The Brachycera may be classified into the probably paraphyletic 'lower brachyceran grade' and the monophyletic Eremoneura. The latter contains the Empidoidea, the Apystomyioidea with a single Nearctic species, and the Cyclorrhapha, which in turn is divided into the paraphyletic 'aschizan grade' and the monophyletic Schizophora. The latter is traditionally divided into the paraphyletic 'acalyptrate grade' and the monophyletic Calyptratae. Our knowledge of the European fauna of Diptera–Brachycera varies tremendously among families, from the reasonably well known hoverflies (Syrphidae) to the extremely poorly known scuttle flies (Phoridae). There has been a steady growth in our knowledge of European Diptera for the last two centuries, with no apparent slow down, but there is a shift towards a larger fraction of the new species being found among the families of the nematoceran grade (lower Diptera), which due to a larger number of small-sized species may be considered as taxonomically more challenging.Most of Europe is highly industrialised and has a high human population density, and the more fertile habitats are extensively cultivated. This has undoubtedly increased the extinction risk for numerous species of brachyceran flies, yet with the recent re-discovery of Thyreophora cynophila (Panzer), there are no known cases of extinction at a European level. However, few national Red Lists have extensive information on Diptera.For the Diptera–Brachycera, data from 96 families containing 11,751 species are included in this paper.

Identification of dipteran species of forensic entomology importance in summer season in Edirne

This study, performed in order to determine the dipteran species of forensic entomology importance at high temperatures, was carried out from 20 May to 12 September, 2008. The most important insect species are included particularly in Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae and Muscidae families of Diptera. Pig carrions and bovine viscera were put in iron cages inside Balkan Campus of Trakya University to monitor and identify the dipteran species attracted. Observations and sampling were performed twice a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Collected specimens were identified and Calliphora vicina, C. vomitoria, Chrysomya albiceps, Lucilia coeruleiviridis, L. cuprina, L. sericata and Pollenia angustigena from Calliphoridae and Sarcophaga africa from Sarcophagidae were determined. L. coeruleiviridis, L. cuprina and P. angustigena are first records for Turkish Diptera fauna.

Blood sucking Diptera (Culicidae, Psychodidae, Simuliidae) in forest fragment under impact of dam in the borderland of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states, Brazil

The study of Diptera of medical importance in areas affected by dam constructions is very important due to the possibility of the occurrence of diseases transmitted by these species. Collections were performed during 2010 and 2011 in an area under impact of a dam on the Uruguai River in the borderland of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states. Insects were collected using suction tubes and Shannon trap, also immature live forms were obtained by manual collect. Eight-hundred sixty-one Diptera insects were captured, including Haemagogus leucocelaenus (Culicidae), Aedes albopictus (Culicidae), three species of Anopheles spp. (Culicidae), two of Plebotominae and three distinct Simuliidae species. The Diptera fauna in the area is diversified and species with medical importance were identified before and after reservoir filling.

Gedenkschrift for Brian Roy Stuckenberg (1930–2009)

Three years ago our esteemed colleague Brian Stuckenberg, the doyen of Afrotropical dipterology, left his professional fraternity and this world. Time flies like an arrow, yet our memories of Brian do not fade. This is best attested by the present issue of African Invertebrates that commemorates Brian's life and scientific career with contributions made by 37 fellow dipterists from 15 countries. The Gedenkschrift opens with a dedication article by A.H. Kirk-Spriggs, who provides a biography and summary of Brian's major achievements. The article is supplemented by Brian's previously unpublished reports on his two Madagascan expeditions and includes a full list of his publications. The following 20 articles deal with the taxonomy, nomenclature, systematics and biogeography of representatives of 19 families of nematoceran and brachyceran Diptera. In total, four new genera and 58 new species are described, with one genus and 16 species named after Brian. Most papers include identification keys. All articles are of a high standard and make a substantial addition to our knowledge of Afrotropical Diptera, still I would like to highlight several contributions. T. Dikow's detailed review of the Mydidae tribe Halterorchini is the first cybertaxonomic article in the history of African Invertebrates . By providing hyperlinks to ZooBank, Morphbank and GBIF, it sets a new standard for future taxonomic publications in the journal. J.-H. Stuke's revision of Stylogaster (Conopidae) is the most comprehensive and richly illustrated study done on this genus in the Afrotropics, and is directly linked to Brian's interest in this genus back in 1960s. Brian also had a particular interest in the bruchomyiine moth flies (Psychodidae) and himself contributed to the study of fossil and modern representatives of the genus Nemopalpus in the article prepared by R. Wagner. The Afrotropical Diptera fauna is still far from being exhaustively known, and Brian's legacy for the present and upcoming generations of dipterists is to study it in its entirety. I wish to thank all contributors to this Gedenkschrift and numerous reviewers, who critically evaluated all the manuscripts. Dr A.H. Kirk-Spriggs solicited contributions, co-ordinated the peer-review process and handled correspondence with the authors; this project would not have succeeded without him. I am grateful to Prof. D.J. Brothers, who expertly commented on numerous manuscripts and generously undertook the laborious task of language editing; copy-editing was also done by Prof. M.B. Markus. I sincerely appreciate meticulous work of Mr B. Muller, our graphics editor, and Dr M. Ovechkina, who did the proof-reading of each article and the entire issue. Last but not least, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Deputy Director of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum Mr S. Miya and the Chief Financial Manager Mr M. Mazibuko for their overall and financial support of the journal. I regret that some manuscripts could not be included in this Gedenkschrift due to technical reasons; they will be published in the next issue of African Invertebrates , thus continuing to commemorate Brian. To cite this paper: Mostovski, M. 2012. Gedenkschrift for Brian Roy Stuckenberg (1930-2009). African Invertebrates 53 (1): (2).

Book review. Manual of Central American Diptera, Volume 1.

Book review. Manual of Central American Diptera, Volume 1.

Diptera. Chapter 10

Of the 19,400 native species and 125 families forming the European diptera fauna, 98 species (less than 0.5%) in 22 families are alien to Europe. Th ese aliens constitute 66 species (18 families) of the suborder Brachycera and 32 species (4 families) of the suborder Nematocera. By family in this category, there are 23 Cecidomyiidae species, 18 Drosophilidae, nine Phoridae, eight Tachinidae and seven Culicidae. Another 32 fl y species belonging to fi ve families are considered to be alien in Europe. Th ese invasives native to other European countries are composed of 14 species of Cecidomyiidae, seven Syrphidae, fi ve Culicidae and three species each of Anthomyiidae and Tephritidae. Th e date of the fi rst record in Europe is known for 84 alien species. Arrivals of alien species of Diptera have accelerated rapidly since the second half of the 20 th century. North America appears to be the dominant contributor of the alien fl ies. Th e majority of alien Diptera were introduced into or within Europe unintentionally, with only three predators released intentionally for biological control. Alien Diptera are predominantly phytophagous (35.6%), while a lesser portion are zoophagous (28.6%) or detrivorous /mycetophagous (29.6%). Ecological impacts on native fauna and fl ora have not been documented for any of the alien species established in Europe. However, 14 alien species have economic impacts on crops.

Adult Diptera from Ozark Caves

The Diptera fauna of Ozark caves is fairly typical of that found elsewhere in the United States east of the Great Plains. The sphaerocerid Spelobia tenebrarum is the only troglobitic dipteran found in Ozark caves. Probable troglophiles include the mycetophilid Macrocera nobilis, the psychodids Psychoda spp., and the phorid Megaselia cavernicola. The tipulids commonly found in Ozark caves, such as Dactylolabis montana, Dolichopeza spp. and Limonia spp. are probably all trogloxenes, as are the Trichoceridae and Heleomyzidae. The mycetophilids, Exechiopsis umbratica and Rymosia sp., and the culicids are among the most common cave dipterans in the study area. The culicids overwinter in caves and other protected places; they are properly classified as trogloxenes. The main sources of food for cave Diptera are other insects, carrion, guano, and allochthanous plant debris.

Disjunctions in the Diptera (Insecta) fauna of the Mediterranean Province and southern Africa and a discussion of biogeographical considerations

This paper explores disjunctions in the Diptera fauna of the Mediterranean Province and southern Africa, drawing from eight families of Diptera, the more ancient Psychodidae and Vermileonidae, and the more recent Acroceridae, Asilidae, Bombyliidae, Dolichopodidae, Pipunculidae and Sciomyzidae. Information from recent published revisions is geo-referenced and plotted onto maps using GIS software. These distribution patterns are interpreted and probable means and routes of dispersal between the two regions are discussed. The concept of an Afrotropical sub-Saharan boundary is outlined and it is argued that although the vast, arid and virtually abiotic Sahara acts as a barrier to dispersal today, relict floral and faunal populations of Mediterranean provincial origin still occur on the Hoggar and Tibesti Mountains of the central Sahara, indicating that the aridification of the Sahara is a very recent event. The presence of extensive palaeolakes formerly covering ca 10% of the present-day Sahara is regarded as evidence in support of this hypothesis. These lakes and their associated catchments, situated in basins between the central Saharan mountains, could clearly have acted as a humid route of dispersal as recently as 4000 BP, when these lakes began to recede, and this route is here regarded as a “central high Africa corridor”; a filter-bridge between the Mediterranean Province and southern Africa. Examples of Mediterranean provincial species of Ephydridae and the muscid genus Lispe Latreille, 1796, occurring as far south as the Aïr Massif in northern Niger are cited as examples of relict montane Diptera of Mediterranean provincial origin in the southern Hoggar Mountains; these groups being associated with the margins of standing water. Balinsky's (1962) concept of an “arid corridor” is also re-examined, using examples from the larger, less mobile Diptera, and it is concluded that such a pattern may not be the result of aridity, but represent an “eastern high Africa corridor”, broadly corresponding to the “African Superswell”. Other perceived distribution pathways between the Holarctic and Afrotropical Regions are mapped. Anemochore dispersal is considered, and the extent of the Afrotropical Region is discussed. Mediterranean tectonic evolution on both a globe of constant size and on a smaller Jurassic globe is also considered. It is concluded that if all the transitional zones between the zoogeographical regions are to be given more-or-less equivalent treatment, we must avoid setting boundaries based on earlier faunal distributions. For this reason the current boundary between the Palaearctic and Afrotropical Regions, arbitrary as it is, should be retained, despite evidence suggesting recent continuity between sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, corresponding broadly to the African and Arabian lithospheric plates.

A Supplement to the Diptera Fauna of Lithuania

172 species of the found 36 Diptera families (Anthomyiidae (8 species), Anthomyzidae (2), Asteiidae (1), Bibionidae (1), Bombyliidae (2), Calliphoridae (10), Cecidomyiidae (1), Chamaemyiidae (4), Chloropidae (5), Clusiidae (2), Conopidae (2), Dolichopodidae (4), Empididae (6), Ephydridae (2), Fanniidae (2), Heleomyzidae (5), Hybotidae (6), Lauxaniidae (1), Muscidae (28), Pallopteridae (1), Phaeomyiidae (1), Phoridae (3), Piophilidae (1), Pipunculidae (2), Platypezidae (1), Pyrgotidae (1), Rhinophoridae (1), Sarcophagidae (1), Scathophagidae (1), Sciomyzidae (1), Sphaeroceridae (8), Stratiomyidae (1), Syrphidae (15), Tachinidae (40), Tephritidae (1), Therevidae (1)), are new to the Lithuanian fauna. Label data of each species, information on sampling localities and specimens deposition, are provided in the paper.

Adatok a Látrányi Puszta Természetvédelmi Terület kétszárnyú (Diptera) faunájához

In the years of 2000, 2001, and 2002, the author carried out a basic faunistical researches on the Diptera fauna of the area announced to be protected in 1992. During the survey, the occurrence of 305 taxa of 25 Diptera families was reported. Among the relatively interesting species, the following ones are worth mentioning: Nephrotoma scurra (Mcigen, 1818), Ptychoptera albimana (Fabricius, 1787), Chaoborus flavicans (Mcigen, 1830), Systoechus gradatus (Wiedemann, 1820), Villa humilis (Ruthe, 1831), Callicera aenea (Fabricius, 1781), Pelecocera tricincta Mcigen, 1822, Merodon clavipes (Fabricius, 1781), Eristalis abusiva Collin, 1931. Upon the results of these researches, it can be ascertained that in the Diptera fauna of the area, elements which are typical to the sandy steppes of the Transdanubian and Great Plain regions occur in abundance.

First Iberian record of <i>Drino maroccana</i> Mesnil, 1951 (Diptera, Tachinidae, Exoristinae), a parasitoid of <i>Streblote panda</i> Hübner, [1820] (Lasiocampidae) caterpillars

1 This research was supported by D.G. Investigacion y Formacion Agraria y Pesquera, Junta de Andalucia, project no PIA 1301.2. Part of PhD thesis: “Streblote panda Hubner, [1820] (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae), incidencia sobre frutales y plantas ornamentales de Andalucia Occidental. Bases ecologicas y sugerencias para su control”. * Departamento de Proteccion Vegetal. Entomologia. CIFA-”Las Torres-Tomejil”. Aptdo. Oficial 41200. Alcala del Rio (Sevilla, Espana). E-mail: cifatorr@cap.junta-andalucia.es Tachinids are one of the most important parasitoid families to biological control (Eggleton & Gaston, 1990; Driesche & Bellows, 1996). Usually they are solitary endoparasitoids of larvae of insects, especially Lepidoptera. Many species have been introduced, and successfully established in biological control programs, others are important as indigenous parasitoids (Grenier, 1988). The group is difficult, and its taxonomy is complex (Peigler, 1994), so it isn’t surprising that the Iberian tachinid fauna is little known. Few keys are available to determine species; there are surely some undescribed species, as well as many others with unknown corology (Tschorsnig et al., 1997). About 510 species are currently known from the Iberian Peninsula (Tschorsnig, pers. comm.), approximately 170 of them have been recorded from Andalusia (Tschorsnig, 1992; Tschorsnig et al., op.cit.). With this note we report the presence of a tachinid species, Drino maroccana Mesnil, 1951, from Andalusia (Southern Spain). This is a new record for the Iberian fauna of Diptera. Drino maroccana was described in 1951 as a subspecies of D. latigena Mesnil, 1944. Differences between D. maroccana and D. latigena, as stated by Mesnil (1951) in his original description, are apical scutellar bristles erect; dark grey pulvillae; males with an irregular row of black setulae behind the postocular row; abdominal tergite V nearly as long as abdominal tergite IV. Herting (1984) raised the taxa to specific range. The species was previously known only from the North of Morocco: Rabat —type locality— and Sidi es Ouagi, parasitizing S. panda Hbn. (= Taragama repanda) (Lasiocampidae) larvae ( Mesnil, 1951). This is the only tachinid parasitoid known from this host (Tschorsing, in litt.). This record —although not very surprising because of the faunistical similarities between Andalusia and Northern Africa— extends the distribution, and confirms the host-parasitoid association for this species. The finding increases the number of Drino from Spain to five species (Tschorsnig, op. cit.; Tschorsnig et al., op. cit.): D. atropivora (Robineau-Desvoidy), D. galii (Brauer Fig. 1.— Drino maroccana, from Andalusia (S Spain).

Two new records for the Turkish Diptera fauna from Izmir Province, Western Turkey

Summary This study was carried out during 1997-1998 in Izmir province, western Turkey. The specimens of Diptera were collected from culture and non-culture plants and identified. Oscinella nartshukiana Beschovski, 1978 (Chloropidae) and Scaptomyza graminum (Fallen, 1823) were first records for the Turkish Diptera fauna.

Supplement to the Diptera Fauna of Lithuania

141 species of 39 Diptera families found are new to the Lithuanian fauna. They have already been included in the checklist of Lithuanian Diptera (Pakalniskis et al., 2000). Of greatest interest were the discovery of the winter fly Diazosma hirtipennis (Trichoceridae) in July and the revelation of bionomics of Pipiza festiva (Syrphidae), the larva of which has been found in Pemphigus spirothecae gall on Populus pyramidalis.

Book Reviews

Book Reviews

The structure of a high latitude plant‐flower visitor system: the dominance of flies

The species richness of insect flower visitors to all angiosperms at a subarctic‐alpine site in northern Sweden was described and the plant‐flower visitor matrix was analysed and compared to other high latitude systems and with systems from lower latitudes. In the habitat, 23 plant species had a total of 242 interactions with 388 flower‐visiting insects, belonging to 118 taxa. Connectance of the plant‐flower visitor matrix was 8.9. Comparing our findings with other studies, we get that the proportion of dipteran species of the total pollinator fauna increases with latitude but that the proportions of species of Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera do not vary significantly among high latitude systems. Muscidae and Empididae were more abundant and generalised than other dipteran families visiting flowers in the arctic, their proportions of the total Diptera fauna increase with latitude and they are the most widespread families of flower‐visiting insects in the arctic. Several Muscidae species are typical to alpine habitats in the arctic‐subarctic zone. These species have special pollen feeding behaviour and an elongated proboscis, which improves access to closed flowers.Compared to other published pollination system studies, the connectance of low latitude systems ranges between 3.4 and 28.1, whereas high latitude and high altitude systems vary between 8.6 and 19 (‐60).

Origins and Zoogeography of Flies (Insecta: Diptera) in Southern Yukon Grasslands

... Because of its glacial history, the Yukon Territory is of great interest for biologists, and it is no secret that the region has a unique insect fauna (Danks and Downes, 1997). Most people who collect insects in the Yukon are attracted by the typical habitats of Beringia - the tundra, the mountain slopes, the extensive wetlands, rivers, and lakes. But there are many smaller, unusual, and often overlooked habitats in the Yukon with their own particular insect fauna. One of these unusual habitats is a prairie-like ecosystem characterized by xeric-adapted plants dominated by sage (Artemisia spp.: Asteraceae) and several genera of grasses on warm, south-facing slopes and river valleys. These south-facing slopes are found mostly in the southern and central Yukon, particularly along the Yukon River. ... the objectives of my study were to conduct a faunal inventory of the Diptera divesity in the southern Yukon grasslands, and to determine the zoogeographic affinities of the fly fauna of these habitats. I am testing the hypothesis that the Diptera fauna of this region is a composite, made up of widespread boreal and cordilleran species, Beringian species that survived the Wisconsinan glaciation in this refugium, and southern grassland species that have colonized the region postglacially, during the Hypsithermal. ...