Systematics and ecology of the Nearctic species ofNeophyllomyza(Diptera: Milichiidae)

Abstract

The Nearctic species of Neophyllomyza Melander are revised and descriptions, illustrations, and an identification key are provided for the two included species, N. quadricornis Melander and N. gaultin. sp. Large numbers of adults of both species were collected in emergence traps on decaying logs of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh. (Aceraceae)) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. (Fagaceae)) in eastern Canada, indicating that the larvae of both species are saproxylic, although their exact food source is unknown. Although the two species are sympatric over much of their range and apparently use the same resources for larval development, their habits differ: N. quadricornis was collected from logs in both the early- and the advanced-decay stage from late May until September, with a peak of emergence in late June, whereas N. gaulti was reared almost exclusively from logs in the advanced-decay stage and from mid-July to mid-August. This suggests that N. gaulti is more specialized in its larval habits, which may reduce competition between the two species.

Saproxylic Diptera assemblages in a temperate deciduous forest: implications for community assembly

“…The most species rich families were Mycetophilidae (50 species), Empididae (29 species), Sciaridae (20 species) and Limoniidae (19 species). Milichiidae abundance was divided between only two species, with Neophyllomyza quadricornis Melander being the most abundant species overall (721 specimens; Brochu & Wheeler, 2009 ). Trophic structure was similar in all four treatments ( Fig.…”

Neophyllomyza(Diptera: Milichiidae) Recorded from China with Descriptions of Three New Species

“…In N. quadricornis, the halter is dull black; the calypter is dusky; the surstylus is rounded apically; the cercus is rounded apically (Melander 1913;Brochu & Wheeler 2009). …”

“…The genus Neophyllomyza Melander, 1913 (Milichiidae: Phyllomyzinae) can be separated from other genera of the subfamily Phyllomyzinae by the following characteristics: paired cruciate setae present along the middle of the front; fronto-orbital setae extending quite to antennae, the upper ones diverging, the lower converging; face excavated, cheeks narrow, oral vibrissae large; proboscis long, slender, geniculate; lunule small, bare; one humeral, 2 notopleural, one presutural, 2 supra-alar; one katepisternal, no anepisternal setae (Melander 1913;Brochu & Wheeler 2009). Neophyllomyza Melander is a small genus of acalyptrate flies (Brake 2000), there are 2 Palearctic (Villeneuve 1920;Hendel 1924), 2 Afrotropical (Lamb 1914;Séguy 1938), 2 Australian (Hendel 1907;Curran 1936), 2 Nearctic (Melander 1913;Brochu & Wheeler 2009) and 1 Neotropical species (Williston 1907).…”

“…Neophyllomyza Melander is a small genus of acalyptrate flies (Brake 2000), there are 2 Palearctic (Villeneuve 1920;Hendel 1924), 2 Afrotropical (Lamb 1914;Séguy 1938), 2 Australian (Hendel 1907;Curran 1936), 2 Nearctic (Melander 1913;Brochu & Wheeler 2009) and 1 Neotropical species (Williston 1907). Only females of 2 species of Neophyllomyza were recorded in China for the first time (Heiduk et al 2010).…”

Three new species of the genus Neophyllomyza Melander (Diptera, Milichiidae) from China, with a revised key to the Chinese species

“…Neophyllomyza Melander, 1913 is a small genus in the subfamily Phyllomyzinae with 13 known species, which are distributed the worldwide. There are three Palearctic species (Villeneuve 1920; Hendel 1924; Iwasa 2019), three Oriental species (Xi and Yang 2014), two Afrotropical species (Lamb 1914; Séguy 1938), two Australian species (Hendel 1907; Curran 1936), two Nearctic species (Melander 1913; Brochu and Wheeler 2009), and one Neotropical species (Williston 1896). Adults of Neophyllomyza are small acalyptrate flies.…”