Description of fine morphology and analysis of evolutionary transformations of the egg's structure
Voronezh, Voronezh State University, 2005. - 323 pp.

A new parasitic fungus, Laboulbenia curtonoti sp. n., associated with the endemic Madagascan fly Curtonotum balachowskyi Tsacas (Diptera: Curtonotidae), is described and figured. The new species is one of the very few Laboulbeniales which penetrate the insect's cuticle by means of more-or-less developed rhizoids. A brief review of the 23 species of the genus Laboulbenia associated with Diptera is presented in a tabulated form.

Mormotomyia hirsuta Austen, 1936 is one of the most extraordinary and unusual looking Diptera and was placed by E.E. Austen into a family of its own, the Mormotomyiidae, upon its discovery in 1933. Adults superficially resemble small solifugids (sun spiders), having extremely long legs that are clothed, especially in males, in very long, closely-packed brown hair-like setae. The wings are reduced to dysfunctional straps, the halteres to small nodular processes, and the eyes are greatly reduced. M. hirsuta is cavernicolous in all life stages and guanobious at least in the larval stages. The phylogenetic position of the family has long been a subject of much speculation and disagreement. Until recently M. hirsuta had only been collected on two occasions: in May 1933 and December 1948, although there have been numerous unsuccessful rediscovery attempts. The species is apparently confined to the type locality and is, therefore, widely regarded as the "rarest fly in the world". Here we report the rediscovery of adults, larvae and puparia at the type locality, a cave-like rock fissure at Ukasi Hill, Eastern Province, Kenya, in December 2010. This rediscovery has facilitated a more thorough examination and study of the immature stages using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This has revealed numerous microstructures not previously described by van Emden in 1950, and the larva and puparium are therefore re-described. An SEM study was conducted of the leg features of adults, specifically the form and structure of the tarsal claw and pulvillus, and these were compared to the same structures in examples of the true bat fly ectoparasitic families Nycteribiidae and Streblidae, and to the phoretic Mystacinobiidae. The basal sclerites of the wing are interpreted for the first time using SEM, the functional morphology of the larva, puparium and adult is discussed and notes are provided on the biology, development and cavernicolous habits of the species. The cuticular parts of the internal female reproductive tract are further described. They comprise a tubular vagina, two sclerotized spermathecae, paired accessory glands, and a small one-chambered sclerotized ventral receptacle. These are compared to species in the Mystacinobiidae, Sphaeroceroidea and Ephydroidea, and it is concluded that the structure of the female reproductive tract lends support to the inclusion of the Mormotomyiidae in the Ephydroidea.

Two new species of the genus Tachydromia Meigen are described: T. freidbergi sp. n. (Ethiopia) and T. stuckenbergi sp. n. (Uganda). Re-descriptions of T. lilaniensis Smith, 1969 and T. petrabilis Smith, 1969, known from South Africa and Lesotho, are given. A key to Afrotropical Tachydromia is provided. Hypothesized phylogenetic relationships and the biogeography of Afrotropical species of Tachydromia are briefly discussed.

Microstylum vespertilio Engel, 1932 is redescribed from the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and transferred to Daspletis Loew, 1858, a genus closely related to Microstylum Macquart, 1838, that now incorporates eight southern African species. Knowledge of the species is updated and a new identification key is provided.

The four-yearly International Congress of Dipterology (ICD) is the major event for dipterists from all over the world. This year's congress, held in San José, Costa Rica, was attended by 219 delegates from 35 countries. Given the geographical location, it is not surprising that the congress was dominated by delegates from Brazil, Canada and the United States, but four delegates based in South Africa attended: J. Londt and B. Muller (Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg), K. Williams (Durban Museum of Natural Sciences) and A.H. Kirk-Spriggs (National Museum, Bloemfontein); all made oral presentations. Four excellent plenary addresses were presented: "Maggots and mayhem" by L. Goff; "Fossils, biogeography and evolution of Diptera" by D. Amorin; "Contact courtship devices and sexual selection in Diptera" by W.G. Eberhard; and "Diversification and specialization in the Neotropics: insights from Blepharoneura" by M. Condon. Eberhard's address, illustrating clasping mechanisms in the Sepsidae and X-ray video footage of living Glossina in copula, was particularly memorable. The programme included 11 symposia: "Advances in Afrotropical Dipterology", "Forensic Diptera", "Phylogeny and taxonomy within the 'orthorrhaphous' Brachycera", "Evolution and ecology of insect-host relationships", "Advances in Neotropical dipterology: rediscovering the New World", "Empidoidea", "Getting Diptera taxonomy up-to-date: new frontiers and the web", "Evolutionary ecology of Diptera pollinators", "Morphology", "Higher level phylogeny of flies", and "Biodiversity survey projects". Seven workshops also took place, dealing with specific themes or taxonomic groups: Agricultural Diptera, Calypratae, Syrphidae, Sciaroidea, Ceratopogonidae, 'Acalypratae', and Culicomorpha. It was disheartening that there were no sessions on medical or veterinary Diptera, given the significance of flies as vectors of human and livestock diseases. Furthermore, only six presentations were included in the workshop on agricultural Diptera. However, there was a marked increase in the number of oral presentations and posters on forensic entomology, this perhaps reflecting a change in emphasis in applied fields of dipterology. Of particular interest to readers of African Invertebrates may be the symposium "Advances in Afrotropical Dipterology"; the first symposium at any ICD to focus specifically on Afrotropical Diptera. Its main objectives were to direct attention to Afrotropical Diptera before the proposed publications of a Manual of Afrotropical Diptera and to assess current knowledge of all major groups of Diptera occurring in the region. The symposium began with a dedication to the late Brian Roy Stuckenberg (1930-2009), highlighting his life, career and major achievements, and was followed by 19 talks covering all the major groups of Diptera, many of which were overviews of specific families. The keynote talk, by Peter Cranston, was "What advances have been made in the last decade in Afrotropical Dipterology?" and focused on advancement in the knowledge of the Chironomidae by the late Paul Freeman and Arthur Harrison. The presentations highlighted shortfalls in our knowledge of Afrotropical Diptera and the urgent need for an Afrotropical manual to facilitate identification and further training. The symposium ended with the official launch of the Manual of Afrotropical Diptera project, appropriately followed by an informal celebration sponsored by E. Oppenheimer & Son, South Africa. Seventy-seven posters were presented on a wide range of topics. This year saw the dominance of Brazilian students and the quality of the research presented was impressive, especially the graphics of the posters and recent advances in the quality of digital imaging of specimens, particularly male terminalia. One poster that received much attention was entitled "Shine on your crazy diamonds! - Diversity of structural wing colours in Diptera", by J. Kjærandsen. He used a stunning series of colour images to illustrate a visual identification map and potential signalling system in various groups of Diptera, formerly overlooked by biologists. From a personal perspective, the poster "Antlered flies: new species of Richardia R.-D. (Richardiidae) with antler-like genal projections" by D. Wendt and R. Ale Rocha, was noteworthy in two respects: the amazing genal structures described, and the excellent images of one of the few families of Diptera absent from the Afrotropics. In another poster, J.-C. Vala provided details of the long-awaited major monograph the Biology of snail-killing Sciomyzidae flies. An advance copy of his book (with L. Knutson) was available to view (Fig. 1). The ICD Council discussed the formation of an International Society of Dipterology and it was decided that the concept should become a reality. It was agreed that the 8th International Congress of Dipterology will take place at Kongresshotel, Potsdam, Germany in 2014. Germany has a long tradition of dipterology and an active body of 127 dipterists. The ICD8 Organizing Committee includes N. Dorchin, M. Kotrba, F. Menzel and J. Ziegler. Th. Pape was elected Chairman and A.H. Kirk-Spriggs was elected to the ICD Council. D. Barraclough did not stand for re-election. The congress programme, abstract volume and list of delegates are available as PDF files, on the ICD website: http://www.uoguelph.ca/nadsfly/ICD/ICDhome.htm.

In revising the taxonomy of Acnephalum Macquart, 1838 it was discovered that the Afrotropical species are not congeneric when compared with the Palaearctic type species (A. olivierii Macquart, 1838 from Greece), which is congeneric with species of Pycnopogon Loew, 1847. As a consequence all Palaearctic Pycnopogon species are transferred to Acnephalum which takes precedence over Pycnopogon. In addition it was found that Sporadothrix Hermann, 1907, a genus previously synonymised with Acnephalum, is worthy of full generic reinstatement. The new genus Acnephalomyia is provided for Afrotropical species previously assigned to Acnephalum. The following taxonomic adjustments, innovations and decisions are introduced in this paper: New combinations: Species transferred from Pycnopogon - Acnephalum apicalis (Matsumura, 1916), Acnephalum apiformis (Macquart, 1849), Acnephalum denudatus (Séguy, 1949), Acnephalum fasciculatus (Loew, 1847), Acnephalum hirsutus (Becker, 1913), Acnephalum laniger (Dufour, 1833), Acnephalum leucostomus (Engel, 1939), Acnephalum melanostomus (Loew, 1874), Acnephalum mixtus (Loew, 1847), Acnephalum nikkoensis (Matsumura, 1916), Acnephalum pallidipennis (Brullé, 1936). Species transferred from Acnephalum - Acnephalomyia andrenoides (Wiedemann, 1828); Acnephalomyia dorsalis (Macquart, 1838); Acnephalomyia platygaster (Loew, 1858); Afroholopogon futilis (Wulp, 1899). New synonyms: Dasypogon quadratus Wiedemann, 1828, Acnephalum punctipennis Macquart, 1855, Acnephalum cockerelli Curran, 1934 and Sisyrnodytes sericeus Oldroyd, 1974 = Acnephalomyia andrenoides (Wiedemann, 1828); Acnephalum cylindricum Oldroyd, 1974 = Sporadothrix gracilis Hermann, 1907. New genera: Acnephalomyia (Type species: Dasypogon andrenoides Wiedemann, 1828), Astiptomyia (Type species: Astiptomyia bikos sp. n.). New species: Acnephalomyia eremia (Namibia), Acnephalomyia iota (Namibia, South Africa), Acnephalomyia leukoros (South Africa), Acnephalomyia probolos (South Africa), Ammodaimon platythrix (Namibia), Astiptomyia bikos (Namibia). Lectotype designations: Dasypogon andrenoides Wiedemann, 1828; Acnephalum dorsale Macquart, 1838; Acnephalum futile Wulp, 1899. Keys, tables and illustrations are provided for Afrotropical taxa as identification aids while distribution maps are included where appropriate.

The genus Aphasmaphleps Grichanov, gen. n. is described from Senegal to accommodate a new species, A. bandia sp. n. The new genus has been placed in the subfamily Diaphorinae and is considered close to the genus Phasmaphleps Bickel, 2005. A key to Afrotropical diaphorine genera of long-legged flies is compiled, and characters of the new genus are discussed.

Moegistorhynchus longirostris Wiedemann, 1819 has the longest proboscis relative to body size of all known insects. It is a keystone species along the west coast of South Africa, where it pollinates, partly or exclusively, the long-tubed flowers of at least 20 species of Iridaceae, Geraniaceae and Orchidaceae. M. longirostris has been widely discussed in the pollination biology literature and has a suggested coevolutionary arms race between it and the long-tubed flowers it pollinates. A current taxonomic revision has presented new biogeographical and morphometric data. Available records suggest that the species is widely distributed along the west coast of South Africa between about 29º30'S and 34º15'S, a distance of almost 500 km. It is restricted to sandy, lowland coastal plains at less than 300 m, where it occurs in nine different vegetation types across seven bioregions and is consequently not a habitat specialist. Proboscis length from 13 localities ranged from 32 to 83 mm, and mean proboscis length at these localities from 32 to 71 mm. There was a decline in proboscis length with increasing latitude south. Research investigating a possible allometric relationship between body size and proboscis length, and between latitude and proboscis length, is required.