A key to Neodohrniphora (Diptera: Phoridae), parasites of leaf-cutter ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

A key to the females of Neodohrniphora Malloch is provided. A species referred to as Apocephalus sp. by Eibl-Eibesfeldt and Eibl-Eibesfeldt (1967) is assigned to N. attae sp. nov., and to a newly designated subgenus Eibesfeldtphora for the N. curvinervis (Malloch) group of species. Neodohrniphora frontalis (Curran) is confirmed as a synonym of N. (E). curvinervis. The paratype of N. (N.) acromyrmecis Borgmeier differs from the lectotype, and is reassigned to N. (N.) similis Prado. A new subgenus, Wallerphora, is designated for N. (W.) mexicanae sp. nov. from Mexico.     

Re-evaluation of the fossil Phoridae (Diptera)

I re-evaluated the known fossil phorids after re-examining much of the Baltic amber and Dominican amber fauna. Many extant genera reported from Eocene Chinese and Eocene/Oligocene Baltic amber are actually not present; instead there are representatives of relatively primitive stem-group taxa. A new genus and species of fossil phorid, Limulomyia tyche, based on a male and a limuloid female, is described from Baltic amber. Some changes in the taxonomy of amber phorids are proposed: Pseudometopina Disney is synonymized with Metopina Schmitz (new synonymy), Diplonevra meunieri Brues is transferred to the genus Godavaria Brown (new combination), Protophorites fimbriatus Brues is considered a junior subjective synonym of Protoplatyphora tertiaria Brues (new synonymy) and Phalacrotophora tertiara Statz is transferred to the genus Gymnophora (new combination). The oldest confirmed dates for extant phorid genera are given.     

Revision of Afrotropical Chonocephalus Wandolleck (Diptera: Phoridae)

Chonocephalus justini sp. nov., C. modestus sp. nov. and C. pudicus sp. nov. are described from the Seychelles; C. cummingae sp. nov. is described from Madagascar, South Africa and Zimbabwe; and C. cautus sp. nov. and C. steineri sp. nov. from Madagascar. C. dimakae Paulian is synonymized with C. depressus Meijere. A key to males and a partial key to the females of the 14 Afrotropical species are provided.     

Classification,reconstructed phylogeny and geographic history of the Neotropical phorid flies of the genus Gymnophora (Diptera: Phoridae)

The Neotropical species of Gymnophora are revised to include 28 species, 17 of which are new. Two subgenera, Cerocratia (in a revised sense) and Gymnophora s.s. are recognized. Cerocratia includes Gymnophora triangularis sp. nov., G. acutangula Schmitz, G. latibrachia sp. nov., G. lacertosa sp. nov., G. chilensis Borgmeier, G. parachilensis sp. nov., G. aemula Borgmeier, G. forticornis Schmitz, and doubtfully G. colona Brues. G. adumbrata Borgmeier is considered as a junior synonym of G. aemula (syn. nov.). Within Gymnophora s.s. there are four major lineages, the G. commotria-group, the G. carina-group, the G. cymatoneura-group and the G. quartomollis-group. Of these, the G. carina-group and the G. quartomollis-group are known only from the Holarctic Region. The G. commotria-group consists of the G. forcipis-series, containing G. forcipis sp. nov., subuncata sp. nov. and uncata sp. nov., and G. damula-series, whose species are further organized into the G. strigula-subseries, containing G. strigula sp. nov. and G. unidentata sp. nov., plus the G. falciformis-subseries, containing G. alces sp. nov., damula sp. nov. and falciformis sp. nov. Also included in the G. commotria-group are eight residual species whose relationships cannot be deduced at this time. Three of these species, G. commotria Schmitz, penai sp. nov. and quadrata sp. nov. are more closely related to each other than to G. auricula sp. nov., brasiliensis Borgmeier, heteroneura Schmitz, inusitata sp. nov. and trispina sp. nov. The G. cymatoneura-group contains G. cymatoneura Enderlein and G. spiracularis Borgmeier, and the male of G. spiracularis is described for the first time. A key is given that permits identification of males of most species, but females cannot be identified with certainty. A partially sequenced classification of the genus indicates the relationships of most of the included species. The genus may have originated in the Neotropical Region, although the evidence is tenuous, and shows some similarity of distribution to Andean-centered plant groups.     

The biology and immature stages of Thrybius togashii Kusigemati (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae), with a description of the male

Thrybius togashii Kusigemati is found to be an ectoparasitoid of larvae of a phytophagous eurytomid, Tetramesa sp. (Hymenoptera), growing gregariously in internodal cavities of reeds (Phragmites japonica Steud.), in Japan. The female of T. togashii oviposits into reed canes and its predaceous larva consumes almost all eurytomid larvae in an internodal cavity. This species is bivoltine. The mode of parasitism of this species is unique in some respects. First, when the female oviposits, no food resources are available in the reed. Second, the parasitoid allows part of the host larvae to grow and exploits increasing food resources. The egg, pupa and first to final instar larvae and adult male are described and figured for the first time. Colour dimorphism in both sexes and adult morphology adapted to habitat and ovipositional substrate are also discussed.     

North American encyrtid fauna (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae): taxonomic changes and new taxa

We present preliminary taxonomic information necessary for a generic key to North American Encyrtidae. Fourteen new generic synonymies, one new specific synonymy, 67 new combinations and three replacement names are proposed. Twenty one genera and 18 species are described as new.     

Three new genera of Banchinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from Central and South America

Three new genera and four new species of Banchinae are described from Central and South America: Terrylee gen. n., is described from Peru and Honduras to accommodate Terrylee olearius sp. n. and Terrylee peruensis sp. n. (type species: Terrylee peruensis sp. n.); Valdiviglypta gen. n. and Pristiboea gen. n. are described from Chile (type species: Valdiviglypta nimbus sp. n. and Pristiboea leiomano sp. n.). Terrylee and Pristiboea are placed in the tribe Atrophini, Valdiviglypta tentatively in the tribe Glyptini. All the three new genera are morphologically very distinctive and two have such character suites that they may not immediately be recognizable as banchines. By describing these three Neotropical genera from Chile, Honduras and Peru we aim to draw further attention to the considerable morphological variation within the ichneumonid subfamily Banchinae.     

A key to Australasian and Oriental Woodiphora (Diptera: Phoridae), affinities of the genus and description of new species

The taxonomic value of the notopleural cleft in Phoridae is highlighted. A cladogram relating Gymnophora and Woodiphora to Megaselia is presented. Recognition of the genus Woodiphora is clarified, and the Old World species of Haplophleba transferred to Woodiphora. The evolution of the female abdominal sternite 9 is discussed. The tribe Megaseliini is proposed. A key to the Australasian and Oriental species of Woodiphora is provided. Twenty new species are described and two new synonyms proposed.     

Nesting behaviour and provisioning in Bembix merceti and Bembix zonata (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae)

We studied the nesting behaviour and provisioning of Bembix merceti Parker and Bembix zonata Klug during three flight seasons (1993–1995). The females of B. merceti capture Diptera from seven different families to feed their larvae. Provisioning is progressive. The females provide a greater number of prey over subsequent days during larval growth. This activity begins increasingly earlier and lasts for longer, and prey capture is increasingly faster. Although the activity of the females is greater during the middle hours of the day, towards the end of each day the number of prey per wasp increases slightly and the duration of provisioning flights is reduced. Regarding Bembix merceti, we also report on nest structure and excavation as well as about the different natural enemies of these wasps. The data recorded for B. zonata refer to nest digging and structure, the wasps' natural enemies and their provisioning strategies, which in general are similar to those seen for the females of B. merceti.     

The Agromyzid genus Paraphytomyza Enderlein: new to the Oriental Region (Diptera)

Paraphytomyza jasmini sp. n. from India and P. loniceroides sp. n. from N.W. Pakistan are described, representing the first reared species in this genus known in the Oriental Region. P. kraussi (Sasakawa, 1963) from Papua New Guinea is formally transferred to Paraphytomyza as a new combination. The nomenclature, distribution and host range of Paraphytomyza are discussed.     

Satellite flies (Leucophora personata,Diptera: Anthomyiidae) and other dipteran parasites of the communal bee Andrena agilissima (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) on the island of Elba,Italy

Solitary and presocial aculueate Hymenoptera are parasitized by a range of dipteran species in the families Anthomyiidae, Bombyliidae, Conopidae, Phoridae, and Sarcophagidae that are likely to impact on their hosts. We undertook a study over several years of a univoltine and communal bee, Andrena agilissima, and its main dipteran parasites, in particular the satellite fly Leucophora personata (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). Behavioural and ecological data were collected from one nesting aggregation of the host bee on the island of Elba, Italy, from 1993 to 2003, and from a foraging site of the bee, ca 5?km from the nesting aggregation. Other Diptera associated with A. agilissima at the field site were the bee fly Bombylius fimbriatus (Bombyliidae), the conopid fly Zodion cinereum (Conopidae), and the scuttle fly Megaselia andrenae (Phoridae). The phenology of the Diptera broadly overlapped with that of their host across the season of activity (end of April and all of May). Diurnal activity patterns differed slightly; L. personata in particular was active at the host's nesting site before A. agilissima. Female satellite flies also showed a range of behaviours in gaining entry to a host nest. We summarize published data on this and other Leucophora species that parasitize Andrena host bees. Host bees returning to their nests occasionally undertook zig‐zag flight manoeuvres if followed by a satellite fly that were generally successful in evading the fly. Satellite flies that entered a nest, presumably to oviposit, were less likely to remain therein if another host bee entered the same nest, suggesting that one advantage to communal nesting for this host is a reduction in brood cell parasitism by L. personata. We provide the first clear evidence for parasitism by a Zodion of any Andrena host. Both L. personata and M. andrenae concentrated their parasitic activities in the zone of the host nesting aggregation with highest nest densities. Three of the Diptera, L. personata, B. fimbriatus, and Z. cinereum, seemed to have extremely low rates of parasitism whilst that of M. andrenae appeared low. Though they have refined parasitic behaviour that allows them to gain entry into host nests (L. personata, B. fimbriatus, and M. andrenae) or to parasitize adults (Z. cinereum), these parasites seem not to impact upon the dynamics of the host A. agilissima at the nesting aggregation, and the host possesses traits to reduce parasitism.     

A troublesome sibling species complex of scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) revisited

The complex of species resembling Megaselia pulicaria (Fallén) has proved to be one of the most troublesome challenges to attempts to resolve the recognition of species within the huge genus Megaselia Rondani. The new data presented allow more confident recognition of species and reveal that most published records represent misidentifications. The penis complex is discussed and its use in species identification demonstrated. All specimens currently assigned to M. pulicaria, other than the lectotype, are consequently reassigned to other species. These include the reinstatement of M. angusta (Wood) and its newly designated subspecies M. angusta angustina Schmitz, M. eupygis Schmitz, M. longifurca (Lundbeck) and M. monochaeta (Strobl) as valid species, and the recognition of M. buchsi sp. nov. from Germany, M. iberiensis sp. nov. from Spain, M. martensi sp. nov. from Nepal, M. nectergata sp. nov. from Britain, M. oviaraneae sp. nov. from Britain, and M. rotundapicis sp. nov. from Scotland. Five synonyms are proposed. The hitherto unknown male of M. petraea Schmitz is described. It and M. longifurca are reported from Britain and the latter from the Nearctic Region also. Natural history information is summarized for each species. In particular, it is reported that the species whose larvae prey upon spider eggs are M. angusta, M. longifurca and M. oviaraneae.     

The taxonomy and biology of the Polystomatidae (Monogenea) in Australian freshwater turtles (Chelidae,Pleurodira)

Polystomoides scottae n. sp. is described from the urinary and accessory bladders of Chelodina expansa. Four species of Neopolystoma are described from the conjunctival sacs of Australian freshwater turtles (Chelidae): Neopolystoma cribbi n. sp. from Emydura signata, E. macquarii, Elseya latisternum and Chelodina expansa; Neopolystoma spratti n. sp. from Chelodina longicollis; Neopolystoma tinsleyi n. sp. from Chelodina expansa; and Neopolystoma queenslandensis n. sp. from Emydura signata and E. macquarii. Polystomoides australiensis, Neopolystoma macleayi and N. chelodinae are redescribed from new individuals. Neopolystoma australis is made a junior synonym of N. kreffti. P. australiensis, N. macleayi and N. cribbi produced on average 5·6, 4·3 and 0·7 eggs per day, respectively. Eggs of P. australiensis take 33–57 days at 18–24°C and 30–33 days at 24–28°C to develop and hatch. Oncomiracidia of P. australiensis and N. macleayi had 64 ciliated cells; the patterns of the ciliated cells are the same for both species. Different sizes of worms in different sites in the hosts suggest strongly that the oncomiracidia of P. australiensis and N. macleayi enter the host, migrate to the ureters, possibly to the kidneys, then to the urinary bladder and finally to either the accessory bladders or cloaca. Successful cross-infection experiments between host genera (Emydura to Elseya) indicated that P. australiensis and N. macleayi have a low degree of host specificity.     

A remarkable new species of scuttle fly (Diptera: Phoridae) whose larvae infest chickpea root nodules in India

Metopina ciceri sp. nov. is described on the basis of males with reduced wings, fully winged females, blind females with reduced wings, pupae and larvae. The larvae infest the root nodules of the chickpea, Cicer arietinum L. The blind-morph females are considered to be congeneric with the type species of the genus Typhlophorina Silvestri and this genus is synonymized with Metopina. The males, if procured in isolation, would have been assigned to a separate genus. The evolution of sexual dimorphism and dimorphic females in M. ciceri is discussed in relation to a speculative scenario involving juvenile hormone and heterochrony. It is also speculated that dispersal is undertaken by the sighted fully-winged female morph only. These speculations and the question of whether the infestation of C. arietinum by M. ciceri affects yield remains to be investigated.     

Host ranges of parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae and Ichneumonidae) reared from Epermenia chaerophyllella (Goeze) (Lepidoptera: Epermeniidae) in Britain,with description of a new species of Triclistus (Ichneumonidae)

The complex of parasitoids attacking larval stages of Epermenia chaerophyllella in Britain is outlined, and the host range of each of the species recorded (three braconids and four ichneumonids) is discussed. ‘Ecological’ factors, such as the behavioural similarity of unrelated hosts during the vulnerable parts of their life histories, seem to have been important in the evolution of the host associations of several of these parasitoids, even though they are koinobionts. A new species, Triclistus epermeniae Shaw and Aeschlimann, is described.     

Evolutionary trends in the reproductive biology of ponerine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The colony sizes and ovariole numbers of eight ponerine, one cerapachyine and one doryline species are reported. The ergatoid queens of five of these species are described briefly. Workers of the Hypoponera, Leptogenys and Anochetus species entirely lack ovaries, the first report of obligate sterility in this subfamily. Three evolutionary trends in the reproductive biology of the Poneriae are discussed: an increase in ovariole numbers and specialization for reproduction in the queen caste; worker sterility and increasing reproductive differentiation between the castes; and the evolutionary loss of specialization for dispersal in ergatoid queens.     

Systematics and fossil evidence of host-parasitoid relationships of Calamiscus Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae)

The life history and hitherto unknown males of Calamiscus cryptopalpis are described. A second species of this genus, C. inflativenis n. sp. is described from Costa Rica. The species C. cryptopalpis is a gregarious parasitoid of injured stingless bees in Costa Rica. The co-occurrence of a specimen of the genus Calamiscus in a piece of amber with the oldest known fossil bee is hypothesized to be the most ancient host-parasitoid relationship between a pair of insect species documented thus far. The otherwise rarely-seen fly was probably lured to the amber site by the alarm pheromones of the bee, and then trapped in the sticky tree resins.