Taxonomy of Soldier Flies (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) of Sunderban Biosphere Reserve,India

The present communication deals with recording of nine species of soldier flies (Insecta: Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from Sunderban Biosphere Reserve of India, of which, Tinda indica (Walker, 1851), Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758), Odontomyia kashmirensis Brunetti, 1920, Odontomyia viridana (Wiedemann, 1824), Prosopochrysa vitripennis (Doleschall, 1856) are being reported for the first time from this unique and globally acclaimed mangrove ecosystem. Odontomyia kashmirensis Brunetti, 1920 is reported for the first time from the state of West Bengal. A key to identify these species is provided with taxonomic notes.     

New and validated syntaxa for the checklist of Italian vegetation

We drew up a checklist of the Italian vegetation (http://www.prodromo-vegetazione-italia.org/), up to the syntaxonomical rank of alliance. During the compilation of this checklist, we observed that some syntaxa were invalidly published. For this reason, in this article we validated some syntaxa names and, at the same time, described new syntaxa of different hierarchical levels. Therefore, 10 new orders, 1 new suborder, 18 new alliances, 3 new suballiances and 5 new associations are described here. These new syntaxa belong to the following classes: Adiantetea capilli-veneris, Parietarietea judaicae, Thlaspietea rotundifolii, Artemisietea vulgaris, Stellarietea mediae, Galio aparines–Urticetea dioicae, Mulgedio alpini–Aconitetea variegati, Trifolio medii–Geranietea sanguinei, Festuco-Seslerietea, Salicetea herbaceae, Festuco valesiacae–Brometea erecti, Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, Cisto cretici–Micromerietea julianae, Rhamno catharticae–Prunetea spinosae, Salici purpureae–Populetea nigrae, Salicetea purpureae, Quercetea ilicis and Querco roboris–Fagetea sylvaticae.     

Additions to the Limoniidae and Pediciidae fauna of Morocco,with an updated checklist (Diptera,Tipuloidea)

Eighteen species of Limoniidae and two species of Pediciidae are recorded for the first time in Morocco, of which 15 species are new to North Africa. An updated checklist of Moroccan short-palped craneflies (Limoniidae and Pediciidae) is appended, containing 73 species in 25 genera.     

世界今生砂壳纤毛虫名录

砂壳纤毛虫隶属于纤毛门、旋毛纲、环毛亚纲、砂壳目.本文总结了自Kofoid和Campbell(1929)以来的分类学资料,参照Lynn(2008)的分类系统,整理成世界砂壳纤毛虫新名录.厘清砂壳纤毛虫共有15科69属954种,其中海洋种为15科69属925种,淡水种为3科5属29种.在所有属中,以拟铃虫属(Tintinnopsis包含物种最多,为137种,其中海洋种为118种.我国水体共记录有13科36属164种,海洋种13科36属144种,淡水种2科3属20种.除杯形铃壳虫(Codonella cratera)、湖泊领细壳虫(Stenosemella lacustris)、蜉蝣筒壳虫(Tintinnidium ephemeridum)、蝌蚪筒壳虫(Tintinnidium ranunculi)、半缘筒壳虫(Tintinnidium semiciliatum)、纺锤拟铃虫(Tintinnopsis fusiformis)、伊利诺拟铃虫(Tintinnopsis illinoisensis)、卵圆拟铃虫(Tintinnopsis ovalis)、圆柱拟铃虫(Tintinnopsis cylindrata)、这9个种外,其他淡水种在我国都有记录.该名录中,除了已有中文名的159种外,其余的种我们给出了中文译名,并将部分译为似铃虫属(Tintinnopsis)的中文名统一为拟铃虫属,部分译为麻铃虫属(Leprotintinnus)的中文名统一为薄铃虫属,将截短角口虫(Salpingella decurtata)改为截短号角虫,将冰生拟铃壳虫(Codonellopsis glacialis)改为冰生类铃虫.     

Grass Flies (Diptera,Chloropidae) of Crimean Peninsula

The fauna of grass flies (Diptera: Chloropidae) of the Crimean Peninsula is reviewed for the first time. The study is based on examination of the collection of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg), which includes the material collected in Crimea by the authors, the collections of the Zoological Museum of the M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University and V. I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University (Simferopol). The annotated list includes 92 species in 34 genera and three subfamilies. Most of the species (61) are recorded from Crimea for the first time. Six species, Chlorops horridus Becker, Ch. puncticornis Loew, Dicraeus (Oedesiella) beschovskii Nartshuk, Lasiosina chandleri Ismay, Meromyza meigeni Nartshuk and Oscinimorpha longirostris (Loew) are recorded for the first time from Russia and Eastern Europe. The characters for distinguishing Oscinimorpha arcuata Duda from O. longirostris (Loew), i.e., the structure of head and the male genitalia, are provided. The boreo-montane species Oscinella vastator (Curtis) and Meromyza curvinervis (Zetterstedt) are found on the Chatyrdag Mountain and Yaila (mostly forestless plateau in the Crimean Mountains). Species with southern European, Mediterranean and Macaronesian-Mediterranean ranges were recorded mostly on the South Coast of Crimea. The Crimean fauna of Chloropidae is compared with the faunas of Sardinia and Turkey.     

Morphological phylogeny of the variable fly family Stratiomyidae (Insecta,Diptera)

Brammer, C. A. & von Dohlen, C. D. (2010). Morphological phylogeny of the variable fly family Stratiomyidae (Insecta, Diptera). —Zoologica Scripta, 39, 363–377. Stratiomyidae is a dipteran family distributed worldwide and containing 2800 species classified into 12 subfamilies. Previous phylogenetic work on the Stratiomyidae consisted of a 20‐character morphological analysis of the subfamilies [ World Catalog of the Stratiomyidae (Insect: Diptera). Leiden: Backhuys Publishers, 2001 ], and a molecular study using 69 taxa and two gene regions [ Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 43, 2007, 660 ]. In this study, we present an expanded morphological cladistic analysis using 92 characters and 80 taxa, representing 36 of 39 described genera and all 12 Stratiomyidae subfamilies, as well as Xylomyidae and Pantophthalmidae outgroups. Data are analysed under maximum parsimony with all characters unordered and weighted equally; nodal support is assessed with the bootstrap and Bremer index. The strict consensus of all shortest trees is well resolved, and many of the deeper nodes are supported, although the root is ambiguous. Antissinae, Stratiomyinae, Sarginae and the diverse Clitellariinae are not monophyletic. Clitellariinae are positioned across several lineages, with most species grouped into a single, unsupported clade. Many of the well‐supported relationships are consistent with several aspects of the previous studies. The position of Exodontha remains elusive. Character support for subfamilies and other major clades is discussed.     

The structure of the cephalic foregut of Neopachygaster (Diptera, Stratiomyidae, Pachygasterinae)

The cephalic portion of the foregut of Neopachygaster is clearly subdivided into the pharynx and oesophagus. The precerebral pharynx is transformed into a well-developed anterior pharyngeal pump with two unpaired dilators and an intrinsic layer of the muscle fibers. There are two pairs of the posterior pharyngeal dilators, attached to the pharynx just behind the brain. According to these features, the pharynx of Neopachygaster has the most plesiomorphic structure among all the members of Stratiomyidae studied so far.     

Review of the spore-feeding Idolothripinae from China (Thysanoptera,Phlaeothripidae)

An illustrated key is provided to the 19 genera of the subfamily Idolothripinae from China, and a checklist given to 62 named species, of which six species are newly recorded from China, together with the genus Bolothrips that is represented by two un-named species. A generic diagnosis is given for each genus, along with some discussion of systematic relationship problems and species diversity. Identification keys to species of 11 genera are provided, and Megathrips antennatus Guo, Feng & Duan is considered as a new synonymof Megathrips lativentris (Heeger).     

Two new species of Oxycera (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) from Ningxia, China

Two new speices, Oxycera rozkosnyisp. n. and Oxycera ningxiaensissp. n., are described from Liupanshan Nature Reserve, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Northwest China. All essential diagnostic characters are figured and possible relationships of both taxa are briefly discussed, and a new key to species of Oxycera from China. The type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang (GUGC).     

The Tipulidae (Diptera) of northern Morocco with a focus on the Rif region,including the description of a new species of Tipula (Lunatipula) and an updated checklist for Morocco

An overview of the Tipulidae known to occur in northern Morocco with an emphasis on the Rif mountains is given, incorporating new distribution data based on recently collected material in the area. Dolichopeza (Dolichopeza) hispanica, Tipula (Lunatipula) subpustulata, and Tipula (Yamatotipula) afriberia afriberia are recorded for the first time for the Rif. Tipula (L.) stimulosa Mannheims, 1973 and T. (Vestiplex) vaillanti vaillanti Theowald, 1977 are reported for the first time for the Rif and Morocco. Tipula (Lunatipula) pseudocinerascens Strobl, 1906 and Tipula (Savtshenkia) confusa van der Wulp, 1883 are recorded for the first time for the Rif, Morocco and North Africa. A new species of the subgenus Lunatipula, T. (L.) pjotri n. sp., is described and illustrated. Nephrotoma exastigma, previously reported for the Rif, seems to be absent in Morocco. Reports of Tipula (Emodotipula) obscuriventris Strobl, 1900 for Morocco actually refer to T. (E.) leo. This brings the number of Tipulidae for Morocco to 39 species and for the Rif to 28. An updated checklist of the Tipulidae of Morocco is provided.     

Morphological identification of Lucilia sericata,Lucilia cuprina and their hybrids (Diptera,Calliphoridae)

Hybrids of Lucilia sericata and Lucilia cuprina have been shown to exist in previous studies using molecular methods, but no study has shown explicitly that these hybrids can be identified morphologically. Published morphological characters used to identify L. sericata and L. cuprina were reviewed, and then scored and tested using specimens of both species and known hybrids. Ordination by multi-dimensional scaling indicated that the species were separable, and that hybrids resembled L. cuprina, whatever their origin. Discriminant function analysis of the characters successfully separated the specimens into three unambiguous groups – L. sericata, L. cuprina and hybrids. The hybrids were morphologically similar irrespective of whether they were from an ancient introgressed lineage or more modern. This is the first evidence that hybrids of these two species can be identified from their morphology. The usefulness of the morphological characters is also discussed and photographs of several characters are included to facilitate their assessment.     

An annotated checklist of the planthoppers of Iran (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Fulgoromorpha) with distribution data

A list of Hemiptera Fulgoromorpha (planthoppers) of Iran is provided, based primarily on literature records from 1902 to the present. In total 15 families and 235 species are recorded, with taxonomic details. Distribution data in Iran are given. Iranissus ephedrinus Dlabola, 1980 is transferred from Issidae to Nogodinidae. To resolve nomenclatural difficulty the following new combinations in Issidae are given: Iranodus dumetorus (Dlabola, 1981), Iranodus khatunus (Dlabola, 1981) and Iranodus repandus (Dlabola, 1981). Due to published generic synonomy the following are new combinations: Duilius seticulosus (Lethierry, 1874), Duilius tamaricis (Puton & Lethierry, 1887), Duilius tamaricicola (Dubovsky, 1966) and Duilius v-atrum (Dlabola, 1985).     

The character of soldier fly distribution (Diptera,Stratiomyidae) in Eastern Europe

A total of 81 soldier fly species (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) belonging to 4 subfamilies occur in Eastern Europe (the East European Plain and Ciscaucasia). This fauna is compared to that of Western Europe and the chorological analysis of species found in Eastern Europe is given. According to the type of the geographic range, 13 species-groups and several subgroups were distinguished. Northern range borders in Eastern Europe and eastern borders of distribution of some species are discussed. The ratio between different subfamilies in the number of species in different parts of the territory under study is demonstrated.     

Annotated checklist of Iranian Hydrophilidae (Coleoptera: Polyphaga: Hydrophiloidea)

This checklist comprises all species of Hydrophilidae (Coleoptera: Hydrophiloidea) quoted in the literature referring to Iran and confirmed by our study. In total, 104 species within 17 genera and five subfamilies, Hydrophilinae (eight genera, 63 species), Chaetarthriinae (three genera, five species), Enochrinae (single genus, 20 species), Acidocerinae (single genus, three species) and Sphaeridiinae (four genera, 13 species), are listed for the fauna of Iran. Three species are endemic; four species are recorded here for the first time from Iran, and nine species are excluded from Iranian fauna.     

中国距水虻属六新种(双翅目:水虻科)

记述中国距水虻属Allognosta Meigen 6新种,即保山距水虻 A.baoshana,sp.nov.,红河距水虻A.honghensis,sp.nov.,金平距水虻A.jinpingensis,sp.nov.,单斑距水虻A singularis,sp.nov.,腾冲距水虻A.tengchongana,sp.n...     

中国星水虻属三新种(双翅目:水虻科)

@@ 本文记述中国星水虻属3新种,即双斑星水虻Actina bimaculata,sp.nov.,三斑星水虻A trimaculata,sp.nov.和单斑星水虻A unimaculata,sp.nov..模式标本保存在中国农业大学昆虫博物馆.     

An annotated checklist of sea snakes of Vietnam, with notes on a new record of the yellow-lipped sea krait, Laticauda colubrina (Schneider, 1799) (Laticaudidae, Hydrophiidae)

The yellow-lipped sea krait, Laticauda colubrina (Schneider, 1799), is recorded in the waters of Vietnam for the second time. The morphological characteristics of this species are described. Identification keys, a checklist, and distribution data for sea snakes of Vietnam are provided, proceeding from museum collections and extensive analysis of the available literature. Thalassophis anomalus P. Schmidt, 1852 and Leioselasma melanocephala (Gray, 1849) are registered for the first time for Vietnamese waters.     

Syntomoza matagalpensis,a New Moth-Fly from Nicaragua (Diptera,Psychodidae)

A new species of Psychodidae, Syntomoza matagalpensis from Nicaragua is described. Morphology of both male and female and notes on their biology are offered.