Deutsche Version

The Diptera Section

Also in charge of: Anoplura (25 spp.), Mallophaga (78 spp.), Psocoptera (52 spp., 32 primary types).

The two winged flies (Diptera) comprise the midges (Nematocera) and the true flies (Brachycera). With about 140000 species worldwide they range amongst the most speciose insect orders. Germany alone has about 9437 dipteran species from a total of 119 families (Schumann et al. 1999, 2002, 2004).

The Diptera include pest insects, such as the med fly Ceratitis capitata, and parasites, such as mosquitoes, black flies, and tsetse flies. Some transmit serious diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, or sleeping sickness. Others serve as beneficial insects in pest control. Above all, Diptera are faszinating research objects, and many of them are simply beautiful.

Euthycera fumigata, Anomoia purmunda Anomoia purmunda Harris (left) and Euthycera fumigata Scopoli (right). Photographs: M. Kotrba.

In the ZSM Diptera collection about 12500 determined species are represented (list of families, species, types), i.e. about 10% of the known dipteran species worldwide. About 1250 species are represented by type material. In the dry collection the taxonomic emphasis lies in Tipulidae, Stratiomyidae,Tabanidae, Asilidae, Bombyliidae, Dolichopodidae, Syrphidae, Conopidae, Diopsidae, Tephritidae, and Tachinidae. The ZSM chironomid collection comprises about 60000 slide mounts. It is one of the largest and most important chironomid collections of the world, especially regarding the Neotropic Region. The extesive alcohol collection is likewise particularly strong in determined material of Chironomidae, and also in Limoniidae and Mycetophilidae. Moreover it contains most valuable yet unstudied material from the Amazon Region, middle Europe and many other regions of the world.

A catalogue of Diptera of Bavaria is available und updated on a regular basis (PDF, 408 KB).

(also curated by the Diptera section are Psocoptera and Phthiraptera)

REFERENCES

LITERATUR: Schumann, H., R. Bährmann und A. Stark (eds) 1999: Checkliste der Dipteren Deutschlands. - Studia dipterologica. Supplement 2: 1-354.

Schumann, H. 2002: Erster Nachtrag zur „Checkliste der Dipteren Deutschlands“. - Studia dipterologica 9: 437-445.

Schumann, H. 2004: Zweiter Nachtrag zur „Checkliste der Dipteren Deutschlands“. - Studia dipterologica 11: 619-630.