70 research outputs found
Africa Expedition 2018
No full textCollection trip with 4 persons in total: Pierfilippo Cerretti (Sapienza Università di Roma), Thomas Pape (University of Copenhagen), Silvia Gisondi (Sapienza Università di Roma), Arn Rytter Jensen (Sapienza Università di Roma). Car rented: A 4x4 Toyota Double cab with camping gear and special tents on top of the car. The car would be picked up at the Cape Town International Airport 18 November, and dropped off at Windhoek the 24 November. The plan was to drive to the different localities, collect and camp at the locality
Stevenia gilasiani sp. nov. (Diptera: Rhinophoridae): the first woodlouse fly with male sexual-patches
No full textStevenia gilasiani Ziegler, Gisondi & Cerretti, sp. nov. from western Iran is described and illustrated. Cladistic arguments are provided in order to give an explicit genus level affiliation for the new species. Stevenia gilasiani sp. nov. is the first rhinophorid characterized by male ventral sexual-patches on abdominal tergites 3, 4 and 5 and sternites 3 and 4, and is the only Stevenia characterized by two postpronotal setae instead of usual three. A comparison with all congeners is made
FIGURES 2–5 in Stevenia gilasiani sp. nov. (Diptera: Rhinophoridae): the first woodlouse fly with male sexual-patches
No full textFIGURES 2–5. Stevenia gilasiani Ziegler, Gisondi & Cerretti sp. nov. (holotype ♂). 2. Habitus in lateral view. 3. Head in lateral view. 4. Right wing in dorsal view. 5. Head in frontal view.Published as part of Gisondi, Silvia, Lenzi, Alice, Ziegler, Joachim, Giulio, Andrea Di & Cerretti, Pierfilippo, 2019, Stevenia gilasiani sp. nov. (Diptera: Rhinophoridae): the first woodlouse fly with male sexual-patches, pp. 423-431 in Zootaxa 4571 (3) on page 426, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4571.3.10, http://zenodo.org/record/261265
FIGURE 1. Most parsimonious tree obtained using TNT under implied weighting and a k in Stevenia gilasiani sp. nov. (Diptera: Rhinophoridae): the first woodlouse fly with male sexual-patches
No full textFIGURE 1. Most parsimonious tree obtained using TNT under implied weighting and a k-value of 8.594.Published as part of Gisondi, Silvia, Lenzi, Alice, Ziegler, Joachim, Giulio, Andrea Di & Cerretti, Pierfilippo, 2019, Stevenia gilasiani sp. nov. (Diptera: Rhinophoridae): the first woodlouse fly with male sexual-patches, pp. 423-431 in Zootaxa 4571 (3) on page 425, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4571.3.10, http://zenodo.org/record/261265
Growing the Rhinophorid tree. Three new species and their phylogenetic implications (Diptera: Rhinophoridae)
No full textThree new species of Rhinophoridae (Aporeomyia elaphocera sp. nov., Baniassa pennata sp. nov. from the Oriental Region, and Phyto mambilla sp. nov. from the Afrotropical Region) are described, illustrated and compared with congeners. Genus-level aliation of the new species is based on a morphology-based phylogeny, preliminarily accepting a paraphyletic Phyto Robineau-Desvoidy awaiting incorporation of molecular data. Keys to the species of the genus Aporeomyia Pape & Shima as well as to the Afrotropical species of the genus Phyto Robineau-Desvoidy are given
Vico e il problema del metodo tra sperimentalismo e retorica
No full text[Vico and the Problem of Method between Rhetoric and Experimentalism]. This paper analyses some of the major issues discussed by Vico in his De nostri temporis studiorum ratione. Focusing especially on books VII and X, the author examines Vico’s comparison between the method of the “ancients” – or “topica”– and the one of the “moderns” – or critica. In this perspective, the study retraces the question of method exposed by Vico, starting from the discussions within the Accademia of Investiganti and from the heritage of humanistic rhetoric. The solution proposed by Vico to the problem of education and learning showshow it ispossible to conciliate the “ratio critica” and the “ratiotopica”. The study underlines how Vico can recovery the rhetorical method of “topica” in the context of the Cartesian debate in Naples
Stevenia gilasiani Gisondi & Lenzi & Ziegler & Giulio & Cerretti 2019, sp. nov.
No full text<i>Stevenia gilasiani</i> Ziegler, Gisondi & Cerretti, sp. nov. <p>(Figs 2–14)</p> <p> <b>Type material.</b> HOLOTYPE ♂: Iran, West Azerbaijan, Ulugh Dagh mountain range, south of Urmia. Label data: “ Iran: Azarbayjan-e Gharbi prov. / Kulabi (Ulugh Dagh) S of Disaj / S of Orumiyeh, Mountain top / 37°09'51.8"N 044°53'08.5"E / 24.VII.2008 2250 m / legit Joachim Ziegler ” (ZMHB).</p> <p>PARATYPES: 6 ♂♂, same data as holotype (4 in ZMHB, 1 in MZUR, 1 in SMNS); 5 ♂♂: “ Iran - West Azarbaijan / Oshnavieh-Dizaj-Kulabi / N 37 0 9 19.7, E 0 44 53 0 4.1 / 2242 m. / leg. E. Gilasian / 24.VII.2008 ” (1 in MZUR, 4 in HMIM) [all collected by hand net on stones and rocks].</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The specific epithet is chosen in honour of our Iranian colleague Ebrahim Gilasian, who collected 5 paratypes of this species. Furthermore, one of us (JZ) is thankful for Ebrahim’s long staying friendship, collegial cooperation and organization of wonderful collecting trips in Iran.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> Two postpronotal setae, instead of the usual three arranged in a distinct triangle. Male with ventral sexual-patches on abdominal tergites 3, 4 and 5 and sternites 3 and 4.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> <i>Male</i> (measurements in square brackets refer to the holotype).</p> <p>Length: [6.7] mm.</p> <p> Colour (Figs 2–8). Head black in ground colour, covered with silvery-grey microtomentum; frontal vitta black; area between gena and parafacial dark brown; scape and pedicel orange (same colour as abdomen laterally) to brownish and postpedicel mostly dark brown, shading to yellowish at junction with pedicel; palpus yellow. Thorax black, mostly covered with grey microtomentum, with three broad presutural dark vittae in posterior view. Legs black in ground colour. Upper and lower calypters whitish. Wing hyaline; area between vein R 2+3 and anterior wing margin slightly brownish infuscated; tegula reddish-brown, basicosta yellow; veins black or dark brown. Abdomen largely reddish-orange laterally, with a mediodorsal dark vitta interrupted mediodorsally; syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3 orange laterally, with orange portion not reaching posterior margin; tergite 4 black dorsally and slightly reddish anterolaterally; tergite 5 black; tergites 3–4 each with a band of whitish microtomentum on anterior 1/4 (dorsally) to 1/2 (laterally), syntergite 1+2 with diffuse whitish microtomentum; terminalia blackish.</p> <p>Head (Figs 3, 5). Frons about 0.53–0.65 [0.55] of a compound eye in dorsal view. Outer vertical seta not differentiated. Ocellar setae short, hair-like and proclinate. Frons with 6–9 frontal setae reaching upper margin of pedicel. Fronto-orbital plate with scattered setulae lateral to row of frontal setae. One upper reclinate orbital seta and no proclinate orbital setae. Parafacial variable, approximately 0.8–1.4 times as wide as postpedicel at mid length, with 2–3 setae on lower half and with a few hairs over its whole length. Facial ridge concave with robust setae above vibrissa on lower 1/5 of its length. Vibrissa inserted at level of lower facial margin. Face and lower facial margin not visible in lateral view. Occiput with black setulae only. Gena approximately 0.3–0.4 of compound eye height. Genal dilation well developed. Antenna long, 5/4 of the height of gena. Postpedicel about 1.6–2.0 times as long as pedicel. Arista bare and thickened on proximal 1/5. First aristomere very short, not longer than wide. Second aristomere about as long as wide. Prementum about twice as long as width at mid length. Palpus apically enlarged.</p> <p> Thorax. Postpronotum with two setae (Fig. 6). Acrostichal setae absent. Two presutural and three postsutural dorsocentral setae. Two postsutural intra-alar setae separated by a distance greater than distance between first seta and suture, or only one postsutural intra-alar seta. First postsutural supra-alar seta not differentiated. Two katepisternal setae. Katepimeron bare. Anepimeral seta present but mostly weak. Two pairs of marginal scutellar setae: apical pair crossed. One pair of discal scutellar setae. Anatergite bare. Anterior and posterior fringes of posterior spiracle of approximately the same size. Postmetacoxal area membranous. <i>Legs</i>. Preapical anterodorsal seta of fore tibia about as long as preapical dorsal seta. Mid tibia with two anterodorsal setae. Hind tibia with three preapical dorsal setae. Preapical posteroventral seta of hind tibia about as long as preapical anteroventral one. Hind tibia with two well-developed anterodorsal setae. Posterodorsal margin of coxa bare. <i>Wing</i> (Fig. 4). Lower calypter tongue-shaped. Second costal section (CS 2) bare ventrally. Costal spine not differentiated from other costal setulae. R 1 bare. Base of vein R 4+5 with 2–5 setulae dorsally and ventrally. Bend of M 1 forming an obtuse angle. Fourth costal section (CS 4) longer than sixth (CS 6). Section of M between crossveins r-m and dm-cu 1.7–2.3 times longer than section between dm-cu and bend of M. Cell r 4+5 with a petiole 3/4 the length of postangular section of M.</p> <p> Abdomen (Figs 7–8). Mid-dorsal depression of syntergite 1+2 confined to anterior 1/4 of syntergite. Syntergite 1+2 without median marginal setae, with several lateral discal and lateral marginal setae. Tergite 3 with one pair of median marginal setae, one pair of lateral discal setae and two pairs of lateral marginal setae. Tergites 4 and 5 each with a row of marginal setae and without discal setae. Tergite 5 very short, approximately 1/3 length of tergite 4. Sternite 4 exposed. Ventral sides of tergites 3, 4 and 5 with paired patches of appressed setae and cuticular microsculpture (i.e., sexual-patches) (Figs 8–11). Sexual-patches also present on sternites 3 and 4. <i>Terminalia</i> (Figs 12–14). Epandrium short and convex. Cercus with curled cuticular microsculpture, long setae on lateral surface and one pair of long setae on apical dorsal surface; cerci approximately 2/3 of length of surstylus, with a dorsomedial suture separating them. Surstylus dagger-like in lateral view and rounded at apex in posterior view, twisted inward (Figs 12–13). Processus longus stick-like and firmly fused to base of surstylus. Distiphallus as long as surstylus; lateroventral face of distiphallus sclerotized and covered with scale-like spinules. Acrophallus with tripartite sperm duct (Fig. 14).</p> <p> <i>Female</i>. Unknown.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Palaearctic: Iran (West Azerbaijan).</p> <p> <b>Biology.</b> Unknown.</p>Published as part of <i>Gisondi, Silvia, Lenzi, Alice, Ziegler, Joachim, Giulio, Andrea Di & Cerretti, Pierfilippo, 2019, Stevenia gilasiani sp. nov. (Diptera: Rhinophoridae): the first woodlouse fly with male sexual-patches, pp. 423-431 in Zootaxa 4571 (3)</i> on pages 425-429, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4571.3.10, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/2612657">http://zenodo.org/record/2612657</a>
Robber flies and hover flies (Insecta, Diptera, Asilidae and Syrphidae) in beech forests of the central Apennines: a contribution to the inventory of insect biodiversity in Italian State Nature Reserves
No full textThe present paper describes a sampling-event dataset on species belonging to two families of Diptera (Syrphidae and Asilidae) collected between 2012 and 2019 in two Italian beech forests located in the central Apennines. The reference dataset consists of an annotated checklist and has been published on Zenodo. Syrphidae and Asilidae are two widespread and key ecological groups, including predator, pollinator and saproxylic species. Despite their pivotal role in both natural and man-made ecosystems, these families are still poorly known in terms of local distribution and open-access sampling-event data are rare in Italy.This open-access dataset includes 2,295 specimens for a total of 21 Asilidae and 65 Syrphidae species. Information about the collection (e.g. place, date, methods applied, collector) and the identification (e.g. species name, author, taxon ID) of the species is provided. Given the current biodiversity crisis, the publication of checklists, sampling-event data and datasets on insect communities in open-access repositories is highly recommended, as it represents the opportunity to share biodiversity information amongst different stakeholders. Moreover, such data are also a valuable source of information for nature reserve managers responsible for monitoring the conservation status of protected and endangered species and habitats and for evaluating the effects of conservation actions over time
The world Polleniidae (Diptera, Oestroidea): key to genera and checklist of species
No full textA key to the world genera and a checklist of the world species for the family Polleniidae, including distributions, are provided. The following taxonomic and nomenclatural changes are proposed: Nitellia hermoniella Lehrer, 2007 = Pollenia mediterranea Grunin, 1966, syn. nov., Pollenia bentalia Lehrer, 2007 = Pollenia semicinerea Villeneuve, 1911, syn. nov., Dasypoda angustifrons Jacentkovský, 1941 = Pollenia tenuiforceps Séguy, 1928, syn. nov.; Anthracomyza Malloch, 1928, resurrected name (monotypic; type species Anthracomyia atratula Malloch) is considered a valid name and tentatively assigned to Polleniidae, giving Anthracomyza atratula (Malloch, 1927) as a resurrected combination; Morinia crassitarsis (Villeneuve, 1936), stat. rev. is considered a valid species, and Micronitellia Enderlein, 1936, stat. nov. is considered an available name
Morinia tsitsikamma Pierfilipo Cerette & John O. Stirneman III & Silvia Gisondi & Knut Rognes & Giuseppe Lo Giudice & Thomas Pappe 2019, sp.n.
No full text<p>Morinia tsitsikamma <i>sp.n.</i></p> <p>(Figs 4–6)</p> <p>http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 3896A907- 0722-4200-9C8E-CFF38BC01BFF.</p> <p> <i>Material examined</i>: Holotype ♂: Malaise trap / indigenous / forest // RSA: Tsitsikamma N. P. / Bloukrans Pass. Platbos al: / 33∘56.558’S, 23∘37.566 ′ E / 22–25.i.2009 / A. Kirk-Spriggs, S. Otto // Entomology Dept. / National Museum / PO Box 266 / Bloemfontein 9300 / South Africa // BMSA (D) / 05392 (NMB).</p> <p>Paratypes: 19 ♂♂, same data as holotype but numbered 05381–05386, 05388–05391, 05393–05396, 05398, 05400–05403 (and 05403 with: Sweeping / forest paths / indigenous /forest); 2 ♀♀, same data as holotype 05399 but 05404 (Sweeping / forest paths / indigenous /forest) (all in NMB, except 1♂ in MZUR and and 1♂ in NHMD).</p> <p> <i>Etymology</i>. A noun in apposition. Named for the type locality.</p> <p> <i>Diagnosis</i>. <i>Morinia tsitsikamma</i> is distinguishable from Palaearctic [<i>M</i>. <i>doronici</i> (Scopoli), <i>M</i>. <i>crassitarsis</i> (Villeneuve), <i>M</i>. <i>nigerrima</i> (Herting), <i>M</i>. <i>piliparafacia</i> Fan, <i>M</i>. <i>proceripenisa</i> Feng, <i>M</i>. <i>skufyini</i> Khitsova] and Oriental [<i>M</i>. <i>argenticincta</i> (Senior-White)] congeners by the following combination of character states: thorax, legs and abdomen black in ground colour with bronze metallic reflections; both males and females with one to two proclinate and one to two upper lateroclinate orbital setae; parafacial covered with short setulae (parafacial is usually bare in Palaearctic species but setulose <i>M</i>. <i>piliparafacia</i>, <i>M</i>. <i>skufyini</i>); face with a small though visible median carina. The other named Afrotropical species of <i>Morinia</i> (i.e. <i>M</i>. <i>carinata</i>, <i>M. lactineala</i>, <i>M. longirostris</i>, <i>M</i>. <i>royi</i>, <i>M. stuckenbergi</i>) share a long and narrow prementum, which is 1.0–1.3× as long as head height, and relatively narrow labella. <i>Morina tsitsikamma</i> is instead characterized by prementum shorter than head height, i.e. 3–4× as long as wide, and labella normally developed. In addition, the newly described species has the notopleuron bare, except for the two notopleural setae, the arista with long trichia and the anterior margin of metathoracic spiracle with two to five relatively long setae (Fig. 5C).</p> <p> <i>Description</i>. (Values in square brackets refer to the holotype.)</p> <p>Body length: ♂, 5.8–7.1 (7.0) mm; ♀, 6.6–7.8 mm.</p> <p> <i>Coloration</i> (Figs 4, 5). Ground colour of head blackish except for lower part of parafacial and anterior part of frons, which are dark brown; head entirely covered with whitish or silver reflecting microtomentum. Antenna and mouthparts brownish-black. Thorax, legs and abdomen black in ground colour with bronze metallic reflections; thorax dorsally covered with whitish, sparse microtomentum except for two, barely visible, presutural dark vittae located between rows of dorsocentral and acrostichal setae. Abdomen thinly covered with whitish microtomentum (barely visible only in posterodorsal view). Tegula brownish, basicosta yellow. Wing membrane yellowish.</p> <p> <i>Head</i> (Fig. 4). Frons 1.3–1.5 (1.4)× (male), 1.6–1.7× (female) as wide as compound eye in dorsal view. Frontal vitta 2.5–(3.0)× (male), 2.5–3.0× (female) as wide as fronto-orbital plate. Inner and outer vertical setae well developed. One or two proclinate and one to two upper lateroclinate orbital setae (usually two in male, one in female). Scattered short setulae dispersed between orbital setae and inner edge of compound eye. Ocellar and postocellar setae well developed, proclinate. Seven to eight frontal setae, descending to upper margin of pedicel. Lunula virtually bare, with only minute setulae, which are only visible under high magnification (Fig. 4E, G). Face concave, with a small and slightly visible median carina. Facial ridge concave with one to two setulae above vibrissa. Vibrissa arising above level of lower facial margin. Subvibrissal setae well developed, as long as vibrissa. Face and lower facial margin not visible in lateral view. Parafacial wide, about twice as wide as postpedicel (both measured at middle) and covered with short setulae. Genal dilation well developed. Gena (0.5)–0.6× (male), 0.6–0.7× (female) as high as compound eye. Postpedicel 2.2–2.6 (2.4)× (male), 1.8–2.2× (female) times as long as pedicel. Arista short plumose (longest trichia about 2× proximal diameter of arista) and thickened on proximal 1/7–1/8. Second aristomere about as long as wide. Prementum shorter than head height, about 3–4× as long as wide. Labella normally developed. Palpus slightly clavate, about twice as long as labellar lobes.</p> <p> <i>Thorax</i> (Fig. 5B, C). Two postpronotal setae. One posthumeral seta. One presutural, three postsutural supra-alar setae (first postsutural supra-alar seta longer and stronger than notopleural setae). Two postsutural intra-alar setae (presutural intra-alar setae absent). Two presutural, three postsutural dorsocentral setae. One presutural, one postsutural acrostichal setae. Notopleuron bare except for the two notopleural setae. Metathoracic spiracle small and rounded; posterior lappet of metathoracic spiracle slightly larger than anterior lappet and outwardly directed; anterior margin of metathoracic spiracle with two to five relatively long setae (Fig. 5C). Two pairs of marginal scutellar setae (basal seta about as long as crossed, horizontal apical setae) and one pair of discal scutellar setae. Two katepisternal setae. Three or four strong anepisternal setae. Anepimeron with a patch of slender setulae below lower calypter. Postalar wall with setulae.</p> <p> <i>Wing</i> (Fig. 5A). Costal spine at most weakly differentiated from regular row of costal setulae. Second costal sector cs 2 bare ventrally. Base of R 4+5 bare. Section of M 1 between crossveins r-m and dm-m longer than the section between dm-m and bend of M 1. Wing cell r 4+5 open at wing margin. Bend of M 1 rounded.</p> <p> <i>Legs</i>. Preapical posterodorsal seta of fore tibia varying from slightly shorter to as long as preapical dorsal seta. Midtibia with one anterodorsal seta. Preapical anteroventral seta on hind tibia about as long and robust as preapical posteroventral seta. Hind tibia with two anterodorsal and two anteroventral setae. Hind tibia with equally strong dorsal, anterodorsal and posterodorsal preapical setae.</p> <p> <i>Abdomen</i> (Figs 4A, 5D). Mid-dorsal depression on syntergite 1 + 2 confined to anterior third; syntergite 1 + 2 and tergite 3 without median marginal setae. Tergites 4 and 5 with a row of marginal and median discal setae. Tergite 5, measured mid-dorsally, 0.6–(0.8)× (male), 0.7–0.9× (female) as long as tergite 4.</p> <p> <i>Male terminalia</i> (Figs 5E, F, 6). Connection between tergite 6 and syntergosternite 7 + 8 membranous. Cerci nearly straight in lateral view, only slightly curved on distal fourth and subequal in length to surstyli, not fused medially. Surstylus long and narrow in lateral view, with short and scattered setulae distally.Surstylus freely articulated with epandrium. Bacilliform sclerite joining surstylus at the anterobasal corner of surstylus (seen in lateral view). Hypandrium wide, hypandrial arms well developed, converging posteriorly but not touching each other. Pregonite subtriangular, with three to four thin setulae on the pointed distal part. Postgonite with a short seta arising at mid-length (slightly beyond) on lower surface. Postgonal apodeme present. Epiphallus well developed, weakly sclerotized and hook-shaped. Apical part of dorsolateral processes of distiphallus (pdp) separate from phallus wall (i.e. with free tip). Median process of ventral sclerotization of distiphallus long, narrow and not fused to base of ventral sclerotization. Ventrolateral lobe semicircular, about as long as median process of ventral sclerite, fringed with robust, scale-like spinulae. No armature on ventral and ventrolateral surface of distalmost parts of distiphallus, i.e. smooth and without small teeth (Fig. 6C, D).</p> <p> <i>Female terminalia</i> (Fig. 6G). Length of sclerites 7–8 moderate (sternites 7 and 8 about 2× as long as wide). Tergite 8 divided into two broad hemitergites. Sensilla trichodea (alpha setae) present on sternites. Epiproct lobe-shaped, without microtrichosity, without sensilla trichodea, with two setae apically. Hypoproct with ligulae. Cerci narrow and elongate, about twice as long as epiproct, with setae but without sensilla trichodea and without microtrichosity.</p> <p> <i>Distribution</i>. Afrotropical – South Africa (Eastern Cape).</p>Published as part of <i>Cerretti, Pierfilippo, Stireman III, John O., Badano, Davide, Gisondi, Silvia, Rognes, Knut, Giudice, Giuseppe Lo & Pape, Thomas, 2019, Reclustering the cluster flies (Diptera: Oestroidea, Polleniidae), pp. 957-972 in Systematic Entomology 44</i> on pages 964-968, DOI: 10.1111/syen.12369, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3402822">http://zenodo.org/record/3402822</a>
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