New species and records of the genus Antocha Osten Sacken (Diptera, Limoniidae) from Tibet, China with a key to species in Qinghai-Tibet region

Thirty-four known species and subspecies of the genus Antocha Osten Sacken, 1860 have been recorded from China, of which four occur in Tibet. Herein, two new Antocha species, A. (Antocha) curvativasp. nov. and A. (A.) tibetanasp. nov., are described and illustrated from Tibet. The new species are distinguished from congeners mainly by their male genitalia. Antocha (A.) spiralis Alexander, 1932 and A. (A.) setigera Alexander, 1933, which are newly recorded in Tibet, are redescribed and illustrated. A key to Antocha species in the Qinghai-Tibet region of China is also presented.

Descriptions of a new species of genus Angarotipula and life history of Angarotipulalaetipennis (Alexander, 1935) (Diptera, Tipulidae)

Background

Angarotipula is a small genus of Tipulidae with only fourteen described species in the world and seven known species in China.

New information

Here, one new species is added to the fauna of Sichuan. The life history of Angarotipulalaetipennis (Alexander, 1935) is presented and the morphologies of all stages are described.

Do the evolutionary interactions between moths and bats promote niche partitioning between bats and birds?

Ecological theory suggests that the coexistence of species is promoted by the partitioning of available resources, as in dietary niche partitioning where predators partition prey. Yet, the mechanisms underlying dietary niche partitioning are not always clear. We used fecal DNA metabarcoding to investigate the diets of seven nocturnal insectivorous bird and bat species. Low diet overlap (2%-22%) supported resource partitioning among all species. Differences in diet corresponded with species identity, prey detection method, and foraging behavior of predators. Insects with ultrasonic hearing capabilities were consumed significantly more often by birds than bats, consistent with an evolved avoidance of echolocating strategies. In turn, bats consumed a greater proportion of noneared insects such as spruce budworms. Overall, our results suggest that evolutionary interactions among bats and moths translate to dietary niche partitioning and coexistence among bats and nocturnal birds.

A new species of Dactylolabis subgenus Dactylolabis Osten Sacken, 1860 from China (Diptera, Limoniidae)

Only two species of DactylolabissubgenusDactylolabis Osten Sacken, 1860 were previously known from China. Here, a new species, Dactylolabis (Dactylolabis) wudangensissp. nov., is reported from China. Dactylolabis (D.) gracilistylus Alexander, 1926 is re-described and illustrated. A key to males of species of the subgenus Dactylolabis from China is presented.

New species and records of the subgenus Libnotes (Laosa) Edwards (Diptera, Limoniidae) from China with a key to world species

Twenty species of Libnotes (Laosa) Edwards, 1926 are known worldwide and three are known from China so far. Here, two species of Laosa are added to the Chinese fauna, of which L. (L.) baiyunensissp. nov. is described and illustrated as new to science, and L. (L.) fuscinervis Brunetti, 1912 is newly recorded from China. Morphologically, the new species is most similar to L. (L.) charmosyne (Alexander, 1958) but can be distinguished by the pleura of the thorax, the relative position of the additional cross veins in cell r₃ and r₅, and the details of the male genitalia. A key to the world species of Laosa is presented.

Revision of Japanese species of Nipponomyia Alexander, 1924 (Diptera, Pediciidae)

Japanese species of the genus Nipponomyia Alexander, 1924 are revised. Two new species, Nipponomyiaokinawensis Kolcsár & Kato, sp. nov. and N.yakushimensis Kolcsár & Kato, sp. nov. are described from the Ryukyu Islands. Images of habitus and wings, illustrations of male and female terminalia, and distribution maps are provided for the Japanese species. A key to the world species of Nipponomyia is added. DNA barcodes of three Japanese Nipponomyia are provided, representing the first barcodes from the genus.

Skeleton and musculature of the male abdomen in Tanyderidae (Diptera, Nematocera) of the Southern Hemisphere

The structure of the male terminalia and their musculature of species of tanyderid genera Araucoderus Alexander, 1929 from Chile and Nothoderus Alexander, 1927 from Tasmania are examined and compared with each other and with published data on the likely relatives. The overall pattern of male terminalia of both genera is similar to those of most Southern Hemisphere genera, with simple curved gonostyli, lobe-like setose parameres, and setose cerci inconspicuous under the epandrium. Both genera have terminalia similarly rotated by 180° (and 90° as an intermediate stage); rotation may be either clockwise or counterclockwise. However, the similar patterns are realized differently: segment VIII is the decreased and asymmetrical due to completely membranose tergite VIII in Nothoderus (the first record of such modification in Tanyderidae), but narrow and symmetrical in Araucoderus. Accordingly, pregenital muscles are very different between the genera. Based on localization of muscle attachment sites, the hypandrial origin of the stripe between gonocoxites is shown in both genera, and entire membranization of tergite VIII and partial membranization of hypoproct is shown in Nothoderus. Tanyderidae are characterized by highly specialized sclerites and muscles of male terminalia and provide no evidence of relationship with previously studied members of Psychodidae, Blephariceridae and Ptychopteridae.

Two new species of Tipula (Vestiplex) from Southern China based on morphological and molecular data, with redescription of Tipula (Vestiplex) bicalcarata (Diptera, Tipulidae, Tipulinae)

Two new species of subgenus Tipula (Vestiplex) Bezzi, 1924, Tipula (Vestiplex) leigongshanensis Men & Young, sp. n. and Tipula (Vestiplex) maoershanensis Men & Young, sp. n. are described and illustrated. Tipula (Vestiplex) bicalcarata Savchenko, 1965 is redescribed and illustrated based on additional morphological characters. Partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of these three species are provided. Pairwise genetic distances among two new species and related species, Tipula (Vestiplex) bicalcarata, Tipula (Vestiplex) coxitalis Alexander, 1935, and Tipula (Vestiplex) sternotuberculata Alexander, 1935 range from 0.028 to 0.091 using Kimura-2-parameter model. Diagnostic features of the sperm pump for taxonomic use are discussed.

Two new species of the genus Nephrotoma (Diptera, Tipuloidea, Tipulidae) from China with a key to species from Mainland China

Nephrotoma liankangensis sp. n. and Nephrotoma pseudoliankangensis sp. n. are described from males and females collected from Henan and Yunnan provinces, China. Morphological descriptions and illustrations for the new species are provided. A key to known species from mainland China is provided. Some internal reproductive structures, including male semen pump, female vaginal apodeme and spermatheca, are described and compared. The possible usefulness of these internal reproductive structures for separating related species is analyzed. The type specimens are deposited in the animal specimen room, School of Life Sciences, Anqing Normal University, Anhui Province, China.

Revision of Tipula (Yamatotipula) stackelbergi Alexander (Diptera, Tipulidae), and a short discussion on subspecies among crane flies

All available type material of Tipula stackelbergi Alexander, Tipula usuriensis Alexander and Tipula subpruinosa Mannheims were examined. Tipula (Yamatotipula) stackelbergistat. rev. is elevated from a subspecies of Tipula (Yamatotipula) pruinosa Wiedemann to a valid species. Two new synonyms are proposed: Tipula usuriensissyn. n. proved to be a junior synonym of. Tipula (Yamatotipula) pruinosa and Tipula subpruinosasyn. n. a junior synonym of Tipula (Yamatotipula) freyana Lackschewitz. Tipula (Yamatotipula) stackelbergi is redescribed, male and female terminalia of Tipula (Yamatotipula) pruinosa are illustrated and discussed. Female terminalia of Tipula (Yamatotipula) freyana are described and illustrated for the first time. A key to both sexes of Tipula (Yamatotipula) stackelbergi and Tipula (Yamatotipula) pruinosa, and a key to females of Tipula (Yamatotipula) chonsaniana, Tipula (Yamatotipula) freyana and Tipula (Yamatotipula) moesta are provided. Subspecies are not uncommon among crane flies, but their ranges and traits are poorly known. An interdisciplinary approach (genetics, ecology, taxonomy) is suggested if subspecific ranks are to be used in tipuloid systematics.