Faunistic and bibliographical inventory of the Psychodinae moth-flies of North Africa (Diptera,Psychodidae)

All published records for the 49 species of moth flies known from North Africa are reviewed and discussed: Morocco (27 species), Algeria (33 species), Tunisia (18 species) and Egypt (five species). In addition, records of seven species of Psychodinae new to the fauna of Morocco are added, of which three are new mentions for North Africa (Table ​(Table1)1) and one is a new record for Egypt. Telmatoscopus squamifer Tonnoir, 1922 is transferred to the genus Iranotelmatoscopus Ježek, 1987, comb. n. Satchelliella reghayana Boumezzough & Vaillant, 1987 is transferred to the genus Pneumia Enderlein, 1935, comb. n. Pneumia aberrans Tonnoir, 1922 is transferred to the subgenus Logima.

Table 1.

Species (in alphabetical order) of Psychodinae known from the North African countries. Libya has been omitted because no information exists in the literature from Libya.

Phlebotominae and Trichomyiinae (Diptera: Psychodidae) diversity in a tropical dry forest of central Mexico: a comparison of conserved and anthropized habitats

We recorded and analyzed the diversity of Phlebotominae and Trichomyiinae in two types of landscape (conserved and anthropized) over the course of three seasons (rainy, cold and dry) in southwestern Puebla, Mexico. A total of 578 specimens belonging to five genera and 10 species were obtained. Phlebotominae was represented by eight species, six of them new records for the state of Puebla, and for Trichomyiinae two species were recorded in the state of Puebla for the first time. There were eight species in the anthropized area and 10 species were recorded in the conservation area. The abundance of both subfamilies was high in the conservation area, representing 83.6% of the total sample, whereas in the anthropized area only 16.4% of the total sample was recorded. Eight species were found during the rainy and dry seasons, and seven species during the cold season. Abundance was highest in the dry season (76.30%), and lowest in the rainy season (5.9%). This kind of information is useful for understanding the transmission patterns of visceral leishmaniasis – endemic to central Mexico – by phlebotomine sand flies.     

Proposals for a stable classification of the Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Abstract. A practical system of classification and nomenclature for the Phlebotomine sandflies of the world is suggested, in the light of a re-examination of the early taxonomic literature and a critical appraisal of recent studies. A stable and simple classification of the sandflies as the subfamily Phlebotominae, family Psychodidae, is given, in which are recognized only five genera but a larger number of subgenera, species groups and lesser, informal, categories.
The various groupings, many of which are discussed, are considered to form a stable general framework with flexible subdivisions into which recent and future ideas may be assimilated. The system should cause minimum confusion and give maximum ease of data-retrieval to taxonomists and other scientists concerned with the classification of sandflies for pure or applied purposes.     

Description of the female of Evandromyia rupicola (Martins, Godoy & Silva) with a review of the rupicola series (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

The rupicola series was proposed initially for Evandromyia rupicola (Martins et al) and Evandromyia correalimai (Martins et al), and recently extended with the inclusion of Evandromyia gaucha Andrade-Filho et al and Evandromyia grimaldii Andrade-Filho et al. The female of E. rupicola is here described and illustrated for the first time and its male is redescribed and drawn on the basis of specimens captured in forest on the coast of the state of S?o Paulo, Brazil. The head and genitalia of both sexes of E. correalimai are also illustrated. The distinctive traits among females of the four species and of males of E. rupicola, E. correalimai and E. grimaldii, and the distribution range of these species are commented.     

A review of the West Palaearctic aphidiines (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) parasitic on Uroleucon spp., with the description of a new species

A review of aphidiine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitizing the Uroleucon species in the West Palaearctic is presented. Eleven species are keyed and illustrated. In addition, a new hymenopteran parasitoid species: Praon nonveilleri n. sp. from Uroleucon inulicola (Hille Ris Lambers) infesting Inula ensifolia L., is described. The new species is diagnosed and illustrated. It belongs to the “dorsale-yomenaé” species group and was collected from the Djetinja canyon in Serbia and Montenegro. The aphidiines presented in this work were identified from 97 aphid taxons occurring on 236 plant taxons. Furthermore, 361 original parasitoid – host aphid – host plant associations of the species mentioned in the key are presented. Finally, phylogenetic relationships inside the “dorsale-yomenae” species group and related species were reconstructed using cladistic distance methods.     

Malformations of the genitalia in male Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Phlebotomus papatasi ( Scopoli, 1786 ) (Diptera: Psychodidae) is a major vector of Leishmania major (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), a causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. Morphological characters of sand fly genitalia are key indicators for species identification. Various anomalies affecting male genitalia have been previously described. We take advantage of a large sand flies survey conducted in 32 stations in Central and Southern Morocco to systematically quantify the prevalence and spatial distribution of malformations affecting the genitalia of P. papatasi. Among 597 examined males, 122 were abnormal (20.4%). Malformations were widespread and largely concerned the number of spines in the lateral lobes and in the styles. Asymmetrical anomalies in lateral lobes were common. Correspondence analysis of our results highlighted the symmetrical anomalies observed in the lateral lobes, and abnormal styles of the male genitalia were found to be associated with environmental disturbances since they were prevalent in sewage dumps.     

How to increase the population of a Phlebotomus perniciosus (Diptera: Psychodidae) colony: a new method

The sandfly Phlebotomus perniciosus is the most widespread vector of Leishmania infantum in Spain. Laboratory colonisation represents the most feasible source of information on the biology of these insects, but in conducting any study, the density of individuals in the colony may drop to such an extent that it is sometimes difficult to recover the initial population levels. A new technique was tested for the recovery of sandfly eggs in three different colonies; the recovery rate was studied by comparing the standard method of mass rearing with this new method of colony management. The results demonstrate a mean increase of 18.4% in adult production, a growth in colony productivity that justifies the inclusion of this process in the routine maintenance of any colony of sandflies.     

Male and female association in Trichomyia Haliday in Curtis, 1839 using a molecular approach (Diptera,Psychodidae, Trichomyiinae), and description of new species from Brazil

A new species of Trichomyia from the state of Bahia, Brazil, is described and illustrated, and male and female are associated using DNA barcoding. Additionally, fragments of the COI of two other species, Trichomyia cerdosa Araújo & Bravo, 2016 and Trichomyia ituberensis Araújo & Bravo, 2016, and the females of two unidentified species, are sequenced.     

Description of the female of Sciopemyia servulolimai (Damasceno & Causey) (Diptera: Psychodidae)

The female of Sciopemyia servulolimai (Damasceno & Causey), based on three specimens captured during an epidemiological research project in the state of Cear , Brazil, is described and illustrated for the first time.     

Wing geometry as a tool for studying the Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae) complex

Toro Toro (T) and Yungas (Y) have been described as genetically well differentiated populations of the Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) complex in Bolivia. Here we use geometric morphometrics to compare samples from these populations and new populations (Bolivia and Nicaragua), representing distant geographical origins, qualitative morphological variation ("one-spot" or "two-spots" phenotypes), ecologically distinct traits (peridomestic and silvatic populations), and possibly different epidemiological roles (transmitting or nor transmitting Leishmania chagasi). The Nicaragua (N) (Somotillo) sample was "one-spot" phenotype and a possible peridomestic vector. The Bolivian sample of the Y was also "one-spot" phenotype and a demonstrated peridomestic vector of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The three remaining samples were silvatic, "two-spots" phenotypes. Two of them (Uyuni and T) were collected in the highlands of Bolivian where VL never has been reported. The last one (Robore, R) came from the lowlands of Bolivia, where human cases of VL are sporadically reported. The decomposition of metric variation into size and shape by geometric morphometric techniques suggests the existence of two groups (N/Y/R, and U/T). Several arguments indicate that such subdivision of Lu. longipalpis could correspond to different evolutionary units.     

A revision of the western Palaearctic species of Urophora Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract A key is provided to twenty-four western Palaearctic species of Urophora Robineau-Desvoidy. The hosts of twenty-three species which attack Asteraceae are listed, including those being used or investigated as possible weed biocontrol agents. The species are divided into four species groups and the differing host relationships and types of galls induced by these groups are discussed. U.lopholomae sp.n. and U.affinis ssp. calcitrapae ssp.n., associated with Centaurea (Lopholoma) spp. and C. (Calcitrapa) spp. respectively, are described. U. algerica (Hering) and U.sjumorum (Rohdendorf) are both treated as subspecies of U. quadrifasciata (Meigen). U.pontica is given full specific status and U.hispanica is removed from synonymy. The following new synonymies are made (junior synonyms in parentheses): U. angustifascia (Hering) (= Euribia phaeocera Hering); U. cardui (Linnaeus) (= U. reaumurii Robineau-Desvoidy, lectotype designated); U. jaceana (Hering) (= E.conyzae Hering); U.maura (Frauenfeld) (= E. tecta Hering); U. mauritanica Macquart (= U. lejura Rondani, Trypeta macrura Loew); U.solstitialis (Linnaeus) (= E.sonderupi Hering, U. veruata Rondani ); U.stylata (Fabricius) (= E.pia Hering, U. vulcaanica Rondani); U. terebrans (Loew) (= E. approximata Hering, T. eriolepidis Loew, E. manni Hendel). The possibility that U. quadrifasciata is a species complex is discussed; it is also suggested that U.affinis and U.jaceana represent the morphological extremes of a complex. The misuse of the name Musca stylata Fabricius in the genus Myopites Blot is noted.     

Contributions to the knowledge of the fauna of Palaearctic Latridiidae (Coleoptera)

A new species, Dienerella kerzhneri, was described from Kazakhstan. Four species are recorded from new localities: Enicmus atriceps Hansen (recorded from Belarus), Melanophthalma sericea (Mann.) and Migneauxia crassiuscula (Aubé) (the Ukraine), and Corticarina obfuscata Strand (the Caucasus).