Plant interactions shape pollination networks via nonadditive effects.

Plants grow in communities where they interact with other plants and with other living organisms such as pollinators. On the one hand, studies of plant-plant interactions rarely consider how plants interact with other trophic levels such as pollinators. On the other, studies of plant-animal interactions rarely deal with interactions within trophic levels such as plant-plant competition and facilitation. Thus, to what degree plant interactions affect biodiversity and ecological networks across trophic levels is poorly understood. We manipulated plant communities driven by foundation species facilitation and sampled plant-pollinator networks at fine spatial scale in a field experiment in Sierra Nevada, Spain. We found that plant-plant facilitation shaped pollinator diversity and structured pollination networks. Nonadditive effects of plant interactions on pollinator diversity and interaction diversity were synergistic in one foundation species networks while they were additive in another foundation species. Nonadditive effects of plant interactions were due to rewiring of pollination interactions. In addition, plant facilitation had negative effects on the structure of pollination networks likely due to increase in plant competition for pollination. Our results empirically demonstrate how different network types are coupled, revealing pervasive consequences of interaction chains in diverse communities.

Phylogenomic analysis of Calyptratae: resolving the phylogenetic relationships within a major radiation of Diptera.

The Calyptratae, one of the most species-rich fly clades, only originated and diversified after the Cretaceous-Palaeogene extinction event and yet exhibit high species diversity and a diverse array of life history strategies including predation, phytophagy, saprophagy, haematophagy and parasitism. We present the first phylogenomic analysis of calyptrate relationships. The analysis is based on 40 species representing all calyptrate families and on nucleotide and amino acid data for 1456 single-copy protein-coding genes obtained from shotgun sequencing of transcriptomes. Topologies are overall well resolved, robust and largely congruent across trees obtained with different approaches (maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, coalescent-based species tree, four-cluster likelihood mapping). Many nodes have 100% bootstrap and jackknife support, but the true support varies by more than one order of magnitude [Bremer support from 3 to 3427; random addition concatenation analysis (RADICAL) gene concatenation size from 10 to 1456]. Analyses of a Dayhoff-6 recoded amino acid dataset also support the robustness of many clades. The backbone topology Hippoboscoidea+(Fanniidae+(Muscidae+((Anthomyiidae-Scathophagidae)+Oestroidea))) is strongly supported and most families are monophyletic (exceptions: Anthomyiidae and Calliphoridae). The monotypic Ulurumyiidae is either alone or together with Mesembrinellidae as the sister group to the rest of Oestroidea. The Sarcophagidae are sister to Mystacinobiidae+Oestridae. Polleniinae emerge as sister group to Tachinidae and the monophyly of the clade Calliphorinae+Luciliinae is well supported, but the phylogenomic data cannot confidently place the remaining blowfly subfamilies (Helicoboscinae, Ameniinae, Chrysomyinae). Compared to hypotheses from the Sanger sequencing era, many clades within the muscoid grade are congruent but now have much higher support. Within much of Oestroidea, Sanger era and phylogenomic data struggle equally with regard to finding well-supported hypotheses.

Nomenclatural Studies Toward a World List of Diptera Genus-Group Names. Part IV: Charles Henry Tyler Townsend.

The Diptera genus-group names of Charles Henry Tyler Townsend are reviewed and annotated. A total of 1506 available genus-group names in 12 families of Diptera are listed alphabetically for each name, giving author, year and page of original publication, originally included species, type species and method of fixation, current status of the name, family placement, and a list of any emendations of it that have been found in the literature. Remarks are given to clarify nomenclatural and/or taxonomic information. In addition, an index to all the species-group names of Diptera proposed by Townsend (1595, of which 1574 are available names) is given with bibliographic reference (year and page) to each original citation. An appendix with a full bibliography of almost 650 papers written by Townsend is presented with accurate dates of publication.        Two new replacement names are proposed for preoccupied genus-group names and both are named to honor our good friend and colleague, James E. O'Hara, for his decades of work on tachinids: Oharamyia Evenhuis, Pont & Whitmore, n. name, for Lindigia Townsend, 1931 [Tachinidae] (preoccupied by Karsten, 1858); Jimimyia Evenhuis, Pont & Whitmore, n. name, for Siphonopsis Townsend, 1916 [Tachinidae] (preoccupied by Agassiz, 1846).        Earlier dates of availability are found for the following: Eucnephalia Townsend, 1892 [Tachinidae]; Gabanimyia Townsend, 1914 [Tachinidae]; Incamyia Townsend, 1912 [Tachinidae]; Muscopteryx Townsend, 1892 [Tachinidae]; Philippolophosia Townsend, 1927 [Tachinidae]; Pseudokea Townsend, 1927 [Tachinidae].        Corrected or clarified included species and/or corrected or clarified type-species and methods of typification are given for: Alitophasia Townsend, 1934 [Tachinidae]; Almugmyia Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Arachnidomyia Townsend, 1934 [Sarcophagidae]; Austenina Townsend, 1921 [Glossinidae]; Austrohartigia Townsend, 1937 [Sarcophagidae]; Awatia Townsend, 1921 [Muscidae]; Azygobothria Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Brachymasicera Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Calocarcelia Townsend, 1927 [Tachinidae]; Cnephalodes Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Cyacyrtoneura Townsend, 1931 [Muscidae]; Cyrtoneuropsis Townsend, 1931 [Muscidae]; Cyrtosoma Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1893 [Tachinidae]; Epiphyllophila Townsend, 1927 [Tachinidae]; Eucalodexia Townsend, 1892 [Tachinidae]; Eumesembrina Townsend, 1908 [Muscidae]; Eumyobia Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Eusisyropa Townsend, 1908 [Tachinidae]; Gabanimyia Townsend, 1914 [Tachinidae]; Galactomyia Townsend, 1908 [Tachinidae]; Girschneria Townsend, 1919 [Tachinidae]; Gymnochaetopsis Townsend, 1914 [Tachinidae]; Himantostomopsis Townsend, 1921 [Tachinidae]; Incamyia Townsend, 1912 [Tachinidae]; Lithoexorista Townsend, 1921 [Tachinidae]; Muscopteryx Townsend, 1892 [Tachinidae]; Myocuphocera Townsend, 1931 [Tachinidae]; Myxexoristops Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Neojurinia Townsend, 1914 [Tachinidae]; Newsteadina Townsend, 1921 [Glossinidae]; Ommasicera Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Ophirion Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Ophiriodexia Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Ophiriosturmia Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Opsozelia Townsend, 1919 [Tachinidae]; Paleotachina Townsend, 1921 [Tachinidae]; Palexorista Townsend, 1921 [Tachinidae]; Phasiatacta Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae]; Philippolophosia Townsend, 1927 [Tachinidae]; Phrissopolia Townsend, 1908 [Tachinidae]; Pseudokea Townsend, 1927 [Tachinidae]; Pygocalcager Townsend, 1935 [Tachinidae]; Trichobius Townsend, 1891 [Hippoboscidae]; Villeneuvia Townsend, 1921 [Tachinidae]; Zonoepalpus Townsend, 1927 [Tachinidae]; Zygosturmia Townsend, 1911 [Tachinidae].        The following names previously treated as available are shown to be unavailable.-Genera: Denatella Townsend, 1931, n. stat. [Calliphoridae]; Epseudocyptera Townsend, 1927, n. stat. [Tachinidae]; Eustomatodexia Townsend, 1892, n. stat. [Tachinidae].-Species: Epseudocyptera epalpata Townsend, 1927, n. stat. [Tachinidae]; Eustomatodexia insulensis Townsend, 1892, n. stat. [Tachinidae].       The following genus-group names, not listed in previous regional catalogs, are treated here: Arabisca Townsend, 1935 [Sarcophagidae]; Eupeleteria Townsend, 1908 [Tachinidae]; Macropatelloa Townsend, 1931 [Tachinidae]; Neohypostena Townsend, 1915 [Tachinidae]; Neometapodia Townsend, 1892 [Sarcophagidae]; Tricyclopsis Townsend, 1916 [Calliphoridae]; Trongia Townsend, 1916 [Calliphoridae].        Previous First Reviser actions for multiple original spellings that were overlooked by other workers are given for the following: Genus-group names-Microchaetona Townsend, 1919 [Tachinidae]; Neopodomyia Townsend, 1927 [Tachinidae]; Opsophytopsis Townsend, 1918 [Sarcophagidae]; Prohypotachina Townsend, 1933 [Tachinidae]; Rhinomyodes Townsend, 1933 [Tachinidae]; Servilliodes Townsend, 1926 [Tachinidae]; Tephromyiella Townsend, 1918 [Sarcophagidae]; Thelairochaetona Townsend, 1919 [Tachinidae]; Xanthopteromyia Townsend, 1926 [Tachinidae]. Species-group names-Brachybelvosia brasiliensis Townsend, 1927 [Tachinidae]; Neocraspedothrix nova Townsend, 1927 [Tachinidae].        The following nominal genera enter into new synonymies: Bathytheresia Townsend, 1915 under Billaea Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Brachycoma Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1889 under Brachicoma Rondani, 1856, n. syn. [Sarcophagidae]; Chaetolyga Brauer, 1880 under Carcelia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Chaetoprosopa Marschall, 1873 under Choeteprosopa Macquart, 1851, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Chlororhynchomyia Senior-White, Aubertin & Smart, 1940 under Metallea Wulp, 1880, n. syn. [Rhiniidae]; Chrysomyia Macquart, 1835 under Chrysomya Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, n. syn. [Calliphoridae]; Echinomyia Fischer von Waldheim, 1808 under Echinomya Latreille, 1805, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Euhypochaetopsis Townsend, 1928 under Campylocheta Rondani, 1859, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Graphomyia Macquart, 1834 under Graphomya Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, n. syn. [Muscidae]; Kurintjimyia Townsend, 1926 under Tachina Meigen, 1803, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Labidigaster Macquart, 1844 under Labigastera Macquart, 1834, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Mellanactia Guimarães, 1971 under Oxynops Townsend, 1912, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Ochromia Townsend, 1935 under Bengalia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Pachyrrhina Osten Sacken, 1881 under Nephrotoma Meigen, 1803, n. syn. [Tipulidae]; Procraspedothrix Townsend, 1932 under Phytomyptera Rondani, 1844, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Pseudogymnosoma Townsend, 1918 under Neomyia Walker, 1859, n. syn. [Muscidae]; Pseudoservillia Townsend, 1916 under Tachina Meigen, 1803, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Rhymosia Mik, 1886 under Rymosia Winnertz, 1863, n. syn. [Mycetophilidae]; Rhynchomyia Macquart, 1835 under Rhyncomya Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, n. syn. [Rhiniidae]; Servillioides Townsend, 1926 under Tachina Meigen, 1803, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Servilliopsis Townsend, 1916 under Tachina Meigen, 1803, n. syn. [Tachinidae]; Stephanostoma Cole, 1923 under Bercaea Robineau-Desvoidy, 1863, n. syn. [Sarcophagidae]; Stomatorhinia Townsend, 1935 under Stomorhina Rondani, 1861, n. syn. [Rhiniidae]; Toxorrhina Osten Sacken, 1869 under Toxorhina Loew, 1850, n. syn. [Limoniidae]; Trichoneura Townsend, 1935 under Stevenia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, n. syn. [Rhinophoridae]; Trichopticus Schnabl, 1889 under Thricops Rondani, 1856, n. syn. [Muscidae]; Tricyclopsis Townsend, 1916 under Paracalliphora Townsend, 1916, n. syn. [Calliphoridae].

Complete tribal sampling reveals basal split in Muscidae (Diptera), confirms saprophagy as ancestral feeding mode, and reveals an evolutionary correlation between instar numbers and carnivory.

With about 5000 species in ca. 180 genera, the Muscidae is the most species-rich family in the muscoid grade of Calyptratae (Diptera: Cyclorrhapha), the others being the Fanniidae, Scathophagidae and Anthomyiidae. Muscidae is remarkable for its young age, high species diversity in all biogeographic regions, and an unusually diverse range of feeding habits at the larval stage (e.g., saprophagy, phytophagy, carnivory, endoparasitism, haematophagy). We here review muscid classification and biology and present a molecular phylogeny based on four mitochondrial genes (12S, 16S, COI, CYTB) and three nuclear genes (28S, Ef1a, and CAD) for 84 species from 40 genera. Our analysis is the first to include species from all biogeographic regions and all currently recognised muscid subfamilies and tribes. We provide strong support for the monophyly of the Muscidae, and for the first time also for the first split within this family. The ancestral larval feeding habit is reconstructed to be saprophagy with more specialised coprophagous saprophagy, phytophagy, and carnivory evolving multiple times from saprophagous ancestors. The origins of carnivory in larvae are significantly correlated with a reduction of the number of larval instars from three (ancestral) to two and one. The genus Achanthiptera which was previously in its own subfamily is shown to be closely related to Azeliini. However, it appears that Azeliinae is paraphyletic because Muscinae is sister-group to the Azeliini while the azeliine Reinwardtiini are polyphyletic. Coenosiinae and Muscinae are monophyletic, but Muscini is paraphyletic with regard to Stomoxyini. Because many subfamilies are apparently para- or even polyphyletic, we review the history of muscid classification in order to reveal how the currently used classification originated.

Nomenclatural studies toward a world catalog of Diptera genus-group names. III. Christian Rudolph Wilhelm Wiedemann.

The Diptera genus-group names of Christian Rudolph Wilhelm Wiedemann are reviewed and annotated. A total of 50 available genus-group names in 25 families of Diptera are listed alphabetically for each name giving author, year and page of original publication, originally included species, type species and method of fixation, current status of the name, family placement, and a list of any emendations of it that have been found in the literature. Remarks are given to clarify nomenclatural or taxonomic information. A biography of Wiedemann is given with discussion of his works and his relationships with contemporaries. In addition, an index is given to all the species-group names of Diptera proposed by Wiedemann (1,775 of which 1,698 are available) with bibliographic reference to each original citation. An appendix gives a complete bibliography of all the known writings by Wiedemann, non-zoological as well as zoological.The following type species is designated herein: Eristalis chrysopygus Wiedemann, 1819 for Pachycephalus Wiedemann, 1830, by present designation [Syrphidae].Corrected or clarified type-species and methods of typification are given for: Colax Wiedemann, 1824 [Nemestrinidae]; Cyphomyia Wiedemann, 1819 [Stratiomyidae]; Philoliche Wiedemann, 1821 [Tabanidae]; Ropalomera Wiedemann, 1820 [Ropalomeridae]; Timia Wiedemann, 1824 [Ulidiidae].Acting as First Reviser, the following correct original spelling for multiple original spellings is selected: Maekistocera Wiedemann, 1820 [Tipulidae]. A previous First Reviser action for multiple original spellings missed by other workers is given for the following: Rhaphiorhynchus Wiedemann, 1821 [Pantophthalmidae].The following nominal genera enter into new synonymies: Ceratophyia Osten Sacken, 1858 of Ceratophya Wiedemann, 1824, n. syn. [Syrphidae]; Epopter Wiedemann, 1830 of Sphecomyia Le Peletier & Serville, 1825, n. syn. [Syrphidae]; Melophaga Wiedemann, 1830 of Melophagus Latreille, 1802, n. syn. [Hippoboscidae]; Midas Latreille, 1797 of Mydas Fabricius, 1794, n. syn. [Mydidae]; Nemestrina Latreille, 1809 of Nemestrinus Latreille, 1802, n. syn. [Nemestrinidae]; Pangonia Latreille, 1809 of Pangonius Latreille, 1802, n. syn. [Tabanidae]; Scatophaga Wiedemann, 1828 of Scathophaga Meigen, 1803, n. syn. [Scathophagidae]; Threneste Wiedemann, 1830 of Penthetria Meigen, 1803, n. syn. [Bibionidae].

The identity of the genus Scatocoenosia Schnabl, 1915 (Diptera: Muscidae).

A re-description is given of the problematic genus and species Scatocoenosia cordyluraeformis Schnabl, 1915. Illustrations of the male and female terminalia, and images of the female holotype and the male of this species, are given. The syno-nymy of Scatocoenosia Schnabl, 1915 with Spilogona Schnabl, 1911 is confirmed, and notes are given on the relationships of S. cordyluraeformis with other Spilogona species. 

Spilogona dispar (Falln, 1823) and its Palaearctic relatives (Diptera: Muscidae).

A key is given to Spilogona dispar (Falln, 1823) and three related Palaearctic species. Spilogona paradispar sp. nov. is described as a new species from Armenia and Georgia. New distribution records are given for Spilogona taeniata (Stein, 1916).

The genus Drymeia Meigen in the Caucasus Mountains, with a note on the identity of Aspilia glacialis Rondani, 1866 (Diptera: Muscidae).

The genus Drymeia Meigen, 1826 in the Caucasus Mountains is reviewed. A key is given for the six species, two of which are newly described: Drymeia fratercula sp. nov. and Drymeia sororcula sp. nov. The holotype of Aspilia glacialis Rondani, 1866 has been studied and this name is an older name for Drymeia alpicola (Rondani, 1871).

Catalogue of the Diptera (Insecta) of Morocco- an annotated checklist, with distributions and a bibliography.

The faunistic knowledge of the Diptera of Morocco recorded from 1787 to 2021 is summarized and updated in this first catalogue of Moroccan Diptera species. A total of 3057 species, classified into 948 genera and 93 families (21 Nematocera and 72 Brachycera), are listed. Taxa (superfamily, family, genus and species) have been updated according to current interpretations, based on reviews in the literature, the expertise of authors and contributors, and recently conducted fieldwork. Data to compile this catalogue were primarily gathered from the literature. In total, 1225 references were consulted and some information was also obtained from online databases. Each family was reviewed and the checklist updated by the respective taxon expert(s), including the number of species that can be expected for that family in Morocco. For each valid species, synonyms known to have been used for published records from Morocco are listed under the currently accepted name. Where available, distribution within Morocco is also included. One new combination is proposed: Assuaniamelanoleuca (Séguy, 1941), comb. nov. (Chloropidae).

An experimental approach to assessing the impact of ecosystem engineers on biodiversity and ecosystem functions.

Plants acting as ecosystem engineers create habitats and facilitate biodiversity maintenance within plant communities. Furthermore, biodiversity research has demonstrated that plant diversity enhances the productivity and functioning of ecosystems. However, these two fields of research developed in parallel and independent from one another, with the consequence that little is known about the role of ecosystem engineers in the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across trophic levels. Here, we present an experimental framework to study this relationship. We combine facilitation by plants acting as ecosystem engineers with plant-insect interaction analysis and variance partitioning of biodiversity effects. We present a case-study experiment in which facilitation by a cushion-plant species and a dwarf-shrub species as ecosystem engineers increases positive effects of plant functional diversity (ecosystem engineers and associated plants) on ecosystem functioning (flower visitation rate). The experiment, conducted in the field during a single alpine flowering season, included the following treatments: (1) removal of plant species associated with ecosystem engineers, (2) exclusion (covering) of ecosystem engineer flowers, and (3) control, i.e., natural patches of ecosystem engineers and associated plant species. We found both positive and negative associational effects between plants depending on ecosystem engineer identity, indicating both pollination facilitation and interference. In both cases, patches supported by ecosystem engineers increased phylogenetic and functional diversity of flower visitors. Furthermore, complementarity effects between engineers and associated plants were positive for flower visitation rates. Our study reveals that plant facilitation can enhance the strength of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships, with complementarity between plants for attracting more and diverse flower visitors being the likely driver. A potential mechanism is that synergy and complementarity between engineers and associated plants increase attractiveness for shared visitors and widen pollination niches. In synthesis, facilitation among plants can scale up to a full network, supporting ecosystem functioning both directly via microhabitat amelioration and indirectly via diversity effects.

Evolutionary profile of the family Calliphoridae, with notes on the origin of myiasis.

The family Calliphoridae is a group of heterogenous calyptrate flies with a worldwide distribution including species of ecological, veterinary, medical, and forensic importance. Notorious for their parasitic habits, the larvae of many blowflies are characterised - like some other dipteran larvae - by their ability to develop in animal flesh. When parasitism affects a living host, it is termed "myiasis". This has led the Calliphoridae to be considered as a pivotal family in its relationship with a man. Nevertheless, even after more than 50 years of research, the phylogenetic relationships among calliphorid subfamilies together with the evolutionary origin of myiasis remain unclear. In order to elucidate these problems, we constructed three phylogenetic trees by using nucleotide sequence data from cytochrome oxidase subunit one (COI), representing a mitochondrial conservative gene, and nuclear 28S subunit of ribosomal RNA gene (28S rRNA) in order to interpret the evolutionary profile of myiasis in the family Calliphoridae. The sequenced data represented species associated with ectoparasitic life-styles, either saprophagy or facultative and obligate parasitism. A total number of 50 accessions were collected for 28S rRNA, 56 for COI, and 38 for combined sequences phylogeny. Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA) software was used to align 2197 nucleotide positions of 28S rRNA and 1500 nucleotide positions of COI with a gap opening penalties and gap extension penalties equalling 20 and 0.1 respectively. The results reveal the non-monophyly of the family Calliphoridae despite the stable monophyletic status of the Chrysomyinae, Luciliinae, and Auchmeromyiinae. Also, our findings recommend ranking the Toxotarsinae as a separate family. Furthermore, comparative analysis of the phylogenetic trees shows that the habit of obligatory myiasis originated independently more than five times. This strengthens our hypothesis that the origin of eating fresh meat is a case of convergent evolution that has taken place after speciation events millions of years ago. Finally, estimating the divergence dates between lineages from molecular sequences provides a better chance of understanding their evolutionary biology.

Type specimens of Coenosiini (Diptera, Muscidae) deposited in the Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (Berlin, Germany).

The Museum für Naturkunde of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin houses one of the most important and extensive collections of Muscidae (Diptera) in Europe as it includes more than 700 species described by Paul Stein and many others described by two other European dipterists, F. H. Loew and T. Becker. The relevance of the collection is even greater due to the excellent geographic coverage of this material. In this paper, we give a morphological and taxonomic revision of the 114 types of Coenosiini deposited in this collection. Differential diagnoses, notes on the types and photographs of some of them (habitus and labels) are provided.

A new species of Haematobosca Bezzi (Diptera: Muscidae) from Thailand.

A new species of biting-fly from northern Thailand is described as Haematobosca aberrans sp. nov. (Muscidae). It differs from all known species of Haematobosca by the absence of the anterior katepisternal seta.

The genus Coenosia Meigen in Iran, with a key to species and description of a new species (Diptera: Muscidae).

An identification key to the seven known Iranian species of the genus Coenosia Meigen, 1826 is given, including Coenosia persica Pont Parchami-Araghi, sp. nov. as well as the newly recorded C. humilis Meigen, 1826, C. nigridigita Rondani, 1866 and C. testacea (Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830). Photographs of the habitus and male genitalia of the studied material in addition to illustrations of the male genitalia of the new species are provided.

Molecular Identification and Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Haematobosca aberrans (Diptera: Muscidae).

The genus Haematobosca Bezzi, 1907 (Diptera: Muscidae) contains haematophagous flies of veterinary importance. A new fly species of this genus was recognised from northern Thailand based on morphological characters and described as Haematobosca aberrans Pont, Duvallet & Changbunjong, 2020. In the present study, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene was used to confirm the morphological identification of H. aberrans. In addition, landmark-based geometric morphometrics was used to determine sexual dimorphism. The molecular analysis was conducted with 10 COI sequences. The results showed that all sequences were 100% identical. The sequence was not highly similar to reference sequences from GenBank and did not match any identified species from Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD). Phylogenetic analysis clearly differentiated this species from other species within the subfamily Stomoxyinae. For geometric morphometric analysis, a total of 16 wing pictures were analysed using the landmark-based approach. The results showed significant differences in wing shape between males and females, with a cross-validated classification score of 100%. The allometric analysis showed that wing shape has no correlation with size. Therefore, the COI gene is effective in species identification of H. aberrans, and geometric morphometrics is also effective in determining sexual dimorphism.

Checklist of aquatic Diptera (Insecta) of Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia, a UNESCO world heritage site.

Studies on aquatic Diptera in the Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia) conducted in the last 50 years have produced 157 species and 7 taxa of aquatic Diptera placed in 13 families. Samples were collected at 25 sampling sites representing the four main types of karst aquatic habitats: spring, stream, tufa barriers and lakes. All records of all the aquatic families of Diptera in Plitvice Lakes NP are summarized, including previously unpublished data. Twelve species new for Plitvice Lakes NP are recorded for the first time, belonging to the families: Chironomidae - Labrundinia longipalpis (Goetghebuer, 1921), Nilothauma brayi (Goetghebuer, 1921), Potthastia longimanus Kieffer, 1922, Polypedilum (Polypedilum) nubeculosum (Meigen, 1804), Tanytarsus brundini Lindeberg, 1963; Dixidae - Dixella autumnalis (Meigen, 1838); Scathophagidae - Acanthocnema latipennis Becker, 1894 and Stratiomyidae - Oxycera pardalina Meigen, 1822, Oxycera limbata Loew, 1862, Oxycera turcica Ustuner & Hasbenli, 2004, Nemotelus pantherinus (Linnaeus, 1758), Oplodontha viridula (Fabricius, 1775). The most species-rich family was the Chironomidae with 62 species (and an additional seven taxa), followed by the Empididae with 22 species and Limoniidae with 19 species. The highest number of species was recorded in springs. The relatively low number of species in certain families and the complete absence of some aquatic families shows that further research into the aquatic Diptera in Plitvice Lakes NP is needed.

Studies on the Australian Muscidae (Diptera). VIII. The genus Lispe Latreille, 1797.

The 39 Australian species of the genus Lispe Latreille are revised, including 22 new species here described. A key to species is given, and descriptions of both sexes are provided, including the male and female terminalia. Illustrations of external characters and of the male and female terminalia are given, including habitus photographs of the new species. Summaries of biology and habitat preferences, where known, are described. 22 new species are described: Lispe absentiseta sp. nov., Lispe affinis sp. nov., Lispe attenuata sp. nov., Lispe brendana sp. nov., Lispe caespitosa sp. nov., Lispe cilitibia sp. nov., Lispe collessi sp. nov., Lispe crinitarsis sp. nov., Lispe cristata sp. nov., Lispe esuriens sp. nov., Lispe floccosa sp. nov., Lispe glauca sp. nov., Lispe gracilitarsis sp. nov., Lispe grisea sp. nov., Lispe hamulifera sp. nov., Lispe howeana sp. nov., Lispe incana sp. nov., Lispe lamellata sp. nov., Lispe nigrimanoides sp. nov., Lispe orbitalis sp. nov., Lispe penicillata sp. nov. and Lispe vikhrevi sp. nov.

The Muscoidea (Diptera: Calyptratae) are paraphyletic: Evidence from four mitochondrial and four nuclear genes.

Approximately 5% of the known species-level diversity of Diptera belongs to the Muscoidea with its approximately 7000 described species. Despite including some of the most abundant and well known flies, the phylogenetic relationships within this superfamily are poorly understood. Previous attempts at reconstructing the relationships based on morphology and relatively small molecular data sets were only moderately successful. Here, we use molecular data for 127 exemplar species of the Muscoidea, two species from the Hippoboscoidea, ten species representing the Oestroidea and seven outgroup species from four acalyptrate superfamilies. Four mitochondrial genes 12S, 16S, COI, and Cytb, and four nuclear genes 18S, 28S, Ef1a, and CAD are used to reconstruct the relationships within the Muscoidea. The length-variable genes were aligned using a guide tree that was based on the protein-encoding genes and the indel-free sections of the ribosomal genes. We found that, based on topological considerations, this guide tree was a significant improvement over the default guide trees generated by ClustalX. The data matrix was analyzed using maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) and yielded very similar tree topologies. The Calyptratae are monophyletic and the Hippoboscoidea are the sister group to the remaining calyptrates (MP). The Muscoidea are paraphyletic with a monophyletic Oestroidea nested within the Muscoidea as sister group to Anthomyiidae+Scathophagidae. The monophyly of three of the four recognized families in the Muscoidea is confirmed: the Fanniidae, Muscidae, and Scathophagidae. However, the Anthomyiidae are possibly paraphyletic. Within the Oestroidea, the Sarcophagidae and Tachinidae are sister groups and the Calliphoridae are paraphyletic.

The Muscidae (Diptera) of Armenia.

A report is given on the Muscidae (Diptera) collected in Armenia during recent fieldwork. Locality data, Armenian distribution and general distribution are given for each species, including references to previously published records. 181 named species are listed, of which 93 are newly recorded from Armenia, and 15 are endemic (8%). Two new species are described: Thricops iliata sp. nov. and Phaonia gayaneae sp. nov.

The male terminalia of some African species of Helina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera, Muscidae).

The morphology of the male terminalia of fourteen African species of Helina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera, Muscidae) is described and illustrated: H. dorsalis (Stein, 1914); H. emdeni Pont, 1980, H. fuscibasis Emden, 1951; H. gracilior Emden, 1951; H. hirtipes metatarsalis Emden, 1951, H. juxtamedialis Emden, 1951; H. lasiopa Emden, 1951; H. mollis (Stein, 1906); H. naivashensis Emden, 1951, stat. nov. (herein raised to species rank); H. nemoralis (Stein, 1913); H. novarae (Schiner, 1868), H. penicillata Emden, 1951; H. quadruplex (Stein, 1913); and H. trinubilifera (Malloch, 1921). These species demonstrate that the terminalia can be very varied, with different shapes of sternite 5, sometimes with very strong and long setae, and a short or elongated cercal plate and surstylus that sometimes can bear spines. Some of these species also share other external characters that are unusual among Helina, such as the arrangement of the katepisternal setae as an equilateral triangle, the absence of an anterodorsal seta on mid tibia, and wings with dark clouds. Most of these species are well described in the literature, but the male terminalia have never been studied in detail. The material studied here is deposited in the Natural History Museum (BMNH), London, United Kingdom.