First cladistic analysis of Toxotarsinae (Diptera: Calliphoridae), with insights on the evolution of the group and on the transformation series of some historically controversial characters.

Toxotarsinae is a subfamily of Calliphoridae (Diptera: Calyptratae: Oestroidea) with 11 species currently distributed in three genera: Neta Shannon, 1926, Sarconesia Bigot, 1857, and Toxotarsus Macquart, 1851. All known species are endemic to South America, mostly restricted to areas with cooler temperatures-like high elevation areas of the Andean Cordillera-and lowlands and coastal regions in the subtropical and temperate parts of the continent. The classification of the subfamily has been somewhat controversial, with eleven, mostly monotypic nominal genera established to accommodate its species, mostly due to distinct interpretations of certain controversial characters by different authors. To provide a sound basis for a generic classification, we performed the first study aimed to understand the transformation series of those controversial characters and character states under a phylogenetic framework. Our maximum parsimony analyses, under both equal and implied weighting of characters and including all currently known species in the subfamily, retrieved two main clades of Toxotarsinae: the roraima group, composed of Sarconesia roraima (Townsend, 1935), Neta chilensis (Walker, 1836), and S. magellanica (Le Guillou, 1842), and the splendida group, composed of the remaining species of the subfamily. The position of S. magellanica varied, but the species was mostly recovered within the roraima group except in the analyses under implied weighting with k values between 1 and 6. Our results, which include an explicit interpretation of the transformation series associated with some characters and character states commonly used in Toxotarsinae systematics, suggest that both Sarconesia and Neta, along with other genera proposed in the past for species of the subfamily such as Sarconesiomima Lopes & Albuquerque, 1955, Chlorobrachycoma Townsend, 1918, Sarconesiopsis Townsend, 1918, and Roraimomusca Townsend, 1935, previously suggested to be synonyms of Sarconesia, do not properly reflect the evolution of lineages in the subfamily and should not be considered as valid nominal genera. Toxotarsus was the only genus consistently recovered as monophyletic and, based on the phylogenetic relationships recovered herein, we suggest including all known Toxotarsinae within this genus, with the roraima and splendida clades treated as species-groups. Finally, we discuss the characters commonly used to delimit the taxa subordinated to Toxotarsinae, such as the length of the first flagellomere, the position of the rays of the arista relative to the pedicel, the extension of the plumosity of the arista, and the number of postsutural acrostichal setae.

Review of Insulestremia Jaschhof, 2004 (Diptera; Cecidomyiidae; Lestremiinae) with description of two new species from Brazil.

This study presents the first records of the subfamily Lestremiinae and the genus Insulestremia Jaschhof in Brazil. Insulestremia, a previously monotypic genus described from the Galapagos Islands, has three species in Brazil: I. sinclairi Jaschhof, I. amorimi sp. nov. and I. amenti sp. nov. The new species are described, the generic concept is reviewed, and a key to the species of Insulestremia is provided.

Cladistic analysis of the genus Bruggmanniella Tavares (Diptera, Cecicomyiidae, Asphondyliini) with evolutionary inferences on the gall inducer-host plant association and description of a new Brazilian species.

In this study, we present a phylogenetic analysis of the genus Bruggmanniella Tavares based on morphological features. Cladistic analyses were conducted using 57 characters from 26 species. All species of Bruggmanniella except for B. byrsonimae were selected as ingroup and the genera Asphondylia Loew, Bruggmannia Tavares, Illiciomyia Tokuda, Parazalepidota Maia, Pseudasphondylia Monzen, Schizomyia Kieffer, and Lopesia Rübsaamen as outgroup. We used characters from larvae, pupae, adults, and galls. The results of this study supported Bruggmanniella as the sister group of Pseudasphondylia. Bruggmanniella actinodaphnes Tokuda and Yukawa and B. cinnamomi Tokuda and Yukawa have been moved to genus Pseudasphondylia (Pseudasphondylia actinodaphnes (Tokuda and Yukawa) comb. nov. and Pseudasphondylia cinnamomi (Tokuda and Yukawa) comb. nov.). The new genus Odontokeros gen. nov. has been erected for the single species Odontokeros brevipes (Lin, Yang & Tokuda) comb. nov. In addition, we described a new Brazilian species, Bruggmanniella miconia Garcia, Lamas and Urso-Guimarães sp. nov. Identification keys to the New World species of Bruggmanniella are presented.

New species and records of the supertribe Stomatosematidi (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in Brazil.

Six new species of the genus Stomatosema are described and illustrated: Stomatosema paratudo sp. nov., S. sisbiota sp. nov., S. terena sp. nov., S. pantaneirum sp. nov., S. terere sp. nov. and S. camilae sp. nov. These are the first records of Stomatosema for South America. The genus Didactylomyia is recorded for the first time in Brazil.

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.

Checklist of the dipterofauna (Insecta) from Roraima, Brazil, with special reference to the Brazilian Ecological Station of Maracá

Roraima is a Brazilian state located in the northern portion of the Amazon basin, with few studies regarding its biodiversity. The Ecological Station of Maracá (Brazil, state of Roraima) harbors the third largest Brazilian pluvial island and is composed of a transitional landscape of savanna and Amazon rainforest components. Despite its ecological importance and strategic localization, few studies covered the dipterofauna of this locality. An updated checklist addressing 41 families of true flies (Diptera) occurring in Roraima is presented based on the literature and the specimens collected during a field expedition that occurred in 2015. This checklist brings several improvements such as new records of 165 taxa to the state of Roraima, 29 taxa to Brazil, and 259 morphotypes, mostly likely representing undescribed species.(AU)

New records and expansion of the geographic distribution of gall inducers of the family Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) associated to Andira Lam. (Fabaceae) species in Brazil

ABSTRACT Galls are structures of vegetal tissue modified by several biological agents, mainly dipterans of the Cecidomyiidae family. The galls are indicators of the gall inducers' presence, because of the species-specific interaction between the gall inducer and its host plant species. The aim of this study was to expand the geographical distribution of cecidomyiids - usually known only to the type-locality - in species of Andira Lam. (Fabaceae) distributed in Brazil, through the presence of their gall morphotypes in host plants. We searched for records of gall morphotypes in Andira species in all inventories of insect galls in Brazilian biomes and in virtual herbaria in Brazilian and abroad institutions. We found six species of Andira with forty-nine registers of 20 morphotypes of galls induced by cecidomyiids. They were from 35 localities; of those, 15 Municipalities, five States and the Federal District are new points of occurrence. We found three new registers for the fusiform gall in A. fraxinifolia, four registers for the fusiform gall in A. humilis, two new registers for the lenticular gall in A. nitida, and six new registers for three morphotypes in A. vermifuga. No new records were found for the morphotypes of A. cujabensis and A. surinamensis. These results indicate that digital tools, combined with well-illustrated inventory data, are capable to expand knowledge about the distribution of cecidomyiids through the recognition of their specific marker, the morphotypes.

Diversity of insect galls from Mato Grosso State, Brazil: North Pantanal / Diversidade de galhas de insetos do Estado do Mato Grosso, Brasil: Pantanal Norte

Abstract: The Pantanal Biome occupies 20% of the Brazilian territory extending its distribution over two Brazilian States, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. This Biome is one of Brazil's poorly known regions concerning insect gall and their interactions with host plants. In this study, we characterized for the first time the gall morphology, identified host plants and the gall makers from an area of Brazilian wetlands from Mato Grosso State, known as Pantanal Matogrossense. We sampled Pantanal Biome areas in Poconé municipality, along the Transpantaneira Road, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, in two expeditions, July 2012 and January 2013, with a total effort of 2 hours. We characterized 91 morphotypes of insect galls in 54 host plant species; 28 gall makers in 24 host plant species; the richest host plant families are Fabaceae, Myrtaceae, and Sapindaceae. Psidium guineense Sw. is the super host species. This area in Pantanal Matogrossense is the second in the richness of gall morphotypes (N=91) and average morphotypes/plant species (1.7), comparing phytophysiognomies. Additionally, 15 plant species are new record as host in galler-host plant interaction in the world. This number represents 30% of the total of host plant species sampled in Poconé. This inventory is new knowledge to the Pantanal Matogrossense and representing a unique testimony of insect-plant interactions consumed by the unprecedented fire that occurred in Pantanal Biome in the dry season of 2020.

Resumo: O Bioma Pantanal ocupa 20% do território brasileiro estendendo sua distribuição sobre dois Estados brasileiros, Mato Grosso e Mato Grosso do Sul. Esta é uma das regiões menos estudadas do Brasil com relação aos insetos e suas interações. Neste estudo, caracterizamos pela primeira vez a morfologia de galhas, identificamos plantas hospedeiras e galhadores em áreas do Pantanal Norte, conhecido como Pantanal Matogrossense. As amostragens foram feitas em áreas do Bioma Pantanal, no município de Poconé, ao longo da Estrada Transpantaneira, Mato Grosso, Brasil em duas expedições, julho de 2012 e janeiro de 2013. Caracterizamos 91 morfotipos de galhas entomógenas em 54 espécies de plantas hospedeiras; identificamos 28 galhadores em 24 espécies de plantas hospedeiras; as famílias de plantas hospedeiras mais ricas em galhas são Fabaceae, Myrtaceae e Sapindaceae. Psidium guineense Sw. é a espécie superhospedeira. Esta área no Pantanal Matogrossense é a segunda tanto em riqueza de morfotipos de galhas (N=91) quanto na média de morfotipos por espécie de planta hospedeira (1,7), em fitofisionomias comparáveis. Além disso, 15 espécies de plantas são novos registros como hospedeiras para galhas de insetos no mundo. Esse número representa 30% do total de plantas amostradas em Poconé. Todos os dados deste inventário são conhecimentos novos para o Pantanal Mato-grossense e para o estado do Mato Grosso, representando um testemunho único das interações inseto-planta que foram consumidas pelo fogo sem precedentes ocorrido no Bioma Pantanal em sua estação seca de 2020.

A new species of Brethesiamyia Maia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Colombia with description of immature forms

A new species of Brethesiamyia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is described from Colombia, which represents the first record of the genus for the country. We described the species based on male, female, pupa, larva of third instar and gall morphology, which the larva induces on leaves of Myrcia sp. (Myrtaceae) from the foothills situated at the connection of the Andes and the Amazon basin from Colombia. The first description of the third larval instar is provided for the genus.(AU)

Description of a new species of cecidomyiid (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) predator of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on sugarcane

Diadiplosis saccharum sp. nov. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is described based on male and female prey on nymphs of mealybug Saccharicoccus sacchari (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Saccharum spp. (Poaceae) in São Paulo State, Brazil. Herein, the genus is composed by 33 species. The key of the eight species of the Diadiplosis distributed in Brazil is updated.(AU)

Description of a new species of cecidomyiid (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) predator of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on sugarcane

Diadiplosis saccharum sp. nov. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is described based on male and female prey on nymphs of mealybug Saccharicoccus sacchari (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Saccharum spp. (Poaceae) in São Paulo State, Brazil. Herein, the genus is composed by 33 species. The key of the eight species of the Diadiplosis distributed in Brazil is updated.

A new species of Brethesiamyia Maia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Colombia with description of immature forms

A new species of Brethesiamyia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is described from Colombia, which represents the first record of the genus for the country. We described the species based on male, female, pupa, larva of third instar and gall morphology, which the larva induces on leaves of Myrcia sp. (Myrtaceae) from the foothills situated at the connection of the Andes and the Amazon basin from Colombia. The first description of the third larval instar is provided for the genus.

Description of a new species of cecidomyiid (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) predator of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on sugarcane

Abstract Diadiplosis saccharum sp. nov. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is described based on male and female prey on nymphs of mealybug Saccharicoccus sacchari (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Saccharum spp. (Poaceae) in São Paulo State, Brazil. Herein, the genus is composed by 33 species. The key of the eight species of the Diadiplosis distributed in Brazil is updated.

A new species of Brethesiamyia Maia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Colombia with description of immature forms

Abstract A new species of Brethesiamyia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is described from Colombia, which represents the first record of the genus for the country. We described the species based on male, female, pupa, larva of third instar and gall morphology, which the larva induces on leaves of Myrcia sp. (Myrtaceae) from the foothills situated at the connection of the Andes and the Amazon basin from Colombia. The first description of the third larval instar is provided for the genus.

Characterization of insect galls from a vegetation area in Altinópolis, São Paulo State, Brazil

Herein, we studied the occurrence of insect galls from natural vegetation around the Itambé Cave, Altinópolis, SP, Brazil. A sampling effort of 7.5 hours resulted in 41 gall morphotypes on 21 host plant species from 14 families. The richest families of host plants in morphotypes were Fabaceae (N = 11), Euphorbiaceae (N = 7), and Malpighiaceae (N = 5). Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (N = 8), Croton floribundus Spreng. (N = 7), Diplopterys pubipetala (A. Juss.) W.R. Anderson & C.C. Davis (N = 5), and Bauhinia holophylla (Bong.) Steud. (N = 4) were the super host plant species. Among the gall makers obtained, cecidomyiids were reared in 81% of cases and Hemiptera (Diaspididae), Hymenoptera (Eurytomidae), Coleoptera (Apion sp./Apionidae), and Lepidoptera in 4.5% of cases, each. The parasitoids belong to the Chalcidoidea superfamily (Hymenoptera). One new species of Camptoneuromyiia (Cecidomyiidae) was found in Smilax oblongifolia Pohl ex Griseb. (Smilacaceae) as inquiline and a new species of Lestodiplosis in Diplopterys pubipetala (Malpighiaceae) was a predator. We also present the first register of Bauhinia holophylla as host plants of Cecidomyiidae. We also present the first register of Bauhinia holophylla as host plants of Cecidomyiidae, and we expand the occurrence of Rochadiplosis tibouchinae Tavares, Lopesia spinosa Maia and Couridiplosis vena Maia to São Paulo State. The results of this paper are a continuation of the description of gall morphotypes from the vegetation in Northeastern São Paulo State, and they also increase knowledge about the diversity of host plant and gall-maker associations in the Neotropical region.(AU)

Characterization of insect galls from a vegetation area in Altinópolis, São Paulo State, Brazil

Herein, we studied the occurrence of insect galls from natural vegetation around the Itambé Cave, Altinópolis, SP, Brazil. A sampling effort of 7.5 hours resulted in 41 gall morphotypes on 21 host plant species from 14 families. The richest families of host plants in morphotypes were Fabaceae (N = 11), Euphorbiaceae (N = 7), and Malpighiaceae (N = 5). Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (N = 8), Croton floribundus Spreng. (N = 7), Diplopterys pubipetala (A. Juss.) W.R. Anderson & C.C. Davis (N = 5), and Bauhinia holophylla (Bong.) Steud. (N = 4) were the super host plant species. Among the gall makers obtained, cecidomyiids were reared in 81% of cases and Hemiptera (Diaspididae), Hymenoptera (Eurytomidae), Coleoptera (Apion sp./Apionidae), and Lepidoptera in 4.5% of cases, each. The parasitoids belong to the Chalcidoidea superfamily (Hymenoptera). One new species of Camptoneuromyiia (Cecidomyiidae) was found in Smilax oblongifolia Pohl ex Griseb. (Smilacaceae) as inquiline and a new species of Lestodiplosis in Diplopterys pubipetala (Malpighiaceae) was a predator. We also present the first register of Bauhinia holophylla as host plants of Cecidomyiidae. We also present the first register of Bauhinia holophylla as host plants of Cecidomyiidae, and we expand the occurrence of Rochadiplosis tibouchinae Tavares, Lopesia spinosa Maia and Couridiplosis vena Maia to São Paulo State. The results of this paper are a continuation of the description of gall morphotypes from the vegetation in Northeastern São Paulo State, and they also increase knowledge about the diversity of host plant and gall-maker associations in the Neotropical region.

A new species of Asphondylia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and a key to separate species of the genus associated with Asteraceae from Neotropical region

A new species, Asphondylia cipo sp. nov. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) causing stem and petiole galls on Lessingianthus warmingianus (Baker) H. Rob. (Asteraceae) is described and illustrated from Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. A key is provided to separate species of this genus associated with host plants in the Asteraceae family from the Neotropical region.(AU)

A new species of Asphondylia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and a key to separate species of the genus associated with Asteraceae from Neotropical region

A new species, Asphondylia cipo sp. nov. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) causing stem and petiole galls on Lessingianthus warmingianus (Baker) H. Rob. (Asteraceae) is described and illustrated from Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. A key is provided to separate species of this genus associated with host plants in the Asteraceae family from the Neotropical region.

Characterization of entomogen galls from Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

ABSTRACT In this paper we performed a study of occurrence and characterization of entomogen galls from natural vegetation areas in Mato Grosso do Sul. We surveyed natural areas of four biomes from Mato Grosso do Sul State: Pantanal (Corumbá), Atlantic Forest (Bodoquena), Cerrado (Aquidauana), and Chaco (Porto Murtinho). We identified 186 morphotypes of galls in 115 host plant species from 35 families and 73 genera. The richest families were Fabaceae (N = 34), Sapindaceae (N = 24), Bignoniaceae (N = 17), and Myrtaceae (N = 15). Fifty morphotypes of insects (27%) were found in galls of 38 host plants, 78% of which belongs to Diptera, 10% to Hymenoptera, and the other 12% are divided among Hemiptera, Thysanoptera, Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera. In this study, the geographic distribution of gall morphotypes associated to the cecidomyiids Youngomyia pouteriae Maia, 2004, and Trotteria quadridentata Maia, 2004 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae), and the wasp Mononeuron duguetiae Fischer, 1981 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Doryctinae) are expanded to the localities sampled in MS. In addition, four genera and 24 species of plants were recorded for the first time as hosts to entomogen galls. All occurrences of Cecidomyiidae in Mato Grosso do Sul's localities are new records for this family.

Lista das espécies de Bibionomorpha (Diptera) do Estado do Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil

We provide in this paper a checklist of Bibionomorpha in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Only the families Anisopodidae, Sciaridae, Keroplatidae, and Mycetophilidae have been recorded from this state so far: one genus and one species of Anisopodidae; three genera and nine species of Sciaridae; five genera and six species of Keroplatidae; and eight genera and 14 species of Mycetophilidae. A list of other species of Bibionomorpha families known from the Central-Western region of Brazil supposed to occur in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul is provided as well. This is a good example of the distance between real diversity of an important group as Diptera in a large area as the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, and the actual knowledge of the group.(AU)

Neste trabalho, é fornecida uma lista de espécies de Bibionomorpha conhecidas para o estado do Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Das famílias dessa subordem de Diptera, apenas Anisopodidae, Sciaridae, Keroplatidae e Mycetophilidae foram registradas até o momento para essa região. Anisopodidae é representada por um gênero e uma espécie, Sciaridae por três gêneros e nove espécies, Keroplatidae por cinco gêneros e seis espécies, enquanto que Mycetophilidae é conhecida por oito gêneros e 14 espécies. São elencadas possíveis espécies das famílias de Bibionomorpha já conhecidas da região Centro-Oeste do Brasil cuja presença é esperada no Mato Grosso do Sul. Este levantamento é bastante indicativo da enorme diferença existente entre o conhecimento efetivo da biodiversidade de um grupo importante, como Diptera, em uma área grande, como o Mato Grosso do Sul, e a diversidade real do grupo em uma região do Brasil.(AU)