Márcia Souto Couri

Manual of central american diptera

The publication in 1981–1989 of the three volumes ofthe “Manual of the Nearctic Diptera” (MND) represented agreat step for accessing the knowledge of the Diptera of thatregion, congregating the updated information about the fami-lies, allowing the identification to genus level, presenting asummary of the families approaching morphology, biologyand classification. Since its publication, the MND has beena reference to all Diptera students and researches. For otherregions, four volumes of the “Contributions to a Manual ofthe Palaearctic Diptera” were published from 1997 to 2000and the “Manual of Afrotropical Diptera” is now in prepara-tion. In 2009 the Diptera community was again presentedwith the publication of the first volume of the “Manual ofCentral American Diptera” (MCAD) (Brown

ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES (OCS) AND POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBS) IN SEDIMENTS AND CRABS (Chasmagnathus granulata, DANA, 1851) FROM MANGROVES OF GUANABARA BAY, RIO DE JANEIRO STATE, BRAZIL

Organochlorinated compounds, seven indicator PCB congeners, DDT and its main metabolites, were determined in sediment and crab (Chasmagnathus granulata) samples collected from mangrove areas near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Samples were analysed according to the FAO/SIDA protocols using continuous non-polar solvent extraction and a conventional GC-ECD apparatus. The highest levels of total PCB congeners and total DDT metabolites in sediments (184.16 and 37.40 ng g(-1)d.w. respectively) and crab eggs (570.62 and 98.22 ng g(-1)d.w. respectively) were found at impacted mangroves. The higher PCB congeners than DDT metabolites levels suggesting a stronger industrial impact in this area. The results indicate that the population density of crab is negatively affected by sediment contamination that is reflected basically by the organochlorine content in the female eggs. The organochlorine concentration in eggs is more significant to evaluate or estimate an impact of these pollutants upon C. granulata population than the organochlorine concentration in sediment samples.

A key to the Afrotropical genera of Muscidae (Diptera)

A key to 57 of the 58 Afrotropical Muscidae (Diptera) genera is given. The previous Catalogue of Afrotropical Diptera published about 25 years ago by Adrian C. Pont was used as a taxonomic guide, to which the more recently synonyms and taxonomic changes were updated. For each genus, geographical distribution and number of valid species in this region are also included. Some morphological diagnostic characters are illustrated in order to help the use of the key.

Insect galls of restinga areas of Ilha da Marambaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Insect galls of restinga areas of Ilha da Marambaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This study carried out an insect gall inventory in restinga areas of Ilha da Marambaia, in the municipality of Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sampling was carried out monthly from April 2010 to March 2011 along the full extension of seven beaches. A total number of 147 gall morphotypes associated with 70 plant species were found, distributed in 33 plant families, and at least 54 genera. Myrtaceae was the botanical family with the highest richness of gall morphotypes and host species, followed by Bignoniaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Sapindaceae, and Malpighiaceae. Most of the gall morphotypes occurred in leaves (78 morphotypes), 38 in stems, 14 in flowers, eight in buds and fruits, and one in adventitious roots. The galling insects belong to the five orders: Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and Thysanoptera. Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) was the most common galling taxon (78 morphotypes), represented by 87 species, being 78 gallers, seven inquilines and two predators. In addition to the gallers, parasitoids, inquilines, and predators were also found.

Revision of Polietina Schnabl & Dziedzicki (Diptera, Muscidae) and considerations on its new systematic position

Polietina Schnabl & Dziedzicki, 1911 has been placed in different subfamilies mainly based on chaetotaxy and general morphology of adults. This genus has most recently been placed in Reinwardtiinae on the basis of larval characters. The male terminalia, however, indicates that Polietina is phylogenetically close to the basal group of Muscinae. By the analysis of all available type material, the genus and nine species are redescribed: P. bicolor Albuquerque; P. distincta Couri & Lopes; P. flavithorax (Stein); P. major Albuquerque; P. minor Albuquerque; P. orbitalis (Stein); P. rubella (Wulp); P. steini (Enderlein) and P. concinna (Wulp) which is revalided and lectotype designated. Neotypes are proposed to Polietina flavithorax and to Polietina orbitalis. Polietina wulpi is proposed as a new species. A key is also presented.

Dipterofauna do arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco, Brasil)

This paper records some Diptera from the island of Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco, Brazil), presenting the richness of species and their abundance. The material studied was collected in July 1973. Eight families of Diptera in a total of 11,515 specimens were studied. Among the families the following seven are new records: Calliphoridae, Muscidae, Fanniidae, Stratiomyidae, Sepsidae, Otitidae and Tabanidae. The first three and the Sarcophagidae (previously recorded) were identified to species level. The most abundant families were Sepsidae and Calliphoridae with more than 80% of the total collected, having Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius, 1775), as the dominant species.

On typeless species and the perils of fast taxonomy

C H A R L E S M O R P H Y D . S A N T O S 1, D A L T O N S . A M O R I M 2, B R U N A K L A S S A 1, D I E G O A . F A C H I N 2, S I L V I O S . N I H E I 3, C L A U D I O J . B . D E C A R VA L H O 4, R A F A E L A L . F A L A S C H I 5, C Á T I A A . M E L L O P A T I U 6, M Á R C I A S . C O U R I 6, S A R A H S . O L I V E I R A 7, V E R A C . S I L VA 8, G U I L H E R M E C . R I B E I R O 1, R E N A T O S . C A P E L L A R I 9 and C A R L O S J O S É E . L A M A S 5

Ophyra capensis(Wiedemann) (Diptera, Muscidae) found inside the esophagus of a mummy in Lisbon (Portugal)

O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de descrever fragmentos de pupario e adultos de Ophyra capensis (Wiedemann, 1818) (Diptera, Muscidae) recentemente encontrados no interior do esofago de um corpo mumificado do seculo XIX em Lisboa (Portugal). Ilustracoes do material e uma breve discussao sao apresentados.

Sobre a ocorrência de Philornis angustifrons e P. deceptiva (Diptera, Muscidae) em ninhos de Suiriri affinis e S. islerorum (aves, tyrannidae), no cerrado do Distrito Federal, Brasil

The first report of Philornis angustifrons and P. deceptiva infesting nests of Suiriri affinis and S. islerorum in area of Distrito Federals savanna is presented. It is known that larvae of these species have a strict relationship of parasitism with birds. The pupae were collected after the abandonment of the nests and the flies emerged in a period of about 13 days.

Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) from Philornis seguyi (García, 1952) and Philornis torquans (Nielsen, 1913) (Diptera: Muscidae)

Philornis Meinert, 1890 (Diptera: Muscidae) is a genus of Neotropical dipterans that parasitise birds. The currently used external morphological characters to distinguish between species within this genus present some limitations. We used the second internal transcribed spacer region (ITS2) of the rRNA gene as a molecular marker to differentiate adult specimens of Philornis identified morphologically as Philornis torquans and Philornis seguyi from different localities. Specimens identified as P. seguyi from Magdalena (Buenos Aires Province) showed an ITS2 sequence different from that for P. torquans, whereas all other specimens of P. seguyi had sequences identical to those for P. torquans. These findings do not necessarily confirm that specimens from Magdalena indeed belong to P. seguyi, nor that P. seguyi is a valid species. Instead, they alert us about the potential for species misidentification when using morphological characters alone. The use of molecular approaches to aid the identification of Philornis spp. will shed light on the systematics of this group. P. torquans is reported for the first time in Mendoza Province and Uruguay.