Revisionary taxonomy of selected higher Diptera (Cyclorrhapha)

这种苍蝇(双翅目)有超过15万个已知物种，至少有同样多的物种等待正式描述，它们至少占生物多样性的20%，具有巨大的生态和经济重要性。尽管如此，许多组织仍然鲜为人知。仔细研究双翅目的特定谱系(单系类群)，不断地产生新的物种、新的分布和其他发现。此外，导致出版修订或综述的标本研究使新旧物种名称都可用，并提供了随时获取与这些名称相关的所有相关信息的途径。建议研究的主要目的是修订选定的双翅目谱系，澄清组成分类群的身份、分布和关系。主要的焦点群体将是无处不在的鞭毛虫科和相关群体(特别是小鞭毛虫科)和较小的鞭毛虫科和相关谱系。选择这些分类群，部分是为了对它们的超级科进行长期研究计划的合乎逻辑的延伸，部分是为了跟进最近出版的《中美洲双翅目手册》中关于各个科的章节所出现的研究问题。对该项目的参与导致编制了几个科的新热带属的第一批检索表，并发现了许多新的属和种。对这些属及其所含物种的描述和修订是澄清有关科的分类的重要第一步，从而为进一步研究生物多样性和生态学提供了一个框架。将利用专门的收集技术、观察和图像记录来加强现有的研究收藏品，并通过借用世界各地主要博物馆的现有收藏品来进一步补充。将使用所有实用特征对单系类群进行彻底修订，从形态(特别是雄性和雌性末端的内部形态)开始，以有效地识别组成分类群，开发检索表，并构建系统发育假说。然后将使用行为和分子特征来解决问题区域并改进系统发育假说。

With over 150,000 known species and at least as many awaiting formal description, the flies (order Diptera) comprise at least 20% of biodiversity and are of enormous ecological and economic importance. Despite this, many groups remain poorly known. Careful examination of particular lineages (monophyletic groups) of Diptera consistently yields new species, new distributions and other discoveries. Additionally, specimen study leading to the publication of revisions or reviews makes both new and old species names available, and provides ready access to all the associated information associated with those names. The main objective of the proposed research is to revise selected lineages of Diptera, clarifying the identity, distribution and relationships of component taxa. The major focal groups will be the ubiquitous acalyptrate family Sphaeroceridae and related groups (especially Heleomyzidae) and the smaller acalyptrate family Micropezidae and related lineages. These taxa were selected in part as a logical extension of a long-term research program on their superfamilies, and in part to follow up on research problems that arose during the preparation of chapters on various families for the recent Manual of Central American Diptera. Participation in that project led to the development of the first keys to neotropical genera of several families, and led to the discovery of numerous new genera and species. The description and revision of those genera and their included species is an essential first step to clarifying the taxonomy of the families in question, thus providing a framework for further studies in biodiversity and ecology. Existing study collections will be enhanced using specialized collecting techniques, observation and image recording, and further supplemented by borrowing existing collections from major museums worldwide. Monophyletic groups will be thoroughly revised using all practical characters, starting with morphology (especially internal morphology of the male and female terminalia) to efficiently identify component taxa, develop keys, and construct phylogenetic hypotheses. Behavioral and molecular characters will then be used to resolve problem areas and improve phylogenetic hypotheses.