Tightening the requirements for species diagnoses would help integrate DNA-based descriptions in taxonomic practice.

Modern advances in DNA sequencing hold the promise of facilitating descriptions of new organisms at ever finer precision but have come with challenges as the major Codes of bionomenclature contain poorly defined requirements for species and subspecies diagnoses (henceforth, species diagnoses), which is particularly problematic for DNA-based taxonomy. We, the commissioners of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, advocate a tightening of the definition of "species diagnosis" in future editions of Codes of bionomenclature, for example, through the introduction of requirements for specific information on the character states of differentiating traits in comparison with similar species. Such new provisions would enhance taxonomic standards and ensure that all diagnoses, including DNA-based ones, contain adequate taxonomic context. Our recommendations are intended to spur discussion among biologists, as broad community consensus is critical ahead of the implementation of new editions of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and other Codes of bionomenclature.

A New, Non-Invasive Methodology for the Molecular Identification of Adult Sarcophagidae from Collections.

Correct species identification is the cornerstone of all scientific studies that involve insects. Alongside traditional morphological identification techniques, molecular identification based on the characterization and analysis of specific mitochondrial or nuclear gene regions is becoming commonplace. Despite the good results that can be achieved, DNA extraction usually involves invasive techniques that lead to the partial or total destruction of specimens. In this work, a non-invasive DNA extraction technique is described. The technique was tested on the abdomens of dry-preserved Sarcophagidae (Diptera) specimens collected between 1889 and 2015. This allowed for the correct identification of species without impairing diagnostic morphological structures useful for further studies.

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).

A review of morphological characters for the identification of three common European species of Sarcophaga s. str. (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), with an emphasis on female terminalia.

The subgenus Sarcophaga Meigen, 1824 (s. str.) currently comprises over 30 species distributed in the West Palearctic Region, the identification of which is normally based on characters of the male terminalia. Females of the three closely-related species Sarcophaga (Sarcophaga) carnaria (Linnaeus, 1758), S. (S.) subvicina Rohdendorf, 1937 and S. (S.) variegata (Scopoli, 1763), which are especially widespread and abundant in NW Europe, are considered morphologically indistinguishable by most authors. However, a few authors have proposed keys to separate females of these three species based on external and internal characters of the terminalia. Following a preliminary molecular identification using DNA barcode sequences (COI, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I), we herein revise the morphological characters used to differentiate female S. carnaria, S. subvicina and S. variegata in existing identification keys as well as search for additional diagnostic characters. Our results suggest that only one previously-proposed female character, namely the length to width ratio of abdominal sternite 7, can be used to separate S. subvicina from the other two species (Mann-Whitney U test: p < 0.0001), at least in a majority of cases. Other characters, such as the degree of sclerotisation and setation of tergite 8, show a high degree of overlap that does not allow to reliably separate females of these three species. Nevertheless, we propose a combination of characters that should allow the separation of female S. carnaria from female S. variegata in most cases. An additional analysis of males of the same species showed that the distribution of pruinosity and setation on syntergosternite 7+8, a character mentioned in a previously-published key, is also not reliable for identification.

New and confirmed records of fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) from Italy.

BACKGROUND: Prior to this study, 141 species of Tephritidae were known to occur in Italy. NEW INFORMATION: Italian records of nine species of the family Tephritidae (Diptera) are provided. Five species, Eurasimonastigma (Loew, 1840), Noeetabisetosa Merz, 1992, Campiglossadoronici (Loew, 1856), Xyphosialaticauda (Meigen, 1826) and Rhagoletisberberidis Jermy, 1961 are recorded from Italy for the first time, whereas four species, Inuromaesamaura (Frauenfeld, 1857), Urophoracuspidata (Meigen, 1826), Tephritisconyzifoliae Merz, 1992 and T.mutabilis Merz, 1992, previously recorded in the Fauna Europaea database without reference to collection material, are confirmed and supplemented with host plant data and other collection data.

Twenty years of Dipterology through the pages of Zootaxa.

We present a summary and analysis of the Diptera-related information published in Zootaxa from 2001 to 2020, with a focus on taxonomic papers. Altogether, 2,527 papers on Diptera were published, including 2,032 taxonomic papers and 1,931 papers containing new nomenclatural acts, equivalent to 22% of all publications with new nomenclatural acts for Diptera. The new nomenclatural acts include 7,431 new species, 277 new genera, 2,003 new synonymies, and 1,617 new combinations. A breakdown by family of new taxa and new replacement names proposed in the journal during the last two decades is provided, together with a comparison of Zootaxa's output to that of all other taxonomic publications on Diptera. Our results show that the journal has contributed to 20% of all biodiversity discovery in this megadiverse insect order over the last 20 years, and to about 31% in the last decade.

Cuticular hydrocarbons for identifying Sarcophagidae (Diptera).

The composition and quantity of insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) can be species-specific as well as sexually dimorphic within species. CHC analysis has been previously used for identification and ageing purposes for several insect orders including true flies (Diptera). Here, we analysed the CHC chemical profiles of adult males and females of eleven species of flesh flies belonging to the genus Sarcophaga Meigen (Sarcophagidae), namely Sarcophaga africa (Wiedemann), S. agnata Rondani, S. argyrostoma Robineau-Desvoidy, S. carnaria (Linnaeus), S. crassipalpis Macquart, S. melanura Meigen, S. pumila Meigen, S. teretirostris Pandellé, S. subvicina Rohdendorf, S. vagans Meigen and S. variegata (Scopoli). Cuticular hydrocarbons extracted from pinned specimens from the collections of the Natural History Museum, London using a customised extraction technique were analysed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Time of preservation prior to extraction ranged between a few weeks to over one hundred years. CHC profiles (1) allowed reliable identification of a large majority of specimens, (2) differed between males and females of the same species, (3) reliably associated males and females of the same species, provided sufficient replicates (up to 10) of each sex were analysed, and (4) identified specimens preserved for up to over one hundred years prior to extraction.

Checklist of the Sarcophagidae (Diptera) of Croatia, with new records from Croatia and other Mediterranean countries.

An updated checklist of Croatian flesh flies is presented based on the literature, on material collected from 2004 to 2017, and on specimens in museum collections. The checklist comprises 22 genera and 148 species (two left unnamed), 105 of which are represented by new Croatian records. Twenty-five species are recorded from Croatia with certainty for the first time: Amobiapelopei (Rondani, 1859), Apodacraseriemaculata Macquart, 1854, Craticulinatabaniformis (Fabricius, 1805), Macronychiastriginervis (Zetterstedt, 1838), Metopiacampestris (Fallén, 1810), Miltogrammabrevipila Villeneuve, 1911, Miltogrammaiberica Villeneuve, 1912, Miltogrammaoestracea (Fallén, 1820), Miltogrammapunctata Meigen, 1824, Oebalia cylindrica (Fallén, 1810), Phyllotelespictipennis Loew, 1844, Senotainiaconica (Fallén, 1810), Taxigrammahilarella (Zetterstedt, 1844), Taxigrammastictica (Meigen, 1830), Agriamonachae (Kramer, 1908), Nyctialugubris (Macquart, 1843), Blaesoxipha (Blaesoxipha) aurulenta Rohdendorf, 1937, Blaesoxipha (Blaesoxipha) batilligera Séguy, 1941, Blaesoxipha (Blaesoxipha) plumicornis (Zetterstedt, 1859), Sarcophaga (Helicophagella) okaliana (Lehrer, 1975), Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) amita Rondani, 1860, Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) ancilla Rondani, 1865, Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) pseudobenaci (Baranov, 1942), Sarcophaga (Myorhina) lunigera Böttcher, 1914 and Sarcophaga (Stackelbergeola) mehadiensis Böttcher, 1912. Taxigrammahilarella, Nyctialugubris, Agriamonachae, Blaesoxipha (Blaesoxipha) aurulenta and Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) amita are recorded from Southeast Europe with certainty for the first time. The species Sarcophaga (Sarcophaga) hennigi Lehrer, 1978 is omitted from the list, as previous records from Croatia are shown to be based on an erroneous synonymy with Sarcophaganovaki Baranov, 1941 (= Sarcophaga (Sarcophaga) croatica Baranov, 1941). Blaesoxipha (Blaesoxipha) rufipes (Macquart, 1839) could not be confirmed from Croatia and is not included in the checklist. Three new synonymies are proposed: Golania Lehrer, 2000 = Thyrsocnema Enderlein, 1928, syn. nov., Parasarcophaga (Liosarcophaga) kovatschevitchi Strukan, 1970 = Sarcophaga (Liosarcophaga) marshalli Parker, 1923, syn. nov., and Sarcophagasubvicinassp.novaki Baranov, 1941 = Sarcophaga (Sarcophaga) croatica Baranov, 1941, syn. nov. As part of an effort to update the European distributions of all Croatian species, the following new national and regional records are also provided: Miltogrammabrevipila, Miltogrammataeniata Meigen, 1824 and Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) pandellei (Rohdendorf, 1937) new to Greece; Sarcophaga (Liosarcophaga) harpax Pandellé, 1896 and Sarcophaga (Sarcophaga) croatica new to Italy (respectively mainland and mainland and Sicily); Miltogrammaiberica new to Bulgaria and Sardinia; Pterellaconvergens (Pandellé, 1895) new to mainland Italy and Sicily; Nyctialugubris new to mainland Italy and Sardinia; Blaesoxipha (Blaesoxipha) litoralis (Villeneuve, 1911) new to Sardinia and thus confirmed for Italy; Apodacraseriemaculata, Macronychiastriginervis, Protomiltogrammafasciata (Meigen, 1824) and Blaesoxipha (Blaesoxipha) ungulata (Pandellé, 1896) new to Sardinia and Sicily; Macronychiadolini Verves & Khrokalo, 2006, Macronychiapolyodon (Meigen, 1824), Metopiaargyrocephala (Meigen, 1824), Senotainiaalbifrons (Rondani, 1859), Taxigrammamultipunctata (Rondani, 1859), Taxigrammastictica, Blaesoxipha (Blaesoxipha) unicolor (Villeneuve, 1912) and Sarcophaga (Helicophagella) agnata Rondani, 1860 new to Sardinia; Metopodiapilicornis (Pandellé, 1895), Miltogrammaoestracea, Miltogrammarutilans Meigen, 1824, Nyctiahalterata (Panzer, 1798), Blaesoxipha (Blaesoxipha) lapidosa Pape, 1994 and Blaesoxipha (Blaesoxipha) plumicornis new to Sicily.

Odd, outsized, and obscure: Sarcophaga (Hadroxena) karakoncolos sp. n. (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) from Turkey.

A new species of flesh fly, Sarcophaga karakoncolos sp. n., is described based on a single adult male from Turkey (Isparta Province, Anatolia), characterised by its very large size (almost 22mm in body length) and by a unique combination of morphological features. These, together with available molecular data, do not support inclusion of the new species in any of the currently recognised subgenera of Sarcophaga, and it is placed in a new subgenus, Hadroxena subg. n.

Two species of Caiusa Surcouf (Diptera: Calliphoridae) new to India, with data on larval behaviour and morphology.

Caiusa Surcouf (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is an Old World genus of blow flies, the larvae of which feed on egg masses in the foam nests of various species of rhacophorid tree frogs. Here, we provide the first records for India (West Bengal, Eastern India) of Caiusa coomani Séguy, 1948 and C. karrakerae Rognes, 2015, together with new information on the behaviour and morphology of their larvae. Active surface swimming to disperse from infested nests is documented in blow fly larvae for the first time, as is the presence of a large internal air sac presumably acting as a floating aid. Chiromantis simus (Annandale, 1915) (Anura: Rhacophoridae) egg masses are first recorded as a feeding substrate of Caiusa larvae.

Ultrastructural characterization of sensilla and microtrichia on the antenna of female Haematopota pandazisi (Diptera: Tabanidae).

The haematophagous females of the cleg fly Haematopota pandazisi (Kröber) (Diptera: Tabanidae) are a common pest in areas inhabited by wild and domestic ungulates in southern Europe, North Africa and Anatolia. A morphological investigation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was carried out for the first time on the antennae of females of H. pandazisi, with special attention to the type and distribution of sensilla and microtrichia. The typical brachyceran antenna is divided into three regions: the scape, the pedicel and the flagellum, which is the longest of the three and is composed of four flagellomeres. The scape and pedicel are characterized by only one type of microtrichium and chaetic sensillum, whereas five types of microtrichia and sensilla were identified on the flagellum and classified according to shape and distribution. The sensilla are of the chaetic, clavate, basiconic, trichoid and coeloconic types; the latter with either a basiconic or grooved peg inside. The results obtained in this study were compared to those found in other species in the family Tabanidae and other Diptera, with special attention to haematophagous species.

Facultative myiasis of domestic cats by Sarcophaga argyrostoma (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Calliphora vicina and Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in northern Italy.

We describe five cases of myiasis of domestic cats, Felis silvestris catus L. (Carnivora: Felidae), reported in 2016 in northern Italy and caused by three Diptera species: Sarcophaga argyrostoma (Robineau-Desvoidy) (Sarcophagidae), Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy and Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Calliphoridae). Three were cases of traumatic myiasis, one by S. argyrostoma and two by L. sericata, one was a case of auricular myiasis by C. vicina and one was a case of ophthalmomyiasis caused by an association of L. sericata and C. vicina. The myiasis by S. argyrostoma is the first reported case of this species in a cat, whereas the two myiases by C. vicina are the first reported cases in cats in Italy.

Out of the South? The first Afrotropical record of Prochyliza Walker (Diptera: Piophilidae), with description of a new species.

The genus Prochyliza Walker is recorded for the first time from the Afrotropical Region. A new species, Prochyliza ignifera sp. nov., is described from the Indian Ocean islands of Aldabra and La Réunion. The status of this species as possibly the most primitive in the genus Prochyliza is hypothesised and discussed, raising some questions about the taxonomy and the zoogeographical origin of the group. The holotype of Piophila viridicollis Macquart from La Réunion was studied and it is instated as a subjective junior synonym of Piophila casei (Linnaeus), syn. nov.

Molecular phylogeny of the hyperdiverse genus Sarcophaga (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), and comparison between algorithms for identification of rogue taxa.

The hyperdiverse genus Sarcophaga Meigen, with about 890 valid species arranged within 169 subgenera, accounts for almost half of the diversity of the subfamily Sarcophaginae. Current phylogenetic hypotheses for this genus are poorly supported or based on small taxon sets, or both. Here, we use molecular data from the genes COI and 28S to reconstruct the phylogeny of Sarcophaga based on the most comprehensive sampling for the group to date: 144 species from 47 subgenera, including representatives from all regional faunas for the first time. Of the total sequences of Sarcophaga used in the present study, 94.7% were newly generated. The secondary structure of the D1-D3 expansion segments of 28S is presented for the first time for the family Sarcophagidae, and is used in a multiple sequence alignment. Branch support and tree resolution increased remarkably through rogue taxa identification and exclusion. Rogue behaviour was explained mostly as a missing data problem. The RogueNaRok web service and the algorithms chkmoves, IterPCR and prunmajor implemented in the computer program TNT were equally good at identifying critical rogue species, but chkmoves and IterPCR also identified rogue clades. Pruning rogues increased the number of monophyletic subgenera in consensus trees from one to six out of 19 subgenera with more than one representative species. Bayesian inference, maximum-likelihood and parsimony analyses recovered more monophyletic subgenera after the removal of rogue taxa, with parsimony showing the largest improvements in branch support and resolution. Although with low support, Nearctic taxa were found to be the earliest diverging lineages, followed by a subsequent diversification of Old World faunas, which is in agreement with currently available evidence of a New World origin and early diversification of Sarcophaga.

Two new species and a new record of Bactrocera Macquart (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae: Dacini) from India.

Two new species of Bactrocera Macquart, namely Bactrocera (Calodacus) harrietensis Ramani & David, sp. nov. and Bactrocera (Calodacus) chettalli David & Ranganath, sp. nov., are described from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Karnataka, India, respectively. Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) semongokensis Drew & Romig is recorded for the first time from India.

Traumatic Myiasis Caused by an Association of Sarcophaga tibialis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in a Domestic Cat in Italy.

We describe here a rare case of traumatic myiasis occurred in August 2014, caused by an association of 2 Diptera species, Sarcophaga tibialis Macquart (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), in a domestic cat in northern Italy. Species identification was based on adult male morphology. The present case is the first report of S. tibialis as an agent of myiasis in Italy, and also the first ever report of myiasis caused by an association of S. tibialis and L. sericata. The cat developed an extensive traumatic myiasis in a large wound on the rump, which was treated pharmacologically and surgically. The biology, ecology, and distribution of S. tibialis and L. sericata are also discussed. A literature review is provided on cases of myiasis caused by S. tibialis, and cases of myiasis by L. sericata involving cats worldwide and humans and animals in Italy.

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].

Reassessment of Paleotachina Townsend and Electrotachina Townsend and their removal from the Tachinidae (Diptera).

The monotypic genera Paleotachina Townsend, 1921 and Electrotachina Townsend, 1938 were originally described as fossils in amber but were later discovered to be inclusions in copal. Both taxa were originally assigned to the Tachinidae (Diptera) and this placement has continued to the present day. The holotypes of the two type species, P. smithii Townsend and E. smithii Townsend, were examined and the following taxonomic and nomenclatural changes are proposed: Paleotachina is transferred to the Muscidae and placed in synonymy with Aethiopomyia Malloch, 1921, syn. n.; P. smithii Townsend, type species of Paleotachina, is synonymized with Aethiopomyia gigas (Stein, 1906), syn. n.; Electrotachina is transferred to the Sarcophagidae and placed in synonymy with Dolichotachina Villeneuve, 1913, syn. n.; E. smithii Townsend, type species of Electrotachina, is recognized as a valid species of Dolichotachina comb. n. Images of the holotypes of P. smithii and E. smithii are provided and features that have helped place these copal inclusions in their new combinations are discussed.

A neotype designation for the bone-skipper Centrophlebomyia anthropophaga (Diptera, Piophilidae, Thyreophorina), with a review of the Palaearctic species of Centrophlebomyia.

The European bone-skippers (Diptera: Piophilidae: Thyreophorina), long considered extinct, have recently been the object of much interest by dipterists after their unexpected rediscovery. Considerable faunistic work has been done on these flies in recent years. However, some nomenclatural and taxonomic issues still require attention. A neotype is designated for Thyreophora anthropophaga Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (now in the genus Centrophlebomyia Hendel, 1903) to fix the identity of this nominal species. Centrophlebomyia anthropophaga is recognized as a valid species. It is described and illustrated in detail, and information on its preimaginal instars is provided for the first time. Four Palaearctic species of Centrophlebomyia are recognized and reviewed and a key is provided for their identification. Centrophlebomyia orientalis Hendel, 1907 from northern India, is removed from synonymy with Centrophlebomyia anthropophaga and recognized as a valid species of Centrophlebomyia, stat. r. The nominal genus Protothyreophora Ozerov, 1984 is considered a junior synonym of Centrophlebomyia, syn. n.