First phylogenetic analysis of the Nearctic madicolous midges of the genus Androprosopa Mik (Diptera: Thaumaleidae).

Molecular phylogenetic analyses were conducted to infer relationships between the eastern and western Nearctic Androprosopa Mik and amongst the considerably more diverse western Nearctic species. Fresh, molecular-grade material was obtained for all Nearctic Androprosopa species except two Mexican species, An. sonorensis (Arnaud & Boussy) and An. zempoala Sinclair & Huerta, that eluded capture. Molecular sequences from two nuclear protein-coding genes, big zinc finger (BZF) and molybdenum cofactor sulfurase (MCS), were sampled from representatives of several outgroup and ingroup taxa and analyzed phylogenetically using maximum likelihood criteria to confirm identifications of females and immatures using a barcoding approach, test species boundaries among morphologically similar species, and infer relationships among more morphologically disparate groups. Resulting phylogenies suggest the following with significant node (bootstrap) support: (1) the eastern Nearctic Androprosopa species form the sister group to the lineage comprised of all sampled Palearctic thaumaleids, i.e., An. larvata (Mik), An. striata (Okada), and Thaumalea testacea Ruthe; (2) the aforementioned lineage is the sister group to the clade comprised of western Nearctic Androprosopa species; (3) the western Nearctic Androprosopa species form three multispecies lineages, two of which can be further divided into three or more well founded species groups. Our results suggest that Androprosopa as currently defined is paraphyletic. Additionally, we propose several new species groups within the western Nearctic Androprosopa based on molecular and morphological data.

New Cretaceous empidoids and the Mesozoic dance fly revolution (Diptera: Empidoidea).

Dance flies and relatives (Empidoidea) are a diverse and ecologically important group of Diptera in nearly all modern terrestrial ecosystems. Their fossil record, despite being scattered, attests to a long evolutionary history dating back to the early Mesozoic. Here, we describe seven new species of Empidoidea from Cretaceous Kachin amber inclusions, assigning them to the new genus Electrochoreutes gen.n. (type species: Electrochoreutes trisetigerus sp.n.) based on unique apomorphies among known Diptera. Like many extant dance flies, the males of Electrochoreutes are characterized by species-specific sexually dimorphic traits, which are likely to have played a role in courtship. The fine anatomy of the fossils was investigated through high-resolution X-ray phase-contrast microtomography to reconstruct their phylogenetic affinities within the empidoid clade, using cladistic reasoning. Morphology-based phylogenetic analyses including a selection of all extant family- and subfamily-ranked empidoid clades along with representatives of all extinct Mesozoic genera, were performed using a broad range of analytical methods (maximum parsimony, maximum-likelihood and Bayesian inference). These analyses converged in reconstructing Electrochoreutes as a stem-group representative of the Dolichopodidae, suggesting that complex mating rituals evolved in this lineage during the Cretaceous.

Episodic radiations in the fly tree of life.

Flies are one of four superradiations of insects (along with beetles, wasps, and moths) that account for the majority of animal life on Earth. Diptera includes species known for their ubiquity (Musca domestica house fly), their role as pests (Anopheles gambiae malaria mosquito), and their value as model organisms across the biological sciences (Drosophila melanogaster). A resolved phylogeny for flies provides a framework for genomic, developmental, and evolutionary studies by facilitating comparisons across model organisms, yet recent research has suggested that fly relationships have been obscured by multiple episodes of rapid diversification. We provide a phylogenomic estimate of fly relationships based on molecules and morphology from 149 of 157 families, including 30 kb from 14 nuclear loci and complete mitochondrial genomes combined with 371 morphological characters. Multiple analyses show support for traditional groups (Brachycera, Cyclorrhapha, and Schizophora) and corroborate contentious findings, such as the anomalous Deuterophlebiidae as the sister group to all remaining Diptera. Our findings reveal that the closest relatives of the Drosophilidae are highly modified parasites (including the wingless Braulidae) of bees and other insects. Furthermore, we use micro-RNAs to resolve a node with implications for the evolution of embryonic development in Diptera. We demonstrate that flies experienced three episodes of rapid radiation--lower Diptera (220 Ma), lower Brachycera (180 Ma), and Schizophora (65 Ma)--and a number of life history transitions to hematophagy, phytophagy, and parasitism in the history of fly evolution over 260 million y.

Status of Rhagoletis (Diptera: Tephritidae) pests in the NAPPO countries.

The North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) is an organization comprising plant protection regulatory officials of the three signatory countries: the United States, Canada, and México. NAPPO develops Regional Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (RSPMs) as well as discussion papers on important issues related to plant protection. The Fruit Panel of NAPPO organized a Technical Assistance Group (TAG) to develop a discussion paper on the status of pest species of Rhagoletis (Diptera: Tephritidae) within the NAPPO countries. As regulations are developed to prevent the spread of these pests both within and outside of the NAPPO countries, it was important to understand the pest status of these species. This article reviews the basic biology, host range, distribution, potential to spread, management, and regulatory status of pest species of Rhagoletis within the NAPPO countries.

Aquatic Empididae (Diptera: Hemerodromiinae and Clinocerinae) of the Sierra Nevada, Spain, with the description of five new species .

In total 24 species of aquatic Empididae (Clinocerinae and Hemerodromiinae) are known from the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Spain, including five new species (Hemerodromia planti Ivkovic & Sinclair sp. nov., Kowarzia nevadensis Sinclair & Ivkovic sp. nov., Wiedemannia darioi Sinclair & Ivkovic sp. nov., W. horvati Ivkovic & Sinclair sp. nov. and W. vedranae Ivkovic & Sinclair sp. nov.). The new species are described, illustrated and distribution of all species listed. Wiedemannia (Philolutra) angelieri Vaillant and W. (Roederella) ouedorum Vaillant are newly recorded in Sierra Nevada and nine species are endemic to this region. A key to all 24 species of aquatic empidids is presented.

Rediscovered at last: a new enigmatic genus of Axymyiidae (Diptera) from western North America.

An unusual and undescribed genus and species of Axymyiidae known from a single specimen collected more than 50 years ago in Alaska is rediscovered in Mt. Rainier National Park (USA: WA). Based on two female specimens, Plesioaxymyia vespertina gen. nov., sp. nov. is described. A preliminary phylogenetic tree of the Axymyiidae is presented, showing Plesioaxymyia as sister group to all remaining axymyiid genera.

An update of the blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) of the Galápagos Islands, and first record of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) from mainland Ecuador.

Seven species of Calliphoridae are reported from the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador: Lucilia pionia (Walker), L. setosa (James), L. deceptor (Curran), L. eximia (Wiedemann), Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius), Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann), and Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius). Lucilia eximia is newly recorded from the islands. Lucilia sp. near pionia is recorded from the island of Española. The distribution and collection records of these species are discussed and listed, and a key to their identification is provided. Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) is reported for the first time from mainland Ecuador and the identification of this species is outlined.

Revision of the Empis subgenus Enoplempis Bigot, east of the Rocky Mountains (Diptera: Empididae).

The Empis subgenus Enoplempis Bigot, east of the Rocky Mountains of North America is revised. A total of 19 species are recorded from this region including seven new species: E. (En.) amytis Walker, E. (En.) appalachicola Sinclair sp. nov., E. (En.) arthritica Melander, E. (En.) ctenonema Melander, E. (En.) enodis Melander, E. (En.) gladiator Melander, E. (En.) gulosa Coquillett, E. (En.) loripedis Coquillett, E. (En.) montywoodi Brooks sp. nov., E. (En.) nodipoplitea Steyskal, E. (En.) nuda Loew, E. (En.) pectinata Sinclair sp. nov., E. (En.) penicillata Brooks sp. nov., E. (En.) prodigiosa Cumming sp. nov., E. (En.) snoddyi Steyskal, E. (En.) stenoptera Loew, E. (En.) tridentata Coquillett, E. (En.) vockerothi Cumming sp. nov., E. (En.) volsella Sinclair sp. nov. The following new synonymies are designated: E. (En.) longipes Loew, E. (En.) longeoblita Steyskal, E. (En.) deterra Walley = E. (En.) amytis; E. (En.) cacuminifer Melander = E. (En.) gulosa. Lectotypes are designated for the following species: E. (En.) arthritica, E. (En.) cacuminifer, E. (En.) ctenonema, E. (En.) enodis, E. (En.) gladiator, E. (En.) loripedis, E. (En.) stenoptera and E. (En.) tridentata. A key to eastern species is presented and distributions illustrated. The form of nuptial gift presentation displayed within this group, including the use of balloons (with or without prey) and unwrapped prey are indicated for species when known.

Revision of New World species of Roederiodes Coquillett (Diptera: Empididae: Clinocerinae).

The New World species of Roederiodes Coquillett, 1901 are revised and includes the following 13 species, of which eight are new to science: R. browni sp. nov., R. chillcotti sp. nov., R. costaricensis sp. nov., R. dedota sp. nov., R. distinctus Chillcott, 1961, R. junctus Coquillett, 1901, R. lawrencei sp. nov., R. moultoni sp. nov., R. notialis sp. nov., R. recurvatus Chillcott, 1961, R. wigginsi Wilder, 1981, R. wirthi Chillcott, 1961 and R. woodi sp. nov. The following new synonyms are proposed: Roederiodes petersoni Chillcott, 1966 and R. vockerothi Chillcott, 1961 = R. junctus Coquillett, 1901. A key to all New World species is provided and their distributions mapped. COI mitochondrial DNA barcode sequences were obtained for seven Nearctic species of Roederiodes.

An annotated checklist of the Diptera of the Galápagos Archipelago (Ecuador).

The Diptera fauna of the Galápagos Archipelago is updated and an annotated checklist is presented. Currently 50 families, 207 genera, and a minimum of 324 species are recorded from the islands. Approximately 107 species are considered to have arrived on the Galápagos Islands through human introductions, an estimated 101 species are considered endemic, 42 species have naturally colonized the islands from mainland Americas, 21 species are either introduced or arrived naturally and 53 species remain unidentified. The following new combination is proposed: Chrysanthrax primitivus (Walker) is moved to Hemipenthes Loew as H. primitivus (Walker) comb. nov. All references to the Galápagos taxonomic literature are included, known island species distributions listed and general remarks on the biology of many species are provided.

Two new species of Asymphyloptera Collin (Diptera: Empididae: Clinocerinae) from Colombia, with an updated key to males of New World species.

The genus Asymphyloptera is recorded from Colombia for the first time, with the description of two new species from Parque Natural Regional Cerro Pramo de Miraflores: A. miraflorensis sp. nov. and A. tama sp. nov. The two species are illustrated, and an updated key and distribution map for all New World species are presented.

The Century Old Taxonomic Confusion Surrounding Wiedemannia zetterstedti Fallén and Related Species Is Resolved (Diptera: Empididae): Revision of the W. zetterstedti Group.

The Wiedemannia zetterstedti species group is revised after examination of all available type specimens and includes one new species (W. ulrichi Ivkovic & Sinclair sp. nov.) and four redescribed species (W. czernyi (Bezzi), W. longipennis (Mik) stat. rev., W. rufipes (Oldenberg) stat. rev. and W. zetterstedti (Fallén)). The following new synonyms are proposed: W. (Roederella) ouedorum Vaillant, 1952 = W. czernyi (Bezzi, 1905); Paramesia riparia Robert, 1836 = W. zetterstedti (Fallén, 1826). Lectotypes are designated for the following species/subspecies: Atalanta hirtiloba Speiser, Brachystoma escheri Zetterstedt, Clinocera czernyi Bezzi, Clinocera longipennis Mik, Paramesia riparia Robert, and Roederia czernyi rufipes Oldenberg. In addition to morphological evidence, molecular species concepts were investigated using a molecular phylogenetic divergence-based species delimitation (bPTP) and results confirmed the morphological conclusions. A key to species is presented and geographic distributions are mapped.

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.

Clinocera Meigen of Thailand (Diptera: Empididae: Clinocerinae).

Eight new species of Clinocera Meigen from Thailand are described and illustrated (C. abbreviata sp. nov., C. areeluckorum sp. nov., C. courtneyi sp. nov., C. gracilis sp. nov., C. rostrata sp. nov., C. spatulata sp. nov., C. srisukai sp. nov., C. univittata sp. nov.). A key to Thailand species is provided. Distributions, phenology and biogeography are discussed. Several Thailand species also occur in Bhutan, China and Vietnam.

World Catalogue of the family Thaumaleidae (Diptera: Culicomorpha).

Family, genus and species group names in the family Thaumaleidae (Diptera: Culicomorpha) are catalogued, including information on name-bearing types, distribution by country and 428 references to all literature known to us pertaining to this family. The Thaumaleidae or madicolous midges are known from 202 species in the following seven genera: Afrothaumalea Stuckenberg, 1960 (3 species), Androprosopa Mik, 1898 (59 species), Austrothaumalea Tonnoir, 1927 (44 species), Neothaumalea Pivar, Moulton & Sinclair, 2018 (1 species), Niphta Theischinger, 1986 (14 species), Thaumalea Ruthe, 1831 (77 species) and Trichothaumalea Edwards, 1929 (4 species). In addition, one fossil genus and species are known (Mesothaumalea fossilis Kovalev). Published species distributions are provided, noting country and biogeographic region; specimen data representing new records for species are listed. The following new combinations, originally assigned to Thaumalea, are proposed: Androprosopa baminana (Yang, 2003) comb. nov., Androprosopa zhejiangana (Yang, 1998) comb. nov.

Review of Homalocnemidae of Chile with a key to species and descriptions of male and female terminalia (Diptera: Empidoidea).

The Homalocnemidae of Chile is reviewed, including the descriptions of the male and female terminalia of the two known species: H. nigripennis Philippi and H. praesumpta Collin. All references pertaining to Chilean Homalocnemis Philippi and the two known species are provided. Geographical distributions of the species were compiled and mapped from bibliographic data and collections. An illustrated key to the two species is also presented.

Revision of the New Zealand endemic genus Pseudoscelolabes Collin (Diptera: Hybotidae: Ocydromiinae).

Pseudoscelolabes Collin, 1933, an endemic New Zealand genus, is revised, including the description of a new species, P. lesagei Sinclair Barros sp. nov. The male and female terminalia of the genus are described and illustrated for the first time. An identification key to the two included species and a map with distribution records are provided. The relationships of the genus within Ocydromiinae are discussed.

Louse fly (Diptera, Hippoboscidae) associations with raptors in southern Canada, with new North American and European records.

Louse flies (Diptera, Hippoboscidae) are ectoparasites often found on birds. As they spend most of their life on their host, they are not often collected or studied. Hence, little is known about their species richness and prevalence on raptors in Canada. In this study, louse flies were collected from 184 out of 1467 raptors examined during the 2020 fall migration in southern Ontario, Canada, giving an overall prevalence of 12.5%. In total, 256 louse fly specimens were collected (mean intensity = 1.41) representing four species (identified morphologically, with support of DNA barcoding): Icosta americana (91.9%), Ornithomya anchineuria (0.3%), O. avicularia (7.3%) and O. bequaerti (0.3%). Mite clusters were found on 42% of O. avicularia. This study also presents the first North American record for O. avicularia and the presence of O. bequaerti in Europe was confirmed for the first time. Based on the different parameters recorded during banding, it appears that the host species and the month play a part in the presence of louse flies on the host. Further study of louse flies is needed to better understand their prevalence across different bird groups and geographic distribution.

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.

Revision of Nearctic species of emAcerocnema/em Becker (Diptera: Scathophagidae).

The Nearctic species of the genus Acerocnema Becker are revised. Four species are recorded including two new species: A. fasciventris (Malloch), A. merga sp. nov., A. rufula (Curran) and A. vanga sp. nov. Species descriptions, diagnoses and distribution maps are presented, including images of the male terminalia. A key to the Nearctic species is provided. COI mitochondrial DNA barcode sequences were obtained for two named and one unidentified species of Acerocnema.