New Amydrostylus Lamas, Falaschi & Evenhuis (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae, Psiloderoidinae) from the Brazilian semiarid region, with discussion on the unusual male terminalia of the genus.

The studying material were recently collected with Malaise traps in Northeastern Brazil, and the authors found a new species of Amydrostylus, which represents the second known species of this endemic genus from the open/dry biomes of Brazil. The discovery results will provide more new diagnosis for the genus and allow a better knowledge of the male terminalia morphology, leading to a new interpretation of some of its structures. Male and female specimens are described and illustrated here.

First record of Glabellula Bezzi (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae: Glabellulinae) in South America, with description of three new species from Brazil.

Studying material recently collected in Brazil, the authors found three new species of Glabellula (G. catiapatiuae sp. nov., G. rafaelae sp. nov., G. sarahae sp. nov.) that are described and illustrated herein. An identification key to the Brazilian species is also presented. This paper presents the first records of Glabellula in South America and the presence, for the first time, of the subfamily Glabellulinae in Brazil.

The contribution of the BIOTA/FAPESP Program to the advancement of the knowledge on terrestrial invertebrates / A contribuição do Programa BIOTA/FAPESP para o avanço no conhecimento sobre os invertebrados terrestres

Abstract The variability of the organisms living in a given area constitute what is referred to as biodiversity, one of nature's fundamental properties, responsible for the balance and stability of ecosystems. The loss of biodiversity has been of great concern to scientists, especially because of the role played by human activities in this regard, able to lead to irreversible circumstances. The São Paulo Research Foundation (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, FAPESP) plays a major role in supporting research efforts in the most diverse branches of science. In the late 1990´s, FAPESP launched a major program to promote research on biodiversity, named BIOTA/FAPESP. So far, this program has financed the conduction of 26 projects, involving research activities in most of Brazil, while focusing mainly the State of São Paulo. These projects have generated about 1140 publications in peer-reviewed journals of high standard, providing relevant information, including the original description of 1187 species and 76 genera, the complementary description of 350 species, as well as a number of inventory works, biological studies, etc. The program has also been instrumental in the establishment or adequacy of research facilities and training of new taxonomists. Most extensively studied groups of terrestrial invertebrates include Insecta of the orders Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera, and Arachnida of the subclasses Araneae and Acari. Distinct projects have also contributed to the detection of organisms potentially useful as biological control agents and in the determination of maps of major interest for the establishment of public policies. In the future, priority groups for study should include the Annelida and the Nematoda, for the potential both have as beneficial organisms, or for the potential some Nematoda have as organisms harmful to plants and animals.

Resumo A variabilidade dos organismos em uma determinada área constitui o que se denomina biodiversidade, uma das propriedades fundamentais da natureza, responsável pelo equilíbrio e estabilidade dos ecossistemas. A perda da biodiversidade tem sido uma grande preocupação para os cientistas, principalmente pelo papel desempenhado pelas atividades humanas, com potencial para desencadear circunstâncias irreversíveis. A Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) desempenha um papel importante no apoio às pesquisas nos mais diversos ramos da ciência. No final da década de 1990, a FAPESP lançou um grande programa de fomento à pesquisa em biodiversidade, denominado BIOTA/FAPESP. Até o momento, este programa financiou a realização de 26 projetos, envolvendo atividades na maior parte do Brasil, embora tenham como foco principal o estado de São Paulo. Esses projetos geraram cerca de 1.140 publicações em periódicos de alto impacto, fornecendo informações relevantes que incluem a descrição original de 1.187 espécies e 76 gêneros e a descrição complementar de 350 espécies, além de diversos trabalhos de inventário, estudos biológicos etc. O programa também tem sido fundamental para o estabelecimento ou adequação de instalações de pesquisa científica e o treinamento de novos taxonomistas. Os grupos de invertebrados terrestres mais estudados incluem os Insecta das ordens Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera e Diptera, e os Arachnida das subclasses Araneae e Acari. Projetos distintos também têm contribuído para a detecção de organismos potencialmente úteis como agentes de controle biológico e na determinação de mapas de áreas preferenciais para o estabelecimento de políticas públicas. No futuro, os grupos prioritários de estudo devem incluir os Annelida e os Nematoda, pelo potencial que ambos têm como organismos benéficos, ou pelo potencial que alguns Nematoda têm como organismos prejudiciais a plantas e animais.

New austral-most records of the genus Heterostylum Macquart (Diptera: Bombyiliidae) in Argentina.

Bee flies of the genus Heterostylum Macquart are medium-sized species (1015 mm) characterized primarily by a robust body covered with long pile and by an indented hind margin of the eye (Cunha et al. 2007). There are several studies on the immatures of some species of Heterostylum (Bohart et al. 1960; Yeates Greathead 1997), which are considered ectoparasites of fossorial solitary bee larvae and pupae (Yeates Greathead 1997).

New Pieza Evenhuis (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae, Mythicomyiinae) from Northeast Brazil.

The genus Pieza Evenhuis, 2002 has 11 known species but only one recorded from Brazil. In this paper, eight new species, P. ankh sp. nov., P. aurislepus sp. nov., P. bittencourti sp. nov., P. parakake sp. nov., P. parnasecon sp. nov., P. rafaeli sp. nov., P. silvanae sp. nov. and P. yeatesi sp. nov., are described from Maranhão and Piauí in the Northeast of Brazil. A key to genera of Mythicomyiinae of the world (modified from Rafael and Limeira-de-Oliveira 2014) and the Brazilian species of Pieza is provided. In addition, a distribution map for the Brazilian species of Pieza is presented.

Catalogue of Anisopodidae (Diptera, Bibionomorpha) types housed in the collection of the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil

ABSTRACT Following a recommendation of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, this paper provides a catalogue of the type specimens of Anisopodidae (Diptera: Bibionomorpha) held in the collection of the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil (MZUSP). Information on labels and type conditions, on 54 type specimens (including 21 primary types) of 24 Neotropical species are provided.

A new genus and species of micro bee flies from Brazil (Diptera: Mythicomyiidae: Psiloderoidinae).

A new genus of Mythicomyiidae, Amydrostylus triadicophallus gen. nov. et sp. nov., is described from the Chaco of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The type-series was collected by Malaise traps during the development of the SISBIOTA-Brasil project. Amydrostylus is closely related to the genus Acridophagus Evenhuis in the subfamily Psiloderoidinae, but it is distinguished by the minute apical stylus and the same length of br and bm cells. The species is described and illustrated in detail, including the male terminalia and female spermathecae. This is the first record of the subfamily Psiloderoidinae in South America.

Four new species of Oidardis Hermann, 1912 (Diptera, Asilidae, Laphriinae, Atomosiini) from two major faunistic surveys in the Atlantic Rainforest.

Two recent faunistic surveys in the Brazilian Atlantic Forests region, the PROFAUPAR and the Biota/FAPESP Program, have provided important material for the discovery of new taxa from Brazil. We describe herein four new species of robber-flies of the genus Oidardis (O. falcimystax sp. n., O. fontenellei sp. n., O. maculiseta sp. n. and O. marinonii sp. n.), including illustrations and details on male hypopygia and female genitalia. A distribution map and a key to the species of Oidardis from the Brazilian Atlantic Forests region, including O. triangularis (Hermann), 1912, are also provided.