The ampliatus species group of Ommatius Wiedemann, 1821 (Diptera, Asilidae, Ommatiinae) in Peru with the description of four new species.

In this work, four new species of Ommatius are described from Peru; Ommatius amaru sp. nov. from Cuzco, Ommatius kuntur sp. nov. from Ayacucho and Cuzco, Ommatius uturuncu sp. nov. from Ayacucho and Pasco, and Ommatius yanantin sp. nov. from Cajamarca. All belong to the ampliatus species group, which is part of the holosericeus complex. Illustrations of external morphology, as well as dissected terminalia, are provided. A taxonomic discussion is given for all new species. A distribution map for the Peruvian species in the ampliatus group and an updated key to all species in this group are also given. The new species are named as a tribute to the Andean cosmovision which is based on thousands of years of pre-Columbian culture.

Taxonomic review of Ctenodontina Enderlein, 1914 with the revalidation of Catostola Hull, 1958 (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae) and description of a new species.

A taxonomic review of Ctenodontina Enderlein, 1914, was performed and only two species are included: Ctenodontina mochica Lamas, 1973 and Ctenodontina pectinatipes Enderlein, 1914. Catostola Hull, 1958 stat. rev., a genus that was previously allocated as junior synonym of Ctenodontina has its status revalidated and justifications for this nomenclatural act are presented. Consequently, seven species previously allocated in Ctenodontina were transferred to Catostola stat. rev.: Catostola baleta (Walker, 1849) comb. nov., Catostola carrerai Hull, 1958 comb. rev., Catostola complicata (James, 1953) comb. nov., Catostola martini (Fisher, 1992) comb. nov., Catostola maya (Carrera & d'Andretta, 1953) comb. rev., Catostola nairae (Vieira, 2012) comb. nov., and Catostola sagta (Vieira, Ayala-Landa & Rafael, 2017) comb. nov. All species were redescribed and illustrated, except Catostola carrerai Hull, 1958 comb. rev., and Ctenodontina mochica Lamas, 1973, for which only diagnosis were provided. A new species Catostola indecisa sp. nov., was described and illustrated. In addition, new distribution records were provided for Catostola baleta comb. nov., Catostola martini comb. nov., Catostola maya comb. rev., Catostola nairae comb. nov., and Catostola sagta comb. nov. An identification key to all species is provided including distribution maps with previous and new records.

Taxonomic review of Cerozodus Bigot, 1857 (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae) with the description of two new species.

In this work, a taxonomic review of Cerozodus Bigot, 1857 is performed and its two included species namely, Cerozodus brachylobus Vieira, Rafael & Limeira-de-Oliveira, 2013 and Cerozodus nodicornis (Wiedemann, 1828) are redescribed and two new species from Brazil are described, Cerozodus ayalai sp. nov. and Cerozodus platylobus sp. nov. Illustrations of male and female, including their respective terminalia are presented. A key for all species is proposed and an updated map with the distribution records is presented.

Description of the female of Ctenodontina mochica Lamas, revalidation of Ctenodontina carrerai (Hull) stat. rev., and comments on the taxonomy and distribution of Peruvian species of Ctenodontina Enderlein (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae).

This work analyzes the status of Peruvian species of Ctenodontina Enderlein, provides the description of the hitherto unknown female of Ctenodontina mochica Lamas, and proposes the revalidation of Ctenodontina carrerai (Hull) stat. rev. (currently regarded as a junior synonym of Ctenodontina maya Carrera dAndretta). Additionally, some comments about taxonomy, diagnostic features of male terminalia and distribution of four Peruvian Ctenodontina species, including a modification to the existing key to known species and a map updating their distribution records are given. We report Pachitea Melichar (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) as prey of Ctenodontina nairae Vieira.

Redescription of Dasythrix inornata (Loew, 1851) (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae) with a new synonym and new distribution records.

The holotype of Dasythrix inornata (Loew, 1851) is redescribed and illustrated. Male terminalia are described and illustrated for the first time. Dasythrix leucophaea Lynch Arribálzaga, 1880 syn. nov., is synonymized with D. inornata. Consequently, Dasythrix is a monotypic genus. New distribution records are provided. Laphria heteronevra Macquart, 1838, currently placed in Laxenecera Macquart, 1838, has its previous combination with Nusa Walker, 1851 revalidated, becoming Nusa heteronevra (Macquart, 1838) comb. rev. The status of Dasythrix Loew, 1851 is also discussed.

p class="ZootaxaTitle"First description of immature stages of Gastropini, Gastrops willistoni Cresson (Diptera: Ephydridae) preying on eggs in a foam nest of Leptodactylus knudseni Heyer (Anura: Leptodactylidae) in Central Amazon.

The third instar larva and puparium of Gastrops willistoni Cresson (Diptera: Ephydridae), preying on eggs in a foam nest of Leptodactylus knudseni Heyer (Anura: Leptodactylidae), in a central Amazonian dryland forest (Brazil) are described for the first time. The fusiform larva has a short breathing tube, its anterior spiracles are fan-shaped and posterior spiracles with three spircular openings. Pupa is ovoid with a broad anterior margin and bifurcate posterior tip. The taxonomic relationship of the frog egg predators, Gastrops Williston and Typopsilopa Cresson, are discussed.

Revision of Leinendera Carrera, 1945 (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae) with description of two new species.

Two new species of the Neotropical genus Leinendera Carrera, 1945, Leinendera carrerai sp. n. and Leinendera mnrj sp. n., and the female of Leinendera achaeta Camargo, Vieira, Köhler Rafael, 2016 are described from Brazil. The habitus, wing, male terminalia and female terminalia for the latter species are described and illustrated. The female terminalia of Leinendera rubra Carrera, 1945 is also illustrated. An identification key for the five Leinendera species and a distribution map with new records are provided.

The SISBIOTA-Diptera Brazilian Network: A long-term survey of Diptera from unexplored Brazilian Western Arc of Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal

ABSTRACT The SISBIOTA-BRASIL was a three-year multimillion-dollar research program of the Brazilian government to document plants and animals in endangered/understudied areas and biomes in Brazil. Distributional patterns and the historical events that generated them are extensively unknown regarding Brazilian fauna and flora. This deficiency hinders the development of conservation policies and the understanding of evolutionary processes. Conservation decisions depend on precise knowledge of the taxonomy and geographic distribution of species. Given such a premise, we proposed to research the diversity of Diptera of the Brazilian western arc of Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal in the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Rondônia. Three important biomes of the South American continent characterize these Brazilian states: Amazon forest, Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah), and Pantanal. Besides their ecological relevance, these biomes historically lack intensive entomological surveys. Therefore, they are much underrepresented in the Brazilian natural history collections and in the scientific literature, which is further aggravated by the fact that these areas are being exponentially and rapidly converted to commercial lands. Our project involved over 90 collaborators from 24 different Brazilian institutions and one from Colombia among researchers, postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students, and technicians. We processed and analyzed nearly 300,000 specimens from ~60 families of Diptera collected with a large variety of methods in the sampled areas. Here, we provide a detailed overview of the genera and species diversity of 41 families treated. Our results point to a total of 2,130 species and 514 genera compiled and identified for the three states altogether, with an increase of 41% and 29% in the numbers of species and genera known for the three states combined, respectively. Overall, the 10 most species-rich families were Tachinidae, Cecidomyiidae, Tabanidae, Psychodidae, Sarcophagidae, Stratiomyidae, Bombyliidae, Syrphidae, Tephritidae, and Asilidae. The 10 most diverse in the number of genera were Tachinidae, Stratiomyidae, Asilidae, Mycetophilidae, Syrphidae, Tabanidae, Muscidae, Dolichopodidae, Sarcophagidae, and Chloropidae. So far, 111 scientific papers were published regarding taxonomic, phylogenetic, and biogeographical aspects of the studied families, with the description of 101 new species and three new genera. We expect that additional publications will result from this investigation because several specimens are now curated and being researched by specialists.

Contribution to the knowledge of the Neotropical species of Smeryngolaphria Hermann, 1912 (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae).

The male of Smeryngolaphria gurupi Artigas, Papavero & Pimentel, 1988 and the female of Smeryngolaphria taperignae Artigas, Papavero & Pimentel, 1988 are described for the first time. The habitus, thorax, abdomen, male and female terminalia with external and internal structures are illustrated and described. The external and internal structures of the male and female of Smeryngolaphria gorayebi Artigas, Papavero & Pimentel, 1988, Smeryngolaphria maculipennis (Macquart, 1846) and Smeryngolaphria numitor (Osten Sacken, 1887) are described and illustrated, Smeryngolaphria numitor for the first time. A map with the new records is provided.

Leinendera achaeta sp. n., a new species of robber fly from Brazil (Diptera, Asilidae, Asilinae).

The third species of the Neotropical genus Leinendera Carrera, 1945, Leinendera achaeta sp. n., is described from Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. The habitus, wing and male terminalia are described and illustrated, and a key to the three Brazilian species is provided.

Insect (Hexapoda) diversity in the oceanic archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil: updated taxonomic checklist and new records

ABSTRACT Hexapods, commonly known as insects, are a neglected taxonomic group in the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, with unanswered questions about their species richness and the ecological processes in which they are involved (e.g., colonization, introduction, establishment, and extinction). Herein, we provide an updated Hexapod checklist with current nomenclatural combinations. The entomofauna of the Fernando de Noronha archipelago is currently composed of 453 species in 21 orders. The orders, and their respective number of species, are: Blattaria (9), Coleoptera (118), Collembola (29), Dermaptera (3), Diplura (1), Diptera (134), Embioptera (1), Hemiptera (29), Hymenoptera (59), Isoptera (2), Lepidoptera (25), Mantodea (1), Neuroptera (3), Odonata (5), Orthoptera (11), Phasmatodea (1), Phthiraptera (6), Psocoptera (3), Siphonaptera (1), Thysanoptera (10), and Zygentoma (2). The archipelago has 263 new taxon records (family + genera + species). Thirty-eight species (3.39%) were described from local specimens and most of them are likely endemic species. This study more than doubles our knowledge (from the previous 190 records) of the entomofauna in this large Brazilian archipelago. This study also provides a baseline for studies on its conservation status and for implementing future environmental management programs.