A revision of the genus Trixa Meigen （Diptera： Tachinidae）

The genus Trixa Meigen, 1824 is revised. Dexiotrix Villeneuve, 1936 and Trixella Mesnil, 1980, each of which was sometimes treated as a distinct genus, are treated as junior synonyms of Trixa Meigen. Two species from Sichuan and Yunnan, China, are described as new to science, viz. Trixa chinensis sp. nov. and T. chaoi sp. nov. T. alpina Meigen is treated as a junior synonym of T. caerulescens Meigen. T. nox (Shima) and T.pubiseta (Mesnil) are newly recorded from China. Males of T. pubiseta (Mesnil) and T.longipensis (Villeneuve) are described for the first time. Diagnoses, figures and a key to twelve species in Trixa are given.     

Phylogenetic relationships of subgenera of the genus Exorista Meigen,with a revision of the Japanese species (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Phylogenetic relationships of the subgenera of Exorista Meigen (Diptera: Tachinidae) are inferred from morphological data. Our results show that the genus Exorista is not monophyletic and that members of the subgenus Spixomyia Crosskey are divided into two clades. Each subgenus is redefined based on male and female morphological features. The Japanese species of Exorista are revised and classified into five subgenera: Adenia Robineau‐Desvoidy, Exorista Meigen, Podotachina Brauer and Bergenstamm, Ptilotachina Brauer and Bergenstamm, and Spixomyia Crosskey. Thirteen species are recognized, including two newly recorded species, Exorista (Adenia) cuneata Herting and Exorista (Spixomyia) lepis Chao. Exorista cantans Mesnil is transferred to the subgenus Podotachina from Spixomyia.     

Structure and evolution of the mitochondrial genome of Exorista sorbillans: the Tachinidae (Diptera: Calyptratae) perspective

The first complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Tachinidae Exorista sorbillans (Diptera) is sequenced by PCR-based approach. The circular mitogenome is 14,960?bp long and has the representative mitochondrial gene (mt gene) organization and order of Diptera. All protein-coding sequences are initiated with ATN codon; however, the only exception is Cox I gene, which has a 4-bp ATCG putative start codon. Ten of the thirteen protein-coding genes have a complete termination codon (TAA), but the rest are seated on the H strand with incomplete codons. The mitogenome of E. sorbillans is biased toward A+T content at 78.4?%, and the strand-specific bias is in reflection of the third codon positions of mt genes, and their T/C ratios as strand indictor are higher on the H strand more than those on the L strand pointing at any strain of seven Diptera flies. The length of the A+T-rich region of E. sorbillans is 106?bp, including a tandem triple copies of a13-bp fragment. Compared to Haematobia irritans, E. sorbillans holds distant relationship with Drosophila. Phylogenetic topologies based on the amino acid sequences, supporting that E. sorbillans (Tachinidae) is clustered with strains of Calliphoridae and Oestridae, and superfamily Oestroidea are polyphyletic groups with Muscidae in a clade.     

Revision of the subgenus Ceranthia Robineau-Desvoidy of the genus Siphona Meigen of Japan (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Japanese species of the subgenus Ceranthia Robineau‐Desvoidy are revised. Five species are recognized in Japan, three of which are described as new to science: Siphona (Ceranthia) angusta, S. (C.) nigra and S. (C.) setigera. A key to Japanese species is provided and male terminalia are illustrated. Monophyly of this group is discussed.     

In vitro rearing of the parasitoid Exorista larvarum (Diptera: Tachinidae) from eggs laid out of host

We evaluated the possibility of using the eggs laid out of host to rear Exorista larvarum (L.) (Diptera: Tachinidae), a larval parasitoid of Lepidoptera, on artificial media. In a first experiment, eggs oviposited on a plastic sheet (either by inexperienced or experienced females) showed the same in vitro hatching capability as those removed from the larvae of the factitious host Galleria mellonella L. Subsequently, eggs laid on the host integument or out of host, either by inexperienced or experienced females, were removed from the oviposition substrate and placed on a skimmed milkbased artificial medium. The percentages of hatched eggs, of puparia and adults, as well as the puparial weights did not differ significantly among the three treatments. These findings suggested that E. larvarum may be successfully reared in vitro with a total exclusion of the host insect. In a further test, no difference for the in vitro hatching time was found between the eggs oviposited either on a plastic sheet or on G. mellonella larvae in the same length of time (60 min). This result suggested that at oviposition the out-of-host eggs were unincubated, similarly to those that had been laid on the host larvae.     

Learning in the Generalist Tachinid Parasitoid Exorista Mella Walker (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Many parasitoids have been shown to learn visual and/or olfactory cues associated with hosts. In contrast to the Hymenoptera, learning in dipteran parasitoids is relatively unstudied. This study explores the ability of a polyphagous tachinid, Exorista mella, to learn to associate visual and olfactory cues with hosts. In an experiment involving colored host models, flies trained on models of one color were subsequently attracted more strongly to models of the color that they had not experienced. The unsuitability of these models as hosts suggested that the flies may have engaged in avoidance learning. Flies demonstrated the ability to learn to associate colored disks with hosts. A separate experiment demonstrated that flies responded to volatile plant compounds but failed to find evidence for odor learning. Learning of host-associated cues by E. mella may allow this generalist parasitoid to take advantage of locally abundant host populations and maintain host-searching efficiency in an environment.     

The genus Campylocheta (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Japan

Seven new species of Campylocheta are described and illustrated from Japan: abdominalis from Hokkaido, Honshu and Kyushu, flaviceps from Honshu and Tsushima, grisea from Kyushu, argenticeps from Honshu, bisetosa from Hokkaido and Honshu, hirticeps from Hokkaido, Honshu and Tsushima, and suwai from Hokkaido. Campylocheta dentifera Richter and C. umbrinervis Mesnil are redescribed and a key to nine Japanese species is provided.     

Morphological phylogeny and classification of Winthemiini (Diptera: Tachinidae: Exoristinae)

Winthemiini is a worldwide tribe in the subfamily Exoristinae (Diptera: Tachinidae) with 200 species in 16 genera. We confirm the monophyly of Winthemiini and examine relationships among the constituent genera based on a parsimonious analysis of adult morphological characters for 53 species representing 12 out of 16 currently recognized Winthemiini genera. As a result, Winthemiini is divided into three major clades, with relationships as follows: ((Rhaphiochaeta [Ossidingia, Nemorilla]) ((Hemisturmia [Avibrissosturmia, Triodontopyga]) ([Smidtia, Winthemia])). A revised classification system for Winthemiini is proposed, recognizing 12 genera. Four new synonymies are proposed – Diotrephes and Chesippus as junior synonyms of Smidtia, and Hemisturmiella and Parachetolyga as junior synonyms of Winthemia – along with four new combinations: Winthemia brasiliana (Guimarães) comb.n. , W. metopia (Bischof) comb.n. , Smidtia atriventris (Walker) comb.n. , and S. notialis (Reinhard) comb.n.     

Reproductive biology of the microtype tachinid fly Zenillia dolosa (Meigen) (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Reproductive biology including mating, adult longevity, fecundity and development of the tachinid fly Zenillia dolosa was investigated for optimizing rearing procedures using Mythimna separata as a host in the laboratory. Females lay microtype eggs containing a first instar larva on food plants of the host and then the eggs must be ingested by the host for parasitization. Mating success was 58.5% with mating duration of 80.7 min. Mating was most successful when day 0–1 females were kept with day 2–4 male flies. Female body size was positively correlated with its fecundity but not with longevity. However, females that survived longer produced more eggs during their lifetime. Parasitoids successfully developed in 4th to 6th instar host larvae. Host instars at the time of parasitoid egg ingestion significantly influenced development time of the immature parasitoid, but did not affect body size of the emerging parasitoid. We suggest that pairing newly emerged females with day 2–4 males should result in higher mating success and using the last instar hosts for parasitization should minimize development time of the parasitoid for rearing.     

A simplified artificial medium for the in vitro rearing of Exorista larvarum (Diptera: Tachinidae)

The standard artificial medium for the parasitoid Exorista larvarum, composed of skimmed milk, yeast extract, egg yolk, sucrose and gentamicin, was simplified by deleting sucrose. Fecund adults were obtained on both the standard and the simplified medium. No difference was found between them for any of the developmental parameters examined.     

Molecular phylogeny of the plant pathogenic genus Botrytis and the evolution of host specificity

The cosmopolitan genus Botrytis contains 22 recognized species and one hybrid. The current classification is largely based on morphological characters and, to a minor extent, on physiology and host range. In this study, a classification of the genus was constructed based on DNA sequence data of three nuclear protein-coding genes (RPB2, G3PDH, and HSP60) and compared with the traditional classification. Sexual reproduction and the host range, important fitness traits, were traced in the tree and used for the identification of major evolutionary events during speciation. The phylogenetic analysis corroborated the classical species delineation. In addition, the hybrid status of B. allii (B. byssoidea x B. aclada) was confirmed. Both individual gene trees and combined trees show that the genus Botrytis can be divided into two clades, radiating after the separation of Botrytis from other Sclerotiniaceae genera. Clade 1 contains four species that all colonize exclusively eudicot hosts, whereas clade 2 contains 18 species that are pathogenic on either eudicot (3) or monocot (15) hosts. A comparison of Botrytis and angiosperm phylogenies shows that cospeciation of pathogens and their hosts have not occurred during their respective evolution. Rather, we propose that host shifts have occurred during Botrytis speciation, possibly by the acquisition of novel pathogenicity factors. Loss of sexual reproduction has occurred at least three times and is supposed to be a consequence of negative selection.     

Taxonomy of the genus Scathophaga Meigen (Diptera: Scathophagidae) in Korea

Three species of the genus Scathophaga–S. mellipes (Coquillet), S. scybalaria (Linnaeus) and S. stercoraria (Linnaeus) – are treated in this study. Of these, S. scybalaria (Linnaeus) is reported for the first time from Korea. A key to the Korean species, their domestic localities and some illustrations are given.     

中国瑟寄蝇属种类纪要（双翅目：寄蝇科）

研究了我国蜗寄蝇族瑟寄蝇属Cyrtophleba(双翅目:寄蝇科)2种,其中茹瑟寄蝇Cyrtophleba ruricola 分布于辽宁,山西,宁夏,新疆;变瑟寄蝇Cyrtophleba vernalis为中国新记录种,分布于辽宁。给出了上述2种的鉴别特征及变瑟寄蝇头和雄性尾器的特征图。研究标本分别保存于沈阳师范大学昆虫标本室(SYNU),中国科学院动物研究所(IZCAS)和国家林业局森林病虫害防治总站(GSFPM)。     

伞裙追寄蝇和双斑截尾寄蝇对草地螟的寄生特性

为认识寄生蝇对草地螟Loxostege sticticalis L.的寄生特性,调查了河北康保田间两种寄生蝇——伞裙追寄蝇Exorista civilis Rondani和双斑截尾寄蝇Nemorilla maculosa Meigen对草地螟各龄幼虫的寄生率、寄生部位及着卵量,并通过室内饲养对寄生蝇的存活率与寄主龄期、着卵部位及着卵量的关系进行了研究。结果表明： 两种寄生蝇在田间主要寄生草地螟5龄幼虫;寄生蝇可在每头寄主幼虫上着1～8粒卵不等,其中以1粒的居多（45.3%）,2粒的次之（33.6%）,但1头寄主幼虫中仅能羽化出1头寄生蝇;寄生蝇以寄生寄主幼虫头部和胸部较多,腹部较少,并且以寄生侧面居多,背面次之,腹面最少。寄生蝇的存活与寄主幼虫着卵量之间呈相关关系,在着卵量为1粒的寄主幼虫中,寄生蝇的存活率仅为66.7%,在着卵量为2粒及以上的寄主幼虫中,单头幼虫羽化出寄生蝇的比例为100%。     

寄生取食Cry1Ab杀虫蛋白的粘虫幼虫对伞裙追寄蝇寄生率及生长发育的影响

【Aim】 To demonstrate the effect of transgenic Bt-crop on the bionomics of the tachinid fly Exorista civilis Rondani, the parasitism rate and life history parameters of E. civilis developed from larvae of the oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker), fed on artificial diets with Cry1Ab toxin were investigated in laboratory. 【Methods】 M. separata larvae were fed on diets containing 0, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5 and 25 μg/g of Cry1Ab toxin, respectively, and used as the host for E. civilis. The parameters related to the parasitism and the growth and development of E. civilis on the host were observed and recorded. 【Results】 The results showed that the parasitism rate and fecundity of the fly on M. separata larvae feeding on diets containing various doses of Cry1Ab protein were insignificantly different (P≥0.05), suggesting that host selective behavior of the E. civilis is not affected by the dose of Bt-toxin in the caterpillar. The developmental period (egg-larva, pupa, adult oviposition and generation), emergence rate, sex ratio, and fecundity of E. civilis developed from M. separata larvae treated by various concentrations of Cry1Ab toxin were insignificantly different (P≥0.05). However, the survival rate of the maggots in the host feeding on diet containing 3.125 μg/g of Cry1Ab toxin was significantly greater than that of the control and the rest treatments (P<0.05), while insignificantly different among the remained 4 treatments (P≥0.05). The pupal weight significantly declined as the concentration of Cry1Ab toxin fed by their hosts increased (P<0.05). The pupal weight in the control group was 49.8 mg, while that in treatment groups of 6.25 and 25 μg/g Cry1Ab toxin was only 41.0 and 36.7 mg, respectively. 【Conclusion】 These results indicate that parasitizing host M. separata larvae fed with Cry1Ab toxin has no dramatically negative effect on parasitoid E. civilis. This study provides a basis for the evaluation of the risk of transgenic Bt-crops on the tachinid parasitoids in fields.     

Molecular phylogenetics and piercer evolution in the bug‐killing flies (Diptera: Tachinidae: Phasiinae)

Phasiinae (Diptera: Tachinidae) are endoparasitoid flies that attack Heteroptera, including a multitude of agricultural pests. A phylogenetically informed classification of Phasiinae has eluded systematists for over a century, primarily because of the conflicting character states and confusing morphology of certain taxa that indicate potential placement within other subfamilies. The unstable nature of phasiine taxonomy discourages important research into their classification, life history and potential use in biological control. In hopes of resolving several longstanding taxonomic debates and encouraging future research into this important group of parasitoids, the first molecular systematic analysis of Phasiinae is presented, including 128 worldwide taxa (80 genera) and approximately 7.6 kb of nuclear data representing four genes. Special emphasis is placed on the resolution of taxonomically ambiguous groups. The resulting robustly supported phylogenetic trees [maximum‐likelihood (ML)/Bayesian] were used to trace the evolution of significant adaptive traits within Tachinidae and test hypotheses about the classification of Phasiinae. Subfamily placements of certain taxa are confidently resolved including Eutherini, Epigrimyiini, Litophasia Girschner within Dexiinae, and Strongygastrini and Parerigonini within Phasiinae. The members of tribe Phasiini are redistributed: Cistogaster Latreille, Clytiomya Rondani, Ectophasia Townsend, Eliozeta Rondani and Euclytia Townsend transferred to Gymnosomatini; Opesia Robineau‐Desvoidy to Strongygastrini; and Xysta Meigen to Xystini. Similarly, members of Parerigonini are treated as belonging to Parerigonini (Parerigone Brauer, Zambesomima Walker), Cylindromyiini (Australotachina Curran, Pygidimyia Crosskey, Neobrachelia Townsend) or new tribe Zitini (Zita Curran, Leverella Baranov). Penthosia van der Wulp is transferred from Cylindromyiini to Hermyini. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that piercing structures used to insert eggs directly into host tissues have evolved separately in a number of groups, but have also been lost or reduced in several lineages. A single potentially unequivocal morphological synapomorphy of Phasiinae, an elongated medial plate of the hypandrium in males, is identified. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8BE75122‐FC7C‐4809‐AAF7‐19575596EF78 .     

Molecular phylogeny and evolution of host-plant use in conifer seed chalcids in the genus Megastigmus (Hymenoptera: Torymidae)

Abstract. Phylogenetic relationships amongst Megastigmus species (Chalcidoidea: Torymidae) associated with conifer seeds were inferred from DNA sequence data. Twenty‐nine species of seed chalcids were analysed using two different genes, cytochrome b (mitochondrial DNA) and the D2 domain of the 28S ribosomal DNA. Maximum‐parsimony and maximum‐likelihood analyses showed that taxa formed two monophyletic groups, one clade comprising all species associated with Cupressaceae and Taxodiaceae hosts with the exception of Chamaecyparis, and the other clade composed of species associated with Pinaceae. Species infesting Cupressaceae and Taxodiaceae seemed to be specialized to particular host genera or even to be species specific, which was consistent with a taxonomic radiation following initial host adaptation. By contrast, Megastigmus species associated with Pinaceae appeared capable of shifting onto different congeneric species or even onto a new host genus, with their evolution apparently less constrained by plant association. We hypothesized that the Megastigmus group associated with Pinaceae may have a much higher invasive potential than that related to Cupressaceae. The study also confirmed the presence of invasive Nearctic species in the Palaearctic, and demonstrated the existence of a cryptic species complex.     

Molecular phylogeny and timing of evolution of Anthomyza and related genera (Diptera: Anthomyzidae)

Phylogenetic hypotheses of the relationships of Diptera: Anthomyzidae (61 taxa) are discussed with special reference to the genera Fungomyza Rohá?ek, 1999, Anthomyza Fallén, 1810, Epischnomyia Rohá?ek, 2006 and Arganthomyza Rohá?ek, 2009 based on the analysis of 7 combined mitochondrial + nuclear gene markers in comparison with results of the most recent cladistic analysis of morphological characters. The majority of revealed inter‐ and intrageneric relationships of these genera in both analyses were largely congruent except for the topology of Fungomyza and Arganthomyza being equivocal because of different topologies in phylograms generated by alternative molecular methods and Epischnomyia forming a branch within Anthomyza in the molecular data hypothesis. The formerly unsettled Anthomyza drachma proved to be the sister species of the A. umbrosa group while the affinity of A. flavosterna to the A. bellatrix group has not been confirmed. The first phylogenetic hypothesis of Anthomyzinae to include timing of the nodes of divergence is presented. The origin of the subfamily is dated into the Eocene, ca 37.5 (30.6 – 45.3) MYA, and agrees with the age of the oldest known fossils from Baltic amber. The analysed members of the Anthomyza group of genera were found to have already evolved in the upper Oligocene. The divergences of the Palaearctic and Nearctic sister species in Arganthomyza and Anthomyza were found to occur at several different times during the Neogene (upper Miocene) to lower Quaternary (Pleistocene), from about 7 to 0.7 MYA. These were likely the result of fragmentation of widespread (Holarctic or Sino‐Japanese–Nearctic) ranges of ancestral taxa by vicariance events that were, in turn, caused by multiple interruptions of Beringia Land Bridges or cooling of climate and seem to be consistent with the times of multiple disjunctions of the flora.     

中国突颜寄蝇亚科一新纪录属及一新纪录种（双翅目：寄蝇科）

记述中国产突颜寄蝇亚科1新纪录属:亚美寄蝇属Subclytia Pandellé,1894及1新纪录种,圆腹亚美寄蝇S.rotundiventris(Fallén,1820)。标本保存于沈阳师范大学昆虫标本馆(SYNU)。