Highland biodiversity of Fanniidae (Insecta, Diptera): fourteen new species from the Andes and Central America

Abstract

In the neotropics, vegetation formations at high elevations are often unique, with their own characteristic vegetation because of unique and complex evolutionary histories. The complexity of the biogeographic and ecological structure of the fauna is demonstrated by the specialized fauna and flora occurring in these regions. Fanniidae (Diptera) is one of these specialized groups that became very diversified in the highlands. Currently, of the 91 species of Fanniidae in the Neotropical region, 43 (8 Euryomma, 35 Fannia) occur exclusively in Andean and Central American highlands. Here, we increase that highland diversity by describing 14 new species from 1000–4150 m.a.s.l. in the Andes and Central America: Fannia awa sp. nov., F. bari sp. nov., F. boruca sp. nov., F. bribri sp. nov., F. huetare sp. nov., F. humahuaca sp. nov., F. kabekwa sp. nov., F. palta sp. nov., F. polleti sp. nov., F. quillacingas sp. nov., F. teribi sp. nov., F. terraba sp. nov., F. tsachilas sp. nov. and F. yukpa sp. nov. We also provide an identification key for male specimens and diagnoses and descriptions of the species, along with photographs and illustrations of the male terminalia. New records and updated distributions are also provided for the Andean species.

Checklist of the dipterofauna (Insecta) from Roraima, Brazil, with special reference to the Brazilian Ecological Station of Maracá

“…There are about 110 species in the Neotropics, occurring from sea level up to the highlands of Central America and North and Central Andes, with some species flying at up to 4,150 m.a.s.l. (Grisales & de Carvalho, 2019). Adults are small-to medium-sized flies and most species are gray or blackish (Albuquerque et al, 1981).…”

“…Fannia canicularis (Linnaeus, 1761) (the little house fly) and F. scalaris (Fabricius, 1794) (the latrine fly) are the best known synanthropic species, but some other species also visit human feces and carrion. For identification, see Grisales & de Carvalho (2019) for a key for males of Fannia species from Central and North Andes and Central America. Some species of Euryomma and Fannia may be important to forensic studies, including in estimating post-mortem intervals (Grisales et al, 2016).…”

Mejoramiento de un método no comercial para la extracción de ADN de moscas de interés médico-legal

“…Adicionalmente, se evaluaron las diferencias potenciales en los resultados entre especímenes machos y hembras y entre el uso de las patas medias versus el abdomen, como tejido de partida para la extracción. Carvalho, 2019). Se procesó un total de 180 especímenes, divididos en cinco grupos experimentales (Tabla 1).…”