The genus Hybos Meigen (Diptera: Empidoidea: Hybotidae) in Thailand.

The genus Hybos Meigen in Thailand is revised and full descriptions and keys provided for all 41 species. Thirty-four new species are recognized: H. aceriformis sp. nov., H. ancyclochiles sp. nov., H. anisoserratus sp. nov., H. bispinatus sp. nov., H. chaweewani sp. nov., H. daugeroni sp. nov., H. divisus sp. nov., H. grootaerti sp. nov., H. hylobates sp. nov., H. inthanonensis sp. nov., H. kaluang sp. nov., H. khamfui sp. nov., H. konkaogwang sp. nov., H. lannaensis sp. nov., H. mangraii sp. nov., H. meeamnat sp. nov., H. men sp. nov., H. merzi sp. nov., H. ngachang sp. nov., H. paknok sp. nov., H. phahompokensis sp. nov., H. pisadaanus sp. nov., H. saenmueangmai sp. nov., H. shamshevi sp. nov., H. sinclairi sp. nov., H. songbai sp. nov., H. steatopygus sp. nov., H. stigmaticus sp. nov., H. subapicalis sp. nov., H. tetricus sp. nov., H. thaosaeo sp. nov., H. thepkaisoni sp. nov., H. tilokarati sp. nov., H. yungyak sp. nov. Seven species known previously from China are recognized: H. ancistroides Yang & Yang, H. apicihamatus Yang & Yang, H. longus Yang & Yang, H. particularis Yang, Yang & Hu, H. serratus Yang & Yang, H. xishuangbannaensis Yang & Yang, and H. zhejiangensis Yang & Yang. Eight informal species-groups are tentatively proposed based on characters of male and female terminalia and attention is drawn to the many previously overlooked taxonomically useful characters of the female terminalia. Distribution maps of all species are presented and distributions categorised as 'widespread', 'eastern', 'southern', north-eastern' or 'northern and western'. Species richness and endemicity are greatest in mid to high elevation evergreen forest biotopes of the northern mountains and areas of endemism are identified on the Luang Prabang, Daen Lao, Thanon Thong-chai ranges and on the Isaan Plateau at least. Adult phenology is correlated with the rainy season in many species and preliminary analyses reveal that many high-elevation species have short emergence periods and restricted distributions, whereas some lowland species have longer emergence periods and wider distributions.

Species of Bicellaria (Diptera: Hybotidae) from Asia.

Bicellaria amankutanensis sp. nov. (Uzbekistan), B. chimganensis sp. nov. (Uzbekistan), B. farkaci sp. nov. (China), B. globulicauda sp. nov. (Uzbekistan), B. koreana sp. nov. (North Korea, Russia), B. kovalevi sp. nov. (Georgia), B. setitibia sp. nov. (Georgia), B. shatalkini sp. nov. (Russia), B. thailandica sp. nov. (Thailand), and B. woodi sp. nov. (Japan) are described and illustrated. Bicellaria montana Kato is newly synonymised with B. uvens Melander. Bicellaria spuria ingrata Collin is considered a distinct species. A key to all known Asian species of Bicellaria is provided.

New synonyms and new species of European aquatic dance flies (Diptera, Empididae).

Knowledge of the European aquatic dance flies (Clinocerinae, Hemerodromiinae) is updated. The following new synonyms are proposed: Chelifera pallida Vaillant, 1981 with Chelifera diversicauda Collin, 1927, syn. nov.; Chelifera giraudae Vaillant, 1981 and Chelifera berdeni Vaillant, 1978 (nomen nudum) with Chelifera subangusta Collin, 1961, syn. nov.; Hemerodromia slovenica Horvat & Wagner, 1989 with Hemerodromia laudatoria Collin, 1927, syn. nov.; Hemerodromia maculata Vaillant, 1968 with Hemerodromia unilineata Zetterstedt, 1842, syn. nov.; Wiedemannia aerea Vaillant, 1967 with Wiedemannia hastata (Mik, 1880), syn. nov.; Wiedemannia brevilamellata Wagner, 1985 with Wiedemannia debilis Collin, 1961, syn. nov.; Wiedemannia bilobata Oldenberg, 1910 with Wiedemannia oxystoma (Bezzi, 1905), syn. nov. Lectotypes are designated for Clinocera (Wiedemannia) oxystoma Bezzi, 1905, Wiedemannia aerea Vaillant, 1967, Wiedemannia bilobata Oldenberg, 1910, Philolutra erminea Mik, 1887, Wiedemannia hastata (Mik, 1880), Wiedemannia mirousei Vaillant, 1956 and Phaeobalia pokornyi Mik, 1886. A neotype is designated for Wiedemannia alpina Vaillant, 1953. Wiedemannia rudolfi Wagner & Ivkovic, sp. nov. and Phaeobalia remschakae Wagner sp. nov. are described and figures of male terminalia are provided.

Clinocera Meigen of Thailand (Diptera: Empididae: Clinocerinae).

Eight new species of Clinocera Meigen from Thailand are described and illustrated (C. abbreviata sp. nov., C. areeluckorum sp. nov., C. courtneyi sp. nov., C. gracilis sp. nov., C. rostrata sp. nov., C. spatulata sp. nov., C. srisukai sp. nov., C. univittata sp. nov.). A key to Thailand species is provided. Distributions, phenology and biogeography are discussed. Several Thailand species also occur in Bhutan, China and Vietnam.

Extreme male leg polymorphic asymmetry in a new empidine dance fly (Diptera: Empididae).

A new dance fly (Empididae: Empidinae) with hugely modified male fore tarsus, either on the right, left, both or neither sides, is described from Japan. Such massive polymorphic asymmetry occurring with so high an incidence in a population is previously unreported. In view of the courtship behaviour of other Empidinae, we hypothesize that the oversized tarsus is a secondary sexual character employed by males for attracting females. Alternative hypotheses are also discussed. We suggest that this extraordinary new species is a potential model for the study of mating biology in Empidinae and the evolution of mating systems in general.

New species of Hemerodromia Meigen (Diptera: Empididae: Hemerodromiinae) associated with limestone karstic waters in Thailand.

Species descriptions are provided for five new species of Hemerodromia (H. aliaextriata sp. nov., H. deprimatura sp. nov., H. oretenebraea sp. nov., H. pairoti sp. nov. H. samoha sp. nov.). The new species have an apparently obligate association with calcareous streams, rivers and tufa formations in limestone karst landforms in Thailand. Hemerodromia menghaiensis Yang Yang is here reported for the first time in Thailand.

Composition and organization of highly speciose Empidoidea (Diptera) communities in tropical montane forests of northern Thailand.

This study is based on more than 25,000 specimens of the superfamily Empidoidea (Diptera) collected throughout a full year on a 2000 m elevational habitat succession gradient along a 21 km transect on Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand. The samples were sorted to 58 genera and 458 morphospecies (Empididae, 73; Hybotidae, 203; Dolichopodidae, 179; Brachystomatidae, 3).                                                                                                                          The data were used to prepare the first thorough taxon-focussed description of how diversity of a major group of Diptera is structured in tropical forest biotopes. We found significant spatial (elevation / habitat) and temporal (seasonal) variations in richness (α-diversity) and abundance at family-level. α-Diversity of the four families was maximal in damp evergreen forests at higher elevation (1500-2500 m), but Dolichopodidae also had a major subsidiary peak in lowland dry evergreen forest at 500-1000 m. Genus-, tribe- and subfamily level α-diversity / elevation profiles were varied, indicating that overall family-level richness is a composite of many taxa that contribute low, high or mid-elevation specialisms. We provide a detailed analysis of these specialisms for each of the 58 genera. Adult phenology was correlated with the monsoon and had three characteristic phases: (i) pre-monsoon commencement during the latter part of the hot dry season, (ii) a 'flush' of maximal richness during the early-monsoon, and (iii) a secondary richness maximum associated with the late-monsoon. Maximum α-diversity occurred in phases (i) and (ii) but communities in phase (iii) had characteristically low evenness in which a few abundant species were dominant. Cluster analysis and ordination resolved three well-founded communities with different species-abundance distributions, high levels of species-level specialism and habitat-fidelity associated with moist hill evergreen forest (MHE) at >2000 m; mid elevation evergreen forests (EM) at 1000-2000 m and dry lowland forest (DL) at 1000 m. The three forest types with which these communities are associated are widespread and typical of northern Thailand and the diversity characteristics of each habitat are likely scalable to larger geographic areas. The transition from lowland DL through to upper montane MHE communities was generally characterised by increasing abundance, lower evenness (higher dominance), slower temporal turnover of community composition (relaxation of seasonality), longer periods of adult flight activity and rare species contributing less to species richness. Oriental biogeographic influences are strong at lower elevations but Palaearctic influences are increasingly important at higher elevations. The mixing of Oriental and Palaearctic elements in MHE forests is thought to explain the greater phylogenetic complexity at higher elevation (as measured by taxonomic distinctness).

Dolichocephala Macquart of Thailand (Diptera: Empididae: Clinocerinae).

Seven new species of Dolichocephala Macquart from Thailand are described (D. bicolor sp. nov., D. curvata sp. nov., D. immaculata sp. nov., D. incus sp. nov., D. longicerca sp. nov., D. srisukai sp. nov., D. thailandensis sp. nov.). A key to species is provided, distributions mapped and phenology and biogeography discussed.

Gondwanamyia, a new empidoid (Diptera) genus of uncertain placement.

A new minute-size empidoid fly genus, Gondwanamyiagen. n. and two new species (Gondwanamyia chilensis Cumming & Saigusa, sp. n., Gondwanamyia zealandica Sinclair & Brooks, sp. n.) are described, illustrated, and their distributions mapped. The family and subfamily assignments remain uncertain, but features of the female terminalia potentially suggest Trichopezinae (Brachystomatidae).

Diversity of Hemerodromia Meigen, 1822 (Diptera: Empididae) in Thailand, the tip of a tropical iceberg?

The genus Hemerodromia in Thailand is revised and full descriptions and keys are provided for all 25 species. Twenty new species are recognised: H. alphalutea sp. nov., H. anisoserrata sp. nov., H. anomala sp. nov., H. attenuata sp. nov., H betalutea sp. nov., H. conspecta sp. nov., H. deltalutea sp. nov., H. deminuta sp. nov., H. demissa sp. nov., H. epsilutea sp. nov., H. etalutea sp. nov., H. gammalutea sp. nov., H. isochita sp. nov., H. namtokhinpoon sp. nov., H. ocellata sp. nov., H. oriens sp. nov., H. phahompokensis sp. nov., H. songsee sp. nov., H. systoechon sp. nov. and H. zetalutea sp. nov. Five species known previously from China are recognised: H. acutata Grootaert, Yang & Saigusa, H. flaviventris Yang & Yang, H. furcata Grootaert, Yang & Saigusa, H. fusca Yang & Yang and H. yunnanensis Yang & Yang. Hemerodromia songsee sp. nov. and H. fusca Yang & Yang are also recorded from Vietnam. Distribution maps of all species are presented. Four categories of distribution patterns of apparently endemic species were identified in (1) the northern mountains (2) the northern lowlands (3) the south, and (4) east of Thailand. Some lowland species with wide distributions in eastern Asia were interpreted as 'old Oriental elements'. Other montane species have wide distributions extending between the Himalayas and southeast China. Three lowland species have an apparently obligate association with alkaline, mineralised water courses where tufa deposition was evident. Tufa-linked assemblages of Hemerodromia may indicate a previously unrecognised and potentially diverse habitat for aquatic Empididae in Southeast Asia. Major historical factors determining contemporary distribution patterns were analysed in reference to a Climate History Model (Plant et al. 2012) and included (i) latitudinal migrations in response to climatically induced changes in the distribution of habitat (ii) radiation of high-elevation endemics from more widespread lowland forms (iii) historical connectivity and fragmentation of hydrological networks with possible marooning of taxa in stable tufa spring systems (iv) persistence of lowland forms in climatically 'buffered' stream environments during progressive aridification. Analysis of sampling methodology concluded that hand collecting was 2,000X more efficient at collecting numbers of Hemerodromia with a species discovery rate 775X greater than that with passive trapping methods (Malaise, flight interception and pan traps etc.) although both approaches are needed for full assessment of species richness. Consideration of the climatic, ecological and biogeographic complexity of tropical Southeast Asia suggests that an extremely rich Hemerodromia fauna awaits discovery in the region.

Neotropical Hemerodromia Meigen (Diptera: Empididae), a world of discovery II: New species from Atlantic forest, Brazil.

Eight new species of Hemerodromia Meigen are described from the Brazilian Atlantic forest, H. brevicercata sp. nov., H. carioca sp. nov., H. cornuhypandrialis sp. nov., H. megalamellata sp. nov., H. membranosa sp. nov., H. mourai sp. nov., H. cummingi sp. nov., and H. ubajaraensis sp. nov. are described and illustrated. This is the first record of the genus from the Brazilian southeast and northeast.