Overview of the Sciomyzidae (Diptera: Sciomyzoidea) of the Americas south of the United States.

Treated herein are the 113 described species and two described subspecies in 25 genera of the family Sciomyzidae (snail-killing or marsh flies) known from the Americas south of the United States. Included are details on type specimens, references to generic transfers and synonymies, taxonomy, biology, gastropod hosts/prey, immature stages, chromosomes, biological and phenological groups, general distribution, and molecular data. Annotated keys are presented to adults of genera known from the Nearctic-Neotropical interface area and the Neotropics as well as the first key to all sciomyzid genera known from the Nearctic Region. Also presented is the first key to third-instar sciomyzid larvae in the Neotropical Region. Sepedonea isthmi (Steyskal) is placed as a junior synonym of S. annulata Macquart (new status), and Tetanocera plumifera Wulp is placed as a junior synonym of T. plumosa Loew (new status).

Biology, immature stages, and systematics of snail-killing flies of the genus Colobaea (Diptera: Sciomyzidae), with overviews of aspects of the tribe Sciomyzini.

All reared larvae of flies of the genus Colobaea Zetterstedt, 1837 (Diptera: Sciomyzidae), which comprises 15 valid species, kill and consume freshwater nonoperculate pulmonate snails. New data are presented on the geographic distribution, biology, morphology of immature stages, and classification of Colobaea. Life cycle information is provided from field data and laboratory rearings for four of the 11 Palearctic species-C. bifasciella (Fallén), C. deemingi Knutson Bratt n.sp., C. pectoralis (Zetterstedt), and C. punctata (Lundbeck)-and for one of the three Nearctic species, C. americana Steyskal. Colobaea bifasciella is shown to be one of the most highly specialized parasitoid Sciomyzini, laying eggs on shells of Galba truncatula (O.F. Müller) and Stagnicola palustris (O.F. Müller) in temporary, intermittent, or vernal semiterrestrial situations. Each larva feeds in only one host snail, which is not killed until shortly before the larva completes development. Puparia are strongly modified to fit tightly within the shell of the host. The other reared species are shown to be less specialized than C. bifasciella, with eggs being laid upon vegetation, the larvae behaving as parasitoids-predators-saprophages of exposed aquatic snails, and the puparia of all four species being adapted to a lesser degree than C. bifasciella to fitting within the shell of the host snail. In nature, C. americana attacks Gyraulus parvus (Say) and Physa Draparnaud sp.; C. pectoralis attacks Anisus vortex (L.) and Bathyomphalus contortus (L.); and C. punctata attacks Gyraulus albus O.F. Müller, Lymnaea "peregra," Planorbarius corneus (L.), and Planorbis planorbis (L.). In the laboratory, these species also attacked and consumed other freshwater nonoperculate snails; C. deemingi was reared on Gyraulus intermixtus (Mousson) and Radix gedrosiana (Say), and an adult fly of the Palearctic C. distincta (Meigen) emerged from a puparium found in the shell of Anisus spirorbis (L.) collected in nature. Described and figured are eggs, larvae of all three instars, and puparia of the five laboratory-reared species. To provide perspective on features of Colobaea, diagnostic features are summarized of the immature stages of the Sciomyzini and the suprageneric categories of Sciomyzidae. The biogeography of the tribe Sciomyzini is presented, along with details of known geographical distribution. The classification and phylogenetic position of Colobaea are discussed. Included are a checklist of all known taxa of Colobaea, maps of geographic distribution, and a key to adults of the 15 valid species.

First record of Pherbellia shatalkini Rozkosný (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) from Mongolia, with a redescription of the male genitalia.

Following examination of type material of Pherbellia shatalkini Rozkosný, two specimens of snail-killing flies (Sciomyzidae) from Mongolia that initially had been determined as an undescribed species were confirmed as P. shatalkini, the first documentation of this species from Mongolia. The male genitalia are illustrated and redescribed in great detail.

Comprehensive taxonomic, faunistic, biological, and geographic inventory and analysis of the Sciomyzidae (Diptera: Acalyptratae) of the Delmarva region and nearby states in eastern North America.

Genera and species of Sciomyzidae known from the Delmarva region (Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia) and nearby states are reviewed taxonomically, faunistically, biologically, and geographically. Although restricted to the taxa in that area, this work amounts to a revision of the sciomyzid fauna of that portion of the Nearctic region. Treated are 91 species in 19 genera, i.e. 46% of the 199 species and all but four of the 23 genera of Sciomyzidae known from the Nearctic Region. Included are 67 species in 16 genera from Delmarva and 24 other species in 10 genera from nearby states. Euthycera flavescens (Loew) is resurrected; Renocera cressoni Mathis and Knutson sp. nov. is described from eastern North America; R. amanda Cresson is given new status as a junior synonym of R. longipes (Loew); and Chaetomacera brevis Cresson, R. cyathiformis Melander, R. pacifica Curran, and R. bergi Steyskal are given new status as junior synonyms of R. striata (Meigen). Newly diagnosed are taxonomic categories ranging from family to species level, including the first diagnoses of abdomens of females of many species, where known. Provided for each genus and species are annotated taxonomic/nomenclatorial catalogs of all North American references to all species, with generic combinations noted, with previously unrecorded synonymies as well as North American literature references, illustrations, and information on natural history and morphology of immature stages. Results of cross-mating studies of Dictya are reported and discussed. Provided are label data from examined specimens, lists of Canadian provinces and U.S. states from which reviewed species have been recorded, and detailed maps of geographical distribution of species in Delmarva, with references to previously published maps.

The Snail-killing Flies (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) of West Africa.

A review of the West African "snail-killing flies" or "marsh flies" (Sciomyzidae) shows that the fauna is not as dominated by the generally aquatic, predaceous genus Sepedon as was previously considered. Twenty species in seven genera, including three new species, Colobaea occidentalis, Pteromicra zariae and Sepedonella castanea are recorded. The Holarctic-Oriental genera Colobaea and Pteromicra are documented from Africa south of the Sahara for the first time. Biogeographical analyses based on the discovery of "Palaearctic" genera of Diptera south of the Sahara, faunal connections, and dispersal routes are presented. A key for identification and illustrations of diagnostic characters for some species are included.

Review and analysis of information on the biology and morphology of immature stages of robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae).

Recent publications on the immature stages of robber flies (Asilidae) are reviewed and listed for the 14 currently recognized subfamilies (Asilinae, Bathypogoninae, Brachyrhopalinae, Dasypogoninae, Dioctriinae, Laphriinae, Leptogastrinae, Ommatiinae, Phellinae, Stenopogoninae, Stichopogoninae, Tillobromatinae, Trigonomiminae, and Willistonininae). For the Phellinae there are only limited data on the pupal cases, and for the Tillobromatinae there are only limited data on the eggs (potential oviposition site in soil) and pupal cases. The recent literature is compared with pertinent pre-1972 publications.

A phylogenetic analysis of Sciomyzidae (Diptera) and some related genera.

Sciomyzidae is a family of acalyptrate flies with 546 species in 61 genera that is among the most extensively studied groups of higher Diptera. Most of the known larvae are obligate enemies of Gastropoda. Hundreds of studies published over the past 50 years have resulted in detailed information concerning morphology of adults and immature stages, biology, development, behaviour, phenology and distribution. However, studies of phylogenetic relationships are based almost exclusively on morphological characters of adults, and no comprehensive molecular analysis across the family has been published. Here we fill this void by generating and analysing molecular data for 54 species of Sciomyzidae (22 genera), including Phaeomyiidae (one genus), and seven representative species of five other families of Sciomyzoidea (Coelopidae, Dryomyzidae, Helcomyzidae, Heteromyzidae and Huttoninidae) as outgroups. The reconstruction is based on morphological characters as well as nucleotide sequences for genes from the mitochondrial (12S, 16S, COI, COII, Cytb) and nuclear genome (28S, EF1α). The results are compared with recent morphological analyses. Our analyses support the monophyly of Sciomyzidae + Phaeomyiidae, and place Phaeomyiinae as a unique lineage within Sciomyzidae. A modified classification comprising three subfamilies is proposed. The major subfamily, Sciomyzinae, consists of two monophyletic and well separated groups, the tribes Sciomyzini and Tetanocerini.

Key aspects of the biology of snail-killing Sciomyzidae flies.

The biology of snail-killing flies (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) has been studied intensively over the past half-century, especially over the past decade. Today, sciomyzids are biologically the best-known group of higher Diptera. The overarching research objectives are evaluation of sciomyzids as biocontrols of disease-carrying or agriculturally important snails and slugs and as a paradigm group for the study of the evolution of diverse feeding and associated behaviors in flies. We present reviews and analyses of some key features of particular scientific and societal interest, including behavioral and phenological groups; laboratory experimental studies on behavior and development; population biology, bioindicators, ecosystem service provision, and conservation; phylogenetics, molecular studies, and evolutionary biology; and biocontrol.

Seasonal distribution of a relatively rare and a relatively common species of Thecomyia at Belém, Pará, Brazil (Diptera: Sciomyzidae)

O gênero neotropical Thecomyia (Sciomyzidae) consiste de quatro espécies descritas e onze ainda não descritas (Steyskal & Knutson em preparação), sendo a maioria não muito comum. As espécies são muito próximas e grande número delas somente pode ser separado com base na genitália do macho. Somente é conhecida a biologia e uma espécie, T. limbata (Wiedermann), que, preferentemente, preda moluscos aquáticos (Abercrombie & Berg, 1975). A análise de registros de coletas de espécies relativamente raras e relativamente comuns de Thecomyia (172 especimens do Museu Goeldi coletados em Mocambo, Belém, Pará, Brasil) proporcionam informações sobre a distribuição sazonal de espécies tropicais e sua relativa abundância. Deste material 160 especimens pertencem à T. longicornis Perty e 12 à Thecomyia sp. n. A primeira foi registrada durante todos os meses do ano, mas a espécie nova somente durante junho e dezembro, sugerindo esta última uma população de adultos anual bimodal.