Primary hypotheses of global areas of endemism based on the distribution of Tabanomorpha (Diptera, Brachycera).

Areas of endemism, or worthy for conservation, are mainly determined based on large data sets of vertebrates and plants. Herein, we investigated the global distribution at the species-level of the infraorder Tabanomorpha (Diptera, Brachycera), identifying areas of endemism for the group. We performed an endemicity analysis through a grid-based method-NDM/VNDM-using 1,385 species (6,392 geographical records) of Tabanomorpha. The grid size of the analysis was 7º and we applied the loose consensus rule (31%) in the recovered areas. Our results revealed 479 total areas of endemism and 18 consensus areas: the whole Neotropical region, six areas in the Nearctic region, two in the Palearctic region, and three areas in each the Oriental, Australian, and African regions. There are parallels among our results and previously proposed bioregionalisation schemes established by other taxa, showing a way forward for using insects to determine global patterns of endemism.

Timeless standards for species delimitation.

Recently a new species of bombyliid fly, Marleyimyia xylocopae, was described by Marshall & Evenhuis (2015) based on two photographs taken during fieldwork in the Republic of South Africa. This species has no preserved holotype. The paper generated some buzz, especially among dipterists, because in most cases photographs taken in the field provide insufficient information for properly diagnosing and documenting species of Diptera.

Areas of endemism in the Neotropical region based on the geographical distribution of Tabanomorpha (Diptera: Brachycera).

We aim to investigate the geographical distribution patterns of the infraorder Tabanomorpha and to delimit primary hypotheses of areas of endemism for the group in the Neotropical region. The results were compared to areas of endemism proposed in previous works for other taxa and particularly with the recent Morrone's regionalisation proposal. An endemicity analysis was performed with the ndm/vndm algorithm using 3826 occurrence records for 1361 species of Tabanomorpha. Areas of endemism were established based on a grid size of 6º and consensus cut-off of 42%. We identified 13 areas of endemism comprising five main components: Northern South America (NSA), Southeastern South America (SESA), Central America (CA), Brazilian Savannah (BS), Central Andes (CAn). In a broad sense, the main areas of endemism recovered for Tabanomorpha are congruent with the recent proposals of regionalisation for the Neotropical region.

The man who loved flies: a biographical profile of Nelson Papavero .

Nelson Papavero is one of the major Brazilian zoologists. His contribution to the field began in the second half of the twentieth century, when he started publishing in the areas of entomology, systematics, biogeography, and history of science, while working at graduate courses and training teachers and students. Papavero was one of the earliest Brazilian advocates of Hennig's phylogenetic systematics. In his entomological work, his first widely recognised works were the Catalogue of South American Diptera and his essays on the history of Neotropical Dipterology. Papavero's greatest contribution however, is in his Special Courses on Zoological Systematics, as well as his numerous administrative positions during his academic career. All these were fundamental to the development of zoology and comparative biology in Brazil and other Latin American countries. Here we present a biography of Nelson Papavero, along with several personal anecdotes, and his role in the development of Brazilian biological systematics over the last 50 years. 

Uma vida entre insetos e livros: entrevista com Nelson Papavero / A life among insects and books: an interview with Nelson Papavero

Nelson Papavero é um dos principais expoentes da zoologia brasileira. Sua contribuição para a ciência a partir da segunda metade do século XX é decisiva, com publicações nas áreas de zoologia, sistemática, biogeografia e história da ciência, atuação em cursos de pós-graduação e na formação de professores e alunos. Foi o principal introdutor e disseminador da sistemática filogenética hennigiana no Brasil. Sua participação ativa na criação dos Cursos Especiais de Sistemática Zoológica do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico e os inúmeros cargos administrativos que acumulou durante sua trajetória acadêmica foram fundamentais para o desenvolvimento da zoologia e da biologia comparada no Brasil. Sua atuação alcançou ainda outros países da América Latina, como México e Argentina.

Nelson Papavero is one of the top representatives of Brazilian zoology. His decisive contributions to this science began in the second half of the twentieth century, when he started publishing in the areas of zoology, systematics, biogeography, and the history of science while also working at graduate courses and training teachers and students. He was key to the introduction of Hennig's phylogenetic systematics in Brazil and its chief advocate. His active participation in the creation of the Special Courses on Zoological Systematics within the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development and his work at numerous administrative posts which he held during his academic career were vital to the development of zoology and comparative biology in Brazil. His endeavors also reached into other Latin American countries, like Mexico and Argentina.

[A life among insects and books: an interview with Nelson Papavero]. / Uma vida entre insetos e livros: entrevista com Nelson Papavero.

Nelson Papavero is one of the top representatives of Brazilian zoology. His decisive contributions to this science began in the second half of the twentieth century, when he started publishing in the areas of zoology, systematics, biogeography, and the history of science while also working at graduate courses and training teachers and students. He was key to the introduction of Hennig's phylogenetic systematics in Brazil and its chief advocate. His active participation in the creation of the Special Courses on Zoological Systematics within the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development and his work at numerous administrative posts which he held during his academic career were vital to the development of zoology and comparative biology in Brazil. His endeavors also reached into other Latin American countries, like Mexico and Argentina.