Two new species of moth flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) from the semi-arid region of Brazil.

Two new species of Psychodinae, Psychodidae, from the semi-arid region of Brazil are described and illustrated: Arisemus rubeni sp. nov. and Lepidiella olgae sp. nov. Only nine psychodid species were previously known from that region.

New Sycoracinae (Diptera, Psychodidae) from southern Brazil.

Two new species of Sycorax from the Atlantic Rain Forest of Espírito Santo, Sycorax canaanensis Santos, Bravo & Falqueto sp. nov. and Sycorax tuberculata Santos, Bravo & Falqueto sp. nov. are described and illustrated. Male speci-mens were collected with CDC light traps in the Biological Reserve of Augusto Ruschi, municipality of Santa Teresa, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. This finding raises the number of described Western Hemisphere Sycorax species to 15.

A new genus and new species of Sycoracinae (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the Neotropical region with keys to the extant genera of the subfamily and males of Neotropical species of Sycorax.

Sycoracinae is a small subfamily of Psychodidae with only 51 known species. Three genera are currently accepted for the subfamily: Aposycorax, with one species restricted to the Andean region; Parasycorax, with four Neotropical and one Philippines species; and Sycorax, with wide global distribution. A new genus is proposed for five northern Andean species previously described for Sycorax; a diagnosis and new interpretations of male terminalia characters are provided. Three new species of Sycorax from northeastern Brazil are described. The description of Sycorax bahiensis Bravo is complemented with specimens collected in the locality where it was found. New records of S. bahiensis, identification keys to the extant genera of Sycoracinae and the males of Neotropical species of Sycorax, as well as an updated list of both extant and fossil Sycoracinae are presented. Comments concerning the restricted biogeographical distribution of the genera in the subfamily are provided.

Coronamyia, a new genus of Neotropical Maruinini (Diptera, Psychodidae) with the description of four new species.

Coronamyia gen. nov., a new Neotropical genus of Psychodidae with records restricted to northeastern and southeastern Brazil is described, as well as four new species: C. paschoali sp. nov., C. santosi sp. nov., C. triangularis sp. nov., and C. trilobata sp. nov. The new genus is morphologically similar to Alepia Enderlein, 1937, but can be differentiated by the presence of a lightly sclerotized plate with long thin setae around the aedeagus, which is absent in Alepia. Coronamyia biapicalis comb. nov. is transferred from Alepia.

Annotated checklist of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea) from the Brazilian semi-arid region, with new species and new geographic records.

Cerambycidae is one of the largest families of Coleoptera, with approximately 38,000 species described. Knowledge of Cerambycidae fauna in Brazil has increased in the last 50 years, but some regions, such as the Brazilian semi-arid region, remain relatively unexplored. An updated checklist of Cerambycidae from that region, based on previously published works, checklists, and catalogs, and the study of 331 specimens of 72 species, 58 genera, 26 tribes, and three subfamilies deposited in the collection of the Zoology Museum of the Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana is provided. This list has 633 species, 303 genera, 58 tribes, of four subfamilies of Cerambycidae from 75 municipalities in nine states in the Brazilian semi-arid region. A map illustrating the distribution of the Cerambycidae species in the semi-arid region is also provided. Four new species are described: Eburodacrys boteroi sp. nov. and Coccoderus costae sp. nov. (Cerambycinae); and Aerenicopsis joseferreirai sp. nov. and Pseudomecas mourai sp. nov. (Lamiinae). The new species are included in an identification key to the respective genus. Furthermore, Antodice kyra Martins & Galileo, 1998 is new record from the Bahia State; Chevrolatella tripunctata (Chevrolat, 1862) is a new record to Brazilian semi-arid region; Colobothea rubroornata Zajciw, 1962 is a new record from Bahia State and Brazilian semi-arid region, and Odontocera bilobata Zajciw, 1965 is a new record from the Bahia State and Brazilian semi-arid region. It is evident that some regions in the Brazilian semi-arid region are poorly sampled and new inventory studies must be carried out.

A new species of Triplocania Roesler of the Magnifica species group (Psocodea, Psocoptera, Ptiloneuridae) from Brazil.

A new species of Triplocania Roesler included in the magnifica species-group is here described, illustrated and named as: Triplocania oiapoque n. sp. based on male and female specimens. In addition to the fourth new species of the magnifica species-group, descriptions of variations in forewing venation were also made for it, as well as an additional description of the ejaculatory duct, accessory glands, and spermatic sacs, recorded for the first time in Triplocania species. A new geographic record for Triplocania magnifica Roesler and an updated species key for the magnifica species-group are also presented.

A new genus of Psychodini (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the Neotropical region.

A new genus of Psychodini, Wagneromyia gen. nov. is described, based on examination of males from the State of Acre in the Brazilian Amazon. The new genus is described to accommodate a new species, Wagneromyia aquiri sp. nov., type of the genus, and six Central American species previously described in Philosepedon Eaton: Wagneromyia bicalcarata (Quate, 1996) comb. nov., Wagneromyia deceptrix (Quate, 1996) comb. nov., Wagneromyia dimorpha (Quate, 1996) comb. nov., Wagneromyia majorina (Quate, 1996) comb. nov., Wagneromyia tripetala (Quate, 1996) comb. nov., and Wagneromyia tritenacula (Quate, 1996) comb. nov. An identification key for the species of the new genus is presented.

Identification and molecular characterization of Wolbachia strains and natural infection for Leishmania sp. in neotropical Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae) species, leishmaniasis vectors.

Recently, Wolbachia infection has been described in leishmaniasis vector sandflies. This endosymbiont bacterium is present in 60% of insects, and has been suggested as a mechanism of biological control of vector insects, because it causes a series of changes in the invertebrate host. In addition, recent studies have shown that this bacterium can prevent the development of parasites in vector insects. In this context, the present study aims to molecularly characterize the circulating strain of this bacterium in sandflies in the State of Bahia, Brazil, as well as the natural infection rate of Leishmania sp., and to evaluate the coinfection between Wolbachia and Leishmania. Seven hundred and forty-five (745) specimens of sandflies were collected in nine municipalities of Bahia, belonging to two species, Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz and Neiva, 1912) and Nyssomyia whitmani (Antunes and Coutinho, 1939). The results confirm infection by the protozoan Leishmania infantum and Wolbachia in both species collected. The identified strain of Wolbachia in sandflies was wStv MI, known to lead to a phenotype of cytoplasmic incompatibility in vector insects.

Two new species of Australopericoma Vaillant (Diptera: Psychodidae: Psychodinae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest.

Two new moth fly species, Australopericoma onofrei sp. nov. and Australopericoma xavierae sp. nov., are described from the Atlantic Rainforest in the state of Bahia, Brazil. A new record of Australopericoma dissimilis Bravo from the state of Sergipe, Brazil and an updated species list are also provided.

Brasineura Silva-Neto amp; García Aldrete (Psocodea, 'Psocoptera', Ptiloneuridae): new species, new records and variation in the wing venations.

Two new species of Brasineura are described from Brazil based on male specimens: Brasineura calori sp. n. (Bahia: Brazil) and Brasineura morrense sp. n. (Bahia: Brazil). They differ from the other species in the genus, in which the males are known, by hypandrium and phallosome structures. New records and comments on variation in the fore- and hind- wing venation of B. troglophilica Silva-Neto García Aldrete and B. diamantina Silva-Neto García Aldrete are presented. The identification key to male Brasineura species is updated.

Catalogue of type specimens of Insecta (Arthropoda: Hexapoda) deposited in the entomological collection of the Museum of Zoology of Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Brazil.

This contribution is an update catalogue of the type specimens of Insecta deposited in the entomological collection Prof. Johann Becker of the Museum of Zoology of Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. A list of 206 holtypes and 1,430 paratypes of 23 families, 73 genera, and 244 species allocated in 12 orders. Lectotype and paralectotypes of Bitoma palmarum Bondar, 1940 were designated. Diptera present the highest number of types on the collection, with 161 holotypes and 1,324 paratypes.

Bahiaxenidae, a "living fossil" and a new family of Strepsiptera (Hexapoda) discovered in Brazil.

An adult male of a newly discovered strepsipteran species from Brazil-Bahiaxenos relictus-is described. A new family Bahiaxenidae is suggested based on cladistic analyses of comprehensive morphological data sets with a broad taxon sampling including the stem group. It is unambiguously placed as the sister group of all other extant families of Strepsiptera. Bahiaxenos relictus is the only species of basal, i.e. non-stylopidian, Strepsiptera occurring in the New World. It appears to be a relict taxon that has survived in the fossil sand dunes of the São Francisco River (Bahia State). The loss of the 8th antennomere and the greatly reduced labrum are autapomorphies of Strepsiptera s.s. excluding Bahiaxenidae. The sister group relationship between†Protoxenidae and the remaining Strepsiptera, and between †Cretostylops and a clade comprising †Mengea and Strepsiptera s.s., is confirmed, as is the monophyly of Stylopidia and Stylopiformia.

Three new species of Bryopharsos Quate, 1996 (Diptera, Psychodidae, Psychodinae) from the Neotropical Region.

Bryopharsos Quate, 1996 is a Neotropical genus with four species, all from Central America. This paper describes three new species from Brazil, Bryopharsos uncinatum sp. nov., Bryopharsos paulistensis sp. nov. and Bryopharsos amazonensis sp. nov. A wider concept to the genus Bryopharsos is proposed here to include the species from Brazil. We also provide an identification key for males of the genus.

Two new species of Lepidiella Enderlein, 1937 (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the Neotropical Region with taxonomic comments about the species of the genus.

Lepidiella Enderlein, 1937 is a Neotropical genus with 15 species. This paper describes two new species from Brazil, Lepidiella maculosa sp. nov. and Lepidiella wagneri sp. nov., and provides an identification key for males of the genus.

Loneura Navás (Psocodea: Psocomorpha: Ptiloneuridae): new species from Brazil, and description of the female of Loneura maracaensis Garcia Aldrete, with a checklist of all known species of the genus.

A new Loneura species from the Brazilian state of Bahia (Loneura baiana n. sp.), is here described and illustrated. It is assignable to a species group of the genus but not to any of its subgroups. The previously unknown female of Loneura maracaensis Garcia Aldrete is described and illustrated, comments on variation in the fore- and hindwing venation of two male specimens of this species are included. Information on sexes known and distribution is included for all known species of Loneura.

Seven new species and new distributional records of Trizogeniates Ohaus, 1917 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) with a key and illustrated checklist of Brazilian species.

Seven new species of Trizogeniates Ohaus, 1917 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Geniatini) from Brazil are described: Trizogeniates beckeri new species, T. curvatus new species, T. eliskae new species, T. hallensorum new species, T. spatulatus new species, T. vazdemelloi new species, and T. zuzanae new species. The male of T. eris Villatoro, 2002 is described for the first time. The diagnostic features of the seven new species and the male of T. eris are presented and compared with their congeners. Illustrations of specimens, mouthparts, and male genitalia of the new species and T. eris are also provided. Additionally, an identification key and an illustrated catalogue with the geographic distribution of the Brazilian species of Trizogeniates are presented. New Brazilian state records for 12 species are depicted: T. cribricollis (Lucas, 1859) from Pará, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Paraná; T. dispar (Burmeister, 1844) from Espírito Santo; T. eris from Rio de Janeiro; T. goyanus Ohaus, 1917 from Mato Grosso do Sul; T. laevis (Camerano, 1878) and T. montanus Ohaus, 1917 from Espírito Santo and Paraná; T. temporalis Ohaus, 1917 from Goiás; T. terricolus Ohaus, 1917 and T. vittatus (Lucas, 1859) from Paraná; and T. traubi Martínez, 1965 from Pará, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo. Finally, distributional maps for the Brazilian species are included.

Two new species and new records of Maruina Müller, 1895 (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Brazil.

Two new species of Maruina, Maruina cirrata sp. nov. and Maruina mucugensis sp. nov., collected in two mountainous areas in Bahia, are described and figured. Additionally, we present new records of Maruina guria Bravo, 2004 and M. menina Bravo Lago, 2003 in Brazil.

Review of Acangassuini Galileo Martins, 2001 (Insecta, Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), with description of a new genus and species, and description of two new species in the tribes Methiini Thomson, 1860 and Oemini Lacordaire, 1868.

Acangassuini is reviewed. Acangarana gen. nov. is described for A. santossilvai sp. nov. from Brazil. In addition, two species are newly described from Brazil: Methia flavomera sp. nov. (Methiini) and Stenoeme furca sp. nov. (Oemini).

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.