ABSTRACT ItatingamyiaAlbuquerque, 1979 is rare in collections, with only nine specimens preserved in museums. Two species are known, and their placement within Muscidae was never tested using molecular data. Here, we estimate the position of Itatingamyia within Muscidae with mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (AATS, CAD, and EF1-α) markers using Maximum likelihood and Bayesian posterior probabilities as optimality criteria. According to our results, we propose to classify Itatingamyia as a Cyrtoneurininae. We also describe the previously unknown female and egg of Itatingamyia couriaeHaseyama and de Carvalho, 2011 and expand the known distribution of this species to the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, through the discovery of 13 new specimens there. We also argue that Itatingamyia distribution is restricted to Atlantic Forest areas.

ABSTRACT Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon cv. Jiggs) is an important food source for dairy cattle in the semi-intensive milk production systems most often used in southern Brazil. Although many insect pests are associated with feed grasses, we report here the first occurrence of the fly Atherigona (Atherigona) reversura Villeneuve, 1936 (Diptera: Muscidae) feeding on bermudagrass in Brazil. This potential pest was observed in April 2015 in three localities (Abelardo Luz, Palmitos, and Videira) in western Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. The infested plants had senescent and necrotic terminal leaves that reduced plant growth. New growth had to sprout new tillers from basal nodes, which resulted in a reduced plant growth rate. We also provide a morphological identification key (with figures) for A. (Atherigona) reversura and A. (Acritochaeta) orientalis Schiner, 1868. A molecular identification based on COI is also provided to better differentiate species.

In a study on Fanniidae biogeography, Dominguez & Roig-Juñent (2011) argued that the family had a Pangeic origin, Late Jurassic/early Cretaceous (~146 Ma). However, recent literature on Diptera supports that Schizophora radiation occurred during Cenozoic. Fanniidae is a widespread taxon and it was interpreted under the maximum vicariance paradigm; the consequence was an analysis with no alternative hypothesis, but Pangeic origin. We verified that Fanniidae historical narrative was incongruent with the Gondwana sequential break-up. A second analysis, assuming the Fanniidae origin during early Paleocene (65 Ma), showed congruence with recent geological events and with the Muscidae diversification, a closely related Muscoidea family. Our hypothesis suggests that the Fanniidae originated in Paleogene and they were affected by few events of vicariance and several expansions during Cenozoic.

En un estudio sobre biogeografía de Fanniidae, Domínguez & Roig-Juñent (2011) argumentaron que la familia era de origen Pangeico, Jurásico superior/Cretáceo inferior (~146 Ma). Sin embargo, literatura reciente sobre Diptera, confirma que la radiación de Schizophora ocurrió durante el Cenozoico. Fanniidae es un taxón ampliamente distribuido y fue interpretado bajo el paradigma de máxima vicarianza; la consecuencia, fue un análisis sin hipótesis alternativas, pero de origen pangeico. Nosotros verificamos que la narrativa histórica de Fanniidae es incongruente con la quiebra secuencial de Gondwana. Un segundo análisis, asumiendo el origen de Fanniidae durante el Paleoceno inferior (65 Ma), mostró congruencia con eventos geológicos recientes y con la diversificación de Muscidae, una familia de Muscoidea próximamente relacionada. Nuestra hipótesis sugiere que Fanniidae se originó en el Paleógeno y fueron afectados por pocos eventos de vicarianza y muchas expansiones durante el Cenozoico.