A Systematic Study of the Japanese Pipunculidae (Diptera) : Part I. Introduction to the Family and the Genus Verrcdlia Mik

Abstract

A classification of the family Pipunculidae of Japan is presented for the first time based on the examination of about 2,000 Japanese pipunculid specimens. It was revealed that the Japanese fauna is composed of 3 subfamilies, 8 genera and 108 species. One genus and twenty four species are newly recorded from Japan, and sixty two species are described as new to science. In this paper (Part I) historical review of works of this family in Japan, morphology and terminology of adults, and a key to subfamilies, tribes and genera as well as biological data of found species are given. Besides, eight species of the genus Verrallia Mik are treated, with key to species and illustrations of their important diagnostic characters. Three of them are new species and four of them are new to Japan.