The hispidus species group is formed for four new species from East Asia of the genus Plagiophorus Motschulsky: P. hispidussp. nov., P. hlavacisp. nov., P. serratussp. nov., and P. grandoculatussp. nov. Uncoated specimens were examined using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and micrographs of the holotypes are presented. Keys to the species groups of the genus occurring in East Asia and to the species of the hispidus group are given. The hispidus group is probably monophyletic, having peculiar spinous setae on the male metasternum. The chaetotaxy of the labrum and clypeus is useful for distinguishing species of Plagiophorus.

A new species, Actium abitibiense Chandler et Paquin sp. nov., is described and is associated with old-growth boreal forests in western Quebec.

Polymerase chain reaction and subsequent restriction fragment profiling analysis were used to associate collected tabanid egg masses with their respective species of adult horse flies and deer flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) in Manitoba, Canada. The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) intergenic spacer between the 28S and 18S ribosomal RNA genes was used successfully to differentiate 34 species of adult tabanids representing five genera: Atylotus (1 sp.), Chrysops (10 spp.), Haematopota (1 sp.), Hybomitra (17 spp.), and Tabanus (5 spp.). rDNA was a suitable molecular target for identifying tabanid species because of the high level of interspecific variation when comparing fragment profiles among different species, and the corresponding minimal intraspecific variation among individuals of the same species. Restriction fragment profiles from 56 field-collected tabanid egg masses were compared with those previously obtained from adults of known species. Egg masses of five species were identified: Hybomitra lasiophthalma (Macquart), Hybomitra nitidifrons nuda (McDunnough), Chrysops aestuans van der Wulp, Chrysops excitans Walker, and Chrysops mitis Osten Sacken. We also provide physical descriptions of these tabanid egg masses along with pictures.

The species of the genus Hyppa Duponchel are revised and a new species is described. Adults of all species are illustrated, as are male and female genitalia where known. A neotype is designated for Hadena ancocisconensis Morrison. The concept of Hyppa contrasta is modified from that of a southern Appalachian endemic to that of a common transcontinental species.

The species of the genus Isonychia Eaton, 1871 (Isonychiidae) of East Palaearctic are revised. Two subgenera, Isonychia s.s. and Prionoides Kondratieff et Voshell, 1983, are represented in the Palaearctic. New species and subspecies of Isonychia s.s. are described: I. sexpetalasp. nov., I. ussurica sibiricasubsp. nov., I. concoloriasp. nov., I. crassiusculasp. nov., and I. vshivkovaesp. nov. with subspecies I. vshivkovae vshivkovae and I. vshivkovae sinitshenkovaesubsp. nov. A new species group japonica, with three species (I. crassiuscula, I. vshivkovae, and I. japonica), is recognized on the basis of adult and larval characteristics. The name Isonychia hainanensis She et You, 1988 is synonymized with Isonychia ignota (Walker, 1853) syn. nov.

A review of the Nearctic genera and Canadian and Alaskan species of the Ocalea group is presented. Ten genera are treated, with five erected as new: Alfocalea Klimaszewski gen. nov. (type species: A. montana Klimaszewski sp. nov.), Betocalea Klimaszewski gen. nov. (type species: B. pacifica Klimaszewski sp. nov.), Gennadota Casey (reinstated), Longipeltina Bernhauer, Megocalea Klimaszewski gen. nov. (type species: M. lemieuxi Klimaszewski sp. nov.), Metocalea Klimaszewski gen. nov. (type species: M. lindgreni Klimaszewski sp. nov.), Neoisoglossa (Casey) (nomen novum), Neothetalia Klimaszewski gen. nov. (type species: N. nimia (Casey)), Ocalea Erichson (restricted definition), and Parocalea Bernhauer. Twenty-four species of the Ocalea group are here recognized in the Nearctic region, fourteen of which occur in Canada. Six new species are described from western Canada and Alaska: Neothetalia smetanai Klimaszewski sp. nov. (Canada: British Columbia), Neothetalia canadiana Klimaszewski sp. nov. (Canada: British Columbia, Yukon Territory; United States: Alaska), Betocalea pacifica (Canada: British Columbia), Alfocalea montana (Canada: Alberta, British Columbia), Metocalea lindgreni (Canada: British Columbia), and Megocalea lemieuxi (Canada: British Columbia). The first record of Neoisoglossa agnita (Casey) in Alberta is provided. Two nominal species, Atheta (Athetalia) bicarniceps Casey (= Neoisoglossa) and Isoglossa grandicollis (Casey) (= Neoisoglossa), are here synonymized with Neoisoglossa arcuata (Casey). Aleochara pallitarsis Kirby has been transferred to the genus Neothetalia and is newly recorded from Alaska and British Columbia. Ocalea columbiana Klimaszewski has been transferred to Neothetalia and is newly recorded from Alaska. Neothetalia pallitarsis was formerly recorded from an unknown locality in North America and Neothetalia columbiana from the Carmanah Valley on Vancouver Island. Neothetalia nimia is newly recorded from Alaska. A new generic classification is proposed to accommodate species of the Nearctic Ocalea group. New data are provided on the systematics, relationships, bionomics, and distribution of the Nearctic species and genera of America north of Mexico. Diagnoses, colour images of entire bodies, and line illustrations of genital features are provided for those Canadian and Alaskan species that were not formerly illustrated, and their collection localities are plotted on maps. A key to Nearctic genera of the Ocalea group and the species occurring in Canada and Alaska is presented. The lectotypes have been designated for the following nominal species because the original series consisted of syntypes or represented mixed species or both sexes but with males bearing a better diagnostic set of characters: Aleochara picata Stephens (= Ocalea), Atheta (Athetalia) bicarniceps, Atheta (Athetalia) nimia Casey (= Neothetalia), Atheta (Athetalia) repensa Casey (= Neoisoglossa), Isoglossa arcuata Casey (= Neoisoglossa), Ocalea agnita Casey (= Neoisoglossa), Ocalea franciscana Casey (= Neoisoglossa), Ocalea fusca Fenyes (= Neoisoglossa), Ocalea grandicollis Casey (= Neoisoglossa), Pyroglossa grossa Bernhauer, Rheobioma disjuncta Casey (= Neoisoglossa), Rheobioma marcida Casey (= Neoisoglossa), and Rheobioma terrena Casey (= Neoisoglossa).

Three new species of Tabanidae egg parasitoids are described: Telenomus hybomitraesp. nov. and Telenomus utilissp. nov., both reared from eggs of Hybomitra nitidifrons nuda (McDunnough) and Hybomitra lasiophthalma Macquart, and Telenomus chrysopsissp. nov., reared from eggs of Chrysops aestuans Wulp, Chrysops excitans Walker, and Chrysops mitis Osten Sacken. Specimens of these species were compared with type specimens of known New World species of scelionid parasitoids attacking tabanid eggs. Diagnostic characters and identification key to the Nearctic species are provided.

The aphid parasitoid Aphidius rhopalosiphi is the most abundant species of Aphidiinae in cereal fields in northern Europe. Although the larval morphology of other Aphidiinae has been described, the morphology and immature development of A. rhopalosiphi remain unknown. Our goal is to relate growth and larval developmental stages to morphological changes during parasitoid development, using light and scanning electron microscopy. Aphidius rhopalosiphi develops through three larval stages with clear differences in the morphology of the mouthparts, tegument sculpturing, and respiratory features that can be related to the different constraints that the larvae have to face. In the first instar, adaptations to physical combat with competitors take the form of strong mandibles, active caudae, and dorsal spines that allow crawling motion. In the third instar, the larva is adapted to tear tissues with short hooked mandibles and to face aerial respiration. All instars possess sensory structures. The "three instars" hypothesis is supported here by the observation of larvae in exuviation. No differences were found between our observations and descriptions of other Aphidius species, supporting the idea that species of this genus cannot be distinguished by larval morphology but only by morphometric analysis. Some new features of the genus are presented for the first and second instars.

The genus Creochara Cameron is redescribed, and one species, C. brevipennis (Bernhauer), is recognized in the genus. The systematic position of the genus is discussed, and it is placed in the Tetrasticta genus group in the tribe Aleocharini. The genus group is characterized by the presence of a sternopleural suture and its monophyly is supported by the elongate antennomere I, the development of the metasternal process, and the wide separation of the mesocoxal cavities. Tetrasticta bicolor (Cameron) comb. nov. and Tetrasticta bryanti (Cameron) comb. nov. are excluded from the genus Creochara and redescribed.

Mature larvae of Gonioctena leprieuri (Pic) and Gonioctena aegrota (Fabricius) are described and illustrated for the first time, based on specimens collected on Genista spp. (Fabaceae) in Spain. A key to known larvae of subgenus Spartoxena Motschulsky is provided. Diagnostic characters for the identification of species within this subgenus are shape of labrum, arrangement of microtrichia of epipharynx, shape of tarsal claws, and numbers of tubercles on abdominal segments. Notes on distributions and host plants are provided.

Two new species belonging to the genus Anastrepha, A. mayasp. nov. and A. relictasp. nov., are described. These species are noteworthy because they are closely related to A. tripunctata van der Wulp, an endemic Mexican species currently classified in the cryptostrepha species group, which may be the basal lineage of the genus. These new species come from several tropical Mexican localities and share several taxonomic characters found only in A. tripunctata. The eight known species of the cryptostrepha group are keyed, and a discussion of the phylogenetic relationships between this group and other species groups of Anastrepha is presented.

The species of the genus Monomachus Klug occurring in the Americas are revised. The genus is found from Chile and Argentina north to the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas. A total of 20 species are considered to be valid and 9 are described as new: M. atratussp. nov., M. aurifersp. nov., M. cultratussp. nov., M. exulsp. nov., M. intonsussp. nov., M. paulussp. nov., M. satyrussp. nov., M. serratussp. nov., and M. velatussp. nov. The species M. bicolor Szépligeti, M. cubiceps Schrottky, M. eurycephalus Schletterer, M. fuscator (Perty), M. glaberrimus Schletterer, M. klugii Westwood, M. megacephalus Schletterer, M. pallescens Schletterer, M. porteri Brèthes, M. segmentator Westwood, and M. variegatus Schletterer are redescribed. Monomachus lateralis Westwood is considered a nomen dubium stat. nov.; a lectotype is designated for M. cubiceps; and Monomachus fuscator andinus Schulz is treated as a junior synonym of M. fuscator, syn. nov. A key to the species of the New World and a checklist of the world species is provided. Monomachus fuscator and M. eurycephalus are parasitoids of the coffee pest Chiromyza vittata Wiedemann (Diptera: Stratiomyidae, Chiromyzinae).

Microberotha macculloughigen. nov. and sp. nov. from Early Eocene Okanagan Highlands amber of Hat Creek, British Columbia, Canada, is described. This new genus and species represents one of the smallest members of the family Berothidae and the first occurrence of the family in the New World Tertiary. The systematic position of the genus Microberotha within the family is rather unclear, but the structure of the male genitalia indicates a close association with the subfamily Cyrenoberothinae. Stratigraphy and palaeoenvironment of the Hat Creek locality are briefly discussed.

Two new species of litter-inhabiting leptonetid spiders from Korea are described: Leptoneta namkungisp. nov. from Mt. Buyong, Chungcheongbuk-do, and Leptoneta kwangreungensissp. nov. from Kwangreung, Gyeonggi-do.

Fauna of the genus Pandeleteius Schoenherr of Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, and the Lesser Antilles are revised in part. Six new species of Pandeleteius are described: P. trinidadensissp. nov. (P. angustirostris species group); P. sabanaensissp. nov. and P. bolivarisp. nov. (P. campestris species group, new concept); P. guriensissp. nov. and P. ductilissp. nov. (P. candidus species group, new concept); and P. clarkisp. nov. (P. modestus species group). The P. kirschi species group (new concept) is redefined based on male and female genitalia, and P. testaceipes Hustache is added to the species group. The other sex is described for three species formerly known from only one sex: the male of P. candidus Howden, male of P. arcanus Howden, and female of P. liberalis Howden. New findings on the post-pupal growth and morphology of the male and female genitalia are applied to the group- and species-level taxonomy. The key to the Pandeleteius species of Venezuela and Colombia is revised to include all the original species groups and subsequent changes, as well as all new taxa.

The species of the genus Entomacis Foerster in North America north of Mexico are revised. Nineteen species (12 new), including 8 species of the Holarctic-wide perplexa species group, are keyed, described, and figured. These taxa are E. ambigua (Brues), E. apopkaensissp. nov., E. arcticasp. nov., E. cellariasp. nov., E. cepasp. nov., E. eorariasp. nov., E. floridana (Ashmead), E. grandiclavasp. nov., E. longii (Ashmead), E. mellipetiola (Ashmead), E. parambiguasp. nov., and perplexa group members E. californica (Ashmead), E. microbipunctatasp. nov., E. notioxerasp. nov., E. oulasp. nov., E. parvasp. nov., E. perplexa (Haliday), E. sapratasp. nov., and E. subemarginata (Ashmead). Hemilexodes canadensis (Harrington) is synonymized under Entomacis mellipetiola (Ashmead) (syn. nov.). The status of Entomacis latipennis (Ashmead), E. filiformis (Ashmead), and Hemilexis jessei Mann is reviewed. New character complexes, particularly chaetotaxy, are emphasized for Diapriidae species taxonomy.

The North American fauna of Alucitidae is shown to include three widespread species: Alucita montana Barnes et Lindsey, 1921 (nec Cockerell), Alucita adriendenisisp. nov. (type locality: Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada), and Alucitalalanneisp. nov. (type locality: Maynooth, Ontario, Canada). Alucita hexadactyla (L., 1758) and A. huebneri Wallengren, 1862 do not occur in North America. The three North American species are described and illustrated. Alucita montana is found from southwestern Quebec and Vermont, west to British Columbia, and south to Arizona, California, and Texas; its caterpillar is associated with Symphoricarpos spp. (Caprifoliaceae). Alucita adriendenisi is known from northwestern Quebec and New York, west to Alberta and the Northwest Territories, with more southern populations (isolated?) in West Virginia, Arizona, and Texas; its caterpillar feeds on flowers of Lonicera dioica L. (Caprifoliaceae) in Michigan. Alucita lalannei has been found in Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta, Canada; its host plant is unknown.

Early detection of pest infestation is a prerequisite for sustainable crop protection. However, many pest species are difficult to detect and thus infestation is diagnosed from damage observed on the respective crop. This diagnosis is often made too late for implementation of crop protection measures, and serious crop losses may result. The swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii Kieffer, is a major pest of Brassica L. (Brassicaceae) vegetables in Europe that has recently invaded North America. With its small size and short adult life-span, and the cryptic lifestyle of the larvae feeding at the growing points of its host plants, it is usually detected only after damage has already occurred. Furthermore, because field-trapped specimens are rarely fully intact, it is extremely difficult to identify. Therefore, we developed a species-specific molecular diagnostic method that enables reliable identification of swede midge from various sources such as alcohol or sticky glue traps. The method enables large-scale screening of field-trapped specimens and is used to evaluate the attractiveness and specificity of pheromone traps that are currently under development.

The New World species of Pseudonapomyza Hendel are reviewed. Only two species of the genus were previously known to occur in the Nearctic region: P. atra (Meigen) and P. lacteipennis (Malloch). Pseudonapomyza europaea Spencer and P. asiatica Spencer are here recorded for the first time in the Nearctic region and P. asiatica is recorded for the first time in Costa Rica and Venezuela. A key is provided to identify the four known New World species of Pseudonapomyza.

The requirements for successful diapause of field-collected larvae and emergence of the adult wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin), and its egg parasitoid Macroglenes penetrans (Kirby) were investigated in the laboratory. Both species showed little decline in survival for up to 5 weeks at 20 °C in dry wheat spikes and could successfully diapause in wheat spikes at 0 °C for at least 200 d, although larvae usually drop to the soil to diapause. Both species diapaused successfully in clay loam and fine quartz sand, but survival was lower in vermiculite or coarse activated clay. Diapause was completed successfully at soil temperatures of −5 to 2.5 °C, and both species survived for at least 500 d at 2.5 °C with no increase in mortality. Larval survival declined after 120 d at −10 °C. Usually more than 95% of all surviving wheat midges emerged as adults after a single diapause period of 100 d or more, but up to 5% of wheat midges and 12%−57% of parasitoids did not emerge until they were exposed to a second cold period. Postdiapausal larvae pupated and adult wheat midges emerged at constant temperatures of 16, 20, 26, and 28 °C with no differences in mortality, although none emerged at 10 °C. The timing of wheat midge emergence was temperature dependent, requiring 306 degree-days above a threshold of 9 °C. Degree-day requirements and soil temperatures from a nearby weather station accurately predicted the average timing of emergence in the field, but not the year-to-year variation in date of 50% emergence. The wheat midge and its parasitoid are well adapted to the conditions they encounter in their range in western Canada. Methods for rearing both species through diapause and adult emergence are described.