A new species of Neossos Malloch (Diptera: Heleomyzidae) from the Yukon Territory, Canada, and a revised key to the Nearctic species

Abstract

Background The rarely collected genus Neossos Malloch contains three Nearctic and one western European species. Most known specimens have been collected from bird nests. Two specimens of an undescribed species of Neossos were collected by sweeping in subarctic tundra and a mesic meadow in the Yukon Territory, Canada. This represents a significant northward extension of the known Nearctic range of the genus. New information Neossos tombstonensis sp. n. is described from the Yukon Territory. This represents the fourth described Nearctic species of Neossos. Although the type specimens were collected by sweeping, the species is predicted to be associated with bird nests, based on habits of other members of the genus. A revised key to the Nearctic species of Neossos is provided.