Stephen A. Marshall

New species without dead bodies: a case for photo-based descriptions, illustrated by a striking new species of Marleyimyia Hesse (Diptera, Bombyliidae) from South Africa

Abstract A new bombyliid species Marleyimyia xylocopae Marshall & Evenhuis, sp. n., an apparent mimic of the carpenter bee Xylocopa flavicollis (De Geer), is described from South Africa on the basis of photographs only. The pros and cons of species descriptions in the absence of preserved type specimens are discussed.

New species and distributional records of Aleocharinae (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from Ontario, Canada, with a checklist of recorded species

Abstract The Aleocharinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of Ontario were reviewed in the context of recently studied material, primarily from insect surveys conducted by the University of Guelph Insect Collection (Ontario, Canada). Aleochara daviesi Klimaszewski & Brunke sp. n., Agaricomorpha websteri Klimaszewski & Brunke sp. n., Atheta (Microdota) alesi Klimaszewski & Brunke sp. n., Dinaraea backusensis Klimaszewski & Brunke sp. n., and Strigota obscurata Klimaszewski & Brunke sp. n. are described as new to science. We also report 47 new Ontario records and 24 new Canadian records. Callicerus rigidicornis (Erichson) and Alevonota gracilenta (Erichson) are newly reported from North America as adventive species. A checklist, with Canadian distributions by province, of the 224 species of Aleocharinae known from Ontario is given. The following species are placed in subjective synonymy with Dexiogyia angustiventris (Casey): (Dexiogyia asperata (Casey) syn. n., Dexiogyia abscissa (Casey) syn. n., Dexiogyia tenuicauda (Casey) syn. n., Dexiogyia intenta (Casey) syn. n., Dexiogyia alticola (Casey) syn. n.). The following species are placed in subjective synonymy with Acrotona subpygmaea (Bernhauer): (Acrotona avia (Casey) syn. n., Acrotona puritana (Casey) syn. n.). Lectotypes are designated for Thiasophila angustiventris Casey, Thiasophila asperata Casey, Ischnoglossa intenta Casey, Oxypoda rubescans Casey, Chilopora americana Casey, Chilopora fuliginosa Casey, Coprothassa smithi Casey, Atheta subpygmaea Bernhauer, Colpodota puritana Casey, Strigota seducens Casey, Trichiusa compacta Casey, Trichiusa hirsuta Casey and Trichiusa robustula Casey.

New observations on a neotropical termite-hunting theridiid spider: opportunistic nest raiding, prey storage, and ceratopogonid kleptoparasites

Abstract A neotropical spider in the genus Janula Strand 1932 is reported as an opportunistic raider in damaged carton nests of the arboreal termite Nasutitermes ephratae. These spiders were shown to be attracted to ruptured nests and galleries from which they gather soldier termite prey that they bundle into silk-wrapped balls before suspending them away from the nests. Three species of Forcipomyia and one species of Atrichopogon (Ceratopogonidae, biting midges), rare associates of spiders, are reported as kleptoparasites on the dangling and immobilized termites.

Revision of the family Nothybidae (Diptera: Schizophora).

The family Nothybidae (Diptera: Schizophora) is revised. The family consists of 11 species in the single genus Nothybus Rondani, which occurs in Papua New Guinea, Nepal and much of the Oriental Region. Three species are described as new: N. absens spec. nov. (China), N. cataractus spec. nov. (Laos, Thailand) and N. procerus spec. nov. (India). Nothybus longithorax Rondani, 1875 is treated as a junior synonym of N. longicollis (Walker, 1856). Nothybus decorus Meijere, 1924 syn. nov. is included as a junior synonym of N. lineifer Enderlein, 1922.

Phylogeny of the Archiborborinae (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) Based on Combined Morphological and Molecular Analysis

The Archiborborinae is a diverse Neotropical subfamily of Sphaeroceridae, with many undescribed species. The existing generic classification includes three genera consisting of brachypterous species, with all other species placed in the genus Archiborborus. We present the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the subfamily based on morphological, molecular, and combined datasets. Morphological data include 53 characters and cover all valid described taxa (33 species in 4 genera) in the subfamily, as well as 83 undescribed species. Molecular data for five genes (mitochondrial 12S rDNA, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, and cytochrome B, and nuclear alanyl-tRNA synthetase and 28S rDNA) were obtained for 21 ingroup taxa. Data support the separation of the Archiborborinae from the Copromyzinae, with which they were formerly combined. Analyses support consistent groups within the subfamily, but relationships between groups are poorly resolved. The validity of the brachypterous genera Penola Richards and Frutillaria Richards is supported. The former genus Archiborborus Duda is paraphyletic, and will be divided into monophyletic genera on the basis of this work. Aptery and brachyptery have evolved multiple times in the subfamily. Antrops Enderlein, previously including a single brachypterous species, is a senior synonym of Archiborborus.

Contributions to the faunistics and bionomics of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) in northeastern North America: discoveries made through study of the University of Guelph Insect Collection, Ontario, Canada

Abstract Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles) from northeastern North America deposited in the University of Guelph Insect Collection (Ontario, Canada) were curated from 2008–2010 by the first author. The identification of this material has resulted in the recognition of thirty-five new provincial or state records, six new Canadian records, one new record for the United States and two new records for eastern Canada. All records are for subfamilies other than Aleocharinae and Pselaphinae, which will be treated in future publications as collaborative projects. Range expansions of ten exotic species to additional provinces and states are reported. The known distributions of each species in northeastern North America are summarized and presented as maps, and those species with a distinctive habitus are illustrated with color photographs. Genitalia and/or secondary sexual characters are illustrated for those species currently only identifiable on the basis of dissected males. The majority of the new records are in groups that have been recently revised, demonstrating the importance of curation and local insect surveys to the understanding of biodiversity, even for taxa and areas considered ‘relatively well-known’.

Revision of the genus Pelecinobaccha Shannon, description of Relictanum gen. nov., and redescription of Atylobaccha flukiella (Curran, 1941) (Diptera: Syrphidae)

Recent phylogenetic analyses of Ocyptamus Macquart, 1834 (Diptera, Syrphidae) confirmed the paraphyly of this genus and provided evidence to divide it into several monophyletic subgroups, of which the largest is the clade traditionally treated as the Ocyptamus tristis species group. This group is here redefined, divided into the genera Pelecinobaccha Shannon, 1927 and Relictanum gen. nov., and revised along with the closely related and newly resurrected genus Atylobaccha Hull, 1949. Twenty-four new species (22 in Pelecinobaccha and two in Relictanum) are described and 35 species (27 in Pelecinobaccha, seven in Relictanum and Atylobaccha flukiella Curran, 1941) are redescribed. Pelecinobaccha is divided into four species groups (P. adspersa species group, P. brevipennis species group, P. peruviana species group and P. susio species group). An identification key, illustrations and distribution maps for all species from this study are also presented.

Revision of Platycheirus Lepeletier and Serville (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the Nearctic north of Mexico.

The 75 Nearctic species of Platycheirus Lepeletier and Serville found north of Mexico are revised, including five species new to North America: Platycheirus alpigenus Barkalov and Nielsen, Platycheirus brunnifrons Nielsen, Platycheirus clausseni Nielsen, Platycheirus speighti Doczkal, Stuke & Goeldlin, and Platycheirus splendidus Rotheray. Platycheirus rufimaculatus Vockeroth, Melanostoma willistoni Goot, and Melanostoma concinnus Snow are recognized as junior synonyms of Platycheirus pictipes (Bigot). Melanostoma carinata Curran is recognized as a junior synonym of Platycheirus chilosia (Curran). Melanostoma atra Curran is recognized as a junior synonym of Platycheirus luteipennis (Curran). Platycheirus holarcticus Vockeroth is recognized as a junior synonym of Syrphus naso Walker. Platycheirus trichopus (Thomson) is resurrected and represents what was previously considered the western population of Platycheirus obscurus (Say). One new species, Platycheirus neoperpallidus Young sp. nov., is described. Females of 26 species are described for the first time, and an illustrated key to Nearctic Platycheirus is presented. DNA barcode data are presented for 60 Nearctic species and a COI gene tree of all available world Platycheirus species, as well as morphological and combined morphological/COI phylogenetic analyses of the Platycheirus albimanus species group are presented and discussed.

Mesoconius Enderlein (Diptera, Micropezidae, Taeniapterinae) of Central America

Mesoconius Enderlein, including Zelatractodes Enderlein new synonym, is revised for Central America with one described species (Mesoconius hemithorax Frey) and five new species (M. bicolor, M. dianthus, M. nigrihumeralis, M. tigrinus, and M. zadbi). The relatively large species of this entirely Neotropical genus, most of which are restricted to narrow high elevation ranges, lack the male genital fork that characterizes all other Taeniapterinae.

A review of the Afrotropical genus Aristobatina Verbeke (Diptera: Micropezidae: Taeniapterinae), with descriptions of four new species from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania

ABSTRACT Aristobatina Verbeke is redefined and reviewed, and four new species, namely A. melasma, A. metamelasma, A. morogoro and A. udzungwa from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania are described. The diagnosis of Aristobatina is expanded to include species with outer vertical setae. Aristobatina is compared to Tanypomyia Verbeke and the latter genus is removed from synonymy with Mimegralla Rondani.