Revision of the described Nearctic species of the genus Tachydromia Meigen (Diptera: Hybotidae).

The described Nearctic species of the genus Tachydromia Meigen, 1803 (Diptera: Hybotidae, Tachydromiinae) are revised. Seventeen described species are recognised. The following two new synonyms are proposed: Tachista lundstroemi Frey, 1913 (Eurasian species) = Tachydromia enecator Melander, 1902; Tachydromia hirtipes Melander, 1928 = Tachydromia schwarzii Coquillett, 1895. Five Eurasian species are recorded for the first time from North America (T. aemula (Loew), T. fuscinervis (Frey), T. incompleta (Becker), T. magadanica Shamshev, T. punctifera (Becker)) and two North American species for the first time from Eurasia (T. chelana Melander, T. monacha Melander). Nearly half of Tachydromia species recorded currently from North America have Holarctic distributions (53 %). However, many new species remain undescribed. Redescriptions, photos of the habitus and illustrations of male terminalia (when available), as well as known distributions and a key to species are included.

A review of fossil taxa of Microphorinae (Diptera, Dolichopodidae sensu lato), with redescription of the Eocene genus Meghyperiella Meunier.

The current data on fossil empidoid flies of the subfamily Microphorinae (Dolichopodidae sensu lato) are summarized. The extinct taxa of this group includes five genera (Avenaphora Grimaldi Cumming, Curvus Kaddumi, Meghyperiella Meunier, Microphorites Hennig, Pristinmicrophor Tang, Shi, Wang Yang) and 17 described species (one species in extant genus Microphor Macquart and two species in Schistostoma Becker). One more possible fossil microphorine genus Microcathophorites is treated as a nomen nudum. Microphorines were found from different deposits dated over a very broad geological temporal range from Lower Cretaceous to the Eocene. However, the majority of them are currently known from the Cretaceous (five genera and 13 (14?) species). Only two genera and four (three?) species were found from the Eocene. More precise definitions of Curvus, Meghyperiella, Microphorites and Pristinmicrophor as well as their possible relationships are discussed. In addition, the little known Eocene genus Meghyperiella is redescribed and newly recorded from Rovno amber (Ukraine). An identification key to all fossil taxa of microphorines is compiled for the first time.

A New Genus of Tachydromiinae from South Africa and Turkmenistan (Diptera: Empidoidea: Hybotidae).

Parallelodromia gen. nov. is described with the inclusion of two new species from South Africa (P. glenlyonensis sp. nov. and P. hantamica sp. nov.) and a new species (P. turkmenistanica sp. nov.) from Turkmenistan. The genus is fully illustrated along with a discussion of its unusual disjunct geographic distribution and its phylogenetic relationship within the Tachydromiinae tribe Drapetidini.

Revision of the types of the genus Rhamphomyia species (Diptera, Empididae) described by R. Frey from the collection of the Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.

Type material for 36 species of the genus Rhamphomyia Meigen described by R. Frey from the collection of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg is discussed. Habitus photo, label data, type locality and condition of the primary type specimen are provided for 30 species. Lectotype designations are made for the following 20 species (original combinations): Rhamphomyia antennata Frey, 1915; R. (Ctenempis) chrysodactyla Frey, 1950; R. (C.) gripha Frey, 1935; R. (C.) ussuriensis Frey, 1950; R. (Dasyrhamphomyia) ornithorhampha Frey, 1950; R. (D.) pleciaeformis Frey, 1950; R. (D.) taimyrensis Frey, 1950; R. (Eorhamphomyia) basispinosa Frey, 1950; R. (E.) multisinuosa Frey, 1950; R. (E.) principalis Frey, 1950; R. (E.) setitibia Frey, 1950; R. (Megacyttarus) cymbella Frey, 1950; R. (Pararhamphomyia) barbipalpis Frey, 1950; R. (P.) mendicula Frey, 1950; R. (P.) semipellucida Frey, 1950; R. (P.) stackelbergi Frey, 1950; R. (P.) transversipyga Frey, 1950; R. (Rhamphomyia) filipjefi Frey, 1950; R. (R.) paraleucoptera Frey, 1950; R. (R.) subtibialis Frey, 1950.

World revision of Iteaphila with unbranched radial vein (Diptera: Empidoidea: Iteaphilidae).

Iteaphila Zetterstedt is redefined to include species with both branched and unbranched radial vein (R4+5) on the basis of a morphological cladistic analysis and parsimony analysis of COI mitochondrial DNA barcode sequences. As a result, Anthepiscopus Becker is hypothesized as a junior synonym of Iteaphila and species of the Iteaphila setosa group are transferred to the new genus, Paraiteaphila gen. nov. The following new combinations are proposed: P. arundela (Shamshev Sinclair, 2009) comb. nov., P. caucasica (Shamshev Sinclair, 2009) comb. nov., P. italica (Loew, 1873) comb. nov., P. kubaniensis (Shamshev Sinclair, 2009) comb. nov., P. merzi (Shamshev Sinclair, 2009) comb. nov. and P. setosa (Bezzi, 1924) comb. nov. These two genera are assigned to the family Iteaphilidae stat. rev. Thirty-five species of Iteaphila with unbranched radial vein are revised, including 26 new species: bulbosa species group (I. beringiensis sp. nov., I. bifida sp. nov., I. recta sp. nov., I. tribulosa sp. nov.), macquarti species group (I. bartaki sp. nov., I. falki sp. nov., I. kyrgyzstanensis sp. nov., I. ribesii (Becker, 1891) comb. nov.), nitidula species group (I. longiphallus sp. nov.), nupta species group (I. arnaudi sp. nov., I. bayarea sp. nov., I. brooksi sp. nov., I. dichoptica sp. nov., I. flavipilosa (Coquillett, 1900) comb. nov., I. glabricula sp. nov., I. gracilis sp. nov., I. grandis sp. nov., I. lolo sp. nov., I. longipalpis (Melander, 1928) comb. nov., I. luteitibia sp. nov., I. nupta (Melander, 1928) comb. nov., I. sierrensis sp. nov., I. spinosa sp. nov., I. subnupta sp. nov.), oedalina species group (I. aktruensis sp. nov., I. incus sp. nov., I. miranda sp. nov., I. oedalina (Zetterstedt, 1838) comb. nov., I. polygyna (Melander, 1928) comb. nov., I. recurvata sp. nov., I. sakhalinensis sp. nov., I. zontaki (Nowicki, 1871) comb. nov.), stentor species group (I. parastentor sp. nov., I. stentor (Melander, 1902) comb. nov.) and unplaced to species group (I. caelebs (Becker, 1891) comb. nov.). The following new synonyms are proposed: I. flavicoxa (Melander, 1928) is a junior synonym of I. polygyna (Melander, 1928); I. hirsutus (Melander, 1928) is a junior synonym of I. oedalina (Zettersedt, 1838). Lectotypes are designated for the following species: I. flavipilosa, I. fraternella Zetterstedt, I. nigra Zetterstedt, I. nupta, I. oedalina, I. polygyna and I. ribesii. All species of Iteaphila with unbranched R4+5 are described, key to species presented, male terminalia illustrated, distributions plotted and flowers visited by these species are listed. COI mitochondrial DNA barcode sequences were obtained for 18 identified Nearctic species of Iteaphila with both branched and unbranched R4+5.

The Empididae (Diptera) of Serbia: faunistic survey and description of a new Empis species.

The Empididae fauna of Serbia is summarised including currently 50 confirmed species belonging to nine genera: Clinocerinae-Kowarzia Mik (1), Phaeobalia Mik (2), Wiedemannia Zetterstedt (4); Empidinae-Empis Linnaeus (16), Hilara Meigen (11), Rhamphomyia Meigen (6); Hemerodromiinae-Chelifera Macquart (7), Hemerodromia Meigen (2), Phyllodromia Zetterstedt (1). A checklist of species is provided. Empis (Empis) serbica sp. nov. is described.

The empidoid flies (Diptera: Empidoidea, exclusive of Dolichopodidae) of the Russian Arctic islands and Svalbard Archipelago.

The empidoid flies of the Russian Arctic islands and Svalbard Archipelago are revised including families Empididae (4 genera, 32 species), Hybotidae (2 genera, 3 species) and Brachystomatidae (1 genus, 2 species). The following ten new species are described: Empididae-Empis septentrionalis Shamshev Sinclair sp. nov. (Russia: Wrangel Island); Rhamphomyia (Dasyrhamphomyia) gorodkovi Shamshev, Sinclair Saigusa sp. nov. (Russia: Chukotka mainland, Wrangel Island, Taymyr, Yakutia; USA: Alaska); R. (D.) mallochi Shamshev, Sinclair Saigusa sp. nov. (Canada: Yukon; Russia: Chukotka mainland, Kolyuchin and Wrangel Islands; USA: Alaska); R. (Pararhamphomyia) subfilicauda Shamshev Sinclair sp. nov. (Russia: Wrangel Island); R. (P.) submacrura Shamshev Sinclair sp. nov. (Russia: Wrangel Island); R. (P.) subtenuiterfilata Shamshev Sinclair sp. nov. (Russia: Wrangel Island, Yakutia); R. (P.) wrangeli Shamshev Sinclair sp. nov. (Russia: Wrangel Island); R. sublongiseta Shamshev, Sinclair Saigusa sp. nov. (Canada: Yukon; Russia: Wrangel Island); one species of Rhamphomyia was retained as unnamed due to insufficient material; Hybotidae-Platypalpus septentrionalis Shamshev Sinclair sp. nov. (Russia: Wrangel Island), P. subtectifrons Shamshev Sinclair sp. nov. (Canada: Northwest Territories, Yukon; Russia: Wrangel Island; USA: Alaska). For previously described species a short diagnosis and a habitus photo are provided to enable easier recognition. In addition, a key to the species of Rhamphomyia (Empididae) occurring on the Russia Arctic islands and Svalbard Archipelago is compiled. A lectotype is designated for Rhamphomyia armipes Sack, 1923. The male and the female of R. taimyrensis Frey and R. kaninensis Frey are described for the first time, respectively. Tachypeza sericeipalpis Frey is newly recorded from North America (Canada: Northwest Territories, Nunavut) and first illustration of the male terminalia is provided. Trichoclinocera lapponica (Ringdahl) is recorded for the first time from the territory of Russia.

Notes on species of Empididae (Diptera) described by R. Frey from the Swedish Kamchatka Expedition 1920-1922.

The type material of eight species of Empididae described by R. Frey in his 1935 paper referring to the Swedish Kamchatka Expedition 1920-1922 of René Malaise are revised: E. (Anacrostichus) pachymorion Frey, E. (A.) vicaria Frey, Empis (Polyblepharis) kamtchatica Frey, E. ( Pachymeria) sjoestedti Frey, Hilara galactoptera Frey, H. ragasides Frey, Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) albibasis Frey; R. (Ctenempis) malaisei Frey. The lectotype is designated for the following species: Empis (Anacrostichus) pachymorion Frey, 1935; E. (A.) vicaria Frey, 1935; Empis (Pachymeria) sjoestedti Frey, 1935; Hilara ragasides Frey, 1935; Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) albibasis Frey, 1935; Rhamphomyia (Ctenempis) malaisei Frey, 1935. Six valid species are re-described: Empis (Anacrostichus) pachymorion Frey; E. (Polyblepharis) sjoestedti Frey; Hilara lactescens Frey (= H. galactoptera Frey); H. ragasides Frey; Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) albibasis Frey; R. (Ctenempis) malaisei Frey.

Empis s. str. (Diptera: Empididae) from Egypt, Israel and Syria: notes on some species described by J.E. Collin and a key to species.

The type material of three Empis s. str. species described by J.E. Collin from Egypt and Syria are revised: E. demissa, E. insulata and E. nigropilosa. Lectotypes for Empis insulata Collin, 1937 (Syria) and E. demissa Collin, 1949 (Egypt) are designated. A key to species of Empis s. str. of Egypt, Israel and Syria is provided.

Rhamphomyia Meigen of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland and Iceland (Diptera: Empididae).

Rhamphomyia of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland and Iceland, comprising 23 species, including five new species, are revised: R. (Ctenempis) albopilosa Coquillett, R. (Dasyrhamphomyia) erinacioides Malloch, R. (Dasyrhamphomyia) hovgaardii Holmgren, R. (Dasyrhamphomyia) leptidiformis Frey, R. (Dasyrhamphomyia) nigrita Zetterstedt, R. (Eorhamphomyia) shewelli Sinclair, Vajda, Saigusa Shamshev sp. nov., R. (Pararhamphomyia) diversipennis Becker, R. (Pararhamphomyia) filicauda Henriksen Lundbeck, R. (Pararhamphomyia) frigida Sinclair, Vajda, Saigusa Shamshev sp. nov., R. (Pararhamphomyia) helleni Frey, R. (Pararhamphomyia) hilariformis Frey, R. (Pararhamphomyia) hoeli Frey, R. (Pararhamphomyia) kjellmanii Holmgren, R. (Pararhamphomyia) lymaniana Sinclair, Vajda, Saigusa Shamshev sp. nov., R. (Pararhamphomyia) omissinervis Becker, R. (Pararhamphomyia) petervajdai Sinclair, Vajda, Saigusa Shamshev sp. nov., R. (Pararhamphomyia) septentrionalis Sinclair, Vajda, Saigusa Shamshev sp. nov., R. (Pararhamphomyia) simplex Zetterstedt, R. (Pararhamphomyia) ursinella Melander, R. herschelli Malloch, R. hirtula Zetterstedt, R. laevigata Loew, R. setosa Coquillett. The following six new synonyms are proposed: R. calvimontis Cockerell, 1916 and R. wuorentausi Frey, 1922 = R. albopilosa Coquillett, 1900; R. fridolini Frey, 1950 = R. laevigata Loew, 1861; R. hirticula Collin, 1937 = R. setosa Coquillett, 1895; R. uralensis Becker, 1915 = R. kjellmanii Holmgren, 1880; R. zaitzevi Becker, 1915 = R. hovgaardii Holmgren, 1880. Lectotypes are designated for the following species: R. diversipennis Becker, R. filicauda Henriksen Lundbeck, R. helleni Frey, R. herschelli Malloch, R. hirticula Collin, R. hoeli Frey, R. leptidiformis Frey, R. omissinervis Becker, R. setosa Coquillett, R. uralensis Becker, R. wuorentausi Frey, R. zaitzevi Becker. A neotype is designated for R. laevigata Loew. Keys to male and female species of Rhamphomyia and distribution maps of this region are provided. DNA barcode data are presented for 16 species of arctic Rhamphomyia.

New and little-known species of Empis (Diptera: Empididae) from Bulgaria, Israel and Turkey, with keys to the Palaearctic Pachymeria and the Mediterranean Xanthempis.

Empis (Pachymeria) vikhrevi sp. nov. is described from Bulgaria and Turkey (Bolu Province). Empis (Xanthempis) adanaensis sp. nov. is described from Turkey (Adana Province). The subgenus Xanthempis is registered for the first time from Israel, with one species E. (X.) testiculata Bezzi, 1909. Also, this species is recorded for the first time from Turkey (Mugla Province) and the female is described for the first time. A subdivision of Pachymeria into two species groups (E. femorata group and E. tumida group) is proposed. Keys to species of Pachymeria known from the Palaearctic and Xanthempis known from the Mediterranean basin are presented.